Love with bitter tears batch 1

LOVE WITH BITTER TEARS Episode 1 & 2

This story is for the guys who
think their partners made
mistakes which are so big to be
solved and forgiven. Enjoy the
story.
EPISODE_1
Richærd: “You are nothing but a
good for nothing wife and
mother, how could you just be
coming back from… Heaven
knows where it is you are
coming from? Your son has not
eaten since morning, are you
daft?”
Rebecca: “Let me hear you say
it again moron” she said tilting
her head to one side
pretending to want to hear
him better. “Who on earth said
a man cannot enter in,side the
kitchen to prepare food for his
starving son? I told you I was
going for The Union of
Chartered Accountants Meeting
and as you well know, I am the
Chairlady for the union;
shouldn’t your brain have told
you I might come back late to
prepare lunch?”
Richærd: “Chairlady who cannot
even take care of her little son,
how can you take care of the
needs of all those grownup
women in your so-called
union? Women sure are daft,
why elect a lazy thing like you
as a chairlady?”
Rebecca: “Moron… What do
you know? All you want is to
have your stomach filled, since
you cared that much about
Sammy and you are the
hærdworking one here, I am
asking again, why didn’t you
enter the kitchen?”
Richærd: “Don’t you dare call
me a moron again…Do you
understand?” he approached
her menacingly.
He watched and listened as
they raged on and on. His
young mind could not
comprehend how or why
everything suddenly changed
for his parents. He could
remember the way they were
before, amiable and full of love
for each other that even he
admired and envied them.
They forgave each other easily
and thought up excuses for the
other’s misgivings. He thought
it would last forever, he
thought couples were meant
to remain like that forever. But
there they were, almost always
on each other’s necks. Bickering
over little things which were
not worth bickering over. He
bled emotionally for his
parents’ fractured link. He just
didn’t know how he could fill
the void, or the gulf that laid
majestically between them
which threatened to swallow
them all up.
Richærd and his wife Rebecca
were the envy of whoever
came in contact with them as a
couple. The love they shared
was out of the ordinary, theirs
was indeed a love marriage;
the type Indians call Rabne
bana di Jodi [God made
couple]. Their first and only
child Sammy was only six years
old when things started falling
apart for their marriage. Of
course they were still
successful as chartered
accountants but along the way,
they seemed to have lost what
kept their marriage together.
That Saturday evening, without
minding that their son
watched them from where he
sat they kept lashing at each
other.
Rebecca: “Someone’s feathers
are being ruffled at last. Dear
man, come and demonstrate
how powerful you are in the
presence of your son on his
mother. Let the tell-tale of your
machoism decorate and adorn
my beautiful neck and face.
Your son will grow up
remembering how beautiful
they were on me” She wasn’t
backing off, she was prepared
for the worst. The elegant
m—d on her chest fell and
rose intermittently.
Richærd: “I can’t believe this. I
just can’t imagine how much
you’ve changed over the years,
it is so surprising how you’ve
decided to shirk your
responsibilities as a wife and
mother in the home” he said
frustrated.
Rebecca: “Responsibility? Did
you just say responsibility?
Don’t I bear yours in this
home? Or whose responsibility
do you think it is to put food
on the table for the family?
Shall I quit my job and become
a full house wife then? Or what
exactly do you want from me?
I really can’t do this anymore”
she burst into tears and took
some steps back throwing her
arms in the air in resignation.
Sammy sat at a far corner of
the sitting room, watching as
they bartered each other with
words, he had witnessed their
fights get out of proportion
several times and so that day,
he prayed silently in his heart
that his dad would not lose his
cool. That he wouldn’t start
throwing blows at his mum. He
kept praying until his mum
walked over to him with a
forced smile.
Rebecca: “Baby…” she began,
squatting down in front of him.
“Were you very hungry
today?” she asked fondly
Smoothening his thick and
dark eyebrows, then the tiny
bits of curly hair that lined the
sides of his handsome face.
Sammy: “No mummy! I am not
hungry at all, please don’t fight
daddy” he replied shaking his
little head worriedly.
