“This house is beautiful, my daughter. Efe did a good job,” my mother exclaimed and my father nodded in agreement.

Words caught in the throat, and I felt like I was the guilty one. I saw myself as a problem, so I had to be strong. Efe was right, I made him angry, and I just thanked God he hadn’t left me. The chilly breeze on that day wiped the exhaustion out of my body because it had been a hot day.

I had made arrangement for a party in order to celebrate with my family and a few friends. The house was not big, only three rooms. It has two doors from outside, and the other two rooms were combined and another door led to a squared room. I turned that room into a kitchen, and the combined rooms were tuned into a bedroom and a lounge. It was suitable for us.

I loved children, but since I had been intimate with Efe, there was no chance of me falling pregnant. I suspected it may have been my belly. Now it had grown a lot, three layers. They slowed down my walking, and when I sat down, they looked like I was holding something big. I felt pregnant, but with no baby inside, just belly fat. But Efe never left me, though. I had to do what was right, but I didn’t know what the right thing to do was.

Weary deepens the creature of my face. Though I smirked towards my guests, I was a bit happy and a bit lost in thoughts. I felt like my heart emptied itself out, going all light. Was I going to faint?

“Let’s party,” Efe said while raising his hands high, and we played music.

He always brighten up my soul with light, and all my despairs vanished into thin air. I smiled and joined him by his side. My family adored us, and they believed we were the best couple. There was plenty food, but there were a few people because I had only invited a few friends. There was no tent, but we sat under the tree, eating and dancing. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the chilly weather. It was a good thing that the party was not inside because, with the tin roof, my guests would have been uncomfortable.

After the party, everyone left for home, and I was sure everyone had had a great time. Being exhausted, I went with Efe to my bedroom. I had managed to secure a bed, fridge and stove on credit. That was why my parents were happy. At twenty four, I had something of my own. I didn’t notice the frown on Efe’s face when I hung my hands around his shoulder. I wanted us to be lovey-dovey.

“Did you see that guy was asking for your number?” he said calmly, but I could feel the tenseness in his voice. I was blank, because I didn’t know who he was talking about.

“What guy?” I asked anxiously.

My jaws dropped at the unimaginable scene. We were supposed to be happy. Before I knew it, he shoved me on the floor and started kicking me. Time changed from sweet to thick almost instantaneously. Tears trickled down my face and sweat dripped down my back. What did I do wrong? My mind ran with a thousand of broken thoughts, but nothing was clear. “What did I do wrong?” I questioned myself again.

“You are cheating on me right?” he snorted.

What could I do? I let him kick me. Yes, I was smiling at Brenda’s boyfriend. I had known him from school, and we were very close. Should I have ignored him? I wanted Efe to know that nothing was going on, but I was scared he wouldn’t understand. My big belly pained me as I dragged myself up. My body shook, and I bent over while holding my knees because I was out of breath. I crouched with the help from wall and hyperventilated.

Efe left after beating me, and it was only after 11pm. I didn’t know where he was heading. Maybe he had found another woman, or maybe he had gone to Zoryll, I didn’t know. All I wanted was to leave too, so he would find me gone, maybe it would ease his conscience. I wanted to go to my parents’ house, but that would disgrace me because I had just had a party to celebrate my new home.

My head was buzzing and, before I knew it, I found myself at Zoryll ‘s house. I liked her mother. She did helped me when I had trouble with Efe, and she encouraged me a lot in life, but I sometimes felt like I was burdening them. But my suspicion would clear because, if she was seeing Efe, then I would know.

The dark sky didn’t scare me, but my body was bruised and in too much pain. There weren’t any lights, except for a house opposite, which was reflecting light in the yard. I walked quickly inside the gate because I had heard that they had new dogs. When I reached the door, a black pit-bull nearly attacked me, but Zoryll, who was coming from the toilet, whistled when she saw me. I wondered why she was still up at that time of the night.

“What you doing here?” she asked confusedly.

I didn’t blame her for asking because she didn’t understand. I was the pity party, and I could see it in her eyes .I felt bad for troubling that family, but her mother was going to talk to Efe, I knew she was.

“I need a place to sleep,” I whispered and curled my lips in shame because I didn’t want to wake her neighbors. She opened the door for me, and I held my belly in pain.

“‘Sleep beside my mom, we’ll talk later,” she motioned with her hand, showing me the room her mother was sleeping in.

“Good night,” I murmured, but I wondered if she had heard me because she slammed the door behind me.

When I walked into the room, I found Zoryll’s mom sound asleep. She looked beautiful in her frail skin. No wonder people said we looked more beautiful in our sleep. Her face showed no wrinkles and she looked much younger than her age. I removed my shoes and quietly climbed into the bed, trying not to wake the poor old woman.

I think she sensed my presence, and she fidgeted and turned to the other side before sleeping like a sack. I tried not to groan and slept away. I wondered if Zoryll saw my bruises. I knew she didn’t like me, but I was in her home. Plus, Zoryll looked like a reserved person, but she was caring too. I loved Efe, and I saw Zoryll and her mom as part of Efe’s family. I regarded them as if they were related, and they were the best candidates to help me with my relationship.

“Efe is a good guy. He loves you, and he is responsible. He gives you everything you need, the only thing that can save you is to submit to him,” I remember Zoryll’s mom saying, and I knew she was right.

At least Efe would apologise and come back home. When he missed me, he would look for me, I knew he would. He was the only man I wanted in my life. Who would want me, anyway? Look at my fat! I dozed off and, in my dream land, I dreamt of me and Efe married with kids, and the dark night surrounded me like a dark curtain.

Tell us: What do you think the friends and family of people in abusive relationships need to do in order to help them?