THE CURES

"What a life I'm living? Is this how I'm going to be forever? Taking care of him? I don't even have time for myself l, neither do I have time for my children, and the things that concerns their education. No, no. I must not live like this. I'll surely live a better life. Even if it means leaving him to die with his sickness. That I must surely do" Ugomma lamented to herself as she stood leaning on the entrance of her father's room watching him as he laid sickly on the bed. Ugomma was a young woman with four children who left her husband's house because of some family problems. She left her husband whom she thought was using her always as a pouching bad, and went to her father's house since she had no place to go. She totally divorced her husband and took her four children with her to her father's house. Ugomma got married at a tender age. And because of her early marriage she had her first child at the very age of twenty. Her first child was a boy whom she thought had brought blessings to her new home. So because of this,she and her husband named their first child,Chigozie,(which means God shall bless) Chigozie was only three years old when his mother, Ugomma,gave birth to another baby boy named Godsent. Then followed by a baby girl called Ngozi and then another baby boy who was now the last born of the family. When Chiboy,the last born of the family was born there was joy everywhere. The family was filled with excitement. To then,God was so grateful and wonderful forever showing his blessings upon them. This made Nnamdi, Ugomma's husband,to call for celebration. He never mind what it would cause for such,rather he believes that when God bless one,he/she should be thankful and grateful for such blessings. Because there were many who couldn't have a child. And who couldn't boost of having the ability and capability of impregnating a woman talk of having a child. He believes that there were some of his age group,and some others who might had got married before him that couldn't boost of having two to four children like him. So to him,all these was just an abundant blessings. Nnamdi threw a very huge party which every Tom,d**k,and Harry attended. Nobody was left out. Even the king of his village attended the the party with some of his elders. Foods and drinks were something not to talk about because it was all in plentiful. Everyone in the village ate to their satisfaction. Some old men and women who couldn't afford to waste the foods and drinks took some of the leftover foods home for their children. While some wise ones are a little and left happily. Nnamdi was not a poor man neither was he a rich man, but he satisfied everyone with what he had because he was a very hard-working man. He was known round the village as an intelligent young man with a hard-working spirit. There was never a place you would not see Nnamdi working in as much as he was concerned. He believes in the saying that"time waits for no man". He works day and night without minding the saying of everyone called"Rest". All the days of his life was always work and how to take care of his wife and his four children whom God had blessed him with. Years later, after the birth of Chiboy. Ugomma started noticing some changes in her husband's behavior. She noticed that her husband has totally changed and was not always interested in her. Not only that, he no longer work as usual. He totally changed that he no longer have the consideration of taking care of his family, rather he took to alcohol (drinks). He totally changed overnight that at times he doesn't provide for the family. He became an idle man whom the devil has used as a workshop of displaying all kinds of forbidden habits.. Nnamdi would always wakes up early in the morning and leaves his house telling his wife that he was going to work which he knows was a lie. Instead of going to work he would visit different bars and drinks himself to stupor. He was always using this "Going to work syndrome" to be deceiving his wife that at times Ugomma would think that her husband was in his workshop earning a good money not knowing that her husband was always moving from one bar to another. Nnamdi came back one now that demanding for his food while staggering like a pushing cow. Ugomma who was already asleep woke up by the very noise of her husband, and went tk bring his food to him from the kitchen. She presented the food before him in the table just like the way we present our problems before God, and left to resume back her sleep. Not quite long as she left that Nnamdi started shouting her name and was demanding for her presence. "What is this? What kind of food is this? I'm asking you! Didn't I gave you money?. " Nnamdi roard like a fierce lion looking for one to divour. Before Ugomma could open her mouth and utter a word, slaps were already descending on her face. It was descending heavily like a rain,and before she could ask the reason behind the slaps Nnamdi turned her to a pouncing bag. Nnamdi turned his sitting room to a wrestling ground and made himself a wrestler,and then his wife his opponent whom he(Nnamdi) must eliminate in order to win. The cry of his wife alerted the neighbors and they ran in breaking the door to save her. Before they could save Ugomma she was already inflicted with multitude of injuries on her body by her husband, Nnamdi.