*WHAT DOES MY HUSBAND WANT?
Episode 5
Ladi later came home, the children and I welcomed him happily, he had his dinner that night and as we retired to bed, I try to find out how his business trip went.
Ladi said he was too tired and needed to rest.
I apologies and let the topic slide.
It was after two days that I asked again if his business trip was a success, he said yes it was a big success but still working something out and will go back to the same place soon.
I was happy to hear that. I wanted to be in my best and show my husband the love he deserved.
I try not to complain over his late nights or skipping meal sometimes. I try not to look at the part that whenever he returns he stays in his car to make some calls before coming in.
I believe they are business calls and he did not want to be disturbed.
My husband is a good man who loves and cares for his family, and i have always try to be a good and loving wife to him. I do whatever he asked of me even if is unfavorable to my person.
Ladi is the man of the house and the head of the home and his words supposed to be respected at all time.
I have always supported my husband ever since I met him and he has become my idol. My love for him has never fade within the years. I love him more as each year comes and goes.
Isnāt that how it supposed to be?
Yes, I still remember what he made me do. Is very painful and I know I can never forget my aborted baby but I try to understand that Ladi has a point. He does not want another child. He wanted to focus on the three he has and give them the best.
I used such words to console my aching heart and to see more reason to love Ladi instead of hating him for what he made me go through.
I was in my shop one day when Salami came in. Salami sat inside with me. She saw that I was very lively and look happier than before.
āYou are back to your old self Miwaā¦Iām happy for you.
She said smiling as I check some calculation on the calculator. I paused from what I was doing and said.
āWell, I have the best husband and amazing children, what more can I ask? They are enough blessing and plus you, Salamiā¦my caring friend. Thank you for always cheering me up. Although sometimes you can be pushy but I still look forward to having you around me.
She laughed and I joined her.
āehee Miwa, I saw somebody yesterday. My children tailor stays around Ladiās plaza. I was there to give him some material for my kids because my wedding anniversary is coming up and my husband want us to all be in uniform. As I walked pass your husbandās big plaza I saw the ladyā¦Miwa, it was the same pregnant lady that was here sometimes ago, she was asking for a bargaining and was very rude in her request. You gave her the material and she walked away. I was mad at you that dayā¦did you remember?
I remembered the lady. I told Salami that I remember who she was talking about and ever since then I have not seen the lady again. She had probably delivered of her baby.
If Ladi had allowed me to keep the pregnancy, I would have also put to birth by now. I will be a nursing mother and looking down on my baby will bring undiluted joy to my heart.
Well, is all in the past now.
I asked Salami to continue that I remembered. I silently prayed that nothing happened to the lady or her baby. I donāt understand where the story was going and I was having mixed feeling already as I listened.
āPlease, donāt tell me something happened to her or her child? I remember who you are talking aboutā¦what happened to her?
I was inquisitive as i looked forward to hearing the rest of the story.
āRelax Miwa, nothing happened to her. I only saw her yesterday going into Ladiās plaza. She came down from a car and was carrying her baby. At first I couldnāt remember where I saw her face. She looks familiar and I kept thinking, trying to figure it out. It was while I was at my children tailorās place it recalled to me that she was the same pregnant lady I met in your shop. I thought she must have gone to the plaza to get something or to see someone but when I was going back home, I decided to pass through Ladiās plaza and guess what? There she was againā¦just in time. I saw your husband walking her down to the car that she came in with. I stood at a distance and watch them. He touched the baby, said something and smile before facing the woman. I guess is a baby girl because I saw a fashionable pink hair band around the babyās head. Your husband stood there to make sure that the car move before returning back to the plaza. The lady sat at the back of the car with her baby while a man who is probably her driver drove her out. This is not a makeup story Miwa, I saw her with Ladi and the whole thing looks suspicious to meā¦
I burst out laughing at Salami. I laugh so hard at the whole story. Salami was confused as she looked at me thinking I have gone crazy.
What exactly did she want to make out from my husband been kind to a woman and her child? That is more reason why I love Ladi.
I donāt just want him to care only about his family but I also want to see him extending a helping hand to strangers out there who needs help and since Ladi is doing that already, is a thing of joy and not what Salami should be worried over.
I told Salami to stop putting negative ideas on her head over what she saw. Ladi was only been kind to the strange woman. My husband probably paid her hospital bill or helped her in one way or the other when she needed help and the woman came to thank him with her baby.