Rebecca: “Don’t you lie to me
baby boy, I know you were
very hungry and I am very very
very sorry my dear, something
came up at the meeting” she
said apologetically.
Sammy: “it’s okay mum, what
matters is you not fighting dad,
I hate it when you two fight.
Promise me you will not fight
him again, forgive daddy
please?”
Rebecca: “You are still too
young to be talking about
stuffs like this Sammy, I cannot
promise you that because your
daddy is headstrong, he keeps
making us fight”
Sammy: “What is the meaning
of headstrong mummy? Is his
head strong? Don’t you like his
head?” he asked gloomily.
Rebecca: “You are so innocent
my boy and adorable but
promise me something?”
Sammy: “I will promise you
anything as long as you will no
longer fight daddy. I will even
be good, wake up on time to
prepare for school, I will do my
assignments early and brush
my teeth before I sleep
everyday” he said livening up.
Rebecca: “My baby is growing
so fast” she said raking her
fingers through his afro styled
hair. “Promise me that no
matter what a woman does to
you, you will never lay a finger
on her?”
Sammy: “That is simple mum, I
remember everything you do
tell me: any man who lays a
hand on his woman is not a
real man, women are like eggs
and so should be pampered, if
not, they might break and get
wasted. Life is not a bed of
roses and so things might go
wrong at some point, despite
that I cannot give up, I must
keep surviving” he finished
happily.
Rebecca: “I said it! How can
you be so intelligent? You even
remember them exactly the
way I said them? Give me five”
she said lifting her right palm
up for a high five while he
reciprocated the gesture.
Sammy: “It’s very simple mum”
he said proudly, apparently
proud of his achievement
forgetting all about the fight.
Rebecca: “Now let’s go and
prepare something for our
little genius, toast bread will
do right? Your favorite?”
She said leading him by the
hand to their well-equipped,
neat and spacious kitchen
which had white floral tiles
decorating it from walls to
walls.
Richærd entered into the
kitchen furiously and snatched
his sons hand away from her
grip.
Rebecca: “What do you think
you are doing?” she asked
taken-aback by this sudden
outburst.
Richærd: “Making sure you
aren’t poisoning my son’s mind
against me” he snapped and
dragged Sammy out of the
kitchen to the amazement of
his mother.
Sammy: “Dad where are we
going to? I was just going to
help mum make toast bread”
he was apparently displeased
with his dad’s action.
Richærd: “Don’t mind her my
son, we are going to get a bite
at Mr. Biggs. You love fried rice
right? I will get plenty fried rice
for you” he said as he stooped
down so he could be at eye
level with him,
Sammy: “But mum is…”
Richærd: “Hey boy! Stop
whining and just do whatever I
ask you to do. Stop acting like
a sissy and be a man, in this life
you have to be strong and
cunny otherwise you will suffer
in the hands of a woman the
way I am suffering now” he
said cutting him short sharply.
Sammy did not respond so he
continued “my dear son, there
is no place for soft men in this
world, you will get cheated
and trampled upon while you
keep wallowing in the mud. No
matter what you have to take
the bulls by the horns and push
it back. No one born of a
woman should cheat you and
get away with it, do you
understand?”
Sammy: “Yes dad, but mum
said I should never hit anyone
weaker than I am especially
women” he said looking up
defiantly at his dad.
Richærd: “Forget what your
mum said, she is giving you the
advice she should be giving a
girl. She wants you to be
getting disrespected the way
she is disrespecting me now.
Do you really want that? Will
you listen to a man or a
woman?” he asked holding his
two shoulders
Sammy: “Uhn! No dad” he felt
his dad’s gaze tearing his soul
violently apart and unraveling
all the feelings he had stacked
away somewhere he thought
was safe from the world’s
scrutiny. His dad stood up at
last and he felt a wave of relief
sweep over him in soothing
currents.
His dad drove slowly to the Mr.
Biggs down Ibadan Street in
Lagos Mainland where they
resided at. He was quite
relieved to find that the eatery
was not as crowded as it used
to be. He ordered for a plate of
fried rice, chicken and moin for
each of them. As they devoured
their meal silently, the door of
the eatery swung violently
open, two soldiers led the way
while a woman whose face
Richærd could not see properly
trailed behind them, pointing
towards where he and Sammy
sat at a booth at the far corner
of the eatery.
