Serena decided to stay away for a while when she saw that he did not bother to come after her even though she sat on their porch for a while.
She wouldn’t go back. No, she wouldn’t go back inside to beg him. She was not wrong. She deserved to live her own life too even though she was married right? He was the selfish one. Serena thought to herself over and over again as she trekked to her mother’s place that evening.
“Mother should be able to talk some sense into him. Or at least talk to his parents so they could talk some sense into him. How I wished dad was still alive?” she thought on her way to her mother’s place.
Her dad had been her best friend before she met Amara in college. He was her confidante, she loved her mum of course but her dad had been the person she always waited for on their porch to come home. She would squeal and jump as he parked his car before she launched herself on him the moment he got out. He was the one that taught her a lot of things even when her mother frowned upon it.
When her mum felt that swimming might give her hypothermia; her dad had taught her how to swim when she was not there and they had both caught hell for it when she caught them.
When her mother thought that riding a bicycle was not a ladylike thing to learn; her father would borrow their neighbour’s bicycle, stack it in the trunk of his car and inform his wife that they were going for a ride. They have their special open field where her dad would park, bring out the bicycle and teach her. The day she had skinned her knees, well, suffice to say that it had been difficult indeed to explain to his wife how their daughter had gone from sitting in the car to have bruised knees.
He taught the many things she knew today. Those that had come in handy for her and the ones she did not understand the need for yet.
“What your mother did not know won't hurt her '' was his mantra.
Bayu Angrov loved his wife and he would say to anyone that shielding his wife from what could upset her was a way of loving her. Meimu Angrov got upset easily.
As her feet crunched the dried leaves on the path that led to their house, Serena sighed and thought of how much she missed her dad, he had died in her fourth year in college and that was the first time Serena had felt the true meaning of the word “heartbreak”. She was unable to function properly for months, her grades dropped and it took the memory of how her father had stood his ground to send her to school when his wife kicked against sending their only daughter to a nursing school. Meimu believed that a daughter should be studying things like baking, cooking, and interior decoration.
“That way would she be ready to build her home, not by running around to learn how to give injections and coming back to her husband’s home late” was her mother’s reasoning but for the first time since she could remember, her father stood up to her mother and told her firmly that his daughter would be allowed to do what she wanted.
“The fact that you choose to be a full housewife doesn’t mean that our child would choose the same part too” her father had said in anger.
Meimu’s eyes widened “So you are saying that it was my fault. That I chose to sacrifice myself by staying in this house to take care of you and our child like a good wife should do. Now it is my fault?” her lips had trembled,
By the time her husband understood his mistake and he tried to move toward her, she had dashed inside after throwing “The two of you should do what you like. Nobody listens to me anyway” at the two of them.
Bayu made to rush after his wife as he always did but then he sighed and looked back at his daughter, he opened his arms to her and hugged her. Then he whispered to her with determination “You will go to the school of your choice, my dear. Never allow anything to stop you from achieving your dream. Not me, not your mother, not even your fears. Have believed in your dreams and pursue them”
Serena cried that day as she hugged him tighter and told him that she loved him.
“Don’t be upset at your mother, she is only scared because you are the only one she has and she would want to see you have your own family as soon as possible. I shouldn’t have said that to her” he said the last sentence more to himself than to his daughter.
Serena nodded and vowed to not disappoint him. That memory was what spurred her on to complete her remaining one and half years of the program after his death. She couldn’t disappoint him. Not after all he had done to ensure that she was able to achieve her dream.
The dream that her husband seemed bent on letting her let go of. She wished badly that her father was still alive as she was sure that he would have talked some sense into him but all she had was her mother now to help convince him.
About an hour later, Serena walked down that same path with sadness, disappointment and frustration. Her mother had said what a part of her knew she might say even as she hoped that she would be wrong.
