"You always treat me like a fool papa Obinna, after everything we have been through all these years" . "You don't value me as your wife, you report me to your sisters like I am your child. "I am fed up with this ridiculousness we call marriage". Am leaving and am taking everything I came with! ".
Papa Obinna sat under the mango tree in his compound with his palm wine and utaba in his hands. He didn't care about all that his wife had said, this wasn't the first time she said something like that. They had been married for 25 years now and it still seemed like they never really loved each other. The day before papa Obinna had called a meeting with his sisters in which he complained bitterly about his wife's behavior towards his finances.
Papa Obinna was a retired police officer so he had little income every month to take care of his family. This caused serious issues because his wife wasn't willing to take over all his financial responsibilities. Mama Obinna was a simple civil servant who sacrifed every dime she was paid to take care of her family and children. But her efforts were never appreciated as her husband always treated her like she never made any contributions.
That morning, the simple issue that caused their fight was because he refused his wife from using the car, he complained that the fuel in the vehicle was little and he needed it for some important engagements, which was to go and drink with his friends later in the day. Mama Obinna felt insulted and deprived because she was the one who provided the money to get the car's engine replaced a month ago after he damaged it.
The new situation was different because his wife was serious about leaving, and she meant to take all her belongings along with her, including all the appliances and furniture she bought throughout the 25 years of marriage.
An hour later papa Obinna heard a horn at the gate, it was the moving van mama Obinna had called to pack her stuff. The truck was loaded with all the furniture and appliances that mama Obinna owned, it was so much that when they were done the only furniture left in the house was a very old couch papa Obinna had bought when they newly got married. When she finally left, his home felt like a dessert, it was totally empty.
And that's when he realized how empty his life was without his beloved wife.
THE END.