I tried calling Mila’s number back but the phone had been switched off. To say that I was confused was an understatement. I did not know what to do or who to share this information with and telling Demilade was the last thing on my mind; I wanted him to like Mila not dislike her. The only person I needed to speak to was Mila. How can she call me out of nowhere and try to sabotage my happiness? She had better have a good reason for this. Demi had been the perfect boyfriend, I knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me or did I? I was confused as thoughts swirled through my head even after I turned in for the night. I tossed and turned in my bed for hours counting down the seconds until I drifted into a very troubled sleep.
I woke up late the next morning with my mind blank and a sad feeling in my guts which I couldn’t place. I checked my phone and saw Demi’s message which he never failed to send every morning, telling me how I am the best thing that ever happened to him. This made me smile and then I remembered the call. Mila’s phone call, though inconclusive, cast a dark shadow on my day as soon as it came to mind. As I prepared to leave for the dreaded lunch date with my best friend whom I had not seen in a long time, I couldn’t help but wish that it was under better circumstances. I made up my mind as I drove down to Victoria Island to greet her with the pleasantness that she failed to accord me and also have an open mind to whatever she had to say about my relationship.
I arrived 10 minutes early, got a table for two in a corner and ordered a cocktail to calm my nerves while I waited. Thirty minutes later, Mila walked into the restaurant. At first, I did not recognise her. The Mila I remembered had the body of a goddess, fleshy and lean in all the right places but the person I had my eyes on was all skin and bones. Her eyes were filled with deep sadness. I stood to embrace her lean frame and felt her arms go around me as well. Then we sat down in silence and stared at each other, taking in each other’s appearance. Mila was the first to break the silence, “You look great”, she said to me with a smile. I couldn’t say the same for her; instead, I asked about Jide. Instantly, the smile on her face disappeared. This reaction clearly showed that there was a lot I didn’t know about her life.
“I know what you are thinking”, said Mila. “You are wondering why I am back in the country and why you had to discover that the way you did last night. I decided to keep my arrival a secret for many reasons mainly because I left Jide”. The confusion on my face must have been blatant because she repeated herself and as she did so tears welled up in her eyes. Immediately, I reached across the table to hold her hands. She then began to give me the details, starting from when they first moved and she tried to get a job but to no avail; so they decided to start a family instead. To this, she was only too happy to comply; however, her body was not in tune.
They tried for months to conceive but nothing happened until they went to a fertility clinic. It was at this point that the marital issues began. After the necessary tests and scans, the doctor informed them that Mila’s fallopian tube was damaged. This was hard for them as a couple and even harder for her, but Jide did not see it that way. From that day, he never failed to rain curses upon her at every opportunity he got. At first, it was like a terrible dream and Mila could not fathom the sudden change in character. Her prince charming had turned into a monster at the time she needed him most.
This went on for another year, every morning before he went to work and every evening when he got back. When he didn’t come back early some nights, she sensed he was having an affair and when she got the nerve to ask him about it, she wished she hadn’t and cried herself to sleep later that night. When it became too much for her to handle, she complained aloud to members of her family, who unfortunately insisted she stayed on through it all. They tried to intervene but made no positive impact. In fact, Jide became more of a beast as a result of their interference. She had never felt so lonely and abandoned in her entire life.
I held her in my arms comforting her to the best of my ability and she said: “I want to save you the trauma of discovering this yourself Temi, don’t get married”.
I had no advice to give because I am no expert but my heart went out to her knowing that she was in a very difficult situation. I knew that this was not the case with every marriage; there were couples who remained happy in the midst of trials but that still took a whole lot of work.
All I knew was that Mila needed help and the only way I knew how to provide that help was to drive away the loneliness…
Be a support system for someone today and don’t forget to say a prayer for our Chibok girls.
Oluwaseyi Lawal
