Hide, baby, hide
Karen Osaghae@karenosaghae547304
2 months ago
It is the ringing of my phone that awakens me from my deep slumber. That is all I do these days, eat, sleep, and repeat. All in trying to add a little weight. It is Marlene calling. Sliding the answer icon, I place the phone on speaker as I adjust my sleepy eyes to the reality.
“What’s up, Marlene.”
Her high pitch voice pierce through my ears. “It’s Scottie’s fortieth birthday party tomorrow. Please tell me you haven’t forgotten.”
How could I forget? I have been looking forward to it for years. We always intended to go all out for our fortieth. “I haven’t forgotten. Fuego and I will definitely be there tomorrow.”
“Good. I know you were sleeping, go back to your beauty sleep.”
Smiling, I end the call resting my head back on the soft pillow. I had already prepared what to wear before now. That goes to show how excited I am for the party. It has been a while I attended any function. Gathering my strength to stand up, I go to the other room to look for Fuego.
Fuego is in front of the television, a game control pad in his hand, his attention focused on the ball I believe he is playing. A forty-five year old man addicted to his PS5 is a sight I can never fathom. He gets so aggressive when distracted from his game. But then again, when is he never aggressive?
“Fuego,” I call out to him. “Tomorrow is Scottie’s party. Have you decided on what to wear yet?”
He scoffs, not sparing me a glance. “Bold of you to assume you’ll be attending the party.”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you deaf? You are not attending the party. Don’t you feel ashamed going there looking all skinny like someone that has been starved for several years? If you don’t feel ashamed, I feel embarrassed on your behalf. Sit at home, eat food, and look like a human being not a walking corpse before you can think of going anywhere.”
I blink the tears away. I will not cry. I’m supposed to have gotten used to this by now. Twenty-five years of being married, and I don’t know why his insults still get to me.
“Scottie is my best girl, and I am going to her party whether you like it or not. If you feel ashamed of me, stay at home. After all, she’s my friend not yours.”
He shakes his head, dropping his game pad to look at me. “How selfish can you be? Think about your children too for once. Do you want people to ask them if their mother is sick? Or start offering them their condolences thinking you’re dying? It’s best for everyone if you stay at home.”
“What is wrong with you, Fuego? I have always been this skinny, stop acting like I just lost weight all of a sudden. My children has always been proud of me. Like I said, if you don’t want to see me out there, stay at home.”
Fuego laughs. He laughs in my face. “I know what is giving you this confidence. The thing is, you do not know what people have been saying at your back. They are disgusted by you. They say you look sick. Preserve your dignity and don’t give them a reason to talk. I heard Marlene’s husband say the other day that even a lizard has more flesh than you.” He laughs again.
This time, I did nothing to stop the tears from running freely down my face. What did I ever do to him to deserve such treatment? He wasn’t always like this. There was a time when he loved me and showed me off to the world. He took me to every event he attended, and he lavished luxury on me. The moment I gave birth to our first child, everything changed. I added some weight and that became a problem. He couldn’t stand me, always calling me fat and an elephant. When I gave birth to our second son, I increased again. After the third, I started working on getting my body back. Still that wasn’t enough for him. He found every opportunity to insult me, degrade me, and demean me. He stopped giving me money, he prevented me from going out, he kept me locked up in the house and sent my children to a boarding school.
I had quit my job during my second pregnancy because I had lots of complications, and he never allowed me go back to work. Divorcing him was the best option, but people kept saying, ‘what about your children? Are you willing to put them through divorce trauma?’ so I stayed put for my children. The moment they grow up, I am leaving Fuego. It is stifling living with him.
The following day came and I switched off my phone so Marlene and Scottie wouldn’t be able to reach me. What excuse do I have to give them as to why I cannot attend the party? I am tired of lying to cover up this failed marriage. He can enjoy the party alone while I stay here wailing in depression. But one day, I will leave and not look back.
