Thorns and Roses

Chapter 5

She watched him come out of the bathroom wet and dripping with water.

‘Where are the towels?’ he demanded.

‘I thought tonight will be different. I thought we could relive the first six months of our marriage where you weren’t terrorising me or…’ Esi began, looking down at the pillow on her lap.

‘I don’t have time for stories! Where are the towels?! You know I itch when I don’t clean myself well after a shower.’

Esi turned to him in the dark and sniffed.

‘I hate you! You took my life from me!’ She threw the pillow at him but missed.

Jake shook his head and walked back into the bathroom to search for the towels. Esi let out a loud howl like a wounded animal and Jake poked his head out of the bathroom door and spoke up;

‘You are not an animal, stop that nonsense now!’

Esi laid back on the bed and turned away. Tomorrow would be better she assured herself. She had learnt how to live one day at a time with Jake. There were times she had to live a minute at a time but she didn’t care, all she wanted to do was live-live through it all.

—*—

Esi’s Saturdays always started early like a weekday. On days she wasn’t going to work, she had to get up early, clean the house, shop and cook. On day’s she had to go to work, she did a portion of the chores the night before so she could lighten the burden the next day.

This Saturday was different, on it felt like all the strength in her had been swapped out. She had opened her eyes but her body felt too heavy to move. She had silently listened to Jake’s loud snores and allowed her mind to wonder how life would have been different if she had seen Jake for who he really was.

‘My parents are coming here this afternoon. Do the needful.’ Jake suddenly grunted, interrupting her previous thoughts

She remained silent and responded;

‘I am getting a promotion’

Jake said nothing for a moment;

‘Who did you sleep with to get it?’

Esi ignored him and got out of bed.

‘I asked you a question…Who did you sleep with?’ Jake demanded.

Esi tired her night coat around her waist tightly and wore her slippers.

‘I am not you, I didn’t sleep with anyone.’ Esi spat out.

She didn’t see it coming and that made it all the more painful. Jake punched her left cheek forcing her to stagger back and hold her sore cheek. He was on all fours on the bed breathing loudly.

‘Who did you sleep with?!’ he shouted at his wife.

‘No one! I slept with no one!’ she cried out and collapsed to the floor

‘Liar! You think I dunno the men are chasing you?!’ Jake jumped out of bed and pounced on his wife.

‘Speak the truth!’

‘I didn’t sleep with anyone!’ Esi cowered from his blows and slaps.

‘I will get to the bottom of this.’ Jake jumped back into bed and moved to his side to continue sleeping.

‘Mummy.’ Kojo called from the entrance of the bedroom.

Esi which wiped the tears off and crawled to her son.

‘Yes baby…Why are you up so early, it’s a Saturday you know.’

‘Monster.’ Kojo pointed to his father’s body in bed. Esi immediately hit his hand and carried him out of the room.

‘Let’s go back to bed ok. Dad is not a monster. He loves mummy very much.’ Esi said through clenched teeth.

—*—

‘Is this table dusted? Jake’s mother asked with a look of disgust.

‘Yes, ma…It’s been dusted. Please have a seat.Lemme get you water ‘ Esi said.

‘Get me, my son, I don’t need water from you.’

Esi nodded and rushed to her room to call her husband.

‘Your mother is in.’

‘I know, I hope you dusted well. You know she doesn’t like dust.’ Jake sprayer himself with his cologne and fixed the buckle of his leather watch. Esi stared on silently. She left and walked to the kitchen to check her meal.

‘Where is my grandson?’ Jake’s mother shouted from the hall. Esi gritted her teeth and walked back to the hall to respond.

‘He is taking a nap. He was a bit tired.’

Jake’s mum scowled.

‘Welcome mum.’ Jake hugged his mum.

‘You are ready, that’s good…Let’s get going then.’ Jake’s sneered at Esi.

‘I thought you said they were visiting, leanedI cooked lunch.’ Esi cut in as mother and son walked towards her. They both ignored her and walked past her, heading for the main door. Esi walked to the couch and threw herself in, she needed to speak to someone about her pain. She didn’t think she could hide it anymore. Her demeanour was cracking and her mum has noticed something was wrongleant

Esi towards her right in order to pull her phone out of her apron’s pocket and opened the chat with the strange number. She stared at the picture a while and selected all. Esi selected Jake’s mum’s contact and forward the images to her. She couldn’t suffer in it alone, his pompous mother needed to be aware of her son’s deeds.