All About My Bruises (PT 6)

CHAPTER SIX

Two years later

A knock woke me. I stood up from my very comfortable bed, looked at the clock and wanted to kick something, preferably, something that was knocking at my door by twelve midnight and I knew without opening the door that the something was the man I had married three years ago; I swore. I wished I could lock him out and just go right back to bed and get back to my dream without repercussion. As was the tradition since I married Sam, I fell asleep on the sofa but today, I managed to drag myself to the room. I was getting many neck cramps from dozing on the couch. And he was back at his usual time. And I bet he smelled vanilla perfume. For the past two months, it was rose. It changed to vanilla last week. That meant that he now has a new mistress. fun man

"I'm coming," I shouted as I shoved my feet inside my slippers and rushed out to the passage to open the door for my dear, loving despicable, drunk husband. And, yep, he was smelling vanilla and he was drunk. For the last six months, Sam has decided that being drunk was the new swag. Since then, he never came home sober. I never complained. It took a lot of strength to complain and I did not have it. I was already spending all my energy trying to juggle studying law at a university, being in a simple housewife and trying not to die of tiredness. Sam's behaviour was the least, the very least of my troubles.

I unlocked the living room door and pasted a smile on my tired lips as he was the last thing I wanted to see in this world. "Welcome honey, are you hungry?" I asked as I took his briefcase.

There was no food in the house ready for him but I was so used to asking if he was hungry that I did not care and he was also so used to telling me what he just did.

"No, darling. I am just going to get some sleep. You do the same," he answered and patted my shoulder like a kid as he staggered into the house.

He was dressed in navy blue plain trousers and a striped white shirt. The polka-dotted tie that I knotted myself last week was now disorganized and dirty. I did not want to wonder how he got dirt on his tie. But he still looked very handsome. It was a pity that such a look was wasted on him. Sam was fair with low cut hair that he spent a lot of money to maintain. Before I met him, I did not know that simple low cut needed maintenance. Last year, he grew a goatee and it just added to his looks. But it did not add to his marriage moral. Not that I expected it.

I married that moron. God, what was I thinking? You were not thinking. You were just being stupid.

I shook my head to clear my thought and to stop myself from knocking Sam down from behind. He did not care about me. For all he knew, I might be Author; the Invisible, an invisible person that he stopped sleeping with last two years, an invisible person that did his laundry and cooked breakfast, and an invisible person that opened the door for him by any time of the night that he chose to come back. I was that to him.

"Darling, the microwave oven has refused to work since morning. I was wondering if you will give me money to get it repaired," I gushed in a very sweet voice that I have mastered whenever I want to get something from Sam. He sucked it in as always.

"Adaeze, I am the richest banker in the whole of Nigeria. Believe it or not, that is a big deal. And in the next four years, I might be made the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Do you want it to be said that Sam cannot afford a brand new microwave for his own house? I shall draw you up a check in the morning to get a new microwave. Don't repair that one. Throw it away."

I smiled inwardly. That was exactly what I wanted him to do. I wanted him to ask me to buy a new one. Nothing was wrong with the microwave. Last two months, I had rented an apartment in Nsukka. I wanted to be able to sleep in Nsukka whenever Sam went on his long travel or visit. I could not just dig into my account and furnish the house. At the early age of our marriage, I had noticed that Sam did not like to repair things that have spoilt in his house; he simply bought a new one. I then decided that I would get Sam to furnish my apartment for me.

"I will remind you of that honey." I smiled again and went off to my own room. He went to his own room at the edge of the big house. I hated the house. It was too big for six people. The next thing that would spoil around the house was the deep big freezer. Tomorrow, I am going to buy myself a brand new microwave that I would put in my apartment.

He went to his room, at the end of the hall. We never shared a room and I was not regretting it. I was still marvelled at how Sam treated me. I was not complaining but I could not help but wonder why he married me. He never took me anywhere with him except where his mother would see him as a village wedding and such. Whenever she saw me, she would start lamenting about my barren nature. Since Sam did not want to correct her, I did not want to bring it up. I just endured it and since we did not have to see her a lot, it never bothered me much.

I sat down on the couch to reflect on my life. Some people would think that it was not possible for me to be going to school and my husband would not be aware of it. That was mainly because they have not met Sam. He was the most nonchalant human I have ever met. It was like he dropped his charm after he married me. I did not know why. I have long concluded that Sam did not do anything that was not good for Sam and Sam alone. He was just using me because it was good for his image to have a very beautiful wife that would be the envy of all other men. Now that he has established the fact that he has a very beautiful wife, he no longer needed me like a handbag. I was now discarded for fresher meat. I just wished that I could just get up and leave Sam but I could not. I did not have any means to support myself if I should leave him. So I could just stay there and make him pay me financially for being his housekeeper and mistress for the time being. Thank God he no longer asked me for sex. I would have found it hard to sleep with him.

