I was to attend a burial ceremony along with Toyin that
Saturday. I left home very early to beat the traffic that normally builds up on
Saturdays because of weddings and other events.
I made my way back home because
I forgot the gift we planned to present to Mrs Victoria, our friend who lost
her father.
On reaching home, I was shocked to notice the central door
was locked. Why will Kassim and his sister lock themselves up less than an hour
after I left home? Or have they both gone out? None of them mentioned any plan
of an outing this morning. I became curious why the door was locked but I
remembered I had my spare keys in my bag.
I quickly opened my bag and brought out my bunch of keys and
got the central door opened. In a jiffy I was in our bedroom but no sign of
Kassim in there. I headed to the guest room and what I saw left me in shocked
and dumbfounded. Kassim, my own husband was molesting his own biological sister
right in our house. The poor girl was struggling under him and begging him not
to do it to her again. I stood there for over a minute before my husband could
realize I was around.
I felt like stabbing him to death but there was no any object
I could use around. When he realised I had been standing for sometimes watching
them, he tried to put on his boxer as he begged me to understand that it was
not what I think. I couldn’t open my mouth to say anything, my lips were
heavier than rock, my tears were ticker than usual. I ran back to our bedroom
and picked few of my things and ran out of the house. He didn’t stop me because
of fear of what I could do.
I headed straight to Toyin’s place and she was angry I came
late. She noticed I didn’t reply everything
she said and she came out from her room to check why I was
mute. What are you doing with this box?
She asked looking at my face, then realized I was weeping.
She came close and hugged me to her chest, what happened Nneka? She asked me
calmly.
Then a battle arose in my mind on what to tell Toyin. Toyin
can’t withstand the bad news but what will I tell her if I don’t tell her the
truth? Toyin will surely get Kassim arrested if she knows the truth. While I
laid on her chest my mind traveled so far planning suitable lie I will tell my
friend. You know I am your friend and you can confide in me, tell me what
happened, Toyin begged me. I want to sleep, I want to be left alone now, I
pleaded with Toyin.
She walked me to the children’s room and helped me to the
bed. She looked round the room and removed every harmful objects that I could
use in harming myself and went away with them. Ten minutes later she came to
check on me but I was still awake sobbing. She peeped and whispered, “don’t
kill yourself, I am here for you”. That day we couldn’t go for that burial
ceremony again.
I began to connect happenings since Ope came to our house.
How she was lively and became moody suddenly. The statement I over heard from
Ope ” brother, so you have not stopped this evil”, the hostility, the isolation
etc. Was this the evil Ope was referring to that day? Was she hostile to her
brother because he has done this to her before? Why was she locking herself up
even when we were at home? Why was my mother-in-law always calling to ask after
Ope almost everyday since she came? These thoughts began to tear my head apart.
I was practically losing my mind and I know it’s time to confide in Toyin
before I run mad.
Why should I even leave the house without addressing this
evil and abomination committed by my husband? I will go back and face Kassim
point blank, let him explain to me what just happened now. I wished all these
were dreams. But I need a witness, I will go with Toyin, I made up my mind. At
about 4pm I called Toyin, dress up, we are going to my house together, I said.
Within five minutes she was ready. I left my things in her house because I knew
I will come back. I can’t sleep under the same roof with the beast. The journey
to the revelation to the abomination that caged my marriage for ten years has
just began.
