The Longest Night - Episode 6

 

There I stood transfixed, I looked up at Uzor to see his face, maybe he was joking I thought to myself , maybe he just wants to see my reaction. He was serious and could barely maintain eye contact. I was the victim, but it didn’t seem like that anymore. I felt like the perpetrator of a crime I knew nothing about.

“Sorry, you said?” I asked again for better clarification.

“I’m filing for a divorce Sinach”. He said 

“I’m not granting it . I cannot be a divorcee, my child won’t grow in a broken home, I stand against divorce. I refuse this Uzor”. I replied amidst tears

“This might be coming at a bad time, but I want out of this marriage. We are not happy, I have morphed into a violent person and you are stubborn and all in my face. I can’t take this anymore. We deserve to be happy and I think we need to do that separately”. He said.

He stood up and left the room. It seemed my heart was ripped out without any drug to numb the pain and handed to me. 

I was surprised I didn’t cry as usual. After Uzor dropped the bombshell and stepped out of the room, I took some time to recollect my thoughts and prayed afterwards. I asked God for strength and direction

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/the-longest-night

. I was determined not to be the victim but rather the victor. 

Eventually, I stepped out of the house and headed straight for the police station, signed some papers and got Uzor's car after which I proceeded to the hospital.

Seeing Dera made me smile. She was in high spirit and telling her about my impending divorce was going to be a buzz kill. After the hospital, I was skeptical about my next course of action. Soon I found myself pulling into my usual hair salon. 

“Sinach!!!”  Aunty Tina my favourite hair stylist screamed my name as I stepped into the hair salon.

“Good afternoon Aunty Tina”. She’s been my hairstylist since forever and she does a thorough makeover from nails to hair. Sitting on her chair makes me forget about everything happening out there as she shares her stories accompanied with jokes. 

Aunty Tina was a devout Christian and never misses any church activity or event. I told her about Uzor’s attitude the last time I came to fix my hair. She promised to pray for me and she always called to check on me.

“How’ve you been, I tried your number yesterday and the operator said switched off”. She said.

I relayed the events of the last 3days to her ,which left  her speechless and riled up for a moment.

We talked in subtle tones as she made my hair and dolled me up. I left the hair salon feeling better than ever with a new hope. She walked me to the car and said a word of prayer with me. Changed appearance, a new found hope and a plan, I was ready to conquer.

I pulled into my premises and met a car in our drive way. The sight of that car made me unhappy, I was down hearted for a moment but I remembered the words of Aunty Tina.

I entered the house as Ada opened the door and jumped on me.

“Welcome mummy, grandma is around”. She sounded excited.

“I know darling, I saw her car parked out front”. I replied trying to convene excitement with the statement.

I wasn’t happy my mother-in-law was around.  She’s  never supported my marriage to Uzor. Now she's heard Uzor is asking for a divorce, she would beat it out of me if I refused to grant it.  She wasn’t happy I couldn’t have another child for Uzor and my only child was a girl. She had always suggested to Uzor to get another wife so he could get a male child since my womb forbade a male child. Yes, she said that to me.

“Good afternoon mummy”. I greeted her as I walked into the sitting room. My husband told Ada to go into her room to watch Tv while I was offered a sit. 

“Good afternoon Osinachi. I’ve been around for quite sometime now and you were nowhere to be found”.

I explained how my day went. She seemed less bothered. Uzor just stared at me. Maybe it was my different look that made him stare at me like a stranger.

“Your husband said he is tired of you and he is also tired of being married to you and wants a divorce”. She said sarcastically.

“I didn’t say it that way mum”. Uzor said

“Potato, potahto, we mean same thing and she gets my point. Since you can’t bear a male child for us. I think it’s time for someone else to come in before my son run mad”. She said 

I stared at my mother-in-law and my husband. The tear starts to drop but I remembered Aunty Tina’s voice “Don’t let this problem swallow you up, rather stand tall. You are victorious because God is with you”.

“I won’t sign the divorce papers mummy. I stand against divorce and I won’t allow my child to grow up in a broken home”. I said

“Nobody cares about what you want. So far you are useless. No male child, yet we still manage you, now you have turned my son into a violent person. I can’t have that”. She replied.

“Mummy, did Uzor tell you I was pregnant with a child but he beat it out of me?”

“Oh yes He did, but why would you control a man in his own house on how and what to eat? That’s plain foolishness and being outright stubborn”. She said

“It’s okay mama, I would sign the divorce papers once they are ready”. I replied and walked away. Her words were beginning to pierce through the new barricade I had set up.

“Good girl, it would be better for us all and Uzor can have that male child your womb refused to bear” she said after me.

I would be regarded as a divorcee soon. I never dreamt of my marriage hitting the rocks but this reality stings so bad I could feel it in my bones.

I was in my room thinking about my new status and the words of my mother-in-law when Ada walked into the room. Apparently her grandma had delivered her message and had left the house.

“Mummy, why are you sad?”. Ada asked 

“I’m not sad, mummy is the happiest woman on the planet”. I said smiling and tickled her until she started laughing.

After cooking and delivering food to Dera at the hospital. I returned home and with Ada sleeping I had time to think of the next course of action to take. I didn’t want Ada around for this confrontation and ugly battle. I want her far away from the sadness and ugliness. 

I called Ada’s godmother who was my distant aunt. Ada occasionally  vacations with her and her family. She lives so far away and wasn’t around for most of the family engagement. I told her I was sending Ada down for three weeks which seem convenient due to the summer break. I packed Ada’s bag and booked a flight for noon the next day. I went to the room and found Uzor talking on the phone. He was rounding up a phone call but my ear caught the last part, “I love you too baby”. I sighed and stood directly in front of him.

“I’m sending Ada to Aunt Amaka tomorrow. I don’t want her to experience this ugliness. She’s been through so much already and I would hate to see her go through more”.

“That’s fine”. He said looking back into the laptop in front of him and ignoring my presence.

I watched Ada’s flight take off and a part of me took off also. I miss her already but I didn’t want her to experience her parents fight dirty. She didn’t understand the abrupt trip but was excited to see her cousins.

I went to my house and moved some of my things into Ada’s room. It was my new station and territory. I neatly folded my clothes that made me look unflattering and brought out the clothes that best accentuated my figure. Even if I was going to lose this battle , I was going down with my dignity restored and intact.

Read " The Robbery Attack " by the same author ( Nancy Eseosa )

. The old, vibrant and happy me was back on board and with God by my side, I was going to conquer.

The Next morning, I was awake before 6am. I pull on a skimpy dress and made my way to the kitchen to make food  for Dera, Tunde and Uzor. 

I served Uzor’s breakfast on the dinning table. He always liked toast, scrambled eggs garnished with vegetables and a cup of tea for breakfast.  He entered into the kitchen to pick up his lunch when he saw me.

I was standing with my back against the door. I could feel his eyes peering through me. 

“Good morning”. I said sipping my cup of coffee.

“Good ---  morning”. He stuttered.

I didn’t wear my long and unflattering pants and dress anymore and I had on a new hairdo. He was speechless and walked out of the kitchen. I simply smiled to myself. 

Soon after, I heard a car honk and I knew his driver was around to take him to work. He was a top executive at his company, so had an official car which had been at the mechanics for weeks. 

I had the house all to myself. I went into Ada’s room and cried, studied my bible, and prayed loudly . I made my supplications known to God and also asked for strength to hold on to the ropes of sanity.