*TOO LATE*
*Episode 7*
Chioma resumed unusually early to school. After ensuring that the kids are sitting quietly, she placed her head on the table and slept off. It was the jingling of the bell that jolted her out of sleep. She stood up, dragged her kids out of her class for the morning assembly. She struggled to stay awake and be alert on the assembly ground.
The truth is that Chioma doesn’t sleep. She spends her night worrying and crying. She would bring out the family album and begin to look at pictures she took with her husband in their earlier years of marriage. By the time she finished, it would be time to prepare for school.
Rosa and her husband are making things difficult for her. Few days after Rosa came into the house, Chioma had put a call through to Stanley’s parents to inform them that Stanley had brought in a second wife into the house. His parents told her that they are aware. They even encouraged her to try and live in peace with the new wife. Their statement disorganized her.
She also told her parents and siblings and they consoled her. They advised her to focus on herself and kids.
None of their adviises consoled her. Eight years in marriage and her husband has taken in another wife.
Chioma would cook for her kids but forget to eat. Most times, she was absent minded. Her kids always draw her attention to reality.
The assembly was over. She wanted to teach but she couldn’t for her heart was racing so fast. Dropping the marker on the table, she rested her head on the table. Chioma was like that until a colleague entered her class. When she raised her head, her face glittered with tears. Her pupils stared at her confused.
“You are crying, what is it?” Her colleague asked, very concerned.
“My heart races so fast” She said wiping her tears.
“Why don’t you go to the sickbay. I will inform the proprietor so that he can make arrangements for a teacher to take care of your class”
She thanked her colleague and as she stood, Chioma slumped. Mrs Okoye as she is called, shouted for help. Chioma was rushed to the hospital.
At the hospital, after she had been revived, the doctor told her that her blood pressure was high.
“You are lucky. Some people slumped like you did and never opened their eyes again. Stop worrying. Worries never bring solutions to problems. Whatever the problem is, allow God to settle it”
Chioma was placed on bed rest for four days. While she was in the hospital, her employer contacted Stanley and his response was appalling.
“I didn’t ask her to fall sick. Hope my kids are okay?. She can spend the whole year in the hospital for all I care” He said and cut the call.
Chioma’s employer was aghast.
“Is he really your husband?” He asked Chioma.
“Yes sir”
“I doubt it”
During her period of rest, the school committed the kids into the hands of Mrs Okoye. The proprietor told Chioma not to worry about the bills.
“Try as much as possible to rest” He told her.
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Karen through the window, saw Brian drive into the premises. It’s been a while she had had a one on one conversation with him. Thanks to Nancy, who behaves as if she is the owner of the company. She left her seat and adjusted her clothes. Karen rushed down the downstairs and collided with the Human Resources Manager n the process. She apologized and ran out.
Brian was locking his car door when Karen greeted smiling sheepishly. She stretched her hand towards his briefcase but Brian declined. This embarrassed her and tears dropped immediately.
Surprised by the sudden tears, asked what the problem was.
“You hate me. I just know it”
Her outburst brought smile.
“You may have hurt me Karen but I hold no grudge against you”
“I am sorry Brian for everything I have done to you and your sister. I am a changed person now” She said
“It’s alright Karen, I hold no grudge against you”
Ending his discussion with her, he walked briskly towards the stairs. Just then, Nancy met him at the entrance and took the briefcase from him. Smilingly appreciatively, he thanked her. Karen still on the same spot, looked on as Brian and Nancy climbed the stairs.
For the past weeks, she had watched how Nancy and Brian had become close and how Nancy has become the talk of everyone. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked into her office, picked a file from her desk. She went to Nancy’s office.
“I need to give this file directly to the Boss” She told Nancy.
“Alright, but you know how it works here. There is an organogram Miss Karen. Leave the file on my table and the Boss will receive it”
“You didn’t hear me”
“I did”
Ignoring Nancy, she knocked on the door of the Boss and without waiting for any permission, she entered Brian’s office.
Brian was on a call when she entered. Karen had to wait until he was through. Nancy stood behind Karen waiting for him too. As soon as he dropped his phone on the table, he looked at Karen angrily.
“Don’t ever enter my office again. If you are not ready to work with Nancy, you can send in your resignation” he warned.
Nancy nodded approvingly.
“You should…” Karen stuttered.
“Drop the file with Nancy” he ordered.
Tears trickled down her face as she walked out of his office. Throughout the day, Karen’s eyes was flooded with tears. She refused to pass any file to Nancy, rather, she sends other junior staffs to her. She has long made up her mind never to submit to Nancy. She was employed before her and she works hard to deserve promotion. She was supposed to be the one close to Brian not Nancy.
“No!, I can’t accept this” she told herself.
She went to the restroom and washed her face. When she entered her office again, it was to write her resignation letter. Karen got a handbag where she packed her personal belongings into them. Before the close of work, she dropped her resignation letter on Nancy’s table. Walking out of the company, she heaved a heavy sigh of relief.
She was going to look for another job. Flagging a bus down, Karen entered and waited patiently for the bus to get to her bus stop.
———————————–
Chioma returned home with her kids boiling with anger, but she tried to control herself. Her employer was a nice man and she never envisage he would go to the length of paying her medical bill. When she was discharged, he drove her straight to the house. As soon as Stanley saw the man, he frowned. He greeted the elderly man and waited for him to leave first before baring his heart. Ignoring her husband, she thanked her employer before walking in with her kids.
Stanley tried to hug the kids, but they walked past him.
“You have poisoned my children’s against me Chioma. God knows how to punish people like you who work against their husband”
Chioma looked at him, but walked past him. It was getting late. All she wanted was to take care of the kids and go to bed. As she entered the house, she met Rosa talking on the phone. Though the television was on but no volume. Chioma walked past her to the room she shares with her kids. She sat down and closed her eyes, but when she opened them, Stanley was staring at her menacingly.
“Who was that man that brought you home”
Rather that answer him, she hissed. This infuriated Stanley. He shook her violently.
“Tell me who that man is” He shouted
“Why ask when it’s obvious it’s her lover” Rosa said standing in the doorway. Stanley angered by the fact that Chioma remained silent, plastered her face with a terrible slap that made Chioma winced in pain.
“Daaaady!” Screamed Ekene the eldest child. He rushed towards his father trying to fight him and at the same time protecting his mother. Nathan stood at the corner watching the scene before him and wailing too.
“You left my house for the past five days with the claim that you were hospitalized, only to be driven home by your lover. I am pained that my kids went there too. Chioma, you are a disgrace to womanhood. I am sure you planned with your lover to extort money from me. That is why he called that you were sick. You think I am a fool to drop money or come to the acclaimed hospital. Aaah! Chioma”
Another slap landed on her face again. While he was ranting, Rosa was busy laughing and fuelling the situation. Satisfied that he has succeeded in demeaning Chioma, he left the room leaving Chioma and the kids crying.
Afraid Stanley might attack her again if she goes to the kitchen, she fed her kids with snacks and cold tea in the room. She drank tea and without taking her prescribed drugs went to bed.
Watch out for next episode
