The first person on my list was no other person than Gerald, my husband. He was the main reason I fled the city in the blasting weather. I closed my eyes and the memories of that night played back in my mind like I was in a cinema but the difference was that I was watching my life on a screen.
It was on a Tuesday morning and I had just finished scrubbing Gerald's bathroom floor when he walked in with his mistress. He tapped her ass and she giggled in response. I looked away and quickly made steps to walk out when he called me. “Mira”. My heartbeat was loud enough for the whole world to hear. I was scared for my life. His voice was terrifying for me,it was my biggest nightmare.
“When is this?” He asked, softly. I slowly turned around and my eyes started getting ready for tears. His soft tone was only a sham, he was nothing like that. He moved away from his mistress and bent down to pick a strip. As he raised it up, my whole body trembled. “Are you dead?” He asked, gently. Anytime he spoke like this, his next reaction was either yelling or a hard slap across my face.
“I am sorry Sir, it might have fallen out of my pocket “ I replied sincerely. I tried to explain when his mistress walked towards him and took it from his hand. “Baby, it is a pregnancy test strip and it is still packed” she examined it. She looked at me and laughed like I was a joke. “Seems like your wife is having daydreams” she laughed harder. Gerald looked at me without words and looked at the pack in his hand.
“You think you are pregnant?” He asked with all seriousness but his mistress laughed hard. I was ashamed and scared for myself. This wasn’t the first time he had yelled at me or embarrassed me In front of his mistresses. I had lived and endured every torment, humiliation and pain for six months of my life with a man I knew met and knew till we got married.
“I am sorry sir”, I avoided his gaze. It was a very terrible thing to do but I took the bull by the horn. I walked out without his permission. “One more step and you will be sorry you have air in your lungs “ he spat. I stood immediately and held myself from tearing up. “You bought this in my house without my consent. Have you been stealing from me?” He asked, walking towards me.
I held myself from running away because I knew what accompanied his question. Just as I expected, he didn’t fail. He came behind me and held my neck forcefully. “Have you been a little thief?” He asked with his breath hot against my neck. “No sir!! I swear. I didn’t steal from you and I haven’t stolen anything from you or anyone in my life. Please sir “ I begged for my life.
He held my neck tighter and sniffed my face down to my hairs. “Cheap shampoo, “ he scoffed. I was extremely careful with how I was breathing so I didn't offend him. “How did you get $5.67 to buy a strip?” He asked, breathing hard on my neck. I couldn’t bear it anymore. I struggled like an entangled cat and tried to flee his grip but I couldn’t till he left me. I fell on the floor and tried to crawl away from the bathroom but he stood on my overflowing dress.
“I asked a question, “ he said with the devil’s eyes. “I swear, you can ask my mom. She got it for me after I complained of my missed period and my weakness and nauseousness” I wiped my tears as I explained. Gerald was disgusted for no reason. He stepped away from my dress and ordered me to do the most ridiculous thing. “Get up! Take the test here “. I couldn’t understand what he was talking about till he yelled it out.
“Take the goddamn test here!! You want to confirm your stupid imaginations right? Take the test here! Right now”. I was shaking, I stood up and the mockery from his mistress was enough for me to fall down. I missed my steps. I got up again and searched the bathroom for a mini container but there was none. I was too scared to ask Gerald to give me privacy or permission to go get a mini bowl.
“What are you waiting for?? Get on it!” He lashed out. I sat on the toilet seat and gently pulled down my old underwear. I had bought them two months before I got married to Gerald. I unpacked the strip and silently prayed that it came out negative. I was scared and as a result, the strip dropped. I hurriedly picked it up in fear and started peeing on it gently. I had quickly improvised to save my face.
In two minutes, I was done and I was waiting for the strip to give a result. I flushed the toilet while Gerald and his mistress stood and watched me like I was an actress in a stage play. The tension in the room was becoming too much and the worst happened. It was positive, I was carrying the child of a monster. At the second glance on the strip, my fear took the bear part of me and I passed out.
I woke up in an extremely cold bath. As I managed to open my eyes, I saw my husband’s mistress laughing as she added ice to the bathtub I was in. I sneezed twice and she clapped her hands giggling. “I told you sugar,it works like magic”. My head was spinning, my mind was trying to guess what was happening and what I had done again to deserve this. I was still thinking when Gerald held the strip in front of me. Immediately, my memory came back.