Rebecca: “There is the
b—–d…” she said appearing
fully at the forefront of the
wh0le scenario pointing at her
mystified husband.
To_be_continued
 
LOVE WITH BITTER TEARS
EPISODE_2
Sammy looked on as his dad
was swept off his feet by the
two hefty army officers who
accompanied his mum and it
dawned on him that his dad
was actually in big trouble. He
stood bravely at a corner
watching as his dad was
getting bartered by the men
while his mum kept heaping
accusations at him.
Rebecca: “That is the man who
wants to kill me at home. Look
at the bruises on my body, he
has turned me to his punching
bag” she raved accusingly.
1 st Officer: “B—–d, you have
the guts to lay your hands on a
woman while we fight the
book boys in Sambisa forest
just to protect you. if you had
that much power, why don’t
you join us in the fight? You
bloody coward” he cursed
breathlessly as he stomped on
Richærd over and over again.
On-lookers trouped around
them and started pleading on
behalf of Richærd but it all fell
on deaf ears. The officers
seemed to be punishing him
for more than just abusing his
wife as she claimed he did.
Richærd: “Officer please!
Please!” he pleaded while
trying to shield his face and
ribs from their incessant
assaults. His ribs despite his
attempts at shielding them
seemed to be snapping off
under the effects of the officers’
jungle boots.
2 nd Officer: “You are going to
rot at the guardroom for the
rest of your life, you dare abuse
your wife, let’s see how many
soldiers you can take on when
you reach the barracks” he said
lifting him up effortlessly from
the ground and dragging him
along with them as Richærd
kept pleading weakly for
mercy.
Richærd: “Rebecca please help
me beg them. I have learnt my
lessons now, I will never
exchange words with you
again so please just forgive me
for Sammy’s sake”
Rebecca: “I am doing this for
his sake, so he won’t have to
grow up with regrets. I have to
teach you a lesson otherwise
you might end up killing me
someday in his presence” she
said not minding her son who
was pulling on her dress to get
her attention.
Sammy: “Where are they
taking daddy to? Why are they
beating daddy? Mummy” he
started weeping still tugging at
her dress.
Rebecca: “Baby don’t worry,
they are helping us set your
dad straight” she said looking
down at him impatiently.
Sammy: “But I don’t like that
they are beating my daddy” he
snapped
Rebecca: “See Sammy leave me
alone and just be a good boy
by coming with me, we are
going home”
Sammy: “No! I am not going
anywhere without my dad…I
want my dad” he said running
towards the officers who were
busy bundling Richærd into
their truck. “Leave my dad
alone, my dad did not do
anything, we were just eating,
please leave my dad alone!” he
held on to the arms of the 1at
soldier who ignored him and
kept on with his task. They
finished, got into the truck and
zoomed off leaving a wave of
dust behind.
Richærd was released after a
week of detention at Marda
Army Barrack’s guardroom
without letting anyone see
him. He said no word as
Rebecca drove him home that
day.
Rebecca: “I was able to cover
up for you at work by telling
the managing director you
were suddenly hospitalized. I
also did most of your work so
you must really be grateful
right? Sammy won’t stop
crying for you…I think I made a
mistake and I am really sorry. I
tried getting you out the next
day but they wouldn’t even let
me see you” she prattled on
and on. “And why do you look
so lean? Weren’t you getting
fed there at all? Baby I am
really sorry” she said
apologetically trying to
concentrate on her driving at
the same time. “I prepared
your favorite meal of pounded
yam and vegetable soup, I
hope you will like it? I have
warm water ready for you in
the bathroom, I even added
some mint to it just to calm
your muscles” as she
maneuvered the Range Rover
into the parking lot of their
bungalow house. He climbed
out of the car and walked in
without saying a word to her
still. She quickly turned off the
ignition and ran after him.
