For the Dream of 5 Years: Chapter Twenty-One: All the Skeletons

"Here, I brought you grapes and yoghurt, my dear," said Michelle's mom, seated at the bedside at the hospital. "Thank you, mom. I will be discharged today. Have you packed my school work too? I don't want to go back to that house, ever!" She said, sitting up. "Eh, about that, my dear daughter, you are returning to your house. I have talked with Dave; he will take care of you," said her mother, fixating her eyes on the wall. "Please tell me you are joking, mom. I can't believe you right now. We have talked about this, and the least you could do is support me in this," she said, leaning over as though to sound clearer. "I support you, my dear; I will support you in everything besides breaking your marriage. Go talk to your husband and iron out your issues," she insisted. "And kill Shanice and her son? Is that it, mom? Because clearly, our issues will keep progressing in age, demanding this and that, and constantly interfere with our lives," she retorted. "Well, it is clear that you haven't understood the concept of marriage, my dear. For better, for worse, remember your vows?" Said her mother. "Mom, worse? Worse to me is sickness, not the results of a fun-filled sexual encounter!" She said, leaning back and holding her head in disbelief. "Dave had an affair with another woman, and he came straight to propose to me after discovering he had made her pregnant. Dave intentionally tied me down, mom! Get the perspective!" Said Michelle. "He tied you down. Have you gone hungry even a single day, slept in the cold, or been unhappy before all this?" asked her mother. "Mom. Really? Because I have a house and food and smile sometimes, I should stay with an unfaithful jerk?" She asked. "No, I'm saying you are going back to try fixing your issues. If you still feel the same after a year, you can decide to leave him then. Don't make an irrational decision because you are angry," said her mom, handing her the sliced fruits and a fork. Dave came by the hospital a few hours later, just before she was discharged. "I know you don't feel like talking with me, I have apologized, and I will continue until you forgive me," he said, handing her a pair of clean clothes. Michelle didn't utter a word to him, just like she hadn't uttered a word all the times he spent by her hospital bedside narrating how sorry he was, how he met Shanice at his mom's home, how he slept with her after the elections, or how he was a changed a man. She didn't even look at him, but she listened. Dave did all the discharging paperwork required by the hospital and took his wife home. His sister, Joan, was waiting at home, having cooked and cleaned. "Welcome home 'nyathiwa,'" she said, meaning welcome home, our daughter. Michelle had a little chat with Joan before going to bed to rest. Dave gave her some private, quiet time because she needed to come to terms with the current situation of their family. "Don't touch me, Dave, don't you dare touch me, or I will sleep on the couch or move into Mike's bedroom," she said when Dave tried to cuddle her that night. Dave moved back a little to give her space. They had never slept so close yet so far. It was strange for Dave, it killed him inside, but he knew he deserved more than that. Michelle could have opted to move out or live with her mother; he knew her very well. He knew her mother must have intervened and convinced her to return home. They lived a life similar to that of strangers for weeks, and Michelle's morning sickness had intensified. They had saved her pregnancy and had given her some medicine to ease her morning sickness. However, it seemed not to work, and she had stopped taking them entirely. She appreciated the presence of Joan because she took care of Mike when Michelle focused on her school work. However, she didn't entertain her talk because she was mad at everyone from Dave's family for watching her make a fool out of herself for five years. They all knew Dave had another child behind her back, he was supporting her with money she never knew they had, and nobody saw the need to confide in her. She wouldn't confide in her brother's wife if he did the same, but she was still angry. "So, Dave made a ton of money on his crypto venture, afforded me a jeep, afforded Shanice a good car, and supported her lifestyle without being transparent with me?" She wondered. "How many more secrets have I not discovered? And to think I wanted to kill myself with guilt because I kissed a boy!" She pondered her train of thought and contemplated going away. She was packing her clothes, and when Joan saw her, she called Dave. "Well, we told you it was a matter of time before your Kikuyu wife left," Joan said on the phone, and Michelle overheard her conversation. Within minutes, Dave pulled up to their compound. "Where is she?" He asked Joan, who pointed in the direction of the bedroom. "Please, love, what do you want to do? I have tried to talk to you for a very long time. Just talk. Tell me something, shout at me. Reprimand me. Let me know what is in your mind, but please don't go. Don't leave me, please, don't leave me, darling. You are my rock, my pillar. If you go, I will lose my balance," he pleaded, hugging her so tight that she gasped for air. "You are hurting the baby! You are hurting me," she told him. He let go of her and sat her on the bed, keeping quiet and waiting for her to talk. "What other skeleton is in your wardrobe?" She asked, almost whispering. "Nothing, I swear. It was only Shanice and the crypto proceeds. Only that," he said. "So, it was only the adultery, siring out of your marriage, and money secrets, right? All the sins in a marriage institution?" She asked, waiting for his approval. "Yes, my love, I have wronged you, but believe me, I have changed," he said. "When exactly did you change, when you impregnated her, when you cheated with her while I was home, or when she finally exposed you?" She inquired. "Yes, when I realized I could lose you, sorry," he pleaded. "Okay, I have forgiven you, Dave. You can't be helped because I won't ask you to abandon your son, nor will I ask you to burden a woman with a son who is your responsibility. So, take care of Dickson and her mother. She needs help; her china business has never made sense to me. Figure it out. Another thing, I will be giving myself a chance to think this over. I can't focus clearly with you in my face, your presence disgusts me, and I can't make up my mind with a biased judgment. Whatever you say, I am leaving anyway. I have already rented an apartment," she said. Dave felt cold chills run down his entire body because Michelle was pregnant, hurt and leaving to stay alone in God-knows-where. There was nothing he could do when Michelle made up her mind; she needed a village to convince her otherwise. Now, even the world or her mother could not make her stay. To upset her less, Dave knew he had to let her go. "At least let me drive you to your apartment," he begged. Michelle agreed. Dave put her stuff in her new fully furnished rented house bedroom. "This is just a house; it is not a home," said Dave. Michelle went into the bedroom and lay in bed. "Lock the door behind you when you are done; I need to sleep," she drifted into a deep sleep. Dave watched her rest for an hour, made her some sorghum and millet porridge, put it in a thermos flask in the kitchen, and left.