FACADE {Completed ✔}

CHAPTER ONE

   It began as a whispering in the air. The day had been beautiful and the sky was like a dome of plasma-blue. Large pillars of cloud were forming, blotting out the gold colour of the sun. Not too long, droplets of moisture began to drip from leaves.

They were sprinkling onto the grass like a gardener’s hose. Then the rain became intense. Suddenly, there was an explosion like a sonic boom and Uduak feared for her safety. Large drops of rain drummed the Aluminum sheet roof. It sounded like a buzzing of angry bees.

Coming out of her hiding place, she resumed rinsing the plates. Her husband was going to be back soon and she was yet to fix his dinner.

“Dear lord, save me today,” she muttered, wiping her wet hands on her skirt before making her way to the nearly empty cupboard to get the things she needed to prepare his favourite meal, yam porridge. She took the yam, peeled it, sliced into small pieces, washed and put it on fire. Her heart was already beginning to beat faster than normal. Will she be able to pull this through within the next 20 min?

Her hands began to tremble as she chopped the onions and scent leaf. There was no fresh pepper. Her nervousness began to get to her as she mistakenly poured a greater amount of salt from its container into the boiling yam.

“Oh Abasi! Mme kpa!” (Oh God! I'm dead) She sighed and turned off the fire and immediately searched for her phone. She once read on the internet that potatoes can suck out excess salt from food, now all she needed to do was confirm if it was true. Unfortunately, that was the same time her Mobile Service Provider chose to send her a message that her data had finished.

What a coincidence! Outside, the rain kept on pouring heavily on the earth so there was no way to get a Call card so she did the next thing that came into her mind. She drained the water from the yam, added new water and placed it back on fire. Michael was not going to be happy if he came back and food was not ready.

Her thoughts diverted to the first time she met Michael. He was in his third year in University of Uyo, studying Accounting, while she just gained admission into the university to study Communication Arts. When he asked her out at first, she blatantly refused but he kept chasing her till she decided to be his girlfriend in her second year in school.

Life became more beautiful with Michael in it. He took care of her in every possible way despite the fact that he was a student just like her. Even when he finished school and left Akwa Ibom state for Youth Service (NYSC) in Lagos state, their love didn’t waver.

She got married to him immediately after her NYSC. By then, he had already gotten a job in one of the prestigious banks in Nigeria and they moved to Lagos to start their lives. She took a job in a Telecommunication company to also keep the family going.

Five years going and Michael had turned into a stranger. He had grown distrustful, edgy, peevish and churlish.

She got to find out from one of his friends that he earned three hundred thousand naira a month after getting his promotion to the post of a Manager all thanks to his uncle, yet there was hardly anything in the house for them to feed on. Not to talk about other house essentials. The higher paycheck made Michael prideful, to the point where he paid for nothing in the house.

Uduak sighed and started adding the onions, pepper and crayfish to the yam. Reaching out for the salt container again, she sprinkled a little quantity of it in the cooking pot. Once beaten, twice shy. She proceeded to add the ibat she bought from the market two days ago, seasoning cube and palm oil. Her thoughts returned to her husband again.

Michael’s new lifestyle and indifference to the well-being of their home worried her. He never contributed to their expenses, yet he wanted to eat and sleep in comfort. He wanted nice clothes in his closets, good food and a good house. She catered for it all, leaving her with nothing. At least he was man enough to pay for the luxurious three bedroom flat he got at Lekki.

Covering the yam to cook, Uduak picked up the plates and spoon she had set aside earlier. She made her way with them to the dinning and started setting up the table. The thunder rumbled outside reminding her it was still raining. The yam was still a little bit salty but then it was almost noticeable.

God knows she didn’t want a beating that night, but with the way the rain kept drumming on the roof, the faster her hopes vanished. His raging temper was something she tried to avoid. It was always bad during raining nights when no one would hear her scream. Heck, no one ever heard her scream, not when everyone in the estate had degrees in minding their business.

The front door open and she froze, her eyes lingering on the intruder entering the house. He was soaking wet. Michael slammed the door closed and Uduak’s chest tightened.

“Welcome dear,” Uduak whispered and watched him quietly as he starts taking off his shoes, socks and suit jacket before she walked towards him to get the wet clothing.

“No thanks.” He told her without sparing her a glance. She walked closer to peck him on the corner of his lips but he withdrew like always. She felt the tears rising in her lacrimal glands, but she would never cry, at least not in his presence.

“Why don’t you go up stairs and freshen up while I get your food from the kitchen,” she said and pecked him on his cheeks. He didn’t see that coming.

“Did you call the Electrician to repair the heater in the bathroom as I instructed?” Michael asked, his dark gaze settled on her.

“Uh! About that, I forgot but I will………….” She replied him.

“You forgot right?” Michael snarled and backhanded her. Uduak stumbled under the force of his blow and grabbed on the sofa to keep herself upright.

  “Michael, please…” she pleaded, but the next blow knocked her out cold and she never got to finish her sentence. Her last thought was her yam which she never got to turn off the Cooker.