P.S : I am really sorry this came late. Network has been a horrible nightmare for me these past few days. Nevertheless, according to request, i made a part two for my last episode MY BUS CONDUCTOR LOVER and here it finally came! Hope you like it.......
MY BUS CONDUCTOR LOVER PART 2
"Aderonke please marry me" Gbenga said with all sincerity to go with it. I was dazed but I needed to give him a reply too. Why am I at loss for words? I summoned courage and kept my excitement in check.
"No"
"What did you just say?" He asked a little bit confused
"I said... Oh my God! Did I just say NO???"
"You won't marry me?"
"Yes"
More confusion on his face.
"I meant Yes I would marry you!"
He was so excited and lifted me up. For the first time, I kissed a conductor, I meant Gbenga who is now my fiance. He kept gushing about how he was going to take care of me and how we should start preparing for the main wedding ceremony as he couldn't wait. Of course he shouldn't wait, he found gold. Okay, I'm not being proud right now!
Trust Nigerian mothers to stay active at the mention of a wedding party especially when it is their children involved. Iya Aderonke(my mum) at the mention of just proposal went around dancing and telling everyone her first daughter is getting married to a handsome young man. I hope they haven't forgotten he was once a conductor.
Its been a two years down the lane. We made it through the various wedding over-hype and first year honeymoon flavors. All through the one year duration, my husband treated me with such fragility and respect. He almost worshipped me. I was enjoying the whole thing, feeling like a boss lady..... Until something snapped in him; It's been a worse marriage for me ever since.
I became a victim of domestic violence. Do I need a badge to be identified as one? Yes, I am beautiful on the outside but a wreck inside.
Gbenga isn't totally out of the conductor zone. He beats me at will, won't eat the food prepared by me and he caused me a miscarriage. Most times, I think I should have stood on my "No" reply when he asked me to marry him. My instinct was my guardian but I decided to go against it. Not really all that begins good, ends well.....
"What do you think went wrong with my marriage?"
I went crying to Jumoke my best friend when I was tired of holding up. Even if it is bad to involve a third party in marital issues, what options do I have now? My mum is a no-go as she might further complicate the whole issue by tying her fight girdle ready to boggle down with my husband for molesting her child also ready to remind him of how he came to be. Jumoke was saying something I need to reply to.
"Inferiority complex?" I asked my best friend when she made mention of it. Jumoke went further to expatiate her point which I could not but agree with her. She was absolutely right. Gbenga wouldn't stop feeling like I was bossing around him because I was a rich kid and I had a hand in shaping him to whom he currently is. But didn't I?
One moment he's sweet and the other, harsh. I thought I knew this man. I thought I have finally molded him into what I wanted.
"Now that's where the issue lies" Jumoke said, "you keep thinking you molded him into what he is today and he hates to think he was nothing before you picked him up. Men are naturally egoistic creatures. They want to be in charge always. Have you ever thanked him for coming into your life genuinely than leaving all appreciation to him?" She asked.
"Well, what am I to thank him for? I was the one did him a favo.....
"Eeeiisssshhhhh! Shut your mouth girl!" I heard Jumoke say. If there was anything she was known for, it is that she could be blunt for Afrika! She was no respecter of person when it came to speaking deserved truth in needed times. So I obeyed by shutting my mouth.
"You need to feed his ego and not strip it" she continued. "Only then will he see himself as your equal. Status quo wise".....
I remembered a Friday evening when he came back from work. I was a little tired myself as I had a rough day in the supermarket I manage, I couldn't make dinner that night and was about lovingly asking my husband's understanding when a slap ricocheted across my face with " so you expect me to go into the kitchen and prepare my own dinner? Who am i really? Some common man to you?". I made matters worse when I mentioned how I picked him from nothing to something.
"Please Jumoke, how do I salvage the dwindling boat of my marriage?"
I asked ready for a change in my marital life. She sighed and asked if I would do all she advised me to and a eager me shouted "Yes I will! I need my man back". Her next reply came as a shocker!
" If he needs superiority, give it to him. He owns it to start with ".
I was angry at Jumoke! How could she say such? What happened to the notion of a " Modern Woman"? Where was our dignity and integrity? Ain't we all equal with men? Okay just slightly inferior to them. Her advice was overboard. I can't take it. I stood up to leave when she dropped her last remark.
"It looks to me that Gbenga is more of the victim and not you! When you get really tired of the bastardization, no one would teach you what to do. Good luck!"
I left with a conflicting emotion. Should I throw pride and claim my man or wait till he comes to his senses? Maybe I haven't been helping issues either. True my momma raised a strong woman but she always low key told me to respect my husband. But in what way was I disrespecting Gbenga? His own was just too much jor! I got home all tired and dozed off.
