SEE FINISH BY TREASURE EZURUIKE EPISODE 2

SEE FINISH EPISODE 2

(CHIKANMA’S Point of view)

My husband and I had a loving relationship. He was not perfect, but he was perfect for me. He was everything I wanted and more. 

Now I had to carry on without him. Had to find a way to navigate this cold world without him. 

Everything seemed like a dream. I kept expecting Nkem to walk in and tell us all that it was a lie. 

That he wasn’t dead, and he wasn’t the one lying dead on the operating table. Expecting him to say it was someone else, but it never happened.

Went home with the children, and they kept asking me when daddy is coming home. Had to lie to them that he traveled. 

Just couldn’t tell them daddy is dead and gone forever and he isn’t ever coming back.  Went into the bathroom and sobbed.

My husband said I alone have the exclusive right to hit her, you don’t. Oluchi said Mr. Exclusive right, just tell your wife to get the things I need ready because next time I won’t be so nice.

After putting my children to bed, I went into the bedroom just looking at Nkem’s belongings everywhere. 

What would I do with them now I thought? Walked over to his clothes and held them, sniffing them, they smelt so good.

Looked to the side of the bed Nkem would usually be lying on and teasing me to come to bed, he’ll appease me if I tell him I’m not coming. 

Now, none of that was possible anymore. Broke down in tears and wept uncontrollably. I had not informed my family and I just couldn’t tell them that.

Didn’t know when I fell asleep, but I was awoken by heavy banging on the door. Who could it be? I thought.

Staggered to the door because I was having a throbbing headache. I opened the door, and it was my in-laws, they shoved me out of the way.

(NICOLE’S POV)

You took me out today, spoiling me, now here you are getting angry that I have a throbbing headache and general body pain.

Are you suggesting I’m making it up? Well, you women can do anything. I regret taking you out today and spending all that money. You don’t deserve it he said storming out of the room.

Followed him immediately pleading with him, but he pushed me away and slammed the door of our guest bedroom.

Banged gently on the door pleading with him to let me in, but he ignored me. Stood there for a little while and started to feel dizzy, so I headed back to our bedroom and lay down.

Bernard didn’t come back to our bedroom till the following morning. Greeted him as he came into the room. What is good about the morning Nicole? He asked me.

You decided to deny me my rights last night so just avoid me. I wanted to respond but I knew our children were listening and I was preparing them for school.

Bernard got dressed and refused to eat or take the children to school. He drove off without them.

What’s wrong with Dad, they asked me. Honestly, I have no idea, I told them. C’mon, let me take you to school.

Spent the whole day wondering what I had done to Bernard. I called him on the phone, but he interrupted my call. I decided to wait for him to return.

He returned and I greeted him. He ignored me and accused me of not bringing anything to the table. 

Didn’t have a 9-5 but I earned money working from home. Didn’t understand what he meant by, I bring nothing to the table.

Told him that I bring things to the table. He doubted me when I told him I have always recharged the Cable and the electricity and taken care of Children’s needs.

He said it was a lie, I asked him how much it cost to recharge the cable and the different offers available, and he didn’t know.

Asked him how much electricity we recharged every month and the procedure, and he had no response.

I asked him how much he gave me for our children’s needs, and he was silent. Told him I took care of some of our financial needs and did all the chores, but he doesn’t do any chores.

It upset him and he insisted that we switch roles for a month. Agreed to carry the financial burden of the family for a month, while Bernard did chores and attended to the finances, I took care of.

Paid our children’s school fees that month because schools just resumed. Still ended up doing the usual spending I did before we switched roles.

Bernard did no chores. 1 week later I stopped doing any chores for Bernard. I didn’t do his laundry; Just did the laundry for our children. I didn’t cook for him.

He came home demanding food and I reminded him that we’ve switched roles and we were waiting for him to make dinner. He lost his cool and went out to eat.

Bernard’s dirty laundry piled up and he was shocked to find out he had no clean clothes or undergarments to wear.

I reminded him of our agreement to switch roles. He stormed out and called his mum to report me.

You can’t even use a washing machine and iron your clothes. What kind of laziness is that?

(KEISHA’S POV)

He looked at me in shock and said are you alright? I, rape you. And why would I do a thing like that? 

You are like my sister, you are the same age as my sister. She is out of town with my parents and that’s why the house is lonely. 

My parents just have the two of us. I didn’t want to travel with them, that’s why I’m here all alone. 

Probably God knew I would need to save you tonight. That was why he did not let me go along with my parents. 

I was so excited about the trip but as the day approached, I lost interest I could not explain why but now I know why. Whatever I said. 

Are you hungry he asked me? I was starving because I had had nothing to eat all day. 

My elder brother was with the money I was supposed to use to have lunch and pay my way back to where we reside, but he never provided the money for lunch.

Then he used up the money for my transport to pay for the transport of another woman. I was thirsty and hungry and did not know what to do. 

My first reaction was to scream I’m starving but then it occurred to me that he could lace my food with something, and I will fall asleep, and he will have his way with me.