It took me time to adjust to the activities. I had to juggle three main things in my life and it was not easy. I have to play wife for Sam whenever he was at home, pay attention to my family and their needs and also keep up with my school works. Others were easy except for the schoolwork. The projects and assignments and exams were killing me. I have no time for myself or for my body.

It did not help matters that my family has come to rely on me for so many things. I knew I owe them a lot and I should help them now I was married to a wealthy man. Sometimes, I wished they would give me chance to focus on one thing at a time. I loved to help them and I felt incredible when they came to me often with their problems, mostly moneywise. I loved it and I always helped them. I gave my mother money for the house and my sister's pocket money and school fees. I felt very good doing that. The only problem was my father. He has refused to take my money because it came from Sam and he did not like Sam.

I was just happy that I was able to help them any way I could. It was the only good thing that came out of this marriage for my family.

CHAPTER SEVEN

I packed my car at the students' parking lot. I grabbed my lesson notes and rushed out of the car. I was about to enter the hall before I recalled that I did not lock the car. I walked back some paces and pressed the lock button on the car remote. I was very happy that I was wearing trousers. I did not know how I would have walked fast with the skirt I wanted to wear to school that day. I did not even bother to take my phone or handbag. I was already late as it was.

The campus was very calm as it should be every Monday morning. That was mainly because all students were supposed to be in class. The floor was not tarred but it was not bumpy as it used to be before they made Odili Ije, the president of Nigeria. The man knew how to take care of his people. I was heading to Azikiwe hall. I was actually a little nervous about the class and I have a good reason. The hall was located very close to the parking lot and close to the best building in the school and that was the faculty of the education building. The AZ hall as it was popularly called was painted white and blue and it was a sight to behold. It could contain hundreds of students comfortably. It also helped in making some students invisible in the lecture hall. I was trying to be one of those students but for some reason, I didn't know, Mr. Ozoike did not want me to do that and it was annoying. He was doting on me and it was not in a friendly way.

I paused at the entrance of the hall. I patted my dread hair into place even though it did not need patting. I smoothed my blue shirt and tucked it well into my blue jeans. I did not want him to pick on my dressing; that was if I could not escape him. I have light make-up on. Well, I only wear very light make-up. I looked at my sneakers to make sure it was still the way I last saw it and that was clean. It was. I took a deep breath and moved closer to the door. I could hear his booming voice. Mr Ozoike was a very annoying kind, old man.

"Miss Aninze, you are late again." I stopped in my track and waited patiently, willing the floor to open and swallow me. It did not, so I looked up at him. He continued. "May I inform you that lateness is not a virtue? You told me in the last lecture that it would not happen again but it is happening again. How did you manage to do that?" Mr Ozoike bellowed in his high booming voice.

He was the only lecturer that did not need a microphone to speak to a class of more than a hundred students. That did not stop him from using a mic. The sound was a torment to the ear and torture to my head. Since morning, I have heard little men knocking in my head with a little hammer. Every head in the class turned and looked at me. The collection of eyes looked like a poorly directed horror movie, but a horror movie all the same. I was frustrated among other things. I did not even know that he would see me come into the class. I was so embarrassed, I wanted the ground to open and swallow me.

"Sir, I am very sorry. It will not happen again, sir." I even genuflected as I spoke. The class of more than a hundred students laughed at the action. I felt very stupid, too. I could tell they were having a nice time.

I stole a glance at my nemesis. He was dressed in an Ankara suit. I didn't even know someone could make a suit from Ankara. The man was very strange. He was standing in front of the class on the podium or his throne in this case. He was a very tall man. I could tell that he was once a very handsome man because at the age of sixty and above, for I guessed that was his age, he was still a very elegant and handsome man when he was not scowling. I did not know if he has grey hair. I have long concluded that the man has an aversion to hair especially his hair for his head was devoid of hair. It was barbed...no, scraped clean like a baby's butt. Well, a very black baby's butt for he was a dark man. His nose was standard. It just sat there, above his mouth, and scrunched up with his mouth and eyes when he wanted to make his displeasure known. I did not know how he made his eyes and nose and mouth meet in that very ugly way when he was peering above his glasses to look down on a student as he was doing to me now. It was ugly but I found it very fascinating. What intrigued me most about him was his belly. For a man his age, I expected him to have a tummy that would look like he was at least five months pregnant. But he did not. In fact, if not for a slight bump, his tummy was flat. I liked it, a lot. The funny thing about the professor was that he wore glasses but I hardly saw him looking through the glass. He was always looking above it. And yes, he was a professor but he insisted that we call him Mr He said he did not like the ceremony of being called a professor.

