Being tied up like an animal is one of the worst feelings ever. My hands were all bruised and hurting because of the way I was swinging my hands around. But to me it was just funny because of my insane state. Ritah and my husband tied me up and locked me in one of the boy’s quarters because they didn’t want me to run around collecting garbage from people’s pits. All I wanted to do was run around and collect everything that I saw but I couldn’t because I was always locked up in the boy’s quarters. I would see polythene bags inside the room sometimes and picture them looking very beautiful on my head. I always felt like eating the leftovers in the dustbin. If I wasn’t tied up, I would be wearing those torn clothes that are thrown into the dustbin and running around the city.
The boy’s quarters weren’t so big but they were clean and comfortable enough. A house help was brought from the village to do the house chores, feed me once a day, and bathe me. The first time she came in, she was startled. She was dark and tall. From the way she talked, one could tell that she is a humble and polite soul with a pure heart. Even though I was insane, my spirit liked her and she seemed to like me too.
“What? A pregnant woman being tied up, eeeh, my madam and oga are so wicked oooh.”
By that time, my stomach had really grown so big and it was almost my time to lay off. From the stories she heard from the gateman, she might have found it odd for me to be insane like that. She would always come to my room and mummer.
“You will get well madam, you don’t deserve what sir and madam Ritah are doing to you. I promise to help you out.” I would hear her mummer and laugh.
One day, she waited for Ritah to leave the house and my husband to go to work. When they were gone, she brought three pastors in the room where I was tied up. She told the pastors that they didn’t have much time because her wicked boss told her that she wouldn’t be away for long. When I woke up, I found three people seriously praying for me and the house help standing at the door way.
“What’s going on here? Why am I tied up?” I asked, so confused and unable to understand what was going on.
“Young lady, this lady brought us here to pray for you. And as I was praying, God revealed to me that your friend did all this to you,” said one of the pastors.
The house helped untied me and I got up with so much gratitude for the pastors.
“Am so thankful man of God for rescuing me from these evil women’s clutches. Thank you so much.” I thanked the pastors as I stood up folding my hands as if to pray and crying tears of joy. I looked at my belly and it was so much grown. I touched it while smiling.
“Well God did it all, without him, everything wouldn’t have been possible. And this young lady also did a good job of bringing us here.” The pastors appreciated the house help as she stayed near the door with a big smile.
“Thanks so much to all of you for helping me out.” I thanked them again, specifically looking at the house help while touching her shoulder.
“You’re welcome ma’am.” The house help replied with joy.
Just as we were leaving the room to go to the main house, Ritah ran through the gate all scratching, scratching herself all-over and saying. “I will confess, please don’t kill me.”
It was as though now she was running mad. Everyone just stood there shaking their heads, wondering how some people could be so evil. And right before she could start confessing, my husband arrived. Everything seemed like God had planned it that way.
“I am the one who made you mad and charmed your husband to hate you and only love me,” Ritah said, leaving everyone in shock.
“What did you just say?” My husband hurried up closer to her with rage and hunger ready to strangle her but one of the pastors held him back.
“Let it go, leave everything to God.” The pastor consoled him.
“How can I leave her? She destroyed my family,” said my heartbroken husband.
As for me, I was not surprised at all. I knew that Ritah was up to something like this but I wasn’t able to reveal it to my husband because she made me run mad. And I thank God that the day finally came for her evilness to come out.
And before she could say something else, she passed out. One of the pastors checked to find that she was dead. The pastors said that evil forces she used might have backfired on her. I felt bad that I had lost a friend that I once considered my sister despite everything she did. I hope her soul can rest in peace.
Immediately after Ritah’s confessing and death, I felt contractions and the baby was coming. I screamed, and my husband who was in so much shock had to quickly drive me to the hospital. We arrived and they called some of the nurses to help me get in. The midwife entered with me in one of the rooms. My husband was left outside to wait.
“Push….push….harder, the baby is almost,” said the midwife.
I pushed till I couldn’t anymore. And at last the baby was out. I was so happy on hearing the cry of the baby.
“Congratulations, it’s a bouncing baby boy,” said the midwife.
My husband walked in with so much joy. He hugged me tightly and kissed me on my forehead like I had been lost and now he had found me.
“I have a lot to apologize for my love. And I don’t even know where to start because I don’t remember anything that happened. But I want you to know that I only love you my love and no other woman. Please, find a place in your heart to forgive me for everything I have done. Am sorry.” My husband cried, putting his head on my lap.
“You don’t have to apologize my love, all this was Ritah’s doing and she’s paying for it wherever she is right now. We were both trapped in her evil plans. And thank God there’s light at the end and we are together. I love you, dear.” My husband and I hugged with tears of joy. I had been waiting for that hug for such a long time.
As much as I wanted to stay awake to feel that joy with my baby and husband, I couldn’t because sleep came and took me. And when I woke up, the baby was right beside me with my husband. The joy I felt being united with my husband was unexplainable. I knew he was a good man. I trusted my husband completely because it wasn’t his fault. But what I learnt so hard was that I could never trust a friend. Not even the ones that looked like Angels. What Ritah did to me showed me that true friendship doesn’t exist. From that day, my perspective about friends changed for the worst. And not even God in heaven can make me change my perspective back.
5 May, 2023
