06

A FEW DAYS LATER

- It's okay, it's okay, leave me here!

I speak to the motorcycle driving me from the house because I have just recognized Arthur's car parked not far from the shell new-bell intersection. I'm coming out of a vegetable delivery. And barely a few meters of road that I already get off the bike. I give him some coins

- My brother excuse me for the inconvenience. Finally I stop here.

- OK, no worries

I start wandering around and find him sitting in a seedy bar drinking, surrounded by men with visibly uninteresting pasts and dismal present. What the hell is he doing here? He didn't work today? I walk into the bar

-Arthur?

He turns around and sees me

- Take ! Guys, I present to you my queen mother!

It is stuffed my word! It's not even 2 p.m.

- Oh Hello young mother! The father you have taste eh wow! said one

- [The ignorant] Arthur, didn't you work today?

- [He throws a hand in the air] I sent them flying!

- [I sigh] Come on let's go home

- No ! I feel good here !

- Arthur get up! I'll take you home!

- Don't piss off woman! Get out of here ! Leave me alone ! I feel good here !

I'm beginning to understand that I won't get anything from him at this pace. So I decide to go home. He loses nothing by waiting when he is sober he will explain to me what he means by "I sent them balls!" »

Arthur came back very late at night and the whole house reeked of alcohol and cigarettes. I couldn't get anything out of him that night. Early the next morning, I drop the children off at school. When I get home Anita is already busy in the kitchen. Since the incident with her cousin, I haven't had an employee to help me, I'm happy with Anita and the girl who sells for me at the market. She also comes from time to time to help me at home. Henri's car is still parked in the garage

- Anita, sir didn't go out?

- Madame, I haven't seen Monsieur since I arrived.

- Hmm. OK

I go to his room and I knock then I enter. He is lying with the blanket pulled up to his head and the room stinks of alcohol. I start by airing the room and he starts to grumble

- Rhoooo Close those curtains fast!

- No Arthur! Hello, it's past 7:30 a.m. and you're lying in this bed, aren't you working today?

- Get out Magguie I want to sleep

- Then you want to go out. All this I don't know what's been happening to you for some time. Did you lose your job?

- …..

- Arthur answer me please!

- Stop screaming! I have a headache !

- Then talk to me! Tell me what is happening. Did you lose your job Arthur?

- No ! Satisfied ?! Now let me rest!

- If you haven't lost it, what are you doing lying there? And obviously even yesterday you didn't work.

- Pffff! I think it would be easier if I got out of here! Since I can't sleep here, I will sleep elsewhere

- I know that the mother of your child is waiting for that. Go ahead !

I walked out slamming the door!

And as he said a few minutes later I was tidying up the living room when he walked past reeking of perfume trying to get rid of the smell of alcohol. And so the small lull born a short time ago quickly gave way to this unmanageable situation.

(…)

I surprise Arthur more and more in the city and especially in sad-looking bars and each time I go to him to bring him home but it's a waste of time! Today especially it generated yet another dispute

- If I am the man of this house, I tell you that your activity there, you are going to stop it!

- My friend, you are dreaming! What do you think I do how to get out of it?!

- You will learn to manage with what I give you Madam! You're here running the streets like a common prostitute using your delivery story as an excuse!

- Is it because now I meet you in all the bars in town that you react like that, ZOGO? Shame hasn't taken you yet!

- You raise your voice once again when I speak to you and you will confirm that I am ZOGO son of EVINA. I said and it's irrevocable that you stop all your bullshit delivery there!

- Hum!

I got up and left the living room very uplifted. Arthur completely freaked out. Yes ! There is no point arguing with a madman. Did he lose his job? I don't know. But he's in the bars all day long. It's Saturday so his presence at home is almost unmistakable, but who knows for how long he will spare us his presence? With children he has almost no connection. When he comes back they are already sleeping when they leave he is still sleeping. When he is even at home, the little ones prefer to play outside on the veranda or in their room. For Honorée I am annoying and exasperating. I have to ask for a divorce, this is no longer a marriage. For Alma I have to pray a lot. I suspect that mom must already be informed by her daughters to whom I confide since she asked to see me today. Besides, I prepare myself and prepare the children. When we're ready we leave the house when I accost her outside on the veranda

- Where are you going ?

- At my moms

- To do what ?

- Pardon ???

- I said what are you deaf for?!

- She asked to see me

- You're not moving. Go back inside

- Tsiup! It's not just dad! Let us pass

Here is Mai who came in

- Didn't we tell you that when the grown-ups talk you have to shut up, Maï?! Go play with your brother inside

- No !

- It's an order !!!

- No !

- I hate you ! Mom, let's get out of here!

PAF! Arthur's slap is gone; both Mai and I are shocked. She immediately bursts into tears. I feel terrible for her

- [I want to slap him back] How dare you?! By what right ?

- Until proven otherwise, I am his father! She owes me respect

- When did you remember? Only today ??

- MESSI I had promised myself never to raise my hand on a woman. Don't push me over

Mai cries with all her soul followed by Lloyd who probably does it as support. I take my children and we go to our room

- Chhhuuuutttt! That's fine... Don't cry chuuutttt! Lloyd what are you crying?

- He hit Mai whyaaaaaa?

And the concert resumes. I carry each one on one side of my body and hold them snug against me. A good hour passes like this where they end up dozing off. I call mom.

- Hello Ma'a

- Yes ? But Magguie it's already 4 p.m. so how are you not coming anymore?

- [Shaking voice] Mom I'm tired I swear I want to get out of here…

- Ekie what's going on?

- He forbids me to come to your house!

- How ? Did it happen there? I'm coming !