This morning, there had been enough traffic to slow the dead. That was why I was late and that was the reason why I was always late to Mr Ozoike's class. I knew the man was not going to let me go like that. Mr Ozoike thrived in class disgrace. He liked and relished disgracing students in front of the whole class. I knew that I did not need the attention that this thing brought. I just wanted to go and find a corner and die gently.

"See me after class," he commanded.

I was glad to be off the stage. I crept to a corner of the class and asked a young alarmingly fair lady to adjust so I could sit. I was actually scared that if I touched her, I would become white. I opened my notebook and got ready for a class that actually just started. The man was not even up to ten minutes into the class. He was a stickler for time. This was GST 102 and it was the first lecture I have on Monday. This was the last lecture before the first-semester exam would start. I have been reading hard, trying to cover so many things and maintain my house in Nsukka and the one I live in with Sam.

After the lecture, I walked out of the class right after the man. I wanted to follow him to his office but I decided to let him let up some steam. I decided to go for my ten o'clock lecture before I would go to see him. I was passing the parking lot when I saw that there was a car parked ridiculously close to mine. I was leaning over to see that it was not scratched when I noticed a guy leaning on the KIA CERATO clean rubber car. I could tell from the way he was standing that the car was his. He was dressed in black jeans and a white shirt. He looked very handsome. Not just any type of handsomeness but the movie actor handsomeness. He was fair in complexion. He looked like a decent guy. What I did not know was why he was leaning on his car and not going about his business and also why he was looking at me. When he saw that I was looking at him, he called me. Actually, he called me "hey", of all the nerve.

"What can I do for you?" I asked, a little rude. He did not scratch my car but I still did not like his attitude. I felt that he was one of those rich kids that think that all ladies think about was who has the best ride. And maybe they did not I was not like that and for him to assume that I was like that was offending on its own.

The man just smiled. I have not noticed him before on campus. But then I was not looking. I was trying to hide instead. He did not look like a first-year student.

"I am sorry. I just wanted to know your name. I saw you passing and I wanted to get to know you," he apologized.

I was startled by his voice. He has a very deep voice that was designed to soothe. But it did not soothe me. What surprised me most was that he was nice. After leaving with Sam for the past three years, it was surprising to hear a man say that he was sorry, and meant it. I knew that he meant it too. It was there in his eyes. And I had to commend his pick-up line. Cute!

"And to whom will I be telling my name?" I crossed my arm and waited for him to go on. I did not want to give him the impression that he impressed me.

"Oh, I am sorry. My name is Israel Ochiugo."

I now know that he was trying to be polite. He might have the disposition of someone that was pompous, handsome and knew that he was handsome but it did not show in his manner of approach and I liked that. But it would be a cold day in hell before I told him that. I was still giving him attitude.

"My name is Adaeze and I ask again, what I can do for you apart from helping you collect names for your name dictionary?" My tone was downright rude and I didn't care. My rudeness and anger were justified. I have had enough of men looking for something in me. I did not know what they found in me anymore. I was bony and almost ugly now.

"I am not collecting names, just trying to get to know you," he corrected. He came close to me and I moved back.

He didn't know I was married because I did not wear my wedding ring in school.

"I am afraid I am in a very fine hurry to meet one of my lecturers. Do you mind if I leave now?"

He looked surprised at first, then he stammered, "y... yes. I mean no. No, I don't mind your leaving now. I was just w ... wondering if we, we, that's you and I can meet and, you know......" He then shut his mouth. He must have realized that he was babbling.

I wondered what I did to make him lose his ego. I decided to have fun at his expense. I did not know what came over me but I wanted to play with him a little. "I don't know Israel. Explain to me."

He chewed on his bottom lips like he was nervous. He took a breath and collected himself and started again. I could still tell that he was nervous

"Just the two of us, go out together and get something to eat. I...I mean if it is okay with you and if you are hungry. Y... you can leave if you want."

"I can? I was beginning to think that I was a prisoner in my own school. I am very busy. I am afraid I can't make time for that. Have a nice day." I walked out like a drama queen. He still talked to my retreating back. I felt good.

