#Grim
Episode Seven
© Omotayo Olukemi Aiyemo
I watched my heart jumped out of my body as the officer signalled that I do as she bade. The distance between us was like that of Mercury to Neptune. Every step I took made me view my end, graphically and crystal clear.
My heart watched from corner as my body approached my doom, my wife.
I didn’t know it will come to this…I never planned this…I never knew it would end so soon, damn too soon. Now it’s all ending, ending up with me being the loser.
* * *
I saw the tension in Tade. If the officers and my mom had been attentive enough, the would have seen it too. His hands were trembling as he helped me up. I was expecting him to say his newly found phrase, “CRAZY WIFEY” but he didn’t, he couldn’t.
When I was fully positioned and ready to talk…I looked at my husband and then my mom and then started my narrative…
” I left the house in a hurry to get mayonnaise when I discovered the one I had bought was fake. I wanted to make salad for my husband and I as it was the day we clocked a month as a couple. Tade loved fresh salad hence I would have made it earlier and refrigerated it. It was when I was closer to where I wanted to get the stuff that I remembered I wasn’t with my phone. It doesn’t make sense me returning home to get it so I went ahead and got the mayonnaise. On my way back, a small boy approached me demanding for my phone and money. I tried pushing him off but he held on to my clothes. Before I knew what was happening, his brothers or so came and started asking I released my phone. When I understood I was about to be robbed of nothing, I tried to explain to them that i wasn’t with it but they wouldn’t listen. They began to press my body searching for my phone and money. I couldn’t take it anymore and so I tried to fight them off. They beat me up until I passed out only to find myself in the hospital with my husband. How he got to me, I don’t know… and he hasn’t been able to tell me as the doctor and nurses here keep treating me as if I’m going crazy of which I’m not” I lied.
I felt Tade’s already wet palm closed in on mine as he squeezed lightly. I followed the tears that rolled down his cheek. I know he didn’t expect this…he didn’t expect me to save him but I did. Not only did I cover him up, but made them know that I was mentally alright. I killed two birds with just a stone, my false statement.
If I had agreed on not remembering anything, Tade might capitalize on that to make everyone view me as crazy… He might even make me go crazy for real cos I don’t trust him anymore neither do I trust the doctor.
And if I had let out everything that happened, Tade might be jailed and what would become of me, our marriage? Wouldn’t it be over for me? The thought alone is sickening. It will not only ruin me, it will vastly affect my mom as well. Also, Tade had done so great things for me in the past that I can’t just forget, just like that.
I want to be strong for us, and try restoring our marriage. I want to give him benefits of doubt that he’ll change back from the monster he is now to the man I had falling in love and still in love with, but with mistakes.
Don’t judge me…you wouldn’t understand me cos you ain’t in my shoes. This might be just our trying times… please don’t ask if this is not too soon, cos we all can’t experience our marital trials at the same time frame.
Giving up on him now will only define me a failure… He has never done this before and I believe I can help him not to do it again.
I love my husband and I want to believe that love will conquer all. We worked out during our relationship days mostly of Tade’s efforts, so if I take the responsibility of making our marriage work, it wouldn’t be too much or would it?
* * *
To say I was shocked is an understatement…I never believed Bisade would protect me even when she had the opportunity for her voice to be heard. My wife covered my wickedness, she did.
I cried silently for her expression of love. I had always doubt her true love for me, but this is a confirmation that she’s truly the one for me cos no woman can ever take this from me and yet cover me up. Not until the police officers informed me that they were leaving, I held on to my wife constantly telling her that I was sorry for making her go through what she went through. I didn’t even care about what those present in the her ward would think, I was lost for what she did for me.
* * *
As soon as my husband left with the officers, my mom began her own investigation.
“Are you sure it wasn’t Tade that did this to you?” That was the first question she asked. I shook my head in negative as my eyes were laced with tears. I did so well in hiding them. I prayed within for strength to stay through to my lies cos I know my mom wouldn’t end it there.
” This one that you’re just shaking your head, hmmmm are you sure you’re not hiding anything from me? Remember I’m your mother, and we’ve got just each other…don’t lie to me oko mi, is there anything else you think i should know? I promise not to tell anyone if you don’t want me to.” My mom scrutinized.
I listened without interrupting till she stopped talking.
