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“Oh, my goodness! I can’t believe it’s two years already!” Sarah screamed excitedly, glancing at the wedding photo in her hand with her lips filled with a beam.

She kissed her husband in the photo and gently put it in the middle of the table. “You did this one, Sarah…” she whispered, clapping at the low-budget decoration she had just made with her annual savings.

It was her and her husband, Charles’s second wedding anniversary, and because of their financial struggle, she wanted to celebrate it at their space. They canceled the first anniversary because her mother-in-law was admitted to the hospital, and Charles used the savings to settle the bills. She has been saving up since last year, so nothing would stop her.

She looked around the small room and joggled her head. “Perfect!” She raised her voice. “This is perfect!”

“Charles will love this!” She uttered. Her husband has been sullen lately, which she believed was because of their financial struggle, so she spent more than planned to impress and cheer him up.

“I should get set up before he returns. Today is a special day and I need to look good for my husband!”

She turned to the bathroom, and because of the excitement running through her at that moment, her soul controlled her feet—she increased her speed and ran into the bathroom.

-Minutes later-

After minutes of soaking herself in Bergamot oil water, Sarah took her bath with another flavored water and finally got out of the bathroom.

She rubbed her body with oil and put on a green gown which was the newest in her closet- she saved up for it a long time ago, but could only afford it last month when it was sold at the cheapest price.

She applied a lip gloss and turned around to the table, but ceased taking another step immediately as she remembered her best friend, Sandra, gifted her some makeup tools.

She veered around and paced to the wardrobe. She took out the kit. “Which one, first?” She wondered, taking the face powder.

She applied a light powder on her face and used the eye pencil on her lash. “Perfect!” She uttered. “And what’s next?”

She applied a red lipstick to her lower lip and rubbed her lips together until the lipstick spread.

She looked at herself in the mirror and rubbed her hands together as she jumped up. “You’re hot, Sarah. Charles made the right choice,” she admired herself. It’s been a long time since she last looked at herself in the mirror and she has almost forgotten how endowed she was before the marriage.

She was never a lazy person, but the marriage made her so busy that she had no time for herself and her days rotated between doing five to seven part-time jobs so she would raise enough money to assist her husband in paying his mother’s hospital bills and her sister’s school fees.

“What more can a man wish for?”

Sarah fanned her face with her right hand, feeling the heat already- she wore makeup on her wedding day so her face couldn’t get used to it, but she wouldn’t clean it as she was ready to do anything to look admirable.

She heard a knock on the door and glanced. “He is back…”

“Coming, sweetheart.”

She quickly pushed the kit aside and had another glance at herself through the mirror before she walked to the door in a long stride with her heel gently hitting the ground.

She stealthily opened it so Charles wouldn’t see the room until he entered, but Charles seized it and entered.

Sarah sighed. She closed the door and turned around, but before she could open her mouth to say a word, Charles glanced backward at her with a furrowed face and threw a question.

“What are you celebrating?”                                                       

“Hun!” She exclaimed with her eyes widened.

“I’m asking why you decorated the room.” He made himself clear.

Sarah still couldn’t close her eyes. “Charles, have you forgotten what today is?” She asked in disbelief. “Today’s our-”

“Wedding anniversary.” He cut her off.

Sarah sighed in relief, her hand on her chest. “You scared me already.” She uttered.

“Happy anniversary to us.” She opened her arms and moved closer to him, but he pushed her back.

He looked into her eyes and snickered. “Is this day worth celebrating?”

His question felt like a stone on her chest and her eyebrows raised.

“What do you mean, dear?” She questioned, her furrowed face matching her confused tone.

“What are you talking about, Charles?” She took a step closer, and he pushed her back again.

“Haha.” Sarah was amazed.

“You know what I’m talking about. There are always bills to pay. With my mom’s medication and my sister’s tuition fees, I’m working hard to provide for this family. You know my condition and struggles, and all you could think of in this situation is a wedding anniversary?” Charles challenged. “You’re inconsiderate and only care about yourself and what will make you feel happy.”

“This isn’t part of the money from the corporate account. This is my money. I’ve been saving for this day since last year.” She talked in a persuasive tone.

Charles chuckled. “Okay, but what will it cost to add it to the fund for family affairs? You’re married, yet you claim personal money? Is the wedding anniversary supposed to be your priority or my family's?”

“I care about your family, but I also deserve happiness, Charles. I worked harder and saved up for this.” Sarah protested.

