The Path I Never Wished To Tread

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Claudia got married to Nick at a very young age. They were blessed with three children. She’s the first child of her parents. She was given out in marriage so she can help in training her younger siblings.

Nick, a good man with a good heart. He is very generous and churchy but he’s got a fault. He beats his wife at every slightest provocation.

Growing up, Claudia wanted  a man that will love her unconditionally, a man that will treat her like an egg. During her days in high school, she usually tell people of how she’s going to be the best wife on earth to the man that will marry her.

Some years later, she got married. Things were moving normally until she gave birth to their first child and it turned out to be a girl. She gave birth to the second, It was the same result. The third issue was not different as it happened to be a girl also. Her husband got furious because so many questions started coming to his mind. “Who’s going to take care of my already acquired wealth? Who’s going to take over my establishments when I’m weak?”

These and so many other things occupied his mind. The first day he started dishonouring his wife was the day she was breastfeeding their daughter, Aura.

Aura has been crying and Claudia went inside to check what was wrong with her. As she got there, she observed that the baby is hungry. She felt the need to breastfeed her. This made her to forget that she was preparing lunch for her family. Unlike her husband who usually comes back at 5pm, he got back earlier that day. At first he thought that it was their neighbour’s food that was burning but then the smell was oozing from the kitchen into the sitting room of their duplex.

“Claudia!” He shouted.

“Are you not the one cooking this food that is burning?” He queried.

“Good evening, darling, welcome. I’m so sorry about that. I was breastfeeding the baby…”

Before she could finish talking, he has slapped her on both cheeks.

“So this is how you normally waste our food stuffs? Later you will write a list of items that will be enough to pay your bride price. Witch”. He said in fury.

Claudia could not help crying her eyes out. “Have I done something wrong by going to breastfeed our baby” She said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“What mess have I put myself into? Nick has given up on me and I perfectly understand his reasons but he wouldn’t listen to me. How am I responsible for not giving him a male child? Is it not the seed he deposited inside me that I gave him back? God I take solace in you” She added, cleaning her eyes.

The next day, Nick was ready for work. He was about leaving and Claudia asked him to help her drop their kids in school since he’s moving towards that direction. She explained to him that she’s going to bathe their baby and feed her so she may not be able to do that.

He vehemently refused and walked out on her. She checked the time and it was already late. If she starts giving attention to the new baby first before going for school run, her children may miss the first class. She dressed up and brushed her teeth and took her children to school.

One blissful evening, She was in the room with her kids and her husband came in with a lady. He gave her the keys to one of the rooms in their duplex so she can be staying with them pending when she’ll secure a job.

This was unlike Nick who will always consult his wife before doing anything. When his wife approached him, he told her to get out of her presence, asking her if she contributed a penny to the construction of the house.

She felt bad. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Crying has become her groove. She cleaned her eyes and got back into the children’s room so that they will not perceive that their mother cried.

Amanda, the first daughter already knows that their parents have not been in good terms but cannot state the reason for that. She will always come to their mum and ask her if anything is wrong. Their mother, being a wise woman will always assure her that everything is fine because she wouldn’t want to involve them in what is going on in the family lately.

The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the day her husband was caught cheating with another woman. Claudia’s friend checked into a hotel to pass the night so she can be able to attend the pilgrims summit they were supposed to have in Lagos.

When she saw Claudia’s husband, she took pictures of him and the lady she was with and sent to her. Her heart has been shattered. She cried and waited for the heavens to open and the earth to open so she can jump in and forget her sorrows. None happened and she felt so bad.

The next day, she waited for her husband to return but he didn’t return. She packed her things and headed for her parent’s house.

On getting back home, her mother was the first to see her and dashed out to go and welcome her daughter. Behold, her daughter’s face looked gloomy. “What is wrong, child?” She asked.

“Mum, I’m done. It’s not just working. I never wanted to tread this path but you pushed me into it. I understand that it was because of my family’s financial status but I gave you reasons to allow me stay back and fend for my siblings and you pushed me into this”. Claudia lamented

Her mother looked at the daughter she gave a good moral upbringing and tears started flowing like a river.

“Claudia my child, your father and I wanted the best for you and your siblings. I am sorry if I pushed you into this. I never saw it coming. I’m truly sorry. Your husband is a good man but he only changed because you people have not been able to have a male child. We will devote our time to pray for him. There is nothing that God cannot do. Do you believe that he will change for good?” She asked her.

“Mum, I cannot answer that. I’ve lost hope. I’ve given up. Is God still alive?” She asked amidst tears.

“Why would you ask such a question? The heart of Kings are in the hands of the Lord. If he can change the hearts of so many kings, your case will not be different. I know that my redeemer liveth”. She concluded.

“Get your things let’s go inside. Your father is not yet back from work. Do not tell him anything when he comes back. You know how deadly he can be. He can go as far as giving your husband a permanent disability and choose to face a jail sentence” She pleaded with her.

“Okay, I will not” She promised.

Two days after Nick left, he came back to meet an empty home. “Where did this girl go?” He said as he thoroughly searched the house.

He searched the whole apartment but there was no sign of his wife or their children. She tried calling her on phone but her phone kept on rejecting his calls because she added his number to her phone’s blacklist.

She didn’t want to call her mother-in-law because he finds it difficult to call her since he started maltreating their daughter.

He decided to have a little rest before going through some papers that were submitted to him at the office.

As he lay down to rest, he touched a journal under their bed. This was the journal his wife has been reading to see how they can get off this condition. He realized that their inability to have a male child was not his wife’s fault. It was actually his fault. He wept bitterly for maltreating Claudia all these while.

Now, he’s back to his senses. Just like the prodigal son who realized his folly. He called his mother-in-law and asked for forgiveness. He reported to her that Claudia and the children are missing. She told him that they’re with her.

He asked to speak with her wife. Claudia answered him amidst tears. He asked her to forgive him that he has come to his senses.

She hesitated before accepting his apology.

The following day, he travelled to her wife’s place and brought his family back home. From that very moment, his love for her quadrupled.

Two years later, Claudia conceived and gave birth to a set of twins - all boys. They felt happy and had a get together. Their love life became the best that ever existed.