LOVE WITH BITTER TEARS
EPISODE 2
Sammy looked on as his dad was swept off his feet by the two hefty army officers who accompanied his mum and it dawned on him that his dad was actually in big trouble. He stood br@vely at a corner watching as his dad was getting bartered by the men while his mum kept heaping accusations at him.
Rebecca: “That is the man who wants to kill me at home. Look at the bruises on my b©dy, he has turned me to his punching bag” she raved accusingly.
1 st Officer: “Bastard, you have the guts to l@yyour hands on a woman while we fight the book boys in Sambisa forest just to protect you. if you had that much power, why don’t you join us in the fight? You bloody coward” he cursed breathlessly as he stomped on Richa-rd over and over again. On-lookers trouped around them and started pleading on behalf of Richa-rd but it all fell on deaf ears. The officers seemed to be punishing him for more than just abusing his wife as she claimed he did.
Richa-rd : “Officer plea-se! plea-se!” he pleaded while trying to shield his face and ribs from their incessant as-saults. His ribs despite his attempts at shielding them seemed to be snapping off un-der the effects of the officers’ jungle boots.
2 nd Officer: “You are going to rot at the guardroom for the rest of your life, you dare abuse your wife, let’s see how many soldiers you can take on when you reach the barracks” he said lifting him up effortlessly from the ground and dragging him along with them as Richa-rd kept pleading weakly for mercy.
Richa-rd : “Rebecca plea-se help me beg them. I have learnt my lessons now, I will never exchange words with you again so plea-se just forgive me for Sammy’s sake”
Rebecca: “I am doing this for his sake, so he won’t have to grow up with regrets. I have to teach you a lesson otherwise you might end up killing me someday in his pres£nce” she said not minding her son who was pu-lling on her dress to get her attention.
Sammy: “Where are they taking daddy to? Why are they beating daddy? Mummy” he started weeping still tugging at her dress.
Rebecca: “Baby don’t worry, they are helping us set your dad straight” she said looking down at him impatiently.
Sammy: “But I don’t like that they are beating my daddy” he snapped
Rebecca: “See Sammy leave me alone and just be a good boy by coming with me, we are going home”
Sammy: “No! I am not going anywhere without my dad…I want my dad” he said running towards the officers who were busy bundling Richa-rd into their truck. “Leave my dad alone, my dad did not do anything, we were just eating, plea-se leave my dad alone!” he held on to the arms of the 1at soldier who ignored him and kept on with his task. They finished, got into the truck and zoomed off leaving a wave of dust behind.
Richa-rd was re-leased after a week of detention at Marda Army Barrack’s guardroom without letting anyone see him. He said no word as Rebecca drove him home that day.
Rebecca: “I was able to cover up for you at work by telling the managing director you were suddenly hospitalized. I also did most of your work so you must really be grateful right? Sammy won’t st©p crying for you…I think I made a mistake and I am really sorry. I tried getting you out the next day but they wouldn’t even let me see you” she prattled on and on. “And why do you look so lean? Weren’t you getting fed there at all? Baby I am really sorry” she said apologetically trying to concentrate on her driving at the same time. “I prepared your favorite meal of pounded yam and vegetable soup, I hope you will like it? I have warm water re-ady for you in the bathroom, I even added some mint to it just to calm your muscles” as she maneuvered the Range Rover into the parking lot of their bungalow house. He climbe-d out of the car and walked in without saying a word to her still. She quic-kly turned off the ignition and ran after him. “Aren’t you the one I’ve been talking to?” she said blocking him from going any further with her petite b©dy. The hurt she saw in his eyes spoke volumes, her heart melted even more than it alre-ady had and she stepped aside for him as Sammy ran into his warm embr@ce. She stood isolated watching father and son bonding.
Sammy: “Daddy I really missed you”
Richa-rd : “I missed you too buddy. Sorry I was away for too long, sorry you had to witness all that. I feel so ashamed of myself” he said sadly and looked beyond him to where the door of the be-droom stood ajar.
Rebecca: “Come Sam, your dad nee-ds to rest, come now!” she ordered. Richa-rd dropped him slowly and headed for the be-droom. He went straight to the closet and started packing some of his cloths. “Sam can you go to your room for a while? Will call you when your dad has freshened up okay?”
Sammy: “Okay mum” he said and ran off excitedly.
She walked slowly to him and perched on the side of the hvge be-d they shared.
Rebecca: “Are you going somewhere honey? Why are you packing your clothes?” she asked gently.
Richa-rd : “I am not going anywhere” his voice sounded so hoarse even he could not recognize it.
Rebecca: “But why are you packing?”
Richa-rd : “I will be staying at the guest room from now on. You don’t nee-d to cook for me anymore or whichever things it is you used to do for me before. I am not packing out for the sake of my son. So don’t make it more awkward by asking more questions or nagging about it in your usual manner then later you’d go re-lease your dogs on me. So plea-se, can we live peacefully from now on?”
Rebecca: “How can you say that honey? I made a mistake and I have apologized, plea-se don’t do this” she pleaded standing on her feet to move closer to him but he backed away.