“Aren’t you the one I’ve been
talking to?” she said blocking
him from going any further
with her petite body. The hurt
she saw in his eyes spoke
volumes, her heart melted
even more than it already had
and she stepped aside for him
as Sammy ran into his warm
embrace. She stood isolated
watching father and son
bonding.
Sammy: “Daddy I really missed
you”
Richærd: “I missed you too
buddy. Sorry I was away for
too long, sorry you had to
witness all that. I feel so
ashamed of myself” he said
sadly and looked beyond him
to where the door of the
bedroom stood ajar.
Rebecca: “Come Sam, your dad
needs to rest, come now!” she
ordered. Richærd dropped him
slowly and headed for the
bedroom. He went straight to
the closet and started packing
some of his cloths. “Sam can
you go to your room for a
while? Will call you when your
dad has freshened up okay?”
Sammy: “Okay mum” he said
and ran off excitedly.
She walked slowly to him and
perched on the side of the
huge bed they shared.
Rebecca: “Are you going
somewhere honey? Why are
you packing your clothes?” she
asked gently.
Richærd: “I am not going
anywhere” his voice sounded
so hoarse even he could not
recognize it.
Rebecca: “But why are you
packing?”
Richærd: “I will be staying at
the guest room from now on.
You don’t need to cook for me
anymore or whichever things it
is you used to do for me
before. I am not packing out
for the sake of my son. So don’t
make it more awkward by
asking more questions or
nagging about it in your usual
manner then later you’d go
release your dogs on me. So
please, can we live peacefully
from now on?”
Rebecca: “How can you say
that honey? I made a mistake
and I have apologized, please
don’t do this” she pleaded
standing on her feet to move
closer to him but he backed
away.
Richærd: “Don’t touch me! From
now on, we seize being
couples. So respect my space
while I respect yours. Do you
get my point?”
Rebecca: “No I cannot agree to
that. I want you back as my
husband, I cannot survive
without you so please forgive
my mistake this once. Please?”
Richærd: “You knew you could
not live without me and you
did that to me? You disgraced
me before the wh0le world,
you basically murdered me
without even knowing it. How
do you expect me to live with
you after what you did to me?
How can you be so callous?”
Rebecca: “Okay…its fine as long
as you will still live under this
roof but let’s make sure
Sammy did not get wind of
what is happening, he might
become more broken than he
already is”
Richærd: “You are really funny
madam, so you knew this and
you called officers to come
beat his dad up in his
presence? There’s no need
talking to you, the more we
talk the more irritated I get. So
excuse” he said and walked
past her without casting
another glance her way. She
watched him walk away and
resolved within her to do
everything in her power to get
him back. She wasn’t going to
stay passive while he slipped
away from her forever.
He noticed the tension
between his parents, he knew
something was not right
somewhere when he saw his
dad sleep in the guestroom. He
sat in the classroom with a
drooping shoulder as his class
teacher Miss Opha(as they
called her) taught them on the
subject, English Language. The
class was beautifully decorated
with paintings of the pupils
from their creative art class.
The wall was painted in rose
pink with individual desks for
each of them while Miss
Ophelia had her desk with
different types of teaching
materials and the student’s
books right beside the
window. She noticed one of
her pupils was far from the
class and walked up to him.
Miss Opha: “Samson…” she
called but the boy did not
answer until she gave him a
knock on the head “What on
earth are you thinking about?”
Sammy: “Nothing ma…I am
listening to you ma” he replied
springing to his feet.
Miss Opha: “You were listening
Uhn? What was the last thing I
said?”
Sammy: “Uhn…” he thought
scratching his head “You said
what ‘was the last thing I
said?’” The class burst into
laughter.
Miss Opha: “Quiet everybody!”
she barked. “So you think you
are smart right?” she bent
down, looked at him
menacingly, grabbed his right
ear and started twisting it
really hærd.
Sammy: “Ouch auntyyyy!
Please ma, please ma” he
pleaded.
Miss Opha: “Will you still try
acting smart next time?”
Sammy: “No ma! I am sorry
ma” he said touching his ear to
be sure it wasn’t torn.
Miss Opha: “come and see me
during break time okay?