When I wake up in the morning I’ll be in pain and my life will be changed forever. Told him I wasn’t hungry or thirsty. 

I know what you are thinking, he said. You already believe I’m going to rape you tonight and now you are thinking that if I serve you food, I will sprinkle an aphrodisiac or something. 

To put you to sleep so I could have my way with you without any fight or struggle of any kind but hey every guy is not like that. 

I am 18 and you are 16. Just two years separate me from you. I have nothing to gain by raping you just get that at the back of your head. 

Yes, so many guys my age are crazy but I’m not one of them so please if you don’t mind get all those nasty thoughts out of your head because I am not going to touch you. 

For starters, you are injured, and your clothes have been ripped off.  I suggest you go take a shower so I can find you one of my sister’s clothes to put on and then I’ll fix you something to eat tonight. 

You look like you are about to pass out and I don’t want you to die in my father’s house tonight of hunger and starvation because you are scared, I’m going to rape you when I have no intention of doing that. 

Before you go to have a shower what are you in town to do? He asked me. I came to take the joint admission matriculation board examination. Wow, he said I took that same exam today. 

I’m surprised I never saw you because if I did, I could have recognized you when I met you again. 

Anyway, go have a shower let me fetch you some fresh clothes. I freshened up and changed into some fresh clothes from his younger sister he had gotten for me.

He fixed me dinner which I ate like a hungry lion because I was starving. He told me stories while I ate, and I still felt like you had something off his sleeves. 

But he didn’t. He showed me where I will spend the night, which was his younger sister’s bedroom. Feel free to lock the door if it will make you feel safe, he said to me as he shut the door and stepped outside. 

I didn’t lock the door that night and I don’t know why. I have no idea if he came back to the room or not because I slept like a log of wood. 

(NNENNA’S POV)

My husband returned in the evening and found me with a black eye. He wanted to know who hit me.

I didn’t want to tell him to avoid incurring his wrath. He got into our bedroom and saw it ransacked, he returned to ask me again as I panicked.

He asked me gently what happened. I didn’t respond so he roared, shouting saying who hit you, why is our bedroom turned upside down?

With fear and trembling, I told him it was his sister, telling him I was sorry. He calmed down and said, my sister? Which sister? I told him it was his elder sister.

He roared again, in my house, he turned to me and said you couldn’t fight back? I didn’t respond at first, but I told him I didn’t want him to hit me again, so I didn’t fight back.

Asked me what she wanted. I told him my car key and other items. He told me it was a lie because his sisters wouldn’t dare. I just looked at him, trying so hard not to sob. He walked up to me to touch me, but I groaned in pain.

He unbuttoned my blouse and screamed because I was still bleeding from the injuries on my back. He looked at me and said I don’t believe this.

He called his sister immediately and asked her if she stopped by. She said yes. He said did you ransack my bedroom and beat my wife?

She proudly asked, “Is it that good for nothing, wife of yours?  Well, yes, I ransacked your bedroom and beat her up. She refused to give me the things I needed.

My husband roared and asked, are you “mad”? How dare you! My sister-in-law said how dare I what? You are now acting like you don’t hit her. We all learned from you.

My husband said I alone have the exclusive rights to hit her, you don’t. Oluchi said Mr. Exclusive right, just tell your wife to get the things I need ready because next time I won’t be so nice.

(KIRA’S POV)

My father had given me 20k while I was leaving. It surprised me because the highest amount of money my dad ever gave to my siblings and me was 5k.

We called it a minimum wage. I came from a wealthy family, but my dad can never give you lots of money. He said he was teaching us financial management and the value of money.

He provided for all our needs but would never give you bulk money. I called Kenny immediately. He answered and said my favorite person in the whole wide world, what can I do for you?”

I’m calling because of the money I said. What money he asked. The one in the envelope and the one in my account. Why? I asked.

Why what? Why did you send me all this money? Because I want you to have it. You are away from home and need all the money you can get.

I see, thank you I said. Honestly, I don’t understand you. I told you to leave me alone, but you don’t want to listen despite all the things I’ve said and done to you.

Well, I’m not going to leave you alone just understand that fact. No matter what you do to me I won’t stop. I rolled my eyes as he spoke. Be careful in that camp, he said.

I don’t want anything to happen to you, not even a scratch. What is wrong with this man I said to myself. I’ll be careful, I said. 

Thank you for the money. You don’t have to thank me; I love you and I’m willing to go to any length to make you happy.

I wanted to hiss and say but I don’t love you, can you be kind enough to leave me alone? I don’t love you, but I considered it too harsh.

I had treated him in ways I now considered too harsh. Even if I didn’t want him, we could at least be friends. 

I was surprised he was still coming after me after all the things I had done to him. He would visit me, and I won’t speak to him. He would still stay if he planned to before going.

Thank you so much I’m grateful, I said. You are welcome, my sweetheart. I’m missing you already. My sympathies, I responded. 

Have a great evening my princess and queen he said. Just me, a queen and princess?

Yes, no one else rules my world except you. Wow, interesting. I just said anything to discharge him. Good night, I said.

To be continued.

© Treasure Ezuruike.

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