It’s the noise that wakes me up. I squint my eyes trying to look at the time on the wall clock. It’s past midnight. Did Fuego bring guests at this time of the night? I get up and walk toward the living room where the noise is coming from. I’m surprised to see Marlene and Scottie laughing their heads off at a video on their phone. What are they doing here? Are they not supposed to be at the party?
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask them.
Their heads turn in unison to look at me.
“Deborah, we heard you were sick.” Marlene said to me.
So Fuego did come up with a lie. “I am. But why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be at Scottie’s party? Even the celebrant herself is here.”
Scottie giggles. They are clearly tipsy. “You switched off your phone. We have an information for you, so we snuck out.”
“What information?”
Marlene stares at me blankly. “Fuego came to the party with another woman. A younger, curvier woman. They were all up on each other.”
What?
“Not to worry, Borah. Your FBI’s have tracked her down. We know where she stays, and we’re going there as soon as the day breaks. We know for a fact Fuego won’t be coming home tonight because he’s out there getting some. We will catch them early.” She continues.
“Fuego is with another woman?”
Scottie nods. “The audacity of that man. We are camping here so we head out early in the morning.”
It is not enough he treats me like shit, he also has another woman? What did I expect from a man like that? Was I expecting love and honor? He has no conscience. Absolutely no conscience. I plop on the sofa beside my friends thinking of what to do. Daybreak couldn’t come any sooner.
“What do I do when we get there?” I ask them.
Scottie snorts. “I for one knows what I’m gonna do. I’m going to break his head.”
“I’ll break hers.” Marlene offers.
Knowing I’m not alone in this is the best high I need.
Immediately the ladies spotted the first sunlight, they were already on their feet and ready to get going. Did they not sleep? I also get dressed and follow them to their car. None of us says anything on the drive to the woman’s house. Knowing my friends, they are certainly going to go crazy on the both of them. I just want Fuego to look me in the eyes and see the disgust I feel for him. He doesn’t deserve me. He never had. How Marlene and Scottie discovered her address was beyond me. I don’t want to fight her, all I want with her is to ask her how she feels bringing curses upon herself by sleeping with a married woman. The mistresses are never at fault. No. They weren’t the ones who took an oath before God and man. It was the men, and such, they are to be held accountable for their actions. The woman owes me nothing.
We arrive not a moment too soon. The place looks comfortable enough. Marlene knocks on the door while Scottie and I step away from the peephole. A young curvy woman opens the door, a bright smile on her face, her hair wrapped in a towel. She had just had bath. She had taken a bath with Fuego….
“Hello. How may I help you?” her soft voice ask.
“Is Fuego here?” Scottie says.
I watch as her eyes widen in shock. She wasn’t expecting that. “W-who are you?” she stutters.
“We are his family. And you see that woman over there,” Scottie points to me. “That’s his wife.”
“Wife? Fuego told me his wife died many years ago with no children.”
What? He told her I was dead? Men are the most horrible creature on earth. How could he lie with something as delicate as death! He even denied his children. His own children for crying out loud.
I step closer to her. “I am his wife. Been married for twenty-five years, and we have three children. Two boys and a girl.” Unlocking my phone, I show her the picture of our children.
The curvy lady immediately drops to her knees. “I am so sorry. Fuego told me he is a widower with no children. He promised me marriage. I’m not a slut, I don’t go about sleeping with women’s husbands. I didn’t know everything he’s told me has been a lie. I am truly sorry.”
Like I said, the mistresses are never to blame. “I didn’t come for you. Where is he?”
She opens the door wide for us to go in and steps aside. The fool is in the bedroom buttoning his shirt. Scottie rushes him, landing a slap on his face before he is able to register what is happening.
“I am filing for a divorce.” I tell him. “And I’m keeping the house and cars. I am taking full custody of my children too since you are a widower with no children.”
He gapes at me.
“See you in court, bitch. I hope your lawyer is as good as me.” Marlene smirks at him. I give him one last pitiful look before walking out feeling free at last. The marriage was not worth it. Being in bondage was not worth it, most of all, he was not worth it. It is my children and I now, and we are going to be absolutely okay.
#shortstories
#NircleStories #storywriter #fiction #painandtoxicity
