THE MARRIAGE: A Touching Tale – Episode 21

THE MARRIAGE
(A TOUCHING TALE)
EPISODE 21
.
.
.
Femi stood rooted to the spot, he couldn’t give his wife details of the deal that he was involved in at the bank. “It is nothing, it just an instruction for me to report very early tomorrow morning to the bank to clear up an issue”, he lied to her.
Shana: “What do you mean by that? Is that enough reason for you to scream the way you did?”
Femi: “Shana, please. I have been having hard days attea work these days. Don’t add to it”.
Shana: “Okay, should I serve you your dinner now?”
Femi: “Which dinner again? Can’t you see that Licia has already dished the Afang soup and fufu she made for me?”
Shana: “And what in God’s name is that supposed to mean? Who is she to cook for my husband? Did I ever instruct her to do that?”
Femi: “I don’t care whether you instructed her or not, that is none of my business. All I know is that I like what I see on the table and I am going to eat it”.
Shana: “No way, Femi”, she banged her hand on the table causing him to startle. “There is absolutely no way I am going to sit back and watch you eat something prepared by another woman, who knows if there is a love portion in there?”
Femi: “Oh, so you are feeling insecure now? The almighty Shana is jealous of another woman snatching her husband”.
Shana: “Oh please stop being sarcastic. Anyway, I have been waiting for you to return so we can discuss this. I remember when you brought this maid, you told me I could send her away if I am not satisfied with her performance. Well, I am not satisfied, she should leave my house. A maid that will ignore her duties and start cooking for my husband, is that one a maid? Next thing you know she is warming her way into your bed”.
Femi ignored her and proceeded to washing his hands before he began to eat.
Shana: “I am talking to you, Femi!” she turned to Licia who was watching them. “And you, what are you still doing here? Get your bags and wh@ťěver it is you have in this house and leave me and my husband alone”.
Licia: “Hehehe, in your dream madam. It is only in your dreams that you can send me out of this house. I will leave when I want to leave and not when you want me to leave”.
Her words struck Shana like thunder bolt, it was like a dream to her. It took her some minutes before she could find her voice.
Shana: “What did you just say?”
Licia: “oh, have you suddenly gone deaf or you think I am afraid to talk? Well, I said you have no right to send me out of this house. You didn’t bring me here and so you can’t take me out”.
Shana walked up to her and in her rage gave her a resounding slap. “How dare you talk to me like that? I am the madam of the house and you as a maid do not even have any right to talk while I am talking talk more of talking back at me.
Licia who had never seen Shana violent before even when her husband was hitting her wasn’t prepared for the hard slap she received. She staggered to her feet and when she regained her composure, she charged at Shana but Femi stood up and stood in between them.
Femi: “Will you two women get hold of your emotions? What is wrong with you? Can’t a man come home and eat in peace again?”
Licia: “Leave me alone!” she was struggling to pull out of his hold. “Leave me alone let me teach her a lesson. Who does she think she is? Oh, so you are stupid enough to look at me and believe that I am a maid? Look me well, I be correct Akwa Ibom girl, nobody fit collect man for my hand except the man wey I no want again. So, you get the liver to slap me, fear no even catch you. Chai, Licia you don suffer. Femi leave me o, if I no beat your wife faint today, then change my name. She know the kind life wey I don live for Uyo before I come Abuja? I go pieces you, Shana. I go tear you, no try me o, you go wound”. She was ranting and kicking at Femi like a mad dog.
Shana was shocked, disbelief was written all over her face.
Shana: “Holy Mary mother of God, help get this animal out of my house. Femi, where on earth did you get this mad thing from? Is this the person you brought to the house as a maid? Do you want her to ki|| me?”
Licia: “Who be your maid? Hehehe…this Shana abi wetin Femi dey call you, you sha dull. No be only maid, na PA. Ode!”
Femi: “Licia!”
Licia: “No call my name, jor. I am not the kind of woman that a man will be seeing from the backyard. Madam Shana, I be your husband babe, I dey knack am well. In fact, since the time wey I meet am, I don f-__-k am pass all the f-__-k wey him don give you since wey una marry”.
Shana: “Oh my God, this is not happening to me. No, no!” she felt her head spinning and she leaned on the wall for support. Suddenly, she regained her strength and she knew that she had to take back her marriage from the clutches of this evil dog. Like one possessed, she ran to the guest room where Licia’s things were and began to bring them out. “I don’t care if you have been sleeping with my husband since his mother gave birth to him, all I know is that you are leaving my house today. It is only a shameless woman that will take pride in sleeping with another woman’s man. Anyway, I don’t blame you after all you can’t find a man for yourself so you have to snatch another person’s own”.
Licia: “Hahaha, see who dey talk say me Licia no fit get my own man. Akwa Ibom girl like me, no man wey I want wey I no fit get so no just deceive yourself. I don’t even know why I like your husband, maybe na because him fine small”
Shana ran to her and held her by the hand to drag her out but Femi stopped her.
“She is not going anywhere”, he said.
Shana: “What!”
Femi: “Yes, you heard me well”.
Shana: “This is it, I can’t take thins anymore. This is the height of all the insults that my patience can take. You have broken the carmel’s back, Femi and our parents must hear this. I cannot continue to keep quiet any longer”.
Femi: “Go ahead and do your worst. You know what? I am tired of hearing those your empty thr_@ts of reporting me to our parents. What do you think they will do to me, beat me? You think I am a little child they can easily manipulate? Listen, I got enough money to live on without going to my parents for help so I don’t care what they think about me”.
Shana: “Femi! Don’t you have the fear of God in you? You are talking to your wife who is carrying your child like this because of this cheap slot?”
Femi: “Which child? Is this the first time you are carrying my child? Where is the first one you carried, could you keep it to the end?”
Shana: “I had a miscarriage, it was not my fault”.
Femi: “Of course it was your fault. Who knows if you will not miscarry this one as well? Please please, don’t even try to blackmail me with any pregnancy here”.
Shana: “This is unfair, I am tired of this marriage. I am walking away”.
Femi: “Please walk away and give me and Licia the perfect opportunity to express our love. What she does to me in bed is too good to be a hide and seek game”. He picked up his car keys from the dining table, held Licia by the hand and they walked out leaving Shana in tears.
Shana composed herself, picked her phone and dialed her mother’s number.
Shana: “Mum, I am done with this marriage”, she said and explained all that had been happening to her mother.
Mrs Banjo: “I am going to see Femi’s parents and explain everything to them. Your father and I will come there by the first flight tomorrow morning. Get your things ready, you are coming back with us. I cannot sit here and watch Femi ki|| you and my unborn grandchild” she instructed.