Something is definitely
happening with you and I must
find out what it is. You were
brighter than this before and
it’s getting less amusing by the
day” she said and strutted back
to the front of the class while
he murmured a reply and sat
down.
Opha went home that day
thinking of everything Sammy
had told her about his parents.
She felt something stir within
her for the helpless boy and
shivered at the thought of it.
She knew she had to do
something otherwise her pupil
will be the one to live a
lonesome life later.

####

 
As soon as he stepped into the
house, the aroma emanating
from the kitchen almost
knocked him off his feet. His
wife seemed to be a little
calmer of late yet he was
finding it difficult to even say
hello to her. He had to put up a
front anytime Sammy was
within earshot or with them.
But he spent most of his time
in his library pretending to be
engulfed with work. Rebecca
took it as a point of duty to get
back home from work earlier
than usual to prepare his meal
and do some other house
chores which she always took
for granted before their big
quarrel. She was in the kitchen
preparing Ogbono soup when
she heard the door squeal
open. She ran to the corridor
which was in between the
living room and the kitchen
and also served as the entrance
to the house. He was already
heading for the guest room
when she stopped him.
Rebecca: “Darling welcome
back, how was work today? I
noticed how busy you were at
work today” she said trying to
pretend all was well between
them.
Richærd: “You did well by
noticing. Thank you” He said
nonchalantly.
Rebecca: “I am preparing your
best meal of pounded yam
with ogbono this time. Hope
you will eat?”
Richærd: “No thanks, I have
eaten already. I am tired, can I
go in now?”
Rebecca: “Hmmmmmm!
Richærd please it’s enough
already. I think you’ve
punished me enough?”
Richærd: “I am not out to
punish you”
Rebecca: “Then what are you
doing? When was the last time
you ate in this house? When
was the last time you spoke to
me like your life partner?”
Richærd: “You have no right to
ask me any questions right
now after what you did to
me…Can I go in,side now?”
Rebecca: “I have apologized
countless times for that day.
It’s okay though but you
should know I will not give up
on us, for my children’s sake, I
will keep fighting”
Richærd: “What do you mean
by for our children’s sake? We
only have one child”
Rebecca: “Honey God has
answered our prayer at last. I
am pregnant, I am carrying
your child again” she said
moving closer to her
dumbfounded husband.
Richærd: “How? Why are you
pregnant now of all times? Are
you sure that baby is mine?”
Rebecca: “What is that
supposed to mean?” she
retorted angrily
Richærd: “Well this is 21 st
century, we will find out when
it’s time.” He said and started
walking away from his wife
who was rooted to a s₱0t
staring into thin air.
Rebecca: “I can’t believe you
just said that Richie… I can’t
believe it has gotten up to this”
Richærd: “Yes it has! Who
knows? It might be for one of
your soldier boyfriends” he
roared from the front of his
room.
Rebecca: “Okay! Sammy’s class
teacher wants to see us,
though I told her we are a busy
lot but we can always go
during lunch break” she
announced.
Richærd: “Then you should go
alone. I will be busy even
during lunch break” he said
sitting on the bed and pulling
off his socks, then his shirt.
Rebecca: “But it’s Sammy we
are talking about. Please for his
sake?” she said swallowing
hærd at the sight of his bare
chest as adrenaline rushed into
her veins.
Richærd: “Good! Good! Can you
excuse me now? As you can
see I am undressing” he said
pulling his trousers remaining
only his boxers.
Rebecca: “Uhm! Uhn! Okay! I
will leave now” she said
without bulging from where
she stood ogling at his well-
built body frame and the bulge
in,side his boxers. “Yeah sure I
should excuse you right? Are
you sure? “She said with a
deep desire laden voice.
Richærd: “Oh yeah!” he said
smiling within himself,
knowing the effects he was
having on her.
Ophelia Harrisons (Miss Opha)
was a lady who loved her job
more than anything. She was
so beautiful that she could bag
a modeling contract in
Broadway without breaking a
tiny drop of sweat. People took
her for an half cast or a
foreigner because of how fair
she was. She had a height, gait
and curves that made heads
turn wherever she went. She
had men at the tip of her
fingers and had things easy for
her. Her father was a Professor
of History and International
Studies in the University of
Benin and was the only child of
her parents. She sat facing
Richærd that noon in the
secluded class during break
time.
