MAY

17: LITTLE MARYAM.

"Come and rescue me. Would you rescue me baby?"
-Tatiana manaois.

It was a good thing Edric didn't get to meet Iby. Any time May's mind flashes back to it, she wonders what would have transpired between the two men if Iby hadn't hidden in Maryam's
room like she had told him to.

Edric had forgotten an important file at home. He rushed in to collect it and rushed back without acknowledging May's presence.

When he was gone, Iby came out from his hiding place. It was then that May explained every detail about her husband to him. Iby was angry. No. Angry is an understatement. He felt that no woman should be treated the way she was being treated.

"He needs to be dealt with." Iby had said. "After my group and I deal with him, he won't dare raise his hand at another woman. Can you imagine?!"

May had pleaded with him in tears. She didn't want anybody to hurt her husband because of her.
She told him that no matter how her husband was treating her, she was still stupidly in love with
him. Something she was okay with.

He felt touched by her words and even if he wanted to hurt Edric back twice as much he had done May, he had to let it go. For her.

"What about your parents? Are they aware of his wickedness?" He had asked her out of curiosity. What parent would be aware of this and still permit their child to undergo such ill-treatment?

She sniffed a tear. "They are dead. They died just after I got pregnant."

It was easy to believe her because he'd never for once thought she'd lie to him. If only he knew that they weren't actually. Dead in her heart and in her life, but not in reality.

"But you could divorce him rather than being treated like this," he had said thoughtfully.

"Then I would have nowhere to stay. I have no one beside him. And think about Maryam. She
would be the one to suffer if we separated. Also, if we do, who would take her? You know we
can't divide her."

Iby understood and tried his best to console her. He hasn't known her for long, but it pains him that a woman would go through this much pain and still decide to live with it.

"It's okay. You will be okay."

"That's what they all say. " She had said. "I just wish he hadn't changed."

"I don't think he changed. You just didn't know him." Iby had told her. He further explained that when he was a child, his mother once told him that some men (or women in some cases) are just so good at hiding their true colors. Maybe this was just who Edric really was.

Who knows?

The spot she had paid for, for her orange business, was safe. A little bit far from home and a little close to Iby's house. It was the only vacant shop available at the time. Her business only ran in
the evening so, during the day, she'd have time for other things like taking care of Maryam.

Presently, she was sitting in the dining chair with Maryam helping her daughter with her
homework, but her eyes kept drifting to Edric and Bella in the parlor. It was his day off so he was at home.

Bella was sitting on his lap, trying to start small conversations with him. But he only nods his head from time to time. He looked like he wasn't interested in whatever she was saying because he was busy typing away on his phone.

The TV was on, showing Street Talk on Silverbird channel, but no one was watching it.

"Honey, what about that money I asked to borrow? You haven't said anything yet about it," Bella
asked, drawing his attention.