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“I will be going to Lagos for greener pastures. Take care of the kids” her husband said before he left. All efforts for Mrs Margaret to convince her husband to stay prove abortive as his mind was already made up to leave.
Her face was filled with worry rolling three of her kids and her goods in place. Life has taken an unexpected toll on her and it is unfolding without warning or sign.
Her dutiful husband which she cherished so much has deserted her like she was carrying a disease not only her but her children and she's left to cater for three kids alone.
“Mummy will daddy ever come back” her third child Daniel asked with a sad face. He drew her closer to her shouting into his ears to suppress the noise in the market and for people around not to know her predicament.
“He will surely come back” she replied with a slight pain in her voice and a hollow in her heart which has refused to heal. She still believed in miracles.
She displayed her goods and the market went on, time seemed so short as the sky turned pale grey. It will take her some distance to walk home rolling her kids and her goods on the wheelbarrow and just a few minutes she began a journey there was a hit. It happened so fast that the only sound she heard was a tiny deafening sound.
Mrs Margaret was rushed to the hospital and even before she opened her eyes, she kept whispering her children's names.
Time flew by and by the fifth month she woke up. Her body felt so heavy to move as she stared blankly at the white ceiling, the only sound heard was the blinking of the machine close to her. She couldn't move her legs but the sight movement of her finger raised a cheerful face to her face.
“You're awake” she couldn't even recognize the face nor could she recognize the voice that looked so happy seeing her awake.
“How do you feel?” She tried to sit up but it was so difficult for her.
“Hold on let me call the doctor” the young man ran out of the ward returning with a much advanced doctor who had a white lap coat on.
“Where do you feel pain?” the doctor asked her.
“On my foot , so heavy. I can't lift it up” she answered, still trying hard to recoil what happened to her. She's still fog and haven't gotten back her memories
“Mummy” she heard a little boy rush over her side while the doctor examined her but was stopped.
“I will send a physiotherapy and soon your mobility will be back” the doctor assured before leaving.
“Mummy you're truly back” the little boy kept jumping to his feet like he just won a trophy and a closer look at his face Mrs Margaret memories began to flood. She remembered being kicked out from her job, her husband leaving, and her new job selling produce at the market, the accident.
“Where are your siblings?” She asked, alert if her children are all safe.
“They are at home, Aunt Chidera promised to bring me to the hospital after school” Mrs Margaret felt so relieved but then who are the people sitting by her side.
Her other kids were brought to her and she couldn't recognize them anymore, they now looked more robust and fresh unlike the pale skin she knew. The person who had knocked her off had been taking care of her children while she was knocked out.
All efforts to reach her husband were proven abortive. Mrs Margaret accepted her fate of not seeing her husband anymore.
Mr Ayo, the man who had knocked her off together with his wife took care of them but then Mrs Margaret felt like a burden to them and wanted to work the moment she recovered.
She was offered a high paying job as the manager of the company but one fateful day she had a meeting with a prospect company that wanted their partnership from their company.
As they say waiting for the company’s arrival, two people walked in all dressed in a nice suit and she recognized one of them.
“Margaret” he called, her lips dropped, shocked to see her husband.
“Have you been in this city all these all while?”
“I was transferred recently, lost contact with you and even when I went back to the old house neighbors said they don't know your whereabouts.”
Tears trailed down Mrs Margaret's eyes, she thought her husband had abandoned them.
What an infuriating ending. What does he mean by he searched everywhere? Does the statement he made before leaving sound like someone that was going away for a while/for the good of his family?
If I were Margaret, he wouldn’t be anywhere near me.
I love the ending of this story. My reaction is mixed.
Love tends to put us in such a way we end up suffering as Margaret. It can be even more complicated when there are kids.