Shackles of my husband 7&8

SHACKLES OF MY HUSBAND by Olowojesiku Deborah Iyanu

Episode 7&8

Uloma wept for some minutes before cleaning up herself, she felt used and abused. She had promised herself that Teacher Emeka would never see her n@kedness again not even after trying to kill her and to think he left her to die if not for the timely intervention of Mama Chioma but here she was, unable to keep that little promise she made to herself.

Later in the evening, Uloma went to the health center and explained all that happened to the nurse hoping there was something she would do for her but all the nurse did was mock her calling her a pr0stitute who was just pretending to be a victim of circumstances. Uloma left the health center feeling miserable, she wished she didn’t go to explain things to the health center in the first place. Uloma accepted her fate and continued with her business but this time around, she stopped keeping her money at home. She opened an account through a bank agent where she kept her money.

Life continued and Uloma kept struggling just to take care of herself and her daughter when she suddenly began to feel sick, she took some herbs but she didn’t get better, it was then she remembered that she hadn’t seen her period in two months. At that point, she was determined not to keep the pregnancy, so she went to the local chemist and asked for an abortion pill which was given to her alongside its prescription. Instead of the pregnancy being aborted, it kept growing. Uloma went to the woman selling herbs to give her a concoction that would help abort the pregnancy in her, still, the pregnancy kept getting bigger.

Uloma who felt God doesn’t want the child to be aborted left the pregnancy to grow. She informed Mama Ada and Pa Fidelis that she was carrying Teacher Emeka’s second child which was a result of him taking advantage of her. Trust Mama Ada, she didn’t believe Uloma one bit but there was nothing she could do because Uloma herself has become a pain in the woman’s neck.

While in her second trimester, Teacher Emeka got a job in a rich man’s house as a gateman in the city so he had to leave for the city. Uloma was happy she would be free from him and he would be able to take care of his children once he began to make money. Mama Ada was the happiest person, she didn’t stop singing and telling everyone that Uloma’s witchcraft hold over her son’s life and destiny had been destroyed.

Teacher Emeka began work at the rich man’s apartment and was receiving good pay but he wasn’t giving Uloma a dime, he would send a token to his parent and that was all. When Uloma was close to her delivery date, she had to steal the address of Teacher Emeka’s place of work from Mama Ada’s diary and went to see him. Immediately Teacher Emeka saw her, he gave her five thousand naira and send her away with a warning that she must never come there to see him again. Uloma returned to the village dejectedly, it was then it dawned on her that she would have to bear her cross all alone.

Uloma had to struggle so hard to get some little clothes for the unborn baby. This time around, she gave birth to the baby in the house with Mama Ada’s help. Mama Ada had initially informed Uloma that there was no money to pay for hospital bills hence, she should prepare to give birth in the house. Uloma named her baby boy Obinna and again, the boy looked so much like his father but she made up her mind that he would be nothing close to his father.

When baby Obinna was three months old, a car drove into the compound. At first, Uloma was wondering who the owner only for Teacher Emeka to come out of the car with a very beautiful lady. It was during Teacher Emeka’s conversation with his parent that Uloma got to realize that he brought the lady home to introduce her to his parent as his wife-to-be. Since she was already pregnant, they had to hasten the wedding preparations.

Uloma was heartbroken where she stood eavesdropping, she wanted to go into the sitting room and scatter things for Teacher Emeka but then, she decided to let Karma do its work. Teacher Emeka went as far as telling his fiancee that she was his distant cousin who was impregnated by some random guy.

Uloma knew the best thing was for her to leave the village for greener pastures since she had no place in Teacher Emeka’s life and family. She picked up some things and left the village the following day without telling any soul a thing.

Episode 8

Uloma boarded a truck that took them to Onitsha city and on getting there, it was already late. The truck dropped them in the market where it was to drop some goods for two market women. Uloma looked for a safe place in the market to pass the night and luckily, she saw a shed that was well kept, there she spread a wrapper on the floor where she and the children laid to sleep. The weather was so cold at night that Uloma feared for her children’s health, at a point, she felt like going back to the village but then, she decided to go through whatever life would throw at her.

The following morning, Uloma woke up before the market women would come to their stores. She bought some sachet of water to wash her children and then bought them food before looking for what to do that would generate money.

While feeding Amara at the food vendor shed, Uloma looked at the shop beside the food vendor and saw women buying pure water which they sold in the traffic. Uloma asked the food vendor questions about the sachet water business and after getting a satisfactory explanation, she decided to engage in it. She bought a bowl and then went to buy the sachet water which she also began to resell.

The first day wasn’t easy for Uloma as she had to move around selling with her children. A woman then advised Amara to enroll her children in a cheap school close to the market and that Uloma did.

For months, Uloma hawked sachet water and at the end of the day retire in people’s sheds to sleep. Life was very hard having to fend for three people all alone, there were days she would break down in tears at night and her sensitive daughter would be the one telling her mother sorry. Despite all these, Uloma was determined to make it before going back to her people.

Six months later, Uloma was hawking in a particular street when she saw a post in front of a maternity with an inscription that a cleaner was needed. Uloma dropped her bowl of sachet water and told the Secretary that she was interested in the cleaning job. After the interview, she was told to come to resume the following day after being promised pay of twenty thousand.

After work the first day of resumption, Uloma was opportune to see the senior nurse whom she explained to that she had no place to stay and requested if she could be allowed to stay in the maternity till she was able to secure her apartment. The senior nurse took pity on her and told her there was no problem.

Two years later, Uloma again explained to the nurse that she was interested in learning how to take the delivery of pregnant women and attend to some minor cases. Her salary was then slashed, half went to her tuition for learning while half was given to her.

Uloma began her training on how to become an auxiliary nurse, she learned very fast which amazed the nurses. How she was able to combine her cleaning job and the training was something that amazed everyone at the maternity. Luck smiled on Uloma one day and that was the beginning of living a meaningful life.

Uloma was actually on night duty that particular midnight when she heard a heavy bang on the door. At first, she thought armed robbers but where the ones knocking but when it became persistent, she told the gate man to open only for them to discover that a woman already in labor was looking for where to deliver and since it was so late, she was unable to get to her hospital.

Uloma ushered her and her husband in and with the help of the senior nurses on duty, the woman delivered a baby boy. When the woman was about to be discharged, she told the senior nurse that she needed help who would help her with her house chores. The senior nurse then recommended Uloma, she told the woman to always release for her training.

That was how Uloma and her children moved into the woman’s mansion, she was being paid fifty thousand naira which helped her greatly and since they were given free food and accommodation, Uloma faced her children’s education

To be continued