Charles scoffed and nodded. “Oh, you aren’t working hard because of my family? You’re working hard because of yourself, yet you make your friends and mine see you as my angel. They see you as the perfect woman anyone can wish for.”

“And am I not?” Sarah threw a question.

“Not after I know about your true intention, Sarah. You’re talking back at me because of the little you contribute to assist me?” Charles uttered.

“What?!” Sarah frowned her face at his last line. She intended to apologize, but she had to clarify something. “Don’t you think you should reverse that statement? I’m not contributing a little, I contribute a lot even more than you. It’s even safe if I claim I bear all this family’s responsibilities,”

“Have you forgotten? I have over five part-time jobs while yours is one. Compare my income with yours. Will you still call it a little? What you earn in a month is the same as mine in two weeks. And have you forgotten we canceled the first one just because of your mother?”

“And why can’t you do that again? Is it because you no longer care about my mom?” Charles raised his voice at her.

“I do, Charles. I care so much about your mother, but this will also give me happiness,” she voiced out. She pointed to the table with her eyes in contact with him as she further explained. “This doesn’t cost much. Sandra got most of them. I added just a negligible amount of money because I want you to be happy. You’ve been sullen lately and I want to cheer you up.”

“Okay, but what about the dress? It’s a new one. Did Sandra give it to you as well?” He queried.

“I got this, but at the cheapest price. Besides, Charles, this is the only dress I got for myself in a long time and I changed your sister’s wardrobe when she got admission to college? Didn’t I do that to make you happy?” She expressed. “This is a special day to us and I believe it is worth it.”

“To you, it may, but to me, it’s just a waste of funds we don’t have. No matter how cheap this dress is, it’s enough to get one of mom’s pills.” Charles proceeded with his hurtful statement.

Sarah’s mind was already boiling in anger, and the urge to yell filled her heart already, but knowing it wouldn’t help, she discharged a deep breath to calm herself- it was a special day so she didn’t want an argument or anything to ruin it. “My mistake, I accept the blame and I’m sorry,” she agreed.

She filled her lips with a beam and placed her right hand on his shoulder and the left on his chest. “Don’t worry, dear, I’ll make up for what I spent. Celebration first and we’ll discuss the rest later,”

She took her hands off him and licked her lips as she paced to the table while Charles turned his neck and escorted her with his eyes. “I prepared your favorite,” she winked at him, opening the plates. “Pounded yam with Isapa and Egusi. I added a lot of smoked fish just like you always wanted it.”

“Sarah.” Charles called and cast his face downward.

“What’s it? Are you feeling guilty already?” She asked. “Don’t worry, darling. It’s just a matter of time. I believe everything will be fine.”

“It’s not even a matter of time anymore. Everything is fine already, but there’s a hindrance.” Charles let out.

“What’s that thing?” Sarah inquired as she took down a plate from the other, ready to serve the meal. “Charles, whatever it is we have to discuss, can’t it wait until after the meal?”

Charles bobbed his head. “No, it can’t. I’ve been postponing it for a while and now is the right time for it,” he said. He went silent for a minute and exhaled deeply to summon his gut and talk. “Let’s get a divorce.”

His words rang loudly in her head, but all that came into her mind was bursting into a peal of laughter. She stopped laughing and shook her finger. “That’s an expensive joke and I don’t welcome it.”

“It’s not a joke…” Charles declared.

His response hit her differently that the plate fell from her hand and she stared at him.

“What?!”

Charles nodded. “Yes, you heard right,” he spoke confidently. “This marriage was against my will from the start. You forced me and I agreed because I thought you would be useful, which you were, but you aren’t enough for me anymore, so it’s better I release you and welcome in a new person,”

Sarah fixed her eyes on his lips and the expression on Charles’s face was the one she never witnessed before, so she couldn’t say a word and her lips quivered in bewilderment.

“Truth be said, you tried for me, and I already repaid you with a marriage you desperately wanted. Your help is no longer sufficient, so I think we should put an end to this,” Charles poured out.

Sarah lost her mind and couldn’t hold herself from laughing louder. “I think I get this already. It’s not a joke. You’ve joined acting and are rehearsing now, right?”

“No, this isn’t a rehearsal, but a reality which will be better the sooner you accept it,” Charles proclaimed. “Sarah, I’ve found the perfect lady for my condition. The person I’ve always wanted, but couldn’t get because of you,”

“Rebecca is back, and she is ready to give a second chance.” Charles disclosed. 

Her eyes widened at his revelation. “Rebecca?!” She repeated, surprised.

Charles nodded. “Yes. It’s her. The same Rebecca.”

“What?!”