The incessant bleeping of the car horn woke me up. But where was Adamu the gate man? Wait, that means Gbenga is back!!! Oh no! His dinner! I started pacing around the room fearful of his obvious action. Normally, I wasn't this fretful but it was a different thing altogether today. I also remembered I never knelt down for him, he does that when we were still a thing. How can I avert this calamity brewing?
Immediately I heard, "I'm back home honey", I jumped to my knees. It always starts that sweetly and every minor mistakes earns me a hit but I'm determined to make today different. Hope this works. " Honey I'm back" I heard him say again which signals "where is my dinner?". I remained on my knees ready to spill hot tears if he ever thinks to humiliate me as usual.
" Can't you hear.. " he was about barking out in anger when he met me on my knees and instead went subtly with a "ooiuuuii... Baby what's wrong?". Wow! I haven't seen this side of him for a long time. Maybe this is really working. I decided to throw in more dice as I put on humility full garb. I grabbed his feet while still kneeling and kept saying " I am so sorry". He patted me on my back asking for what went wrong. It was then I realized what humility can mend in people's affairs.
How I must have hurt this man with my pride! How I must have wrought him havoc by repeatedly nagging him over my good deeds to him. I needed to put things straight and in order.
"My husband, my head. My backbone, my perfect ribs. My master, my superior. My friend, my lover. You complete me. You gave my life a whole new meaning. How could I have lived without meeting you. Thanks for being in that bus. Thanks for sticking unto my ungrateful self. I really didn't chose to marry you for the position you hold today but simply drawn everyday by your personality. I would chose to be your bus driver if you opt to be a conductor still. We could also rotate spaces. Teach me the conductorship ways and watch me learn for you my husband. In essence, what I'm saying is, your past or present is not a determiner of how I always feel for you. What is more important is, you came to add value to my life. Forgive me for ever looking down on you and forgive yourself for what isn't your fault because how could we have met if things wasn't that sour for you? So my husband...."
I wiped my tears and looked up to see his reaction to all I've spoken. I have never seen a man this broken. He wept like a child and gathered me to himself thanking me for those words and how he had been expecting to hear them. He also promised never to hit me and apologized for the previous assaults. We both realized our mistakes and together we worked to effect a positive change in our marriage.
Few weeks later, I was tested positive for pregnancy. I think it would be a baby boy while he wishes it to be a girl. Any of the sexes our child turns out to be, wouldn't you come felicitate with us? This is an advance invitation to all my steemit friends.... Hahahahahah....
Not all that turns bad ends worse.....
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Wow 😮 friends like jumoke are very rare to come by, I’ve learned a lot from this fiction, pride doesn’t sort out conflicts but make it get worse, being submissive to your husband sometimes makes everything easier, congrats to Aderonkemi I pray love and harmony continue to reign in her home.
Hot 🔥 stuff
More grace!
wow!!!!...this is an amazing story. I missed the part 1, but I must confess I'm captured by this concluding part. It employed all emotions needed in tone and mood (love, empathy, anger and happiness). Honestly, @aderonkemi your something else...nice job.
Lessions: Never lay a hand on a woman, violence does not work on women, dialogue and silence work better. (real men don't beat-up a woman only boys do)
Ladies know the kind of company you keep, good company builds you while, bad company destroys you
Ladies, the best way to get a man isn't just the food but total submission does the magic... It breaks them...(challenging a man aggravates him).
@aderonkemi, Pls do check out this let me have your opinion
https://steemit.com/steem/@solynise/success-or-successful-which-are-you
What other things have I learnt? Okay... It's that you can maintain writing brilliantly till you yourself wish not to. This is really a good one coming from you... This is what is really happening in many marriages... In as much as you make the man feel smaller, it affects him. Some men can take it and just become like a second fiddle, but some others won't. And because of the love they really have for you, they turn the situation as it is in this case hoping the woman would find her steps back someday.
Once again, thanks for this.
Hmm, immediately I finished reading this post, I said within me "this is me"...
Have come to understand something here on this post; 1. Pride goes before a fall
2. Wife, be submissive to your husband.
3. Ask for forgiveness even if you are not wrong just to save your marriage.
I used to be like Aderonke, but a good friend is better than a bad sister , her friend made her to understand that she was married and not in a relationship ..
I love this fiction like crazy...
Thanks dear..
Thank God for Jumoke she has sense. Congrats with your new husband, enjoy this time. Hope a lot of other ladies learn from Jumoke...and ofcourse you.
Cheers
Wow, another brilliant one... It goes to show that good things dont come easy... Kudos to her for going through all that... Shit happens, we just have to deal with it.... More grease to your elbow!
I was once a victim of this.Met a girl who pride couldn't allow her believe she is a woman...The relationship actually ended in a shallow way
No pride in love. Good one
when you are trying to show that you are top of the world i sorry for you in the place of love. clear off whatsoever conflict and let sweet love continue.
nice one ademi.
Great story dear... Pride goes before a fall
Wonderful lesson
Thanks for sharing...