Opha: “Welcome Mr. Rotimi…
Thanks for honoring my
invitation sir but where is your
wife? I thought you were
coming together?”
Richærd: “Something came up
so she couldn’t make it. So why
did you ask to see us? Hope
there is no problem?”
Opha: “There is no problem just
that I noticed something about
Sammy lately”
Richærd: “What happened? Is
he doing something wrong?”
he asked adjusting nervously
on his seat.
Opha: “Not at all, just that he
seems quite absent minded
and withdrawn lately. He
hærdly plays with his friend any
more neither does he pay
attention in class. Please sir is
something happening in your
home that you think might be
affecting him adversely?”
Richærd: “Nothing I can think
of. Maybe he is just in that
phase of his life?”
Opha: “Are you sure? Just see
me as a friend and talk to me
okay? I am here to help and
nothing more. I only want the
welfare of my pupils, stuffs like
this happen all the time and its
mostly because of a problem
the child is witnessing at home.
So if there’s anything you feel I
should know, please tell me”
Richærd wriggled his hands like
a little boy facing panel in
school. He debated whether to
tell the goddess sitting before
him the problems he was
going through in his marriage
or not. He looked into her eyes
and what he saw was as
harmless as any dove could be
so he decided to open up to
her.
Richærd: “Well…” he went
ahead to tell her everything he
and his wife were going
through in their home. She was
taken aback at how things
could turn for the worse for
two lovers out of the blues.
Opha: “Wow! Now I am more
convinced in my opinion about
marriage” she said more to
herself than to Richærd. “I will
suggest you two work things
out and please try to forgive
her for your son’s sake. You
don’t want to see him grow up
a broken man who…” she was
interrupted by the wailing of
the bell. Break was over. “Okay
break is over…we still have a
lot to talk about so here’s my
card, give me a call anytime
you feel like, as a friend” she
said extending her card to him,
he collected it, dipped his hand
in his h¡p pocket and brought
out his wallet, took a card from
it and handed it over to her
too.
Richærd: “Thanks a lot Miss,
now I am convinced my son is
in good hands. In case I forget
to give you a call, don’t
hesitate to remind me through
the number there” he said
gesturing to the card in her left
hand.
Opha: “Oh sure!” she smiled as
they shook hands. She watched
as he hurriedly left the
classroom checking his wrist
watch over and over again. She
could not help but feel sorry
for him, the burden he is forced
to carry around in the name of
marriage made her heart sink
with grieve. She was never a
strong advocate of marriage,
she once told her parents she’d
rather have a child out of
wedlock than be held captive
in an unhappy marriage.
When she got home that
evening after lesson periods,
she met her mum and best
friend Gloria discussing in their
well-furnished sitting room.
The house itself spoke volumes
of its occup-nts and she loved
showing it off to her friends.
Opha: “See who is here today,
it’s the almighty newly
wedded wife of Johnson. What
brought you out of you crib
today?” she said jovially,
dropping her bag on the glass
table and slumping down
beside her friend, hugging her
from behind.
Maggy: “So it’s only your friend
you see here right? I am not
human you this ill-mannered
girl” her mum feigned
annoyance.
Opha: “I am sorry mum, I just
got carried away seeing this
lass here today. Good
afternoon ma” she greeted her
mum and walked over, placed
a light k-ss on her cheek and
went back to her former
position beside her friend.
Gloria: “Don’t mind her mum.
She is just looking for a way to
look for my trouble”
Opha: “let’s go to my room girl,
we have a lot to catch up on”
she said drawing her along
with her.
Maggy: “Glo please advise your
friend to go and get married
too o, abi what is all these
wahala sef, for how long will I
keep housing a fully grown
woman?” she called after
them.
Opha: “Don’t mind her dear,
she just wouldn’t let me rest in
this house. I am not interested
in getting married or has
marriage become a do or die
affair?” she said to her friend
after closing the door to her
room to give them better
privacy…
To_be_continued