"Yah, of course, you are busy. What was I thinking? Nice day to you too. Sorry, I mean have a nice day."

*************

I walked to the staff building and located Mr Ozoike's office. His office was on the third floor of the management staff building. The five-storey building contained the offices of the management and social science lecturers. Students also have classes there if the lecturer was lazy, too old or there were no empty lecture rooms. When I entered at his invitation, I was surprised by the cleanliness of the office. Not that I have been in dirty offices but this one looked very clean and arranged. His bookshelves were spotless and I could see the shine from where I was standing at the door. Like every hall in the school, his office also had a picture of the president and governor and the vice-chancellor on the wall and a flag of Nigeria behind a flag of Biafra. His office table was very large and he sat behind it like a king, which was actually how he should feel for I felt like a servant right now. Clearly, the man liked his things devoid of dirt. He looked at me over his glasses and did something with his face that resembled a sneer. He closed the book he was reading and faced me.

"Good day sir," I greeted.

"I asked you to come because I wanted to talk to you about your attitude to lecture." He bracketed his fingers and placed them under his chin. "You need to stop coming to my class late. I think you are a very good girl. I am determined to think that you are a very good girl." He waved his hands around. "I do not know about your other classes but please, mind the time you come to my class because I take punctuality very seriously. Have I made myself clear?" he asked in a very loud voice. The man did not know how to use his inner voice.

"Yes sir." I walked over and sat down even when he did not ask me. He did not ask me to stand up so I felt good but not relaxed. I expected him to tell me to stand.

"You made yourself very clear and I am very sorry that I come to your class late. I would not if I could help it. The thing is that I am in a kind of fix in my life now. I hope that you will understand. It may not be clear to anybody in this school sir, but I am a married woman." I waited for my information to sink in. It did in no time. He raised up his grey head, removed his glasses and looked at me, really looked at me. I could see his brain spinning things. I went on, "Sir, no one has knowledge of this fact and I really want to keep it that way."

"As hard as it might be for you to believe, I don't gossip," he snapped. That statement was dripping with sarcasm.

"I have your class only on Monday sir. As we both know, Monday is a very busy day for any working person. It is this Monday that I have you, sir. I reside in Enugu. That is where I come from every Monday to attend your lectures. It is the traffic that always delays me while coming here. Believe me, sir, it was not intentional. You are one of my best lecturers but I could not help my coming late. But I promise to do my best in improving."

He leaned back in his seat and looked at me like he was bored. "New information my dear Mrs. who....?"

"Aninze."

"Mrs Aninze, I am not against your being married. It is a very good thing. But I was just wondering why you could not just get an apartment in town and avoid all this?"

I sighed inwardly. This man liked hitting the nail on the head. He went straight for the jugglers. I knew then that I had to tell the man everything. I have heard rumours that he was one of the most trusted men in the whole university. He seemed responsible in my eye. I knew I was risking a lot but I had to try it.

"Sir, I am nineteen years old and have been married for the better part of these last two years. My husband unfortunately does not want me to be well, educated but I can assure you that I am well provided for. I, on the other hand, want to be educated; so that is why I started going to school without the knowledge of my spouse. I know it is a very wrong thing to do but there is little I could do since I stay in the house from early morning till very late in the night when he comes home. I have been going to school for the last three years but my husband has not noticed it. I want to keep it that way. I hope sir that I can rely on you to keep this secret for me."

He looked at me for a long time before he said anything. He waited long enough to make me sweat. The man was a very intimidating person.

"That is a very interesting tale you tell my dear, but I assure you that no soul will hear it from my lips except my wife. If your husband does not value women's" education, why then did you marry him and at such a very tender age?"

"I was stupid. That was what I was when I married him but I am ready to remedy that. I just hope that you will not be highly offended by my late coming to class."

"That will be no problem at all dear. I like determination in women and I can see that you are very determined to be educated. I shall support you in that. But you must leave that man once you are done with your education. Never stay with a man that does not appreciate you my dear; it is depressing. You may go for your next lecture for I am sure that you have another one."

"Thank you very much, sir, you do not know the intensity of the favour you have done me. I shall forever be indebted to you."

He waved it aside, "Don't mention it. I would do it for anyone. You did not have a choice and it's all for your own good. Just keep in touch. I want to know how you progress. I shall keep my eyes on you, young lady." He pointed two fingers at his eyes and pointed them at me.

"Thank you, sir." I stood up and left his office. Thank God this one was over. I did not know what I would have done if the man refused to accept what I had told him. I would have been very helpless. I went on with the rest of my day.