Enobong bends by the cooking pot and blows vigorously into the fire,the fire heeds to her and increases,the soup cooking even faster,she stands up cleans her palm and sits back on the stool,waving the smoke away with her hand.

Her mother was preparing their special delicacy,Afang soup,for her sister who was coming from the city.

Enobong knew something was up,she didn’t know what exactly but she knew her sister wasn’t visiting as usual,she was coming to stay for good.She had overheard her mother and the women folk yesterday discussiong,something was going on with her sister and they didn’t like how her mother was handling it.

“You can’t do that Ekamma, it’s a disgrace,what will people say eh ” one had said

“So I should leave her there let her die,let them kill her” Her mother had replied

“Godforbid no one is dying” another said

“Yes,because I won’t let it happen” Her mother had replied and then they had all fallen silent.

Now Enobong couldn’t wait for her sister to arrive,so she could hear the full story.

“Don’t just sit there as if you have nothing else to do,” Her mother says bringing down the pot of soup “put the fofo and start turning it” her mother instructed and Enobong did as she was told. 

Her sister had arrived now,she and her younger ones had gather her for their ‘city gift’ she had given Enobong sweets and biscuits to share with them and their mother had dismissed them saying their sister was tired from her long journey.

Soon it was dark and their mother had dished out their food,her sister getting preferential treatment,two meats in her soup and fofo that she couldn’t even finish. She had remained it with one meat and enough soup and given it to Enobong to go share with the younger ones. Enobong had taken out the meat and took the food to them like that,they received it happily grateful for a second round not caring if there was meat or not. Enobong had refused to join them,she knew soon her mother will talk to her sister and she wanted to be there for it.

She took a position by the door leading to the backyard where her sister sat,knowing she won’t be easily spotted and could leave if someone came her way,she sat and waited.

“Adiaha mma,Oya tell me everything” she heard her mother say taking the kitchen stool along with her and placing it across her sister.

“Hmm,” her sister sighed “mma,where do I start” her sister started “ The very first time he laid his hand on me was when I had stepped out to buy garri nearby,I didn’t know garri had finish and since it wasn’t far,I decided to boil the water and hurriedly go get it,” she paused.

Enobong noted that the he her sister was referring to was her husband,her sister had gotten married Eleven months ago.

She continued “this was just two months after we got married mma,two months.By the time I got back the water had boiled and he was in the kitchen offing the stove,I was about to explain to him that I didn’t know the water would boil that fast and apologize when he turned around and slapped me,”

“Abaśi mbòk,o Iyà mmì” Her mother exclaimed 

“Mma I couldn’t feel my face,I fainted for five seconds still standing,everywhere was dark I had even thought he had put off the lantern that was on in the kitchen,my ears was doing me peeeeee”

“O Jesus” her mother exclaimed again

“ He started shouting if I knew how expensive kerosene was,that maybe I should go out there and work so I’ll know things are difficult.Bringing up the work part really pained me,because he knew how hard I was looking for a job,then he had walked away,pushing me as he passed.Then the next day he apologized,saying he did it out of anger and that he will never do it again.He did,plenty times after that,it was as though he was always looking for a reason to slap me,if the food I cook is peppery,slap,meanwhile it’s him who said he liked pepper,if it’s not peppery kwa,still slap,if the fish I put in his soup is small,slap,when he knows fully well that the money he gave me would not be enough to buy a big fish. One time I was watching television he just came in and off it complaining that it was too loud,when I told him he would have just told me so that I’ll lower the volume he pounded on me like someone pounding yam,that was the first time he beat me. I stopped watching the television after that.After that day,I became his punching bag,if I eat,he’ll complain I’m eating too much that I’m getting fat,if I don’t eat he’ll say I’m not eating so I’ll come and tell my village people he’s starving me,that one too another beating,mma there was no week that went by without him beating me,”

“O aÿen mmì” her mother exclaimed bitterly

“The last time was four days ago,I was outside by the compound gate peeling Egusi,because I had started selling some food item by the gate on a small table,I wasn’t the only one,most of the women in the compound did same,he had come back home and I had gone in to give him his early dinner because he usually returns around five pm,while I pack around six,seven pm.He said he called me severally but I didn’t hear him,I was talking to one of my neighbors,she was telling me something funny but even though I would have heard him calling but I didn’t,he came and poured the Egusi away and dragged me by my ear inside the house,people were watching but no one said anything,I was so embarrassed,inside he locked the door and took off his belt,that was when I knew it was over mma,he had never beat me with something before just his hands,I thought I was going to die that day,”

“God forbid” Her mother exclaimed loudly while Enobong said hers silently

“Mma he beat me,he beat me,I was crying like a child,catarrh and tears mixing together,”

“Jesus Christ” Her mother exclaimed again horrified 

“He accused me of several things,say I was going about telling everyone that he beats me,I never did,I didn’t need to,they have ears,he called me barren,saying how many months now and I wasn’t pregnant,that I’m useless,I got so angry mma,I told him he was a coward,called him impotent,told him real men don’t beat their wives,that if he really has strength he should go out and fight his fellow man if they won’t beat him to the ground,that really got him angry,he started beating me with so much strength,my back,everywhere mma,he beat me till I couldn’t feel anything again,even the pains,everywhere got dark,I closed my eyes,the next time I woke up I was in the hospital,he had beaten me till I fainted mma,”

They both were crying now,Even Enobong felt the tears in her eyes though she didn’t let it drop.

“O ayen mmi o,ayen mmi o” her mother exclaimed over and over again.

“If not for my neighbors mma,they rushed me to the hospital,after he realized I had fainted he had gone out leaving the door wide open. I learnt from the doctor that I was two weeks pregnant,I had lost my baby,a baby I didn’t even know I was carrying,” she paused choking in tears

Her mother put her hand over her mouth to suppress her crying for fear of attracting the other children.

“He didn’t return home that day or the day after,I was in the hospital for two days and when I got back home he still wasn’t back,I don’t know if he thought I was dead or he was just ashamed to show his face,I just know I didn’t want to stay to find out” 

Her mother pulled her into her arms,she finally let the tears flow freely,her mother did her best to console her.

“I couldn’t take it again mma,I couldn’t,I don’t want to go back there” she said amidst tears

“You shouldn’t have to,you shouldn’t have to take it at all,you won’t go back I promise you,I don’t care what anyone says,you won’t” Her mother promised firmly.

Enobong wondered why her sister didn’t just slap him back,if she had then he wouldn’t have ever laid his hands on her,she wasn’t suprised,her sister had always been too soft for her liking,if it was her,she would have shown him pepper,hot pepper,he wouldn’t have ever raised his hands on a woman in his entire life,she thought about it and decided she was going to tell her sister how she felt.

And she did,the next day,when they were on their way to fetch water at the chief’s compound,she told her.

Her sister sighed,and laughed sadly she wasn’t surprised Enobong had been listening all along, “Leave it eÿen ekà mmi,you won’t understand,it’s not as easy as you think,when you’re older you will get it” she said and dismissed the topic.

Enobong scoffed,she was Twenty years old,she was old enough,this had nothing to do with age.

She did get it,few years later, after she got married and her husband slapped her one morning so hard that she tasted blood,she had overslept and prepares his breakfast late,she was pregnant and sleeping was one of the symptoms a pregnant woman experience,she couldn’t control it she wanted to explain,but she didn’t.she did get it now.