I waited for mama to reply but I heard nothing. I quickly shoved the duvet off my body and tiptoed to the sitting room. I settled for a corner where I could get a clear view of the scene without being seen. All this while, Papa was still yelling.
“I came out as soon as I heard the knock” Mama sobbed slowly
“You are a bad woman Onome….to think you were able to sleep deep when your husband had not returned to the house” He tried to blackmail her with the good wife talk.
“I’m sorry Papa David….I swear I wasn’t even sleeping at all….I came out as soon as I heard……”
“Will you keep quite! You liar!” Papa cut her off giving her a loud slap on her face as he yelled
I wasn’t surprised Mama took the slap calmly. She didn’t even make any noise. As usual she didn’t want the neighbours to know she was being hit by Papa not minding the fact that everyone in the neighbourhood knew already. She stared at him like she was trying to look into his soul to see the devil that has possessed him so badly as tears dropped down from her eyes.
“Papa David please let us not give room to the devil this night…it's past 2 already” Mama said amidst tears as she tried to steady her voice.
“Oh…. I’m calling the devil right”
“That’s not what I meant” She pleaded as Papa landed another slap on her face.
Mama moved away quickly running towards the guest room as he was removing his belt to flog her. I ran back to my room; I didn’t want to be caught watching. I trust Papa; he will give me the beating of my life if he sees me watching. Luck was on Mama’s side that night. She was able to run into the guest room before him. I could hear the sound of the bolts as she fastened them. Alas! she was away from him. I thanked God quietly for giving her an escape route. Papa banged on the door ordering her to open the door. I looked at my 3 younger siblings. They were all fast asleep surprisingly peaceful in the middle of the fierce battle in our home.
I sat down on the floor and wept for Mama. I was only 13, but I was wise enough to understand that it wasn’t right for Papa to keep hitting Mama like a punching bag.
Papa finally stopped banging on the door when he realised Mama wasn’t going to open. There was this sudden calm in the house. Papa had stopped yelling. I wondered what he was up to. I opened the door quietly and tiptoed to the sitting room. There he was sleeping like a log of wood with his snore like the sound of an old train engine. I felt sorry for Mama because I knew Mama would be wide awake in the guest room crying.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Written by Ojo Evelyn
Evelyn Ojo is a writer who dwells on love, family issues, societal issues etc. Her stories are fictional.
for more stories you can hit her up VIA social media
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send her an email: ivylove0350@gmail.com
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