1 : PROBLEMS

3 Years Later…

Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria

Maria had this straight face that would tell you that talking to her wouldn’t yield positivity; Max constantly glanced at her while driving

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Max asked after the long silence

“Nothing” that was all her voice box offered as she looked out through the window

“Look we’ve passed the stage of you saying nothing, I am your husband not your boyfriend” he replied with a little too loud voice, she slowly turned her head to him

“Ok why am I not pregnant?” she said looking at him; she looked very calm with that question, he looked at her then looked at the road

“What kind of question is that” he asked

“Just answer the god-damn question” she said loudly

“Am I to answer that?” he looked uninterested

“O yes, answer” she said with eyes on him

“Well, the doctor said you’re fine, you’ll have your pregnancy soon” he assured

“The doctor! The doctor!! The doctor!!! Always the doctor” she yelled; he had not expected such strange attitude from her

“What’s your problem? Why are you yelling? The doctor said you are fine” now he sounded angry

“Yes I’m fine but are you?” she said—I think those words didn’t come out right and she knew it, they also didn’t land safely in the ears of her husband Max; he parked the car

“What did you say?” Max said looking at her

“You heard me... are you capable of getting me pregnant?” she ran her mouth freely again trying to act confident—clearly he had resentment and disappointment in his eyes as he stared at her

“Did you just say that to me?” he pointed to himself and she went silent

Then she tried to act reasonably and reduced her voice as she said

“Max for God’s sake it’s 5 years now and we have no child” she sounded calm this time probably because she regretted those words, he stared at her, she looked away from him, she looked again to see him still staring, she looked away then looked at him to see him still staring then she broke the silence as she began to feel uncomfortable

“Honey I’m sorry about what I said” she tried touching him, he pushed her hand off then he started the car and continued driving, they were both silent until they got home.

The security personnel opened the gate for the car to come into the large compound; in silence they both entered the house and straight to the bedroom, Maria sat on the bed as she took off her shoes and jewelries, Max walked to the wardrobe, took off his clothes and walked into the bathroom

“Honey am so…just forget about it, I don’t feel like talking” Max interrupted her

He walked into the bathroom and locked the door—something he does when angry

Maria smiled as she knew he was angry; she changed her clothes and went down stairs into the kitchen to prepare dinner; she knew how much he loved food

She prepared a nice meal of Egusi soup with turkey and goat meat with pounded yam and a pack of fruit juice and set it on the dining table—if you are not from west Africa you may not understand the good taste of this meal. She sat down in the sitting room as she watched a movie; after 20mins Max came down stairs and sat on the sofa away from his wife who curled her legs on the chair; Maria was very beautiful.

“Baby food is ready” she said

“I’m not hungry” he replied with a straight face

“I’m very sorry okay? I didn’t mean what I said”

“Yeah, you never mean what you say” he replied

“Please go and eat your food” she said, now he was angrier

“I said am not hungry or do you have an ear problem?” he said loudly visibly pissed off

“Ok” she went silent

They both sat quietly for 10mins watching TV until she said something

“I prepared egusi soup with turkey and goat meat with pounded yam” she said without looking at him, immediately his eye balls moved to his left as he looked at her then pretending not to hear her—she understood him and just smiled

“It’s on the dining table” she said moving her head in the direction of the dining table. He ignored her and after about 2mins he turned to look at the dining table and saw that she was looking at him he turned his face away, she smiled and stood up then walked upstairs.

“I’m going to take a bath" she said

She knew her husband well enough, the pride in him will not allow him get his butts up in her presence and walk to the dining table because he would feel defeated.

Max looked back and didn’t see her, he then looked at the table again then he stood up and walked to it and sat down—he was seriously hungry. As he sat on the table and opened the food it was as she described it, his mouth was full of saliva, he swallowed it forceful and his throat gave out a funny gulping sound, he then thought to himself

“After all he wasn’t quarreling with the innocent food” he looked around to see if she was peeping at him before washing his hands and landed on the food.

Maria had a shower then came downstairs in a night gown and saw him eating the food happily she busted into laughter but immediately held her mouth as she saw him staring at her with a ball of pounded yam in his hand

“What’s funny?” he asked

“Nothing I’m sorry” she said still holding the laughter, she sat on the couch

“I am only eating this food because I don’t want food wastage in my house” he said

“I understand honey” she said with a smile—he decided to criticize the food just to massage his ego

“I don’t like the way you added pepper to this food, the pepper is too much” he said with a frowned face

“So sorry dear” she said immediately—she had been expecting him to say something

Max ate the food quietly while Maria watched TV. After 5mins Max had finished eating, he became happy, he sat down beside his wife this time

“I’m sorry about what I said” Maria said, Max smiled

Please don’t do that again, I sincerely didn’t find it funny” he said

“I know right? I’m sorry okay?” she said and he held her close, she laughed…

Well, for Maria it looked sweet and blissful but it wasn’t same for Yvonne

“Where the fuck are you coming from?” Yvonne yelled at James—words we use when a relationship has gone seriously soared even worse, marriage; James acted as if he wasn’t listening

“Its 12am who the hell comes back at such time as a responsible husband. This has become a habit, you coming in so late and you don’t bother giving me an explanation, what do you take me for?” Yvonne yelled like she got fire in her eyes

“I told you earlier that work lasts longer these days” he replied walking upstairs as she followed him

“Oh shut up you terrible liar” she said and stopped behind him. He turned to look at her with anger and without hesitation he delivered a hot slap across her face, she screamed in pain. James didn’t mind, he walked on into the room leaving her sitting on the stairs and crying with her hand on her face—fire in her eyes had suddenly become water

After crying for10mins, she stood up and left the house to Maria’s place. James came out of the room and went downstairs looking for her but didn’t find her. He yelled her name but no response, he walked into the kitchen and opened the pot and saw some fried rice in it, he picked up a plate and served himself and didn’t bother calling her again cause that was why he ssored her…

Maris heard a knock on her door; she quickly walked to the door, opened the door and was surprised to see Yvonne standing there in tears.

“My God, please come inside, what happened?” Maria said helping her in

Yvonne was silent but in tears. Max was watching the TV as she came in and he greeted her with a smile but she couldn’t smile back or replied, she just cried

“What happened?” Max said

Yvonne sat down and wiped her face then sniffed her nose

“Tonight marks the end of my marriage with James” Yvonne said. Maria quickly sat down beside her

“Did James do this to you again?” Maria asked

“Your eyes are red and your face swollen, what happened?” Max added

“James slapped me today because I asked why he came home late” she said—that is how people tell their own side of the story; maybe if she had said it the way she narrated she wouldn’t have gotten a slap, but it doesn’t change the fact that James was a violent man animal.

“That’s a very stupid thing for a man to do. Did he loose his mind?” Max said

“James is a big fool and I can’t even recall why I married him” she said

“Come on sweetie don’t say that? We can sort this out” Maria said holding her hands

“No way, I am calling my lawyer to continue with the divorce process” she said

“No you can’t do that” Maria said

“I have already started it and won’t stop now” she said; Max and Maria were silent; they couldn’t argue because they knew the damages James had caused in the past.

“Please can I stay for the night” she asked

“Ok, that’s fine by me” Maria said and turned to Max who nodded in agreement