Battered Wife

21

"Why was she so shocked?" I asked about the way the formerly antagonistic blonde woman had stared at me after my test.

He responded as he opened the door out of my office building and escorted me to my car in the parking lot. "Because most of us almost thought that Unstables were a myth. You know there's even supposed to be a mythological prophecy that claims that out of Unstables, there would be a group of people, referred to as harbingers of light, who will turn the tides in the secret war between humans and Deagons and Demons. I never—"

Before he could complete his worlds, a slap landed on my face. Thankfully, the angle was wrong and the hand didn't touch my ears and only my cheeks. However, the slap still stung and because I hadn't expected it, it felt like the inside part of my cheeks got cut on the edge of my teeth as well.

Elijah slid to stand in front of me, grabbing the hand that was going to land on the other side of my face and standing between me and my mother-in-law.

"Madam, your behavior is unacceptable. We're going to sue you for assault!" It was the first time I'd ever heard Elijah raise his voice.

But my mother-in-law was a yeller and she obviously didn't want to be outdone so her voice was louder than his by several decibels. "Who the hell is this? Sue me for assault for slapping my daughter-in-law. My friend get away from here!"

"Elder Popoola, please remember to show composure and kindness to everyone you meet." A man in a black suit cleared his throat and said.

Shockingly, his words restrained my mother-in-law who cleared her throat and broke her hand free of Elijah's grip before glaring at him. "Pastor, this is the little lover that my daughter-in-law has committing adultery with. I always said that this work she was doing was a bad idea but she said she could maintain her career and care for her children. Well, see her now, it's at that same job that she found this man and decided to divorce my son for him."

Her words made me recognize the pastor as one of the pastors in my husband's church. When his gaze, full of disappointment, turned to me, I knew exactly what he was going to say. "Mrs. Popoola, what you're doing is very unclean. How could you do this to your husband? How could you disappoint God in this way by cheating on your husband and defiling yourself and your marriage altar? I also heard from Elder Popoola that you're seeking divorce. Mrs. Popoola, the bible strongly condemns divorce. How could you choose to abandon your marriage vows. I am very very disappointed in you Mrs. Popoola. I would have hoped that all the teachings from your marriage counseling would have helped you but you're so entrenched in the world that I'm afraid only a delivery session can really help your case at this time. I—"

"Pastor, I think you're talking to the wrong person. Besides I didn't expect you to say this worlds. Do you remember when I came to you a few years ago to tell you about how my husband was cheating on me? You said I should be patient and..."

"Mrs. Popoola, a man cheating is a regular thing. I remember that we prayed about Mr. Popoola and I'm very sure that he's doing better now. I can't believe that you held onto hatred and decided to selfishly do what your husband had done to you just to teach him a lesson. Don't you know that as a woman, this act is offering your body, the temple of God, to the devil? I—"

"Hello sir? Pastor? Omolola and I have never slept together or laid together so I don't appreciate you berating her on the claims of a battery assaulter." Elijah tried to defend me but my mother-in-law spat at him in such a way that he only managed to escape the wad of spit by jumping away.

"Pastor Mike, please restrain her. Do you see her? That's how she behaves every time, like a shameless elderly woman."

"Mrs. Popoola, it's a sin to insult your mother-in-law. I can't believe how far you are sliding from the precepts of the word of God."

His words made me realize that nothing I could do could ever be good. This pastor, for whatever reason, would always be on the side of my mother-in-law and Remi.

"Elijah, please call security and let them throw this people out and refuse to let them into the vicinities next time." I said.

"How dare you?! Pastor, can you see? Can you see her?" My mother-in-law stared at me with venomous eyes as if she was a snake and I was a little chick and she wanted to swallow me.

The pastor looked very unhappy with me as he stared at me with disdain in his eyes and a complaining tone. "How could you do this Mrs. Popoola? The way you're acting is very unseeming."

"Is it? Pastor Mike, I am about to divorce Remi Popoola so I'm no longer a member of your church. I have returned to my own church and spoken to my pastors about my situation in the Popoola household, however, unlike you who is my marriage counselor, my pastor understood where I was coming from. Although he didn't approve of me getting a divorce, at least, he tried to understand my story and my point of view. I'm a woman so it's useless trying to speak to a Pastor who obviously has prejudices on how the word of God applies to men and women. I can't stand the gender inequality hidden in the message you preach at your church, so I'm returning to my church where everyone is the same in the eyes of God and the men of God that guide the church. Please return to your church with 'Elder Popoola' and stay out of my business." I said every single word, carefully and as calmly as I could even though I was severely irritated.

Then I entered my car, signaling for Elijah to get in.

As we drove away, I watched some security men in uniform lead my mother-in-law and the pastor out of the office premises. I was sure that several of my colleagues at the company would know about this embarrassing incident by tomorrow but I decided not to fret about it.

After I had driven a few miles away from the company, I parked my car by the side of the road so I could finally breath.

Elijah's concerned gaze fell on me but I refused to meet them as I realized how much the thought of my coworkers having an inkling of the goings-on of my marriage bothered me.

"Are you okay?" Elijah asked.

I was silent for a few minutes before nodding.

An awkward silence permeated the car for a few minutes before Elijah sat up and said, "Come on. Let me drive. I'll take you somewhere and you'll feel better in no time. Do you need to pick Adesewa up from school today?"

"No, Bisi is doing that today, but..."

I hesitated but was convinced when our gazes met and he said, "Trust me?"

I nodded and then smiled before opening the car door and moved to the passenger seat, a little excited for whatever surprise he had planned to make me feel better.

***

"You brought me to get ice cream?" I asked, trying and failing to hold down my mirth.

"Doesn't ice cream just make everything feel much better?" He asked, digging his spoon into his chocolate and vanilla ice cream and scooping a spoonful into this mouth.

I scooped some of my strawberry ice cream into my mouth and savored it before answering. "You know what? It does. It's just that Nigerians don't typically go get ice cream to feel better."

He looked away from his ice cream that he hadn't looked away from since we got to Coldstone and stared at me with a deep gaze that made me want to sit up straight. "So what do Nigerians do to feel better? I'll take you there after we're done with our ice cream."

I turned my head to the side to think about that while scooping a spoonful of ice cream. "Actually, typical Nigerians don't do anything to feel better."

I pursed my lips as I thought about it carefully. "We usually just take a moment to breath or cry and then we wipe our tears, swallow the pain and push it at the back of our minds."

We were both silent for a few seconds.

"Which proves my point, that this is better." He said with a smirk that made him look adorably handsome.

I couldn't help the smile that slid onto my face at his words. "You're right. Your method is better."