“A good wife should learn to obey and respect her husband. What did you think your vow on your wedding day was about? Just mere words? Girl, go back to your husband and honour him as the Lord said. His wish is your command”
That was what she had gotten for her trouble. His parents had said a varied version of what her mother had said as well. The only person who had sided with her and called her husband a gentleman asshole was Amara.
“How could he have done that to you? Did he not realise that you were in the school for a purpose when he asked you out? What the hell? How disappointing! I would never have believed that he would be so selfish. Still, waters do run deep as they say'' Amara had been outraged and had even offered to speak with him. An offer that Serena had declined as she knew that Amara’s mode of speaking to someone she did not agree with might include some choice of insultive words. She only wanted her husband to reason with her, not that she intended to disrespect him. Amara’s words wouldn’t have counted in the end anyway. The only one who could have probably swayed him was her mother and she had made it known that she supported Mathew.
Serena refused to speak to Mathew when she got back home and he stopped trying to make her have a conversation with him after telling her “I know you have not seen my point yet so I will leave you alone to come to terms. When you are ready to be reasonable, we will talk” he said before he carried his suitcase and left.
She couldn’t believe her ears as she wondered if this was the same man she had felt so secure with, the one who would never hurt her with his words and deeds. In anger, she got dressed that morning and went out to apply at the hospitals she had marked out. Some had promised to get back to her and she had been elated. She was going to show Mathew that she was not just a woman meant to stay at home. She would manage both her family and her career so well that they would be amazed.
The day she had received a call from one of the hospitals; a reputable private practice was the same day Mathew’s mum had invited them for an impromptu dinner. She was amazed when she met most of his family there and her mother. Mathew came from a large family, unlike Serena who was an only child. The dinner had started on a good note even as she was filled with unease that the dinner would not just be a simple one. She had been proven right when one of Mathew’s nieces ran to her to admire her palazzo pants. “I can see that children love Mathew’s wife” the mother of the child had said promptly. “That is true” one of his aunts added “that must mean that she would soon be giving birth to her children too” “Are you sure about that? Mathew’s wife is a certified nurse, you know. I believe that women like that do not like to start their families early. Career women” someone else had said as if Serena herself was not in their midst. “Serena is not like that, you know” her mother-in-law
Serena looked at Mathew as he sat up in bed, grumbling about someone waking him up at this ungodly hour when he had a lot to do at the office in the morning. She was about to say she was sorry again when he looked at her like she was a nuisance and said “That is childish, Serena and I have told you before. I don’t expect you to keep making me repeat one thing over and over like you are a kid, you know” Serena was not so taken aback by his words. He could be grumpy when one disturbed his sleep and she had done so because she knew if she lost her courage now, she might not be able to do it again later. Not that he would patiently listen to her anyway. Now was the right time. “I am sorry,” she said softly. Mathew sighed and looked at her face “It is not as if I want to complain or anything. It is just I have work to do. I understand that you might not get that since you are only at home and all but I have to work. I have to fight for my promotion and that means I have to have enough re
The shocked look on Mathew’s face made Serena feel like she had just told him to kill his cat. “Well, that could never be the case as he already deemed having a pet as undignified,” she thought hysterically as she waited in bated breath for what he would say when he stood up slowly to face her. “Are you crazy? I am sorry about my language but I would never have expected such a talk from you. You spoke like a dirty woman!” he exclaimed. Serena forgot her apprehension as she narrowed her eyes at him “Excuse me?” “I do not want to say it, you know I wouldn’t disrespect you,” Mathew said as he rubbed his hand through his hair then gave her a look that made her uncomfortable “You are..you are talking like a wanton woman, like a loose woman. What has come over you, Serena? I thought you were better than this!” “You did not want to disrespect me, you say? This sound more than any disrespect anybody had ever accorded me recently and believe me, I am getting enough dose of it almost every
