Maami!" Marissa exclaimed as she hurried to her grandmother's side. "What is the problem? Are your legs giving you issues again? Sorry, here, stretch it out a bit. I already said that we should go to the hospital so they can check you out properly. All this shea butter and herb mixture won't work," Marissa said in concern as she massaged Mama's legs, hoping to relieve the pain.
"I am fine. I am old, and this kind of thing is not unusual. I just need to… ah wait" she said holding Marissa's hand to stop her from massaging her legs.
"Sorry ma, am I hurting you?" Marissa said as she crouched down in front of her grandmother.
Mama sighed as the pain subsided again "It is fine, don't worry. But you.." she hit Marissa in her arm "What do you mean by you asked him for divorce, ehn? How could you do such a thing?"
"Ouch!" Marissa said, rubbing at her arm "I just…I just didn't want him to feel that he is obligated to stay with me now that the child is not here anymore" she explained, not liking how her explanation sounded to her ears as well now that she is saying it out loud.
"Ahah, of course, he is responsible for you and obligated to stay with you no matter what. He is your husband. Isn't he? You this strong… strong-headed girl" Mama said hitting her again.
"Ouch, maami. You will hurt your hand o" Marissa said as she moved back from where Grandma's hand could reach her and sat on the floor facing her grandma. Out of reach of course.
She shook her head at how much the pain stung despite how frail her grandma's hand looked now.
"Leave me, let me hurt my hand. Ehn, you this child. What were you thinking? Ah okay, tell me what did he say? Did he agree with your silly idea?" Grandma asked with apprehension.
"No, he was really against it and he said he doesn't want to, though these days…"
"Ehn ehn of course, I know that he wouldn't agree with you. Isn't that a reason enough for you to know that he truly wants you? If it was one of these irresponsible ones that are out there today, do you know how high they would jump in jubilation for their freedom? Ehn what did you mean by though these days?" she asked suddenly as she seemed to recollect that Marissa had added that.
"I mean we had an altercation the other day regarding this same discussion and since then he had been mentioning the issue more often. He refers to it most times even when what we are saying does not relate to it" she said with a furrow on her brow as she tried to recollect his strange attitude these days and what she thought it could be about. "I think he might be considering it as well. He has probably realized that he does not love me after all and he probably wanted the same thing now. Well, we have…" She clamped her mouth shut, she knew that her grandma would only berate her more if she informed her of the three-month deadline they had with each other. Well, it remains two months and some days now, she mused.
"He…." Her grandma gave her an exasperated look as she gingerly stood up from the couch. "Probably…maybe… he thought. Keep guessing, you hear? Have you asked him to know what he is thinking now?"
Marissa shook her head.
"I won't say anything again, you hear. Just know that if you lose that loving responsible boy, you will regret it. I am not saying it because I am all-knowing but because I know that you wouldn't forgive yourself" Grandma said as she turned to leave. "Think well and have a rethink, my dear. Some kinds of people are just like rare opportunities. They both come your way once and once you lose them, you cannot regain them again"
Grandma turned to her with her hand on the doorknob "Just imagine that you go through with this ridiculous divorce idea and you end up alone with Emma as you had always convinced yourself that you want to be. Then picture him with someone else, with another woman, living their lives in joy, love, and happiness. That other woman getting all the love that he is offering you now that you decide to throw it away. Okoo mi, just think of that in your head. If you are okay with it, then go ahead with whatever it is you want to do to separate from him but if not just get up from that floor and go and dress up. Go out with your man to get back on track with building your home" She twisted the knob and went out closing the door gently behind her.
Marissa sat there on the floor with her arms around her knees as she tried to imagine what her grandma just said but her mind shied away from it because just thinking about him touching a faceless woman alone caused her heart to ache not to talk of him spending the rest of his life with that woman when Marissa would not be in the picture.
She tried to imagine another woman waking up to see his handsome, beloved face first and sleeping with that sight being the last thing she would see.
Marissa sighed at the waves of unreasonable jealousy that gripped her at the thought.
"I can't even imagine it but still…."
Her phone rang.
She stood up, wincing at the cramp in her back.
He was the one calling!
She glanced at the clock. It's still 5:16 pm.
"He wouldn't be calling this early about the outing. Would he? Did grandma call him?" she thought hesitating to pick up the call as she wondered what she would say to him if he mentioned anything like that right now that her emotions are still unstable.
The call disconnected.
"Way to go, babe. Let's just stand here like a scared kid while the phone rings away" her subconscious smirked at her.
She was contemplating if she should call him back or just pretend she had not seen the call when the phone rang again. She snapped it up on the first ring.
"Hello," she said then realized how thready her voice sounded so she cleared her throat and repeated "Hello, why…it is just past five now. Do…"
She paused to listen to what he was saying and the expression on her face changed.
"What?"