I was tempted, but I held back…let’s just stick to our lies else I’ll be tagged unstable and probably concluded to be crazy. I don’t know how best to answer her with conviction so I questioned her instead.
” Why would you even think that my husband did this to me? As in, what gave you the impression that he’s an animal because those that did this to me were the only ones that fit into this description. Have you ever seen any traces of such traits in him?” I questioned in defense
She told me the way we were both looking at each other was confusing…and although she was sure Tade, who she believed can not hurt a fly can never do this to me, his treasure, she would always believe me even if it goes contrary to her trust for Tade.
That’s how much my mom trust me. Even when she had been told there’s a probability that I’m not mentally sound, she still will believe anything I say.
It hurts me so much for lying to her… I felt bad for us both but then she’s no longer the only one I have anymore, I’ve got Tade too and he’s also to be considered before I make any decision.
My mom received an urgent call in which her presence was needed but she refused going. She said I was more important to her than whatever might be happening with her business. Of course I know that.
Tade had to verbally agree to an undertaking never to leave my side until she returned before she finally left promising to be calling him from time to time.
Alone with Tade, who couldn’t bare to look at my face now. A face he had battered… a face he had been staring wickedly at… I wonder what changed but I wasn’t ready to ask.
“Why did you do that?” he asked still not looking at me
” Do what?” I asked in reply feigning ignorance.
” Why did you lie? Why did you not tell the truth? Why did you cover me up despite all I did to you?” He asked all at once before waiting for my response.
” Do you want to hear the truth?” I asked and he replied positively.
” I lied because you’re my husband… you’re the one I vowed before God and men to spend my forever with, so how do we intend to spend our forever if I tell the truth?…. I lied because you’re the one I love and I’ll love till I cease to exist. I lied because we are one now… exposing you will mean exposing me and exposing our home. I lied because I believed whatever had happened to make you do this to me wasn’t intentional…you were just weak enough for the devil to use you. I lied because I believe in you and I believe you’ll overcome whatever that’s going on with you. I lied because I’ve promised myself to stick with you, through thin and thick.
I lied because I love you Tade” I cried
* * *
If all I just heard my wife said didn’t move me, then I’m truly an animal. I was touched…how could I be so cruel to Bisade?
I stood up and embraced her softly in order for her not to feel more pain from the injury I inflicted on her both physically and mentally. I wept on her shoulder. We both wept as if our tears would drown our pain, our hurt.
I felt really bad this moment… To be truthful, I feel terribly ashamed for my irrational behavior. I wished I could turn back the hands of time and I swear, I would have asked questions instead of attacking her.
Is it in anyway possible for the hands of clock to be turned? Will I ever be able to right my wrong? Would it ever be possible for Bisade to forgive and completely forget?
I feel so terrible right now that Bisade had to stop crying and started comforting me… Can you imagine? The victim, consoling the assailant… How awful I feel cannot be expressed in words…
I stopped crying and we both comported when a nurse came in to check up on her. She left after asking her some few questions relating on how she was fairing.
As soon as she left, there came this deafening silence between us. I desire she asks me questions…what prompted the violence, but she didn’t. I wanted to talk to her, maybe opening up will mend our hearts and heal our marriage…but I wished she would ask and I’ll hold back nothing back from her. When it became obvious that she wouldn’t ask and wasn’t ready to say a thing, I decided to bell the cat and pour out my mind, the reason for the hatred and aggression.
Just as I was about to speak, my phone rang indicating her mom as the caller. I wanted to ignore the call but I remembered I had promised her never to leave Bisade’s side. I picked it up and she began to narrate what happened and how her staffs have been able to correct it. In other words, she’s on her way back to the hospital. I wished I could just tell her to shut the hell up…
She eventually ended the call when she must have been satisfied only for me to discover that my wife had slept off. I felt like waking her up as the urge to speak was so great. I decided against it because it would be inconsiderate of me to wake her up because that was the first time she would be sleeping on her own without being injected.
I watched her closely as she slept this time peacefully… I smiled to myself as I assured myself that never will I do this to her again because I have decided to visit the root of our problem.
” Guess who’s here? Her mom asked with a smile on returning to the ward, in less than an hour.
Bisade opened her eyes immediately and her face lightened up with a smile. I traced her gaze to the door post only to behold my worst nightmare, Olamilekan…
“YOU AGAIN!” I yelled out so loud that my ears hurt…. only but in my mind
To be continued…