“Ser!” Serena looked up in the direction where the sound was coming from. She smiled as she saw Amara running to her as her husband told her to calm down as he tried to catch up with her while holding their toddler. He tried to carry the girl but she cried “Daddy, walk” Bo had no choice but to let her walk as he kept his hand on hers to guide the toddler after her mother who paid her husband no heed as she continued to run toward her friend. A run would have been used liberally in terms of what Amara was doing though. Waddling was more the term. Amara was heavily pregnant. “Sweetheart, Serena is just right there. Take it easy” Bo said exasperated as he looked down at his daughter who had the same temper as her mother and would not take it kindly if he ignored her request and carried her. He really shouldn’t let Amara run. “I will take it easy when I die” Amara called back at him. Serena laughed as she stood up to go meet Amara halfway. She knew her friend wouldn’t trade her husb
“Whew! Finally got rid of the Hovery Lord!” Amara said dramatically as she adjusted the skirt of her gown, settling it around her legs in the shaded part of the park where Bo had insisted they have to sit if she wanted him to leave as his wife had asked. She looked over at Serena when her friend laughed. “What? What is it? Am I wrong? I swear that man hovers around me more than a mother hen would do whenever I am pregnant” she smiled. Serena tried to curb her laughter to reply to her friend with the minimal result “No, no, not that. When you said Hovery Lord it sounded like Ovary Lord” she snorted again. Amara was confused “Of course, that was what I me…oh” Her eyes widened and she laughed when she realised what her friend was talking about “You meant O-va-ry, whoever made up these words must be a rogue” then her smile turned lascivious as she patted her stomach and gave her friend a sideways look “Well, he is lord of that too. Hello? Proof right here” she smacked her lips. Serena
“To see your face of course. Do you see how beautiful you are? You are a damn gorgeous woman, sexy in fact. You know I would kill to have amazing hair like yours. Instead, all I have is this mop of dishwater hair” Amara said as she picked up a handful of her hair for emphasis. “You know your hair looked amazing. You are just saying that” Serena said in a miffed tone as she collected her ribbon back. Amara sighed then she smiled “Yes, I admit that. Moreover Bo loves it, his ash blonde hair coupled with mine seems to be what gave Tanya her platinum blond hair. I swear I can already picture how much of a fashion diva that girl will be” Serena tucked her hair beneath her ears and briefly pondered packing her hair up back into a bun “If she ended up as one, she would have gotten it from you. At least the diva part” she said cheekily. “Hey, I can be fashionable too,” Amara said in protest then she grinned as she remembered all her makeover flops in college. Serena had been the one that s
Serena laughed as she remembered how Amara used to talk to her like this when she wanted to get anything out of her. Angrov. It had been a while since anybody called her that. All she heard these days was that she was Jones now. Jones. Jones. Jones. One would have thought she never had an identity before that. She batted her friend’s hand from her face playfully “It is Serena Jones to you now, woman and you had better remember that” “Pfft. I don’t want to” Amara stuck out her tongue to her friend before she turned to face front “Anyways, even if you did not tell me, I can tell that you have not done it in a while, maybe not this month at all” she caught the expression in her friend’s eyes and turned to her sharply “I am right, ain't I? How long? One month? Two months?” Can she really tell? Does it show? Serena thought as she laughed at her friend “I am not discussing my sex life or the lack of it with you, you horny girl” Amara sighed dramatically as she shook her head at Serena “T
“You know I wouldn’t want to disrespect you or anything” Serena rolled her eyes in the vanity mirror after ensuring he couldn’t see her as she heard that sentence, he was somewhere to her right behind her and he was not looking straight at the mirror. She wondered briefly how she had gotten used to the fact that every single insult he doled out to her these days started with that sentence, he seemed to be taking his time as she was sure he was checking her out before he delivered whatever the special was for this evening. “But you look like a tart” “Well,” she thought “That was a new one,” she thought. She doubted if he had ever called her a promiscuous woman before, maybe something close but not directly like that. She held on tightly to the hurt that lanced through her and turned to face him with a smile. Her smile slipped when she saw the derisive look he had on his face. No, she would come out of this unscathed. He wouldn’t rattle her confidence. Hadn’t she given herself a pep ta