Stronger Than Pain

Chapter Eleven

Mum sobbed the more as she watched her friend walk away in anger. The atmosphere wasn't pleasurable to me anymore since I hate seeing mum and her best friend fight. I stepped closer to mum, lowering myself on the edge of her bed. Her once beauty stricken face had turned sour with patches of red skin redesigning them. I scooped her hands into my tiny palms and with a sad sigh rubbed on them gently, my eyes pleading with her to stop crying.

Just then a nurse walked in, with a tray of BP apparatus balancing on her left hand. I could recognize her immediately as the nurse who was with the doctor earlier on during the ward round, and judging from the aura her presence produced , I could guess clearly that she'd heard everything especially the call mum had made.

"How are you feeling madam?" she asked, her parted lips wide with smiles. Mum nodded, forcing a smile.

"You are crying ma, and its not good for you. Everything is going to be alright" she said in consolation, taking slow steps towards us.

I faked a smile too as I let go off mum's hand. With my eyes still fixed on the nurse , I lifted myself off the bed to make room for her. Placing the apparatus on mum's cupboard, she proceeded to gently take her hand. She kept smiling at mum, her eyes speaking more than her mouth could. She checked mum's blood pressure, and her eyes suddenly saddened by what she saw.

"Your blood pressure is 155/110 which isn't great madam." She said unstrapping the cloth off mum's arms.

"How bad is it ma?" I asked naively. She smiled at my curiosity and nodded in assurance.

"It's high but nothing that can't be controlled" She replied amidst smiles.

Slowly she packed up the apparatus, placing them one after the other in the tray. She then lifted it up, turning to leave but on second thought, stopped.

"Please don't mind my asking but is your friend married?" She asked turning to mum. Mum didn't understand where the question was coming from and didn't hide her confusion.

"Who?"

"I meant the one who had been staying with you?" the nurse explained, a lot relaxed.

"No but why?" mum asked.

"I thought as much" she replied smiling. She walked back to mums bedside, and laid the tray on the cupboard again. She then took mum's hand, gently placing her finger within her wrist. Mum looked up at her in confusion and with another smile she said...

"I didn't check your pulse" She explained, returning her gaze to mums wrist. Silently, she continued with her routine checks and when she was through, she stood up to leave.

"Nurse, why did you ask me that" mum asked curiously.

"I don't want to intrude because I can understand it's a family issue but my heart has been burdened. I just want to tell you something my dear." The words poured out as though it'd been starved of speech. "Listen every marriage has its own turbulent times. No marriage is perfect and you can never have a perfect man. Its either he drinks, or smokes, or cheats or beats. This is the pure truth but people has chosen to live in delusion." She pause searching mum's face.

Mum's countenance was devoid of any expressions as it was just blank. As for me, I was amazed at such words but still kept mute,listening intently.

"He's still your husband no matter what. Never you consider leaving your home for another woman, a woman that never knew how you struggled to get to the point where you are now, will you then leave her to eat the fruit of your labor?" She asked fixing her gaze on my mum whom I was certain was meditating on the words she'd heard.

"Tolerance is the key my sister! You must learn to be submissive, tolerate, endure but yet love him. Endure and cover his excesses. A wise woman builds her home but the wild and foolish destroys it. Search your heart, don't you love him still despite everything?" She paused.

Mum stared up at her for few seconds, confused if she needed an answer.

Ignoring mum's silence she continued. "Has he been like this before? Has he ever hit you? Don't you think your attitude might have pushed him to the wall? At least a little bit?" she asked breaking mum's defense.

Mum was sobbing now.

"Yes! I still love my husband. Yes! He hasn't been like this before, he has never raised his hands on me! I still want my marriage to work, at least for my kids. I'm just so confused..."

"There is nothing to be confused about. The devil doesn't like the institution called marriage and therefore seek out good marriages and lead the partners to doom. Yours is a good marriage, do not give the devil a chance. Stand up tall and be a prayerful wife".

"I have prayed, I've always prayed" mum cried.

"Then its not enough. Pray a fire prayer, change your praying method. Let your knees be always close to the floor. I repeat do not give the devil a chance to ruin your happiness. Forgive your husband even before he asks for forgiveness and avoid doing all those things that will make him angry. If he comes begging, forgive and go back; but if he doesn't still forgive and go back. When you get home, ask for his forgiveness. Plead with his heart to forgive and let go. Bring back that love you both have always shared. Express your love to him my sister. Everyone has a story to tell in her marriage. Forget all these show offs and advice, some are dying in silence and even wish to have yours". She said.

"But I haven't recovered and he's insisting I come home, how do I go home like this?"

"Then do it for your husband and marriage. Go home my dear for at least he's asking you to. your husband still wants you dear, you're lucky though you wont know.
Many women out there are begging for their husband's affection but here he is throwing it to you!" She paused. "Or better still give him the address of this hospital let him come and see you. Nne forget all these your friends because when he divorces you, you won't even see any of them to lean on. They will get married and forget you to live a single life" She admonished, her eyes flashing in anger. "Listen the life of a single mother is not easy, its not a life I wish even for my enemy. I have many friends who are single mothers and I hear them complaining bitterly. You will have no time for yourself, you won't even have savings because you will spend them all on your kids, your life will just be messed up. Most importantly, no man would want to have anything to do with you once they learn you have birthed kids. Why would they want second hand when there are many fresh toast out there?" She paused again taking a long breath.

"And do you know the most painful part? These children will still go and look for their father once they grow up. They will find their root and he will still reap the fruit of your labor" she cautioned, more sternly.

******

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