By Amie Sillah
Ken back from Work
Sue served him lunch then his cell phone rang and he hesitated to take it and Sasum stood to listen. Ken looked up and decided to answer to it.
“I’ll ring later.” He posited.
Sasum
She protested;
“It is not what am thinking Ken?”
He sulked and said;
“Think anything isn’t it not your prerogative?”
“I demand an explanation!”
“You can sit down with your pen ready to take details.” He hissed and left.
Sasum sat down and wept quietly as tears poured out profusely playing a melancholy melody tune to fit her state of mind.
“Ken is killing me softly with psychological torture.” She posited.
At the Counselor Mrs. Bruce
Laila took her to Mrs. Bruce office and she stated her case.
“I tried everything in the book but he remained insensitive to my feelings and needs.” Sasum stated.
“Any other problem?” Mrs. Bruce asked.
“I love, respect and worship the ground he walks on and have devoted my whole life serving him and the kids.”
Laila
“That is the problem Ndombe, why should you be a robot, zombie to a man? In fact he should be the one worshipping you since you leave your parents’ home to come and live with him. Che my husband tried it but since I protested and make my ground rules he now understands and copes very well.” She bragged.
Ndombe
“You are very lucky Laila, lets now help your friend.
First of all there must be heart to heart communication with him; then study his mood and express yourself.”
“I’ve tried everything Ms. Bruce!” She became hysterical and Lolly consoled her.
Ndombe gave her an appointment to come along with Ken whom she contacted personally.
At Sasum’s Home
She confronted Ken.
“You nag too much and it has become unbearable!” Ken complained.
“Was I like that before until your family’new found wealth, new money?” Sue defended herself.
“Not again you ingrate! My dad’s wealth has done us a world of good, our kids go to the best of schools, go for vocation to famous world’ cities, we have achieved a lot ingrate, what do you want?”
“Happiness, wife in public but not a slave at the kitchen and a sex object in bed! I have lost my pride and self esteem!”
“Then go and find it!” Ken snapped with sarcasm.
Sue swore;
“I’ll Ken be ready for me, by God I’ll!”
Ken came down and held her face scolding her neck.
“Don’t touch me like this you beast!” Sue rushed for the pestle to hit him but he held her hand firmly and wrestled it form her.
I’ll kill you I swear!” She yelled.
Ken insulted and cursed her family referring to her dad as a ‘washer-man’ with no class status that he was the man who gave her class and name.
Sue protested;
“I told you that my dad is a ‘dry cleaner’ and never to refer to him as a ’washer man’, our family even now lower class share love, self esteem, harmony helping each other in respect and dignity!”
“And poverty! Get ready to meet your wretched family!”
“What did you say Ken?”
“You heard me!” He snapped.
“I’ll see my lawyer to file the divorce paper and I’ll give you the freedom to go back to your wretched family!”
She dropped the pestle in her hand and wept bitterly.
At the Counselor’ Office
“I am a lawyer, psychologist, and a marriage counselor of married couples for many years and I would like to talk to you individually. She turned to Sue and asked her to excuse them.
With Ken
She questioned how long they were officially married and Ken responded that they were married for 10 years officially but have been living together for 16 years; that they met at university at his final year when Sue entered as a first year student (freshman).
Ndombe asked about the attraction but Ken shy away but she reassured him of confidentiality; then he opened up that ‘S’ as he fondly calls her is humble, homely, innocent, easy going and lastly good looks.
Ndombe asked for any break up but he replied in the negative and said ‘S’ moved with him in his final year and his dad sent them together to do their Master Programme in the U.K and since then they have been living together.
“What went wrong? Was she cheating on you?” Ndombe asked.
It was answered with a categorical no with laughter.
“I found her a maiden I was her first and last boyfriend.”
“Then what is the problem?” Ndombe asked.
“She nags about everything.”
“What does she nags about?”
“Everything! I asked her to stop work and concentrate on the family; is that too much to ask your wife? We have enough to feed a community and still as the first born my dad sends us fat allowances, what else does she want?”
“But Ken people don’t work just for money there is more to it for example fulfillment, socialization! Was she not balancing her home with career?”
“No that was not the problem, she wants to socialize.”
“So?”
“You know what women are, negative influence from ‘stupid activists’, rebellion against husbands, class status embarrassment to introduce wife as daughter of who, a ‘washer man’? That is lowering of my class status meeting my class family friends with big names accompanying them.”
Ndombe hissed and told him off.
“An educated man thinking shallowly? I am very much disappointed in you Ken.” She snapped ridiculing him.
She Meets Sasum
“Do you still want your marriage?”
“Not the way it is!”
“What do you mean? “
“I want happiness, a happy home, a loving caring husband, I can’t find him now and have definitely lost him to social class strata and arrogance he isn’t the humble, caring and loving spouse I married some ten years ago. My problem is my kids, they are bonded to their dad, what am I going to tell them? I need your help, bring back my husband and my friend back to me.” She sniffed.
To be Cont.
