Huddah’s Triangle Episode 3

Episode 3

That set the tone for their marriage, nothing she did was ever good in his sight. “Did you ever love me? Why did you marry me if you don’t want me?” She cried in despair one day. Sunny looked at her in disgust. “Love you! Why will i waste that on someone like you?” He spat out. “You were just a ploy to get Noel and since you are cheap and dumb, you fell for the lies. Useless thing, and obviously he does not love you too, where is he now? No one can love you, you should be grateful I am helping you.” Sunny said as he left the house.

Huddah did not bother reporting him to his brothers, she remembered the day after the wedding night incident, the other wives had come for a visit. She had tried to make excuses, hiding her bruised and swollen face in shame. But Fifi and the other two ladies had laughed it off. “don’t bother making excuses or hiding it, we are all in the same boat.” Shockwave ran through Huddah at the unbothered way they said it. Seeing her stunned look Mafo the most beautiful one among the ladies said, “Look at it this way, any man that does not beat you does not love you. If my husband stops beating me then i know he has started cheating on me. You know we women can be stubborn sometimes, we need this beating to stay in line.”

Betty the third wife and most dramatic one among them, twirling her hair and loudly popping her gum in a way that grated on Huddah’s nerves patted her back, smiling sympathetically when she winced in pain.”Aww, sorry. Don’t worry you will soon be used to it. At least be grateful you have a husband, do you know how many ladies are wishing to be in your shoes right now, if you leave now where will you start from? Another woman will just snap him up. You will go and start all that dating, and getting to know you phase all over again. How are you sure the new one will be better? That’s even if you find another man. You better manage the one you have”

Fifi who had been nodding and smiling in agreement said “besides he gives you money for everything you want or anywhere you want to go. Speaking of which, we will all be going for a party this weekend. One of their friends is receiving a chieftaincy title and we need to represent.” the other two gave a loud whoop. “Social media will hear word this weekend!” Betty screamed as she gave Mafo a high five. Fifi, please call the tailor, I don’t want disappointments. There is this style I saw on Bellanaija, I want to add an extra flair to it, let people not say I wore the same thing with that lowlife I saw wearing it.

Huddah was dazed at their outlook and behaviour. “Are you not scared you will die from the beatings?” They paused, looked at her and started laughing. “Die from what? That means everyone would have died now. That’s how our parents lived, all these marriages you see around is the same thing. Don’t be fooled by everything you hear, we are all the same. It’s because you know of our own. Everybody is pretending, they don’t talk about it, that’s why you don’t know. This is marriage darling, get used to it.

All these words and the shame of being a failure kept Huddah back. People will laugh at her, especially Noel. She was forbidden from having any other friend apart from the other wives. But Huddah refused to give up her two closest friends, Grace and Ali. They were a mutual friend of her and Noel. Though she had to sneak when she spoke to them, they gave her hope.

Nothing she did was ever good enough. Sunny’s constant litany was, “who do you think will want you? Even if you leave me, you are already used and useless, no one will even look at you. You should be grateful to me for helping you hide your shame.” Her food was never sweet enough, she was never neat enough. If she smiled it was an issue, if she frowned trouble. Huddah lived in fear and shame of all she had to do to please her husband, but instead of her efforts working, it only fueled his hatred. She heard his constant put down till she believed it and it became her reality. And so she lived and the days, months and years dragged on.

Her friends tried telling her to leave but she refused, “he’s providing for us, I don’t want my children to grow without a father, where will I start from? He will get tired and change one day, besides what will I do with myself if I leave him? The grass is not greener outside, this is my cross, I will bear it. Her friends were tired of seeing all she was going through even though she tried to hide most of the abuse and maltreatment from them. So they went to meet Noel for help because he was a very influential and powerful man, they were sure he could do something.

To be continued