To confirm my fear, I looked at the strip keenly and it was true. I had a monster’s baby inside of me. “Mira, I am going to ask once! What games are you trying to play?” he asked,coldly. I shivered from the tone of his voice and from the freezing tub I was sitting in. I swallowed my saliva as my throat had dried up. I had no words, just tears. Gerald bent down in front of me and the next thing I felt was a hard slap across my face.
I held my face and sobbed quietly. “I won’t ask again!” he yelled. “I am not playing any games. I promise”, I begged, stretching my two hands in front of him pleading. “There are two things here, it is either you got this bastard from somebody else or you are thinking like a maggot. Carrying my child would not make me treat you any better. I will ask for the very last time, what madness is this?” he threatened to hit me.
“Please’ I begged for my life. “I am not playing any games and I didn’t cheat on you. Please” I sobbed out my eyes. His mistress laughed, “cheat? Do you even think any man would find you attractive enough to lie with you? Even the bumps wouldn’t. Sugar, I don’t know why you still fuck her, I am here for you” she held her breasts seductively. Gerald ignored her and fixed all his attention to me. “Mira, you are dumb. Too dumb for somebody with a degree. Why the hell should I believe this thing in you is mine? The pills Mira! They are for what?” he yelled.
“I obviously do not want children bearing your genes that is why there is a pill at the end of every session with you. It is either you did this for pity or you are carrying a bastard! You slut” he hissed angrily. I shielded my face with my hands because I felt he would hit me again. I had no explanation, I shivered in the tub hopelessly thinking about how I was going to get out of the situation when his mistress added gas to a burning fire.
“Sugar, don’t get deceived by all her drama. Did you forget that she ran off to her lover two months ago? Your men found her in Queen's hotel. That is enough explanation for this” she hissed. This was the last stroke for Gerald. He concluded and went crazy.”You ungrateful slut!!” He pulled my hair and I screamed in pain. He got up from the tub gradually, following the pace he dragged me with.
Gerald gave me multiple slaps as he dragged me out of the bathroom. “How dare you!!” he pushed me out of the room to the hallway. The maids and other domestic staff looked away and returned to their duties. This was no news to them, they had watched him throw me down the stairs before. “Please sir, I didn’t sleep with another man, please sir, believe me” I pleaded because my life depended on it. Gerald paid deft ears. He took me to a room I nicknamed doomsday and pushed me hard till I fell on the floor. Quickly, I supported myself with my hands to protect my baby. It was an instinct and reflex. Gerald brought out a whip and lashed it on me. He gave me several strokes till I started tasting blood in my mouth. “Did he fuck you good? How dare you” he pushed me against the wall. This time,my hands failed me, I dashed my abdomen against a casted frame on the wall. Gerald didn’t stop till I started feeling uneasy. My anus tightened like I was having a contraction, in a blink of
He touched my neck with the back of his hand and immediately his eyes popped. “Turn the car around. We need to get her to the hospital. She wasn’t lying”. They nodded and turned the car around and turned on the siren. I was almost unconscious when we got to the hospital. I had flashes of when I was hurriedly rushed inside lying on a stretcher. I woke up after sixteen hours in a strange hospital room. It was deja vu for me when I opened my eyes. I scanned through the room for Gerald again and sighed in relief when I noticed he was not in sight. I looked again for Harry in anticipation to tell him about my weird dream and how I almost got into trouble with the cops. My anticipation crashed when I didn't see him either. I laid there and dozed off. I woke up after an hour and everything became clear. The hospital room was unfamiliar and the sharp but painful pain from my abdomen hit in. I panicked and tried to touch my abdomen but I couldn’t. The Iv on my arm stopped me. I
Within eight months, I earned enough to achieve my first goal. It was getting plastic surgery on my face. When I first mentioned it to Felix, he kicked against it. “There is no need for that!, you can use that money to get another degree, get a property, or something else. You are beautiful”. I disagreed with his opinion. It was what I needed. This disagreement caused a partial rift between us. Felix got back from work one day and ignored me as usual but I stopped him. “You are upset. It is not necessary. You already stated that it is my money and my body too!”. He looked at me and walked past but he stopped. “I care about you Mira, believe me when I say this. You are beautiful”. I knew he couldn’t understand and I had to make him. “It is necessary. I look at myself everyday and still see the abused girl from a year ago. I still feel intimidated. Did you notice I took away the mirror in my room? It is because I am scared to look at myself, '' I explained, panting. He held
