The Night Shifts Episode Eight
Even if a woman does not love her husband, it will still be painful if she sees him with another woman. It is more painful when she catches him in bed with another woman, eating honey and enjoying sweet apples. Despite the fact that Binta feels no real love for Dr Nath, she still doesn’t want to hear that he was leaving him for another woman. So, that night was one of the most painful nights ever experienced by Binta. She felt like the hospital ward should collapse and swallow the three of them, she felt cheated and jilted. She felt disappointed and defeated. She felt helpless, as if someone had brought her out from her safe cocoon. Chi Chi has exposed her powerlessness.
Binta has always felt that there is nothing anyone can do to hurt her. She has always called herself the iron lady who could handle her husband and make him to do whatever she likes. She did not know that another woman is capable of snatching her husband’s heart and turning it against her. Apart from being sad, she was actually scared as she was in the room. Binta had reasoned that whoever was capable of snatching her husband from her must be a more powerful person than she is. She felt she was going to tread with caution to avoid double wahala.
Binta was right in her reasoning. As a matter of fact, Chi Chi also sees herself as a powerful woman. She could talk a man into doing what she wants. This was why she was able to influence Dr Nath to take positive actions to better his life. The fact that she could do that made her a strong woman, and Binta knows this. But all the same, Binta was prepared to fight. She cannot see her husband with another woman and then walk away as if nothing happened. She has to at least display some level of ‘gra gra’ before relaxing. But the issue is that if her ‘gra gra’ backfires, Dr Nath and Chi Chi might join hands and beat her up. And there was no favourable hand at the hospital ward who could at least help to separate fight.
Chi Chi was not interested in the ‘gra gra’ being displayed by Binta. She does not care, all she knows is that she has enjoyed Dr Nath, and she was going to enjoy him again even that night if need be. That was why she did not pay attention or get scared when Binta was shouting at Dr Nath. In her mind, Binta was a small ant which she could match and crush with her feet. However, the shouting soon got to Chi Chi’s neck, especially when Binta slapped Dr Nath. Chi Chi had to stand up and retaliate with the aggressiveness of a tigress. When she slapped Binta, she saw thousands of stars.
“I know you are married to this man and I know you treat him like trash. I know you are a bad woman endowed with a lot of cowardice. I know you have turned Dr Nath into your punching bag since the day you married him. I also know you have milked him dry. I know you have been taking his money and spending freely as if money grows on trees. I know you and your father arranged all these to steal money from Dr Nath. I also know you have used his money to build houses for yourself. I’m aware of all the terrible things you do against your husband. You are free to do all these things when the two of gets home. However, you cannot maltreat him in my presence. That is why I had to slap you back. In my culture, it is a taboo for a wife to slap her husband, no matter the level of provocation.” Chi Chi said to Binta.
“You slapped me? Do you know who I’m? Do you know my father? Do you know the level of money we have? I can lock you up and you will never see sunlight for many days. I can make you pay a heavy price for raising your hands on me. How dare you slap me for slapping my husband? This man standing here is my husband and I can slap him several times if I feel he has done something that warrants being beaten. Get that into your head and back off.” Binta said to Chi Chi.
“You are wrong. Your husband is not your slave. He is a proper human being, deserving of love and affection, not mistreatment by the woman he got married to. I have seen that you don’t know how to handle and cherish a good man. That was why I made it a duty to snatch your husband from you. I want your husband to taste the good things of life. I want him to have a proper woman, a real chick standing by him as he continues to hustle to make money. Not someone like you. You are not even beautiful. Look at your face like an over-riped mango. I don’t even know if they blindfolded Dr Nath on the day he paid your bride price. If I were him, I will never near a woman like you. Your ugly face can make little children to run a way. Your big teeth make you look like a masquerade. Just by looking at you, I can already know that you are a very wicked person. However, I’m here to teach you a lesson. I’m the one in charge of Dr Nath’s life now, and he is happy. Back off! Go home and lick your wound. You have lost your husband to me. I put it to you that when I finish dealing with you, you will know that your husband has left you.” Chi Chi said firmly. Her confidence got Binta scared. Binta was now panting like a rabbit running away from a tigress.
Binta did not say a word. The slap Chi Chi gave her made her to be sober and careful so that she will not receive another clap back. She knew that Chi Chi was stronger and younger than she is, so she decided to tread carefully.
Meanwhile, Dr Nath has kept quiet and observed things calmly. But time has come for him to speak. He seized the initiative after Chi Chi stopped talking.
“Binta, I’m so happy that you are sad. In fact, your sadness makes me happy. This is the first time I’m seeing you in emotional pain, and this makes me exceedingly happy. Over the years, I have always being the weeping child. But now is your turn to weep. Look at how sad you are because you caught me with another woman. This is someone that has not allowed me to touch her for several years now. I have the opportunity to eat apples with another woman and it is making you sad? I think you are the perfect definition of a hypocrite. Well, for your information, I will do whatever I want. I will eat apples anyhow I want. I already told you the other day that you have no right to question my decisions. I determine what happens in my house. Now, I want you out of this hospital. I don’t care where you are going to sleep tonight, but you cannot stay here.” Dr Nath said.
Binta did not want to leave, as she maintained her calmness, her eyes darting from one corner of the hospital ward to the other. If she had a gun, she would have shot Dr Nath and Chi Chi.
“He said you should leave!” Chi Chi tells Binta. Just like a flash of light, Chi Chi started pushing Binta towards the door. She eventually pushed her out and locked the door.
“You did it! We did it! All thanks to you, she has been shown where she belongs.” Dr Nath tells Chi Chi happily. They hugged each other passionately.
To be continued……………