āIf you say so Miwa. But since she was there to thank Ladi for his supposed kindness to her why didnāt she also say a common thank you to you the day you gave her a huge bargain. You gave her that expensive material for almost free and only collected the little change that she was able to offer. Yet, she did not say thank you or return back to do so. But she was over at Ladiās place to thank him for his kind gesture. I seriously donāt understand but Iām not suspecting anything Miwa, I just donāt like that ladyās attitude that day and seeing her with your husband makes me wonder if she deliberately came down here that day toā¦
I hushed Salami to stop talking trash. I was almost quarreling with her for even saying things that are not in line.
She apologized and that was where we ended the conversation.
I did not ask Ladi about anything because it was unnecessary. Salami talk was pointless and I donāt enjoy such petty gossips. Ladi may even pick offense that my friend was indulging me in some stupid gossip, so it was better not to say anything concerning what a chatterbox like Salami said.
After few weeks, Ladi traveled again. Within this period he was away, I hardly get him over the phone.
And when he calls, either a babyās noise or a woman talking at the background.
I was forced to ask my husband if he was always lodging around women with babies. My husband told me that the cook in his lodge has a baby girl who is just few months old. It was the same place he stayed the last time he traveled.
āThe womanās baby is so cute Miwa. The cook said she canāt keep her baby with anyone, which was why she brings her around. The baby girl looks like our daughter when she was little and I enjoy having the baby around. Hope that is not a problem?
He asked me and I replied immediately
āNoā¦.not at all Ladi, Iām actually happy hearing you say all this. You know I love babies and Iām glad that you are getting along over there. I thought you stopped loving children because of your harsh reaction when I got pregnant but Iām happy to know that you are close to one again andā¦.
He interrupted me.
āMiwa, will you ever forget? Is been fourteen months which makes it more than a year that it happened. I thought you will stop speaking of that by now. I donāt like this at all. You just have a way of spoiling my evening. I have to goā¦
āIām sorry Ladi. I didnāt mean to offend you. iā¦iā¦
I was about saying that I may never be able to forget how I got rid of my baby because if the child was given a chance to live, she would have been around three or four months old now.
Iām reminded from seeing a pregnant woman or new born babies. Hearing the cry of one is how my baby probably cried out to me to save her life if she was giving the ability to speak.
I used to see her in my dream when the whole incident was still new. She could have been a baby girl, her smile was beautiful and she keep calling out to me and when I canāt reach her she fades away. For several months now, I have stopped having such tormenting nightmares.
I was still apologizing to my husband when I heard a womanās voice whom I assumed is probably the cook working in my husbandās lodge.
This time around I heard her clearly.
āGive me the baby, you have been on phone for over 20minutesā¦. Go and get me the babyās food on the table, brinā¦ā
Ladi ended the call before the lady will complete what she was saying.
Was that cook been rude to Ladi? That woman must be so ungrateful to command my husband that way without even thanking him for holding the baby for her or she is probably referring to another person not my husband.
Ladi do not like rude and disrespectful women and he dislike women with dirty attitude. He was always thanking and praising me for been different, very respectful and obedient to him. Doing everything to please him.
He said that he was very lucky to have me.
And Iām blessed to have a loving husband like him. Iām happy that he is getting around with babies even though he never regretted asking me to get rid of our child.
I donāt know why i canāt move pass that, I almost ruined a good evening with Ladi just because I reminded him of the pregnancy he asked me to get rid of.
As I sat alone in my room, I flashed back to Salami telling me about seeing Ladi with a woman who has a baby girlā¦
I thought of the cookās baby and how Ladi was acting all āDadā to the womanās daughter.
I smiled within myself. My husband makes a good husband and a father, not just to his own kids but to outsider who needs fatherly care.
But I hope that cook was not referring to my Ladi, I hope she is not rude and a disrespectful woman who does not know how to appreciate. Because I heard her say to either Ladi or somebody else. āGive me the baby, you have been on phone for over 20minutesā¦.go and bring the babyās food from the tableā¦
She was saying something else and Ladi ended the call. Iām sure she was not referring to Ladi because my husband does not tolerate women like that who are filled with ill attitude.
I checked on the children that night before going to bed. Ladi may not call again until tomorrow so no need to wait up for his call.
I went straight to bed with the love of my husband filling my heart. I hope he comes back from his business trip soon.