It was the most passionate kiss I had shared with anyone in two years. It had a soft dangling feeling that made my stomach spark. It was a guilty pleasure. I enjoyed the softness of his lips on mine and how gently he sucked on my lower lip. It was nothing I had never felt before. Peace. I got carried away and almost forgot I was acting. Quickly, it felt like a light switched on in my head, reminding me of my position. I pushed him away and in a blink of an eye, he felt two resounding slaps across his face. “How dare you? Are you roaming mad?” I lashed out without holding back myself. My voice echoed in the room as I was the only person yelling. Harrison held his face and stood there like a statute, surprised and dumbfounded. “Get out! Get the hell out of here before I call security!” I threatened pointing at the door. This was the play button for Harrison. “Listen, I am sorry! I swear, I wasn’t thinking at all” he walked slowly towards me but I moved away from him. “I
“What!!!” He exclaimed with so much shock in his face and voice. “She left? Have you contacted the police?” He asked. “Should I contact them? Shit!! This is a mess. Just a fight? Alright brother, I will see what I can do from here”. He hung up and buried his hand in his hair. “Why in heaven's name did you agree to get married to a man who doesn’t love you?” He said slightly frustrated and angry. I looked at him without words because it was the same question I ask myself daily. I opened my mouth but my eyes opened up its floodgates. Tears flowed down instead of words. “Stop this Mira! Stop it! Crying won’t help anything. If you need help, you need to open your mouth and ask for help” he hissed. Help was what triggered a signal in my head. I looked at him with pleading eyes and nodded in agreement. “I need help. Save me” I pleaded with sob bubbles popping out of my nose. Harrison took off his glasses and sighed heavily. “I can fix you a lawyer that can get you a divorc
Harry looked at me with a chuckle, “I should be apologizing that you are suffering because of this. Gerald is living in my dad’s shadow” he concluded. I rolled my eyes and he understood I wasn’t in the mood to back up or defend my husband’s bad behavior. He moved his hand on my waist and slowly rubbed my back in a comforting manner but instead all he heard was a hiss. “What’s wrong?” He asked curiously. I looked away and tried to escape his grip but it was too late. He held me back and came behind me. His breath on my neck was warm. It was electrifying. It was the first time I experienced Romance. He touched the hem of my tee shirt and my body gave me away. My sudden consciousness he noticed. “Relax, I wouldn’t do that”. I blushed shyly. I loved how he looked and took care of me. He slowly raised up my shirt and his expression was a frown. “What the hell!!” He spat angrily. “You have new wounds and healing wounds. Gerald!”. Harrison was more upset than I expected. He
Harrison moved closer to me and pulled me into his arms. His hands around my waist, my butt against his groin area and his lips on my neck. I felt comfortable but my conscience peeked me. “Harry, isn’t this too much? I am still married to your brother “ I slowly moved away from him. I didn’t need his words to know he was sad. “Mira, can you please not remind me that you belong to my brother?”. His voice was fierce and different from what I was used to. “I am not going to be reminded of how miserable I am. You are no longer with him. You are with me now!! With me!” He started again. He pulled me closer this time gently and leaned on my shoulder. “Babe, I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I hate the idea of sharing you” he sighed. I understood how he felt and I wasn’t going to blame him for what fate did to us. I extended my hand to comfort him. I stroked his face and ears. “It’s fine, I am sorry for bringing him up, I just felt we were too close”. Harry ignored me a
“What?”. The whole room fell silent with tension. My response to my mom’s vocal question and their imaginary questions was answered by shock in their faces. “Mathilda talk sense into your daughter! This is pure madness”, my step father spat angrily. He paced around while my step sister was trying to hide the happiness that was pouring out from her heart to her face. “Mira, what’s going on? You can’t just walk in here and ask for a divorce. Gerald is a good…”. Before my mom could finish her sentence, her husband jumped in. “Listen to me Mira Copper, you are not divorcing Gerald and that is final”. I could not tell what it was, but something tempted me to laugh. I laughed bitterly as soon as he was done ranting. “Mira! You are scaring me”. My mom pulled me to a seat. With concerns and fears all over her face. “Mira, I need you to tell me, I mean us, what is going on? Why the sudden flip?” She asked like she was carjoling a child. It took me twenty five seconds