LOST RIB

Chapter 1

Bright stood before the mirror in her bathroom staring at her reflection. She knew she was a shadow of who she once was,she had lost so much weight and she had now grown accustomed to wearing tones of make up to hide the circles under her eyes and the paleness of her skin. She wanted to puke on her reflection. She resented herself for not being able to stay happy or rather keep Brian happy.

It's not supposed to be this way she said to herself rather bitterly. She remembered how happy they once had been and sighed heavily. May be I can try just one more time. Oh God please help me my strength is faded now and beyond here I cannot go on. Help me and Brian. She fell to her knees and sobbed as she called out to the heavens. When she picked herself up from the bathroom floor it was already noon. She dragged herself to the kitchen to get herself something to eat. As she was about to open the refrigerator the doorbell rang. Who could that be? She asked herself as she tied her robe tighter around herself and moved toward the door.

She felt her legs go weak and wanted to drop dead at the door. Had she not supported herself against the wall that is what would have happened to her. Her mother in-law stood there looking unhappy as always and glaring at her. 'Mother!' she gasped. 'Cat got your tongue? I know you probably didn't expect me to be here but don't worry I am not here for you I am here for my son. Now please excuse me I am very tired from the journey .' With that Mr's Duncan pushed past the lady his son married despite protests from his own mother. Oh how she despised that girl,'you have never been enough for my Brian but not for long!' She said to herself with a smirk on her face.

The latter part of Bright's day dragged on rather gloomily and by evening she was wishing she was anywhere else but in her own home. Mr's Duncan had made sure to keep her very uncomfortable and Bright preferred to stay locked up in her bedroom than to listen to the insistent quarrelling by her mother in-law. She was supposed to hate the woman but she could not bring herself to hate her. 'You have a very big heart switz!' Brian's words replayed in her heard from back when they dated . 'You shouldn't give too much of yourself like that,people will always take advantage of that. ' She remembered her husband's advice and laughed a humorless laugh before breaking down into sobs. She had tried so hard with her marriage,with her life,with her mother in-law,she was tired-too tired!!Oh how she missed he own mother. It pained that she had to be far away from her own family who loved her for a husband who didn't love her anymore. She remembered with pain in her heart the last day she saw her parents at the Lagos international Airport. Brian was Kenyan and because her work was a bit more mobile she moved to Kenya with him. 'And all for what?!' She whispered to herself bitterly as she pulled at her hair.

When she got up from her coiled position at the foot of the bed, it was evening and Brian was pulling into their driveway. She stood hurriedly and rushed to the bathroom to fix her appearance for her husband then downstairs to see if she could quickly fix a meal for him but Mr's Duncan had beat her to it. 'Oh mom I have missed your cooking so much,! This looks and smells delicious!' She heard Brian's excited voice as she approached the dining area. 'oh son look how skinny you have become doesn't she cook for you?! I told you you should have married Esther!' Mrs Duncan said to her son. 'Oh mom please stop you don't need to remind me of that all the time. Please tell me how is everything at home?' He asked as he stuffed a spoonful of fried rice in his mouth. Bright now stood at a corner and watched mother and son,'Home is fine but we can talk about that later,' Mrs Duncan said placing a hand over her son's hand, 'since this girl you accommodate has refused to bear you children we could bring in Esther. You know she is a good girl and you have known each other since childhood. I trust her. ' They both laughed unaware of Bright's presence and it broke her heart that Brian did not say anything to his mother. He really has no regard for me!' She thought as she turned to go upstairs with tears in her eyes. She cried herself to sleep.

Bright woke up in the middle of the night sweating. The pain in her stomach reminding her that she had not eaten anything in over 28 hours. She raised her head and found that she was alone in the bed. She slowly dragged herself to the kitchen and found that they had left no food for her to eat so she settled for some leftover chicken she had made a few days back for Brian. She ate hungrily and afterwards decided to look for Brian around the house. She went through all the rooms without a sign of Brian, maybe he left as usual,she thought to herself as she returned to her room. She was about to open the door leading to the balcony from their bedroom when she heard Brian's hearty laugh. She stood frozen, Oh how I have missed your laugh
,she thought as she smiled to herself. Then she heard him,' I had more fun than I've had in years. we should do that more often,' pause,'yeah sure,maybe we can meet again sometime.. yeah yeah..I know okay good night. Kisses' She rushed to the bed and cried silently. Maybe she was a fool for thinking that at least Brian was faithful. She had been faithful,she had lost friends, she had lost her job on his account, she lost weight,she was losing her mind and worst of all she had lost herself. She pinched herself under the covers and continued to shed silent tears.

Brian stood over his sleeping wife's form and sighed heavily. He was tired of the sham they called a marriage. He was a horrible husband but he couldn't help it. He enjoyed his freedom and he wanted it back,all of it. 'Maybe its my father's genes,' he thought to himself as he did his tie. He shuddered as he remembered his father. Don Duncan was a European man,a ruthless business man with a small fortune attached to his name.His father was quite the Ladies' man and he broke his mother's heart a number of times before he passed on.
He had met his mother when she went to study in Europe. They fell in love and got married. When his father had died they relocated to Kenya. He looked into the mirror and smiled at himself.
It had been five years of marriage for him and Bright and now he didn't want anymore. He thought nothing of the sleeping woman in his bedroom and he had Julia to thank for that. She was quite the adventure. While Bright was reserved, Julia was outgoing and very talkative. She was an architect working for one of the top architectural firms in the country. He smiled just thinking about her. Just then his phone rang, 'Tom Tom what's happening?' He greeted his long time friend,' oh yeah I remember.. I'll ask her. Bye,' He hang up and almost banged his phone on the floor. He had forgotten about the wedding on Saturday, in which he had to make an appearance with his dearest wife. He quickly scribbled a note for her to notify her to prepare for that then hurriedly left for work after saying goodbye to his mother.