Tiwase entered the bedroom and found that Dele was fast asleep again. She sighed. She thought he was awake a few minutes before she stepped into the bathroom. She tapped him. “Dele” she called out his name. He mumbled something. She wasn’t sure what it was.
He rolled over. “What?” he snapped.
“I wanted to let you know that I went to pay the kids’ school fees today”
“Okay thanks” he said nonchalantly. He rolled over under the sheets again.
This time around Tiwase went to the other side of the bed, sat down and faced him. She tapped him again. “Dele please can we talk?” He mumbled under the sheets again.
“What?” He shouted. I heard. “You have paid the kids’ school fees again! And yes, I have gotten the alert of the money you sent in for me to transfer to my parents” oh I’m sorry, did I forget to mention that the landlord called and thanked me? Well thank you!”
By now he was out of bed and screaming at the top of his voice. Tiwase was too shocked to say anything at the outburst, with every scream her whole body kept jolting. [READ: Do Boys Need More Education Than Girls]
She stood up to try and touch him, he pushed her hands away, and pushed past her.
She sat down by the side of the bed, and had a good cry. She has been doing a lot of that lately after every one of these scenarios. He just became so nasty since he lost his job, and of course he wasn’t big on savings. Hence the reversal of role, which puts her as the breadwinner in the family. It’s been almost 2 years now.
Does he not know that this affects her too? And that it’s frustrating her as well? That everything she earns at the end of every month goes into their expenses? Not to mention his attitude and behavior, his usual outburst?
At first, she must admit, it was appealing, a sense of “helping” like it was okay for her to help her husband, now it just isn’t, not when he is treating her this way; like she was the problem. [READ: Is Your House Help Your Child’s Teacher]
And what she wanted to say wasn’t all that he mentioned.
She just wanted to tell him that his uncle was coming over this weekend. An unpleasant man he is.
She wiped her eyes, carried her bag and went out; at least if she isn’t finding joy in her home, she could at least find it in her job. Yes, she loves her job, and she enjoys what she is doing. She wasn’t going to be apologetic about it, not even if it affects her husband.
Written by- Morenike Balogun
