I watch darkness approach as the clock ticks. Tick tock, tick tock, tick… A chill breeze passes through, causing my body to shudder. My eyes were fixed at the door. For a moment, the ticking disappeared, and silence hung, and then footsteps approached. The door swings open, and a figure appeared. John was home.
He often came home at seven in the night, exactly at seven; a time master. He once said that time management was a life lesson and everyone should subscribe to it, including Nathan and me. He was organised and detailed, to eat, sleep, go to work, have fun, marry, and have children. My parents and friends liked him. Jules, my best friend, didn’t.
“What type of a man has a schedule for everything? So, he is going to organise his way into your life or what? Trust me, you don’t want that because he is a red flag!” Jules said.
I told her that he was a good man and I had nothing to worry about. She looked at me like I had said something that could cause her to have a heart attack. “Compared to all your previous dates, he is way worse. He is a control freak! He doesn’t seem to be honest either. Honestly, you’d rather be with one of your previous dates. Yes, they had multiple affairs but who doesn’t? It’s the new norm nowadays. You either roll with it or drop it,” she argued.
I told her not to worry. John had a schedule for me and Nathan, our son. Whenever I needed to do something different from my schedule, I told him first. Nathan did the same. He didn’t like it when we did something to disappoint him. He got angry and then he would discipline us. His classic leather belt was his favourite. If he was extremely angry, he hit us so much that he regretted it afterwards and apologised. One day, I found Nathan on the living room floor. He had passed out. His body was bruised. His barely opened eyes were covered in tears. John was nowhere in sight. A half-filled bottle of beer was on the table.
A surge of anger began to rise in me. I clenched my fists and grit my teeth. My body shook and I let out a scream. I screamed so much that I thought I felt the ground shaking beneath my feet. Before I knew it, there were loud chatters outside our door. A loud thud was heard and the neighbours let themselves in. When they saw Nathan, they attended to him and tried to calm me down. They asked me where John was but my mind was not on John. It was on Nathan. One of them called an ambulance and I went with him to the hospital.
When the doctor asked what happened to him, I told him he had fallen. He looked at me suspiciously and for a moment, I almost told him the truth. John heard what happened and came to the hospital. He told Nathan that he would be fine and soon, he’d be home.
“I’m so sorry, my son. I’m so sorry. I did not mean to hit you like that. When you do something wrong, I get angry and I don’t like it at all. Please don’t disappoint me again, okay?” he said, sorrowfully.
Nathan agreed and promised not to disappoint him. When I looked at John, his sad eyes were a different colour from his cold and sharp eyes.
John worked as an engineer for Royal Steel Limited. He was considered a model employee at his job. His boss loved him and his colleagues envied him. When he was out, people loved him. He was generous. He helped people with their problems. It didn’t matter who they were. He believed in helping people, even when they stole from him. He believed that they deserved a second chance in life. During the weekends, the house was always full of visitors. I woke up in the morning to find them at the door, waiting to be let in. I always told Maria, the house help, not to let them in before I was ready. When they entered the house, they headed straight to the dining table waiting to be fed. John always ensured there was plenty of food for them. He warned us not to cook it for ourselves, him included. He said it was for those who were in need.
Maria and I prepared food from morning till late at night. The kitchen was hot because of the constant fire burning. By the time we were done, our bodies would be screaming in pain. Nathan stuck around early in the morning to welcome the visitors, then later, he went to his room to study. John always insisted he followed his schedule. He supervised him from time to time. Nathan studied for three hours, took a short break and then went back to study. John had set specific subjects. He planned his courses and tests. John wanted Nathan to be an engineer like him. Nathan, however, was interested in football, but wouldn’t tell his father. He knew he would disappoint him if he did. John said football was not a career but a hobby. All sports, according to him, were hobbies. He said real men studied important courses like science or law.
His playtime was scheduled at four in the evening when very few children were outside to play with. Nathan went outside to bask in the sun if it was there or take a breather if he could. That was his life. He said the kids at school were surprised at his life, especially his day-to-day schedule that he strictly followed. They asked him why he always rushed home after school instead of spending time with them for a while. Nathan told them that his father needed him because there was a lot to do. When they asked him what was “a lot”, he had no answer.
At the church or the market, people told me how happy they were after my husband helped them. They told me how lucky I was to have him as my husband. I would smile and tell them how grateful I was for him.
When I found out he was having an extramarital affair, I wasn’t surprised or angry. I acted as if everything was okay. He did the same too. When the woman got pregnant, I did not confront him. He did not mention it. When she showed up at our door with the child, I welcomed her and embraced her. I fed her and prepared a room for her and her child to rest. When John told me to arrange for some clothes for her child, I bought new ones from a renowned shop in town. I didn’t go to the local market to buy them like I did for Nathan. I treated her as if she were my blood sister.
When she moved in, I didn’t object. It was important for the child to be close to his father. When my in-laws suggested that John marry her, I did not oppose. A traditional marriage was arranged, and she took up his surname. She became Mrs. Majimbo. She was referred to as “Madam” by the house staff. She was introduced as “my wife” by John and “our wife” by his relatives. When she suggested that she should move into our room, I hesitated at first, but John agreed. He said he would create a schedule like he always did. That schedule was never made. I found myself in an extra room on my own. John never looked at me or talked to me. The only time he needed me was when he needed something from me. He referred to me by my first name.
I didn’t mind because I was still his wife. We were his family, and we would do right by him. It was just as Jules said. A man having multiple partners was the new norm and I decided to either roll with it or drop it. I chose to roll with it.
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Neema is an IT specialist and an avid reader. Growing up, she was surrounded by many books which she devoured to satisfy her curiosity and interests. Her love for literary fiction propelled her to publish her first book in 2024 called “On The Run and Other Stories”. It is a collection of short stories based on what happens in our societies today. Her aim is to inspire young readers and spark an interest in fictional literature. Find her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neema-busolo-90a1a4245/
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