Lola's Story✔️

Chapter Twenty eight

Felicia's POV (contd)

"Felicia, I don't know what to do" Fiona cried bitterly in front of me, she had just lost her first baby owing to what she called her 'carelessness'. She had tripped and fell down the spiral staircase in her matrimonial home and had been hospitalized for a few days. She was seemingly physically healthy but emotionally? That was an entirely different ball game. Gerald of course had been pissed to no end, owing to the frustration and unnecessary pressure mounted on him. His father, Chief Kolade Gregg had him in a fix the moment I had Tolu. His consternation was understandable, but Fiona was hurt too, he was overreacting. He was supposed to be a support system but he only drifted away from her.

I, on the other hand watched my husband act like the good guy under the guise of being a caring brother in law. His hickory brown eyes, filled with pools of longing for my sister. He had fallen too deeply for my oblivious sister, and it hurt so bad cause I was willing to give anything for this man to love me but he just hated me for no reason. I lost the love of my life too and it hurt, but he couldn't care less about how I felt.

He went over to see her, every chance he got. What exactly was his intention? I had no idea. He just kept playing the part of a caring friend and brother in law without considering the fact that she would never look at him differently.

Then it happened, one stormy night. Chief Kolade had suffered a heart attack and passed away shortly after. That incident had only done more to push the warring brothers further apart. Gerald, devastated, ran to his wife for comfort. Differences finally aside, Fiona had gotten her man back, good for her.

Benson was bitter. What was he expecting? Did he expect them to be apart forever? Ridiculous. The anomaly of his behavior did not seem to deter him. It irked me so much but I had to remain silent, I didn't want my secret exposed to any one else. It was bad enough that he knew my child wasn't his and my sister knew it too. I would have been too ashamed to face anyone if it came out in the open.

He came home drunk that night, enraged, irate, livid, you name it, and as usual he took it out on me. He forced himself on me that night and believe me when I say I was scarred for life. He showed no remorse,and even the next morning he looked repulsed, the gleam of disgust still evident only with more austerity. I was doomed for an unhappy life, I knew it but what I didn't know was, it was just the beginning.

****

Pregnant.
I was pregnant again, with HIS child! I was frantic, he was so unpredictable, I had no idea how he would take the news.

I could not tell my sister, it would've broken her. She had no clue about whatever I was going through with my husband and I promised myself to not worsen her plight. She was going through a lot and I did not want to add to it.

I kept mute about it for the first three months until he began to throw a fit over something so petty, I can barely recall it. He was about to hit me but for the safety of my baby, I pleaded, and eventually blurted it out. That seemed to calm him down a little, but he threatened to kick me out if the child did not turn out to be a boy just like the first who wasn't even his blood. Those were his words, and I prayed so much that God would have mercy on my poor soul and give me a son. Thankfully, I had a boy, Femi. Benson was elated, I had never seen him so happy, he was so sweet and caring,I thought, I really thought my marriage was going to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I truly hoped for it.

For the next two years or thereabout, there was a lot more sweet than sour. Fiona and Gerald had moved further into town after Chief Kolade's death, it kept me away from the drama just for a while. I needed that reprieve but it was an arduous task, taking care of my sons and working an eight to five job with a somewhat absentee husband and father. I needed help and I sought it.