Richa-rd : “Don’t t©uçh me! From now on, we seize being couples. So respect my space while I respect yours. Do you get my point?”
Rebecca: “No I cannot agree to that. I want you back as my husband, I cannot survive without you so plea-se forgive my mistake this once. plea-se?”
Richa-rd : “You knew you could not live without me and you did that to me? You disgraced me before the whole world, you basically murdered me without even knowing it. How do you expect me to live with you after what you did to me? How can you be so callous?”
Rebecca: “Okay…its fine as long as you will still live un-der this roof but let’s make sure Sammy did not get wind of what is happening, he might become more broken than he alre-ady is”
Richa-rd : “You are really funny madam, so you knew this and you called officers to come beat his dad up in his pres£nce? There’s no nee-d talking to you, the more we talk the more irritated I get. So excuse” he said and walked past her without casting another glance her way. She watched him walk away and resolved within her to do everything in her power to get him back. She wasn’t going to stay pas-sive while he sli-pped away from her forever.
He noticed the tension between his parents, he knew something was not right somewhere when he saw his dad sleep in the guestroom. He sat in the clas-sroom with a drooping shoulder as his clas-s teacher Miss Opha(as they called her) taught them on the subject, English Language. The clas-s was beautifully decorated with paintings of the pupils from their creative art clas-s. The wall was painted in rose pink with individual desks for each of them while Miss Ophelia had her desk with different types of teaching materials and the student’s books right beside the window. She noticed one of her pupils was far from the clas-s and walked up to him.
Miss Opha: “Samson…” she called but the boy did not answer until she gave him a knock on the head “What on earth are you thinking about?”
Sammy: “Nothing ma…I am listening to you ma” he replied springing to his feet.
Miss Opha: “You were listening Uhn? What was the last thing I said?”
Sammy: “Uhn…” he thought scratching his head “You said what ‘was the last thing I said?’” The clas-s bur-st into laughter.
Miss Opha: “Quiet everyb©dy!” she barked. “So you think you are smart right?” she bent down, looked at him menacingly, gr@bb£d his right ear and started twisting it really ha-rd .
Sammy: “Ouch auntyyyy! plea-se ma, plea-se ma” he pleaded.
Miss Opha: “Will you still try acting smart next time?”
Sammy: “No ma! I am sorry ma” he said tou-ching his ear to be sure it wasn’t torn.
Miss Opha: “come and see me during break time okay? Something is definitely happening with you and I must find out what it is. You were brighter than this before and it’s getting less amusing by the day” she said and strutted back to the front of the clas-s while he murmured a reply and sat down.
Opha went home that day thinking of everything Sammy had told her about his parents. She felt something stir within her for the helpless boy and shivered at the thought of it. She knew she had to do something otherwise her pupil will be the one to live a lonesome life later.
##########
As soon as he stepped into the house, the aroma emanating from the kitchen almost knocked him off his feet. His wife seemed to be a little calmer of late yet he was finding it difficult to even say hello to her. He had to put up a front anytime Sammy was within earsh0t or with them. But he spent most of his time in his libr@ry pretending to be engulfed with work. Rebecca took it as a point of duty to get back home from work earlier than usual to prepare his meal and do some other house chores which she always took for granted before their big quarrel. She was in the kitchen preparing Ogbono soup when she heard the door squeal open. She ran to the corridor which was in between the living room and the kitchen and also served as the entrance to the house. He was alre-ady heading for the guest room when she st©pped him.
Rebecca: “Darling welcome back, how was work today? I noticed how busy you were at work today” she said trying to pretend all was well between them.
Richa-rd : “You did well by noticing. Thank you” He said nonchalantly.
Rebecca: “I am preparing your best meal of pounded yam with ogbono this time. Hope you will eat?”
Richa-rd : “No thanks, I have eaten alre-ady. I am tired, can I go in now?”
Rebecca: “Hmmmmmm! Richa-rd plea-se it’s enough alre-ady. I think you’ve punished me enough?”
Richa-rd : “I am not out to punish you”
Rebecca: “Then what are you doing? When was the last time you ate in this house? When was the last time you spoke to me like your life p@rtner?”
Richa-rd : “You have no right to ask me any questions right now after what you did to me…Can I go inside now?”
Rebecca: “I have apologized countless times for that day. It’s okay though but you should know I will not give up on us, for my children’s sake, I will keep fighting”
Richa-rd : “What do you mean by for our children’s sake? We only have one child”
Rebecca: “Honey God has answered our prayer at last. I am pregnant, I am carrying your child again” she said moving closer to her dumbfounded husband.
Richa-rd : “How? Why are you pregnant now of all times? Are you sure that baby is mine?”
Rebecca: “What is that supposed to mean?” she retorted angrily
Richa-rd : “Well this is 21 st century, we will find out when it’s time.” He said and started walking away from his wife who was rooted to a sp©t staring into thin air.
Rebecca: “I can’t believe you just said that Richie… I can’t believe it has gotten up to this”
Richa-rd : “Yes it has! Who knows? It might be for one of your soldier b©yfri£nds” he roared from the front of his room.
Rebecca: “Okay! Sammy’s clas-s teacher wants to see us, though I told her we are a busy lot but we can always go during lunch break” she announced.
