I Live For You

CHAPTER EIGHT

Two months have passed since Omezuo and Nkeoma had moved to Boston, they were settled in. Nkeoma had gotten used to being alone by herself and had started talking slowly in a way that she could be understood; it was still a struggle with some people but she came to understand that they too had their own struggles which was not easy for them.

 They had identified with a Catholic parish center and the people there were very warm and accommodating. She had made friends with a few of the parishioners. An elderly couple had taken a liking to her and Omezuo and they had visited twice for dinner. Mr and Mrs Ernest were the friendliest people she had ever met and treated them like their own children. It was easier for Nkeoma to think less of her family with the Ernest’s around.

This day she had been feeling unwell. Omezuo had been consumed with his studies, he always came home with a lot of assignments and home work. They were many things Nkeoma would have loved to talk to him about but she kept them to herself. After their first fight, it seemed as if there was a wall between them and Nkeoma didn’t know what to do about it.

“Omezuo, I think I need to go to the hospital, I am not feeling very well”

Omezuo was startled, the last thing he wanted his wife to take ill.

“Nkem I hope you are alright. I have a subject Tomorrow morning and it’s a serious class, you must go to the hospital yourself. I will give you the directions to the place ok, I know you will handle it”

“I am not sure I can handle it; you know I have never been to the hospital alone before”

“You will handle it my darling. I can’t afford to miss this class”

“Is this why you brought me here with you Omezuo. First I couldn’t be enrolled in school and now you don’t even have time to take me to the clinic” Nkeoma broke down crying.

Omezuo was lost, why is she always acting strange and difficult. She of all people should understand that it was not easy with his studies. He could not even afford to fail a course.

“Nkeoma please control yourself. Do you want me to fail my exams”?

“I am not feeling fine and all you can think about is your exams. I thought you said you loved me, why are you treating me like this if you loved me”

“Nkeoma now I think this is ridiculous. You will go to the hospital by yourself tomorrow and you will be fine. Don’t worry nothing will happen to you”.

Nkeoma kept sobbing and Omezuo left the house and jammed the door. She felt lonely and abandoned. She wanted to tell him that she missed her period but he didn’t give her time to say this. She felt she was losing her Omezuo in this place.

Life was not what Omezuo envisaged, the academic work was very challenging and he was beginning to quarrel more with Nkeoma.  Why can't she just understand the situation of things, as usual Omezuo let everything in the hands of God but now how he wished he asked questions about studying in the United States. Maybe if he had known he would have allowed Nkeoma to stay back at home and enroll in a University in Nigeria.

He was not comfortable with the feeling that Nkeoma thought so ill of him, she should know he loved her and will grab stars from the sky to crown her if he could.

She should know that she was his life literally because Omezuo could not imagine life without her. The pain in his chest was too heavy.  Why was she crying, why couldn't she understand what he was going through? 

Omezuo moved some steps back into his house to go and console his wife and ask for forgiveness in whatever way he has wronged her. Then he moved back.

Was she not supposed to love him too...and then it hit him hard, he has never even heard her say those words. A strange feeling suddenly came over Omezuo, the thought was so close to his mind but he wanted so much to suppress it.

WHAT IF SHE MARRIED HIM BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO USE HIM AND GO TO SCHOOL.

Try as much as he could to shake those thoughts off, they refused to go away. He had noticed that Nkeoma s parents were struggling so much so that it may be difficult for them to train her in the University even in Nigeria.  The first day he went to see her off in her house, he was happy that when they get married, nothing will stop Nkeoma from living her dream and making the lives of her parent better.

Thinking about the whole situation now, he couldn't believe that he may as well have been used.

Omezuo stepped back into the street.  There was a small cafe close by where he could relax for some time.

Minutes passed through into hours, by the time Omezuo got up to leave he had eaten and was slightly drunk.

When he got home he sneaked in quietly, changed for the night and tucked in to bed taking time not to wake his wife up. After a few minutes, Omezuo slept.

Nkeoma had waited for her husband to return but for the first time, he did not come home early. She had gone to lie down on the bed when she heard him coming and she pretended to be asleep.

She waited for him to reach out to her as he would normally do but he did not and that broke her heart, she had to admit the feeling she was having at him ignoring her must be heartbreak.

“What have I done wrong this time” Nkeoma thought to herself. Maybe she was not considerate and supportive enough. She wanted to reach out to him and apologize but was held back by pride, Omezuo has always been the one to make up when they quarreled. So Nkeoma held back and struggled with sleep. Finally, she slept off and waking up late, her husband was nowhere to be found – he has gone to school.