Marrying Her Husband

Thirty

The first thing she feels is the aching in her body. There isn’t a part of her body that isn’t in pain and she’s scared to lift a limb, in case she might cause herself more pain. She didn’t imagine the first time receiving a whipping feeling like this. heck, she didn’t think she’d have a first time. The first thing she does is call in sick at work then call Ethan because she knows he might be worrying.
“I’m on my way to you,” is what he says immediately when he answers.
“Here?” Lisa asks in a shaky voice. She doesn’t want him to see her like that. Oluhle left after bathing her daughter right after hitting her exhaustively.
“Where else? You don’t sound too good,” he says.
“It’s nothing you should worry about. I just…I called in sick,” Lisa says.
“Open up Lisa,” Ethan says.
“You have keys Ethan”
She sounded a little displeased which had her fiancé chuckling. Soon, she hears him call for her like her apartment is huge. He peeks first before she sees his whole body. The man walks to her and when he sets his eyes on her when he’s near her, he frowns.
“Give me a name,” he orders through gritted teeth. Lisa sighs and pats next to her. the man does, sighing deeply. He’s trying not to get mad, but she can see his already pink ears.
“My mother. It was the first time,” Lisa says in a voice so low; he almost didn’t hear her. Ethan sighs again knowing he can’t do anything to the woman who gave birth to her, no matter how much he wants to.
“and the baby?” he asks, hoping it’s not his fear because if she lost it then there’s no way he’s letting go of it.
“Nothing happened and we don’t really know if I’m pregnant,” Lisa reminds.
“I’ll fix you bath then we’ll go out for breakfast first then to the doctor. He’ll give you something for the pain and stripes and check on you and my seed in there,” Ethan says.
“If there’s a seed in here,” Lisa says, and he groans.
“Stop with the doubt Monalisa. It’s messing up my already messed up mood,” Lisa says, thankful the belt didn’t hit her face.
“I need you to promise me something,” Ethan says, and she nods. “No matter how tough it gets from now on, you won’t leave”
“I promise,” Lisa says, knowing she doesn’t have to think about it.
“I want to hear you say it,” Ethan prompts.
“I promise that no matter how tough it gets, I won’t leave you,” she says. He kisses the top of her head then retreats to the bathroom to prepare her bath.
*****
“Are you ready to talk?” Jessi asks Amo, handing her a cup of coffee. When she ran off last night, she drove to her place with the truck which has all her clothes, if not most of it. She didn’t think it’d be so easy to make a choice and she realised that Ethan does love Lisa more than her and Lexy. How did that even happen? The man always loved her, she knows she’s number one after the kids or so she thought. The reality is one she’s still finding trouble with digesting.
“He chose her,” Amo says, taking a sip of the coffee. “He chose a woman he just met over his wife of a decade and our kids. He didn’t even contemplate it Jessi, he straight up told me it’s her, to my face”
“And Lexy?” Jessi asks and she scoffs.
“Lexy? I shouldn’t have expected her to be on my side. The minute that son of a bitch showed up, she turned against me. things wouldn’t have turned out this bad if she stuck with me. what happened to womandla?” Amo says, wiping snot with the tissue. Every time she thinks of it, the tears just fall.
“I don’t think it’s a surprise. Lexy would stick with Ethan through anything,” Jessi says. Amo looks at her with a raised eyebrow. She’s supposed to be on her side. “I don’t mean it to spite you but let’s reminisce a bit. Ethan was with Lexy first then got with you. He chose to marry you over her and she still let him tap it up until she fell pregnant again. She’ll always be there, come hell or high waters,” Jessi says.
“You’re not helping,” Amo says with a sigh. “I wasn’t asking for you to defend her. you’re supposed to be on my side”
“I am on your side. Honey, I don’t agree with what Ethan did and I’m disappointed that sweet Lisa is in this. I actually liked that girl,” Jessi says.
“I knew there was smoke the first time I saw her. I told Lexy, called Nathan about it but they all thought I’m crazy. Now I’m being forced out of my home and it fucken hurts,” Amo says, sobbing onto her chest. Jessi brushes her back until she’s calm down a bit then Nathan hands her water. She thanks him and gulps it all down. he’s about to head in to work. “Can’t you fire her?”
Nathan shakes his head. “I unfortunately can’t do that”
“But there must be a policy against employee-employer romantic relationships, something in the company code of conduct. Come on,” Amo says.
“She’s engaged to your husband, not me. even if there was such a thing, we won’t have a leg to stand on. I’m sorry about Ethan, you don’t deserve this,” Nathan says then kisses her wife goodbye. The twins follow him to his car where he first drives them to school then himself to work.
“What are you going to do?” Jessi asks after her husband leaves.
“Find a lawyer. Lexy refused to represent me and I know there’s no way you will. I’ll search my contacts and take it from there,” Amo says.
“Are you sure? You have your kids to think of. Are you really going to deprive them of growing up with both parents?”
“what if you were in my shoes Amo? Would you allow Nathan to take another wife and stick in it because of your kids?” Amo asks and Jessi keeps quiet.“Exactly. I’m choosing myself now, no matter how hard it is.”
“Then pray he doesn’t drag it. I know we have the money but these two big-headed twins have too much of it and you signed a prenup. It’s going to cost you,” Jessi warns.
“I don’t care. I’m leaving him, no matter how much it costs”
Jessi just shrugs while hoping she won’t regret her decision. She knows Amo loves Ethan and as much as she’s not a fan of the man, she hopes the kids won’t suffer. They’re too young to be experiencing their parents’ breakup and Amo has never been a single parent, how will she handle it?
*****
“And that’s the heartbeat,” the doctor says and the two look at each other with heart eyes. Ethan wipes her tears then his. He’s happy she’s pregnant like it’s his first child.
“The heartbeat doesn’t sound normal doctor or is it my ears?” Lisa says and the doctor smiles.
“That’s because it’s not one but two heartbeats. You’re having twins,” The doctor says. Ethan smashes his lips on hers, Lisa too shocked to reply but the man doesn’t give up. She ends up replying while feeling the shock fade. The doctor clears his throat at the passion, the two having forgotten that there’s someone else in the room. Ethan lets go but not before kissing her forehead then the gel-covered stomach.
“How far is she?” Ethan asks.
“Six weeks. Congratulations sir. In about eight months, you’ll be a father of six,” the doctor says and the two shake hands in a shared chuckle. The doctor gives her a prescription for antenatal vitamins and an ointment for the bruising cause by the belt. Lisa is yet to tell her brother about it whom she knows will freak out. As much as she misses her brother, she wouldn’t want him to leave work for her. the man was just on leave so she can’t have him messing with his job like that. if things were different, her mom would be the first person she tells. Ethan forces her to go to the mall no matter how much she screams no. there are a few people who snaps some pictures of the two but neither don’t care. He goes to a baby shop and Lisa frowns.
“It’s too soon,” she argues.
“We’re just looking,” Ethan says but it’s not just looking. She’s first to give in to temptation when she sees a tiny fluffy white onesie. She grabs two with matching beanies and from there, the man asks for a trolley which is full in a second. She didn’t think she’d be this happy to have her first babies but she’s jubilant. The thought of carrying little Ethans is enough to make her twirl with joy right in the mall’s underground parking. Ethan only chuckles at that, watching her with a sparkle in his eyes. He loves her, there’s no doubt there.

ETHAN