Richa-rd : “Then you should go alone. I will be busy even during lunch break” he said sitting on the be-d and pu-lling off his socks, then his shi-t.
Rebecca: “But it’s Sammy we are talking about. plea-se for his sake?” she said swallowing ha-rd at the sight of his ba-re che-st as adrenaline rushed into her veins.
Richa-rd : “Good! Good! Can you excuse me now? As you can see I am undressing” he said pu-lling his trou-sers remaining only his bo-xers.
Rebecca: “Uhm! Uhn! Okay! I will leave now” she said without bulging from where she stood ogling at his well-built b©dy frame and the bulge inside his bo-xers. “Yeah sure I should excuse you right? Are you sure? “She said with a de-ep de-sire laden voice.
Richa-rd : “Oh yeah!” he said smiling within himself, knowing the effects he was having on her.
Ophelia Harrisons (Miss Opha) was a lady who loved her job more than anything. She was so beautiful that she could bag a modeling contract in Broadway without breaking a tiny drop of sweat. People took her for an half cast or a foreigner because of how fair she was. She had a height, gait and curves that made heads turn wherever she went. She had men at the ti-p of her f!ngersand had things easy for her. Her father was a Professor of History and International Studies in the University of Benin and was the only child of her parents. She sat facing Richa-rd that noon in the secluded clas-s during break time.
Opha: “Welcome Mr. Rotimi…Thanks for honoring my invitation sir but where is your wife? I thought you were coming together?”
Richa-rd : “Something c@m£ up so she couldn’t make it. So why did you ask to see us? Hope there is no problem?”
Opha: “There is no problem just that I noticed something about Sammy lately”
Richa-rd : “What happened? Is he doing something wrong?” he asked adjusting nervously on his seat.
Opha: “Not at all, just that he seems quite abs£nt minded and withdrawn lately. He ha-rd ly pla-ys with his friend any more neither does he pay attention in clas-s. plea-se sir is something happening in your home that you think might be affecting him adversely?”
Richa-rd : “Nothing I can think of. Maybe he is just in that phase of his life?”
Opha: “Are you sure? Just see me as a friend and talk to me okay? I am here to help and nothing more. I only want the welfare of my pupils, stuffs like this happen all the time and its mostly because of a problem the child is witnessing at home. So if there’s anything you feel I should know, plea-se tell me”
Richa-rd wriggled his hands like a little boy facing panel in school. He debated whether to tell the goddess sitting before him the problems he was going throu-gh in his marriage or not. He looked into her eyes and what he saw was as harmless as any dove could be so he decided to open up to her.
Richa-rd : “Well…” he went ahead to tell her everything he and his wife were going throu-gh in their home. She was taken aback at how things could turn for the worse for two lovers out of the blues.
Opha: “Wow! Now I am more convinced in my opinion about marriage” she said more to herself than to Richa-rd . “I will suggest you two work things out and plea-se try to forgive her for your son’s sake. You don’t want to see him grow up a broken man who…” she was interrupted by the wailing of the bell. Break was over. “Okay break is over…we still have a lot to talk about so here’s my card, give me a call anytime you feel like, as a friend” she said extending her card to him, he collected it, di-pped his hand in his h!ppocket and brou-ght out his wallet, took a card from it and handed it over to her too.
Richa-rd : “Thanks a lot Miss, now I am convinced my son is in good hands. In case I forget to give you a call, don’t hesitate to remind me throu-gh the number there” he said gesturing to the card in her left hand.
Opha: “Oh sure!” she smiled as they shook hands. She watched as he hurriedly left the clas-sroom checking his wrist watch over and over again. She could not help but feel sorry for him, the burden he is f0rç£d to carry around in the name of marriage made her heart sink with grieve. She was never a strong advocate of marriage, she once told her parents she’d rather have a child out of wedlock than be held captive in an unhappy marriage.
When she got home that evening after lesson periods, she met her mum and best friend Gloria discussing in their well-furnished sitting room. The house itself spoke volumes of its occu-p@n-ts and she loved showing it off to her friends.
Opha: “See who is here today, it’s the almighty newly wedded wife of Johnson. What brou-ght you out of you crib today?” she said jovially, dropping her bag on the glas-s table and slumping down beside her friend, hvgging her from behind.
Maggy: “So it’s only your friend you see here right? I am not human you this ill-mannered girl” her mum feigned annoyance.
Opha: “I am sorry mum, I just got carried away seeing this las-s here today. Good afternoon ma” she greeted her mum and walked over, placed a light k!sson her cheek and went back to her former position beside her friend.
Gloria: “Don’t mind her mum. She is just looking for a way to look for my trouble”
Opha: “let’s go to my room girl, we have a lot to catch up on” she said drawing her along with her.
Maggy: “Glo plea-se advise your friend to go and get married too o, abi what is all these wahala sef, for how long will I keep housing a fully grown woman?” she called after them.
Opha: “Don’t mind her dear, she just wouldn’t let me rest in this house. I am not interested in getting married or has marriage become a do or die affair?” she said to her friend after closing the door to her room to give them better privacy…
To be continued…