Hello my good people. It has been a couple of decades since our last rendezvous together.

I found myself in an arranged marriage which i was not allowed to do anything that is not connected to my wifely duties.

I found myself in an oppressive marriage. Bound by tradition and family expectations, my spirit withered under the weight of an abusive husband.I have Endured both physical and emotional torment in his hands through the years, and my days became a relentless struggle for survival.

My neighbors and friends bore witness to my suffering. Yet, societal norms held firm, cloaking the abuse in a shroud of acceptance.

Nothing i did was good enough for my husband and his people. His sisters took pleasure in tormenting my already broken life and in the back driving the knife in by reporting false information to my husband. My dear husband after drowning himself in the local brew ( which led to him loosing his job and us relocating back to the village to live with the clan) would come back home in the wee hours singing how he is going to teach me my place and manners. He would feed me with blows and kicks and push me to sleep outside the door regardless of the weather. In the days he was in a good mood he would allow me to cook for him at that hour since he always wanted fresh made meals, before he starts our normal dance of blows and kicks.

Me having a conversation with any member of the male gender regardless of what we are talking about was another reason to warrant more marks on my body. He once tied me to a tree the entire night just because i served food to his friend who came to the house to look for him.

My breaking point was being beaten and raped by my so called beloved husband the same week i had a delivery.

We continue next time as the pain is still too much for me to remember…..

As usual its been me,…

Xoxo,

The Prodigal African Queen.