Click! She hung up. I leave the bedroom and go to the kitchen to take stock of my stock. I'm going to watch in the living room and Monsieur is lying on his couch. I stamp in my heart and go back to the kitchen. I take my phone and decide to read a column on facebook. After a while I hear the small gate open. It must be mom. I get up and go to see it is indeed her. I come to kiss her on the threshold of the veranda and we enter

- Magguie where is your husband?

- In the living room

- Ok. Follow me.

We go to the living room and Arthur, lying down until now, gets up at the sight of mom and comes to kiss him as if nothing had happened. She takes a seat on an armchair not far from him

- Mr. ZOGO, I don't see you anymore!

- Ma'a it's life that manages me...

- Does it manage you to the point where you neglect your mother-in-law, my son? How are you doing ? And the job ?

- I am the…

Silence

- I had an appointment with your wife and your children today I got tired of waiting for them so I came to meet them

- No, it's my fault. I held them back

- Why are you saying it politely like that Arthur? You forbade us to go nuance!

- Hum!

- Magguie that's not the way you should talk to your husband

- Tell him Ma'a, it's like that here every day!

- That you live here first so that it's like this every day?! Irresponsible like that! You just beat your daughter because she showed you your displeasure like you refused to go to my mother's house. You are nothing but a source of terror and frustration in this house, what are you even doing here on a Saturday in the middle of the day? Don't you feel uncomfortable yourself? You have to go back where you often go!

- [Mom] Mrs. ZOGO Margareth shut up a bit! You talk too much it's not good.

- Thank you Ma'a yourself see what I'm going through here

- Ah ka pardon excuse my life! It's even because you're here that I can express myself, we're here, we're even forbidden to cough!

- Magguie I don't like it! Stop lying about me!

- ZOGO that's what you're saying now to look good in front of my mother, isn't it? I'm going to have cameras installed in this house. You will see !

- Well that's enough! I didn't come to judge your household. I am sorry to see that you have a serious communication problem. And this atmosphere is very harmful to children. If necessary, take a little distance from everything. Give me the kids and go for the weekend together? I will watch the children.

- I don't want Mum! I don't want to be alone with him anymore. I'm tired of being frustrated and bullied

- So you see Ma'a?

- Magguie… Marriage is not a cozy bed. You have chosen this path, you have to live with its ups and downs and its good times. You are going through a difficult period, it is up to you two and only you two to overcome it, but no one else.

- Mom, I'm tired. I do not want anymore. You have no idea what I'm going through in here

I already have a hoarse voice and watery eyes. That's it ! I'm crying ! I display my weakness. What I hate most of all!

- There are still 3 weeks of Magguie classes left. As soon as they take the ballots send them to me for a while and get together a bit. Do you understand my daughter?

- Hmm….

- You understood ???

- Yes mom

- Ok. Well, I'm going to see them a bit.

- They sleep Ma'a

- It's okay my son. As long as I see them that's enough

She walked out of the room and left us alone. I immediately got up

- Rest a little Magguie…

- No !

I said it with all the strength I had then I rushed to the kitchen to go and give free rein to my sorrow. A few minutes later, Arthur himself offered to drive my mother home. He then returns and insists on taking his whole family for ice cream. Lloyd quickly forgets. Normal it is not him who took the slap. But Mai it is indeed from me that she takes. She has a stubborn grudge. She does not open her mouth. Never mind his father's attempts at rapprochement. Men will never understand women. Arthur is of the caliber who thinks that if we have eaten and drunk, everything is fine. Mai will have a very strong personality. It shows from here.

A few days later, Arthur tells me that his mother is coming to stay with us for a while. She would be sick. She had to come to Douala for in-depth care. I don't know why she didn't go to her daughter Ange in Makepe or to Mélanie in Yaoundé. In short, she shows up and so I have to put on a good face and go back to my master bedroom and give her the bed I was occupying with the children. I would have liked a bigger house. That way the patients would have their own room. Now my children share the same room as a patient. Arthur is back to normal. But I am on my guard. I guess it's for the occasion. He goes out every morning and comes home early every evening.

Her mom and I were never really great friends, but we're not enemies either. I send her packets from time to time there at NLONG depending on my means. But since she's been here I've been tense. When the meal isn't too bland (her doctor has asked her to eat little salt, no cubes, no oil, few tubers), then her cup of milk is too hot. Or else she doesn't like it when you cut her fruit like that, and so on. She confiscated the TV and sits all day in front of TB Joshua. . Thank God Maî and Lloyd are leaving for my mother in 2 days. They can't wait, I can't wait for their health safety above all, although I will miss them. Maman Tclaire would be an overweight diabetic. Her husband Papa Jean remained in the village to be managed by his nephews and nieces there. Every evening, mother and son sit down in front of the 8:00 p.m. news on the crtv while having dinner. Sometimes I get rid of them and I come to keep them company. Others I lock myself in my room and leave them a little privacy.

This morning I am doing the big cleaning in the two rooms. I moved almost everything in ours the amount of dust I get out of it is likely to create a cold I can feel it. I even climb on the bed to try to get the bags down on top of the cupboard and pass my broom there between two bags an envelope which is losing its color falls on the floor.

- Ah!

I clean the top quietly before getting out of bed and picking it up to put it in one of the bags and put them back upstairs, but it bears the seal of a medical examination laboratory.

- Here then ! Whose exams are these?

I open the envelope and notice that it is recently dated and in Arthur's name.

- No !

It slips out of my hands and ends up on the floor. My legs stop carrying me and I sit down heavily on my bed

- God No! You can't leave me no!

I read and reread the paper that I hold with my trembling hands between my hands: my husband cannot have done this to me!