Sacrilege - Season 1 - Episode 29

4 years ago

Sacrilege - Season 1 - Episode 29

Margaret removed the scarf she had tied around her head and heaved a hearty sigh as ventilation got restored into her medulla.
“Mummy”

She turned slightly towards the little miss tugging furiously at her leg. “I’m coming, Tess” she smiled slightly at her daughter as she removed her blouse, exchanging it for a casual top. “You are hungry, Ehn?” Tess bobbed her head.

“Indomie” she whined, her eyes tearing up.
“Okay okay” Margaret rushed, changing her skirt as she glanced up at the wall clock. She had stayed too long at Laura’s office when she knew she shouldn’t. She still hasn’t made dinner. She kept her panic hidden as she grabbed Tess, rushing towards the kitchen. “Let’s go and cook Indomie” she declared with a big grin aimed at her daughter. Like magic, Tess broke into a toothless grin, showcasing her pair of teeth.
Margaret practically flew into the kitchen, putting Tess on the ground to roam around freely as she hurriedly rushed through dinner. Tess, at one year and four months was the loveliest kid there is. Margaret watched her with one eye as she broke her noodles into bits and stuffed into steaming hot water, at the same time, working dinner.
Multitasking was a skill she soon learnt after marriage. It was an on-the-job-training she got. It increased several notches after the birth of Tess, but Margaret knew it wouldn’t be so terrible if she had a different husband. She glanced at the wall clock nervously. She couldn’t afford to prepare finger food before her husband arrived, so she settled for white rice since she had stew already prepared. Margaret sighed deeply as she served Tess’ Indomie and started feeding her child. A car horn made her jump as she looked nervously at the food. “Daddy” Tess muttered. Small as she was, the little girl already knew her father’s car horn.

Margaret left Tess’ food, rushing to the pot on fire as she heard the car zoom into the compound. It was almost dry. She heaved a slightly relieved sigh. Thank you, God. She put the stew on heat as she rushed to the sitting room just as the door opened. She swallowed. “Welcome darling”
“Uhn” Mr. Collins grunted, unsmiling.
Great!

“Daddy” Tess stretched her hands to her dad and Mr. Collins softened a little, taking his daughter from Margaret into his arms. “How are you, Nne?”
“Fine” Tess answered in an inaudible childlike voice.
Margaret shifted nervously. “Your food is almost ready”
Mr. Collins turned to glare at her. “Why isn’t it ready yet?”
“Erm… I…” Margaret stuttered. Her husband hissed, dropped Tess and waltzed away into his room. The atmosphere was charged with tension as she rushed into the kitchen. The rice was dry, thankfully. Collins was in a good mood, if his little display of affection towards his daughter was anything to go by. Swallowing, she dished her husband’s food as fast as she could – rice in one plate and stew in another, while keeping an eye on Tess.

Margaret took the food to the dinning in a tray, rushing back to get water. On getting back, Collins was already at the dinning and seated. She filled his cup with water, just as he opened the plates.

“Rice?” he boomed. Margaret jumped in fright. Collins glared at Margaret. “I’ve been out all day and you dare to serve me rice?”

“It… I am sorry”
Collins’ hand flashed out, connecting with Margaret’s cheek in a resounding slap. Margaret stumbled backwards, holding her cheek as the slap re-echoed. “What have you been doing at home all day that you could not make me a proper dinner?” Collins’ voice rang out in the room.

Margaret shrank back, moving out of harm’s way. She held her tongue, not wanting to say anything to stoke her husband’s anger any further.
“If you know what is good for you, you would go in there and make me a proper dinner” he sent the tray on the table sailing with his hand as he stood up and stalked away. Margaret shrieked and jumped out of the way as the tray came crashing on the floor, together with the plates of rice and soup. Tess’ cry rose to Margaret’s ear as she bent to pick what she could with her shivering fingers. Her heart raced from fear as she picked the plates with one hand, carrying her daughter with the other hand as she made for the kitchen.

It was always like this… after more than two years of being married, she could not tell the day she had truly been happy in her marriage, except the day she had held her little Tess in her hands for the first time. Each day seemed longer than the last. Laura was right! She wished Laura had married Collins so she wouldn’t be saddled with the responsibility of marrying him. She despised Laura for putting her in this position. For putting her in the perpetual state of fear. She hated Laura for being the reason why she suffered and nursed visible and invisible bruises everyday of her life. She despised Laura for having everything she wished she had.

*****