ABUSED. Chapter 11

I woke up the next day to see him prostrate flatly at the side of the bed with tears pooling his eyes. I
wasn't angry; I was just terribly sad for him and how he grew up. I had pains in my chest where he hit me and my stomach; where the second kick landed but he already got me medications and a bowl of warm water. He kept saying he was sorry that he transferred his aggression from work on me. I think at the time, I was just happy that he didn't hit me anywhere visible because I didn't want to answer any questions from my colleagues at work. I told him it was my fault for being  messy and he said it was his for not being able to control himself. We argued back and forth until I cracked a smile and told him I had forgiven him. We left for work together that morning.

By the end of December, we settled into a new routine. Everyday after work, I would come home early and clean up the house before cooking dinner. I made sure I got everything back to order before he got back home from work. He was eased, always complimenting my cooking and how well I was keeping the house neat, prim and proper.

He managed well with work and his colleagues finally accepted that he was in charge. He was always happy, loving and completely patient. We went to his parent's place again during Christmas and they didn't suspect for once that we were already living together. I finally met his sister and she was very friendly and nice. I met his cousins too; the ones he grew up with and I was partly filled with pity at how messy their lives must have turned out. I later got to know that I was wrong.


I was still in contact with my parents and they never mentioned anything about me leaving my  uncle's place. The only person that eventually got to know was my brother who came to Lagos for new year but was surprised to know I had left. He was shocked and as usual, disappointed but I didn't care- I was getting used to it. I made him promise not to tell my parents and at first, it was very difficult but he ended up caving on the condition that I would tell them about it sooner or later.

Kayode was on his best behavior. I was coping so well with work and home that I didn't notice that January was gone. Kayode got home one night after work and told me he had a surprise for me. He got me a new laptop- an HP Pavillion.

"Thank you so much for tolerating my  shortcomings, baby. I don't know what I would do without you. I love you and I promise that we'd be together forever," he said. I was stunned into silence as he continued. "I am very sorry for always letting my temper get the best of me. I promise to stop but like I said, I need you," he moved closer, used one hand to grasp my hands in his and the other to caress my cheek. "Olajumoke, promise never to leave me."

My heart swelled with so much pride at how much he was willing to change for me.

"Okay sweetie. I promise not to leave you and be with you till everything gets better. You have my word," he pulled me up, carried me in his arms, spun me around and laid kisses all over my face.

All was well until one night at the beginning of February, I got a glimpse of his controlling self again. We were taking lunch that Saturday afternoon and it was semo I prepared. Some minutes into the food, I noticed that he stopped eating and kept looking at me but I was too hungry to notice.
"What is it?" I asked when he kept looking at me and didn't make any effort to eat at all.

"Nothing. When last did you check your weight?"

"Are you saying I'm fat?" I asked as my self consciousness started making me shift uncomfortably.

"Well, not really. I just don't want you to become shapeless. I love your curves and I want it to stay that way"

"Oh, " I muttered, at a total loss of what to say as I pushed the plate back, suddenly losing  my appetite.

"So what is it?" he pressed on, unconcerned that I looked uncomfortable.

"What?" he gave me a hard stare to let me know he wasn't buying the dumb approach. "63."

"Ha. We have to change that. You're becoming obese and that's not healthy. 52 is the goal" he said with a finality I knew I couldn't argue with.

We obtained gym memberships around and we started workout routine for different purposes - me to slim down, him to stay fit. His workout routine was brutal and he pushed my body to the extreme so much that I always ended up with some muscles at the end of every  routine. Many girls came on to him at the gym because of his well sculpted body but he always brushed them off. That made me feel desired, beautiful and it it strengthened my decision to exercise. I was his chosen woman and he had eyes only for me. He assured me that there was no space for anyone else in his life just as it was clear that no other man was going to safely look in my direction.

Then on the last day of February, I noticed that I missed my period.