MEMOIRS OF THE EXs PAST -1

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On this fateful day, I remember going over to the boyfriend’s house from uni after my Friday lectures. He wasn’t home but that didn’t matter because I had a spare key to let myself in. As usual, I set about cooking and cleaning. Oh, he always told me what he wanted me to cook and maybe because I naturally loved cooking I never minded. On this this particular weekend, the boyfriend had requested that I make some vegetable soup and goat meat stew. He had left some money on the fridge top for me to buy stuff as agreed and as usual, it was not the exact amount I had told him over the phone.  Spending money has always been a problem for him but that is long gist for another day. So, each time I have to buy the things to cook for him, I end up making up the difference out of my own pocket.

I was that girlfriend that liked to impress her boyfriend anytime and today was no exception. I wanted all to be ready before he got back from work. Oh wait, this isn’t the gist. I am still coming to the crux of this piece. I just think it will be nice to paint you a tiny picture of what our relationship looked like.

Cooking all done, at least the vegetable soup and semovita. The goat meat stew will have to wait until tomorrow because this girl was tired. All I wanted to do was get some new sheets on the bed as I always do each time I visit and rest my tired body. Trying to change the bedsheets, I found strands of blonde hair on the pillow. Before now, the boyfriend had asked me to only braid my hair as he considered weaves artificial and he didn’t want his girl looking artificial. So even though I was suffering from a receding hair line, I still obliged him and had my hair in braids all the time to the detriment of my poor hair. This blonde strands of weave could not have come from me.

Hmmn…

Somewhere on the dark coloured sheets were whitish dried streaks. On the bed stand beside the bed, on the right where I usually slept, was a female bracelet and an earring. They were not mine either. Besides I hadn’t been over to this house in over 2 weeks.

Naturally my mind began to race. Was he cheating? No. Maybe his sister came into town from Benin. Did she? He didn’t mention it. Maybe he forgot to.  Just maybe. 

Oh no, he couldn’t be cheating!

Is it possible that the boyfriend I loved so much and worked hard each day to impress was having it with another girl? But I was doing everything right wasn’t I? I was doing enough.  No, he couldn’t be cheating. I didn’t want to imagine it.  I needed answers but all I could do was wait. Wait for him to come home to me and tell me it was all in my imagination.

After I changed the sheets, I picked the strands of hair and wrapped them safely in a tissue paper, placed it beside the bracelet and lone earring and began the wait. I was dozing off on the sofa because I couldn’t bear to lay on that bed. I just couldn’t. Last I checked my watch it was 10pm and he said he was 10mins away from the house 2 hours ago.

TO BE CONTINUED…






***This piece is dedicated to every woman who has suffered or still suffers emotional/verbal abuse in their relationships. Find your voice. Save yourself