You || A Short Story ✔

YOU- 1

Seven years ago
Kano, Nigeria

"The heck, I left medical school because I wanted to be with you. How can you even say that?" Sidney choked on his own breath, the sadness in his eyes so evident.

"And so what? Sidney, and so what?" Jemima snapped. She chuckled and moved her head from side to side, "We are suffering! Sidney, we can barely eat one proper meal a day. This is not what I planned, what I envisioned for us. I think we were just young, naive and stupid to see reality. We were so focused on the vanities and pleasures of being in love that we totally forgot about life. Your parents even made it worse."

She cringed at the memory. "I wonder what's so special about studying medicine." She mumbled to herself.

Sidney pinched the bridge of his nose in attempt to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall from his light brown eyes. "And divorce is the only option? What about us? What about me, Mima?"

She sighed, slumping into the one, old and disheveled sofa present in their single room apartment. "Sidney, your parents are rich. They already promised to take you back if you do away with me. I'm only making things easier for you. For us."

"Mima, I thought I told you to give me a little more time. I'm working so hard at the construction site and....."

"For how long Sidney? It's been two solid years." She sighed again, relaxing into the sofa "Please just sign the papers. We've been on this long enough."

Sidney couldn't believe she was actually doing this to him. He had sacrificed a lot- his education, his family, luxury life- just to be with her.

"Are you deaf?" She snapped angrily when she noticed he wasn't making any move to sign the divorce papers rested on the stool just in front of him.

Sidney wiped the lone tear that managed to escape his eyes. He picked up the divorce papers and the pen resting on them, scanning through every detail pasted on the papers. "Mima, I can't do this." He gritted with a painful expression. He took a second look at the papers and the next thing he saw himself doing was tearing it into shreds. Jemima was furious. She picked up her left slipper and aimed at him, but missed closely.

"Sidney, are you mad?" She yelled in anger "Do you know what it took me to get those papers?" Tears were now running across her face in bulk.

Not waiting for his reply she continued, "I wanted this to end in peace but it's obvious you don't want that. I'm leaving anyways. I'll send you another one next week. If you like tear it again." And with that she stormed out angrily, taking the little ghana-must-go bag that contained the little good clothes she still had with her.

Sidney stood motionless. Everything felt surreal. But when he looked around and saw everything Jemima gone, reality hit him.

She had left him.

He finally broke down, screaming out all the pent up pain and releasing all the tears accumulated in his lacrimal glands. His life was officially over!