Akos and I became very good friends when we were young. We went to the same school, went to the same church, and dated men of the same calibre.
One day, Akos told me her boyfriend was cheating and that she had been told the woman was in the guy’s house, so I should escort her to go and teach the lady a lesson. As a friend who loved her and wanted to protect her relationship, I followed Akos to her boyfriend’s house.
The lady we met that day was like a tank. There’s a slap that lands on your cheek, and you know that slap is coming from a labourer’s hand. Yeah, I received that kind of slap that day when I got loud and tried to attack the lady.
All of a sudden, a switch went off in my head after the slap. Akos took to her heels when the fight overwhelmed us. I was the one who got caught in the middle of the beatings. We were young and foolish. We took it as a lesson to know when to attack and when to walk away.
We grew up, and Akos found a better man who eventually married her. I was then in another city working. I wasn’t going to miss her wedding for anything, so I took days off from work and set off on a Thursday morning to go and help.
On our way, our car had an accident. It was only God who saved me that day. Five people died. The woman on my left didn’t survive.
I had a cut on the left side of my face and on my right arm. My left shoulder was dislocated, and even to this day, when it’s overly cold, I feel pain in that shoulder. I missed her wedding because of that accident.
After the wedding, she came to visit me at the hospital.
Two years later, it was my own wedding. I wanted her to be my maid of honour, but she declined. She said she was married, so she couldn’t do it. I asked her to be part of the bridal train, and she declined. On my wedding day, she didn’t show up.
After the wedding, I was expecting congratulations from her and at least a little explanation for why she couldn’t come. I didn’t hear from her until a week later, when she came to say sorry and explained that it was her mother-in-law who showed up at the eleventh hour and prevented her from coming.
I was hurt, but I decided to move on.
I gave birth, did a naming ceremony, and posted it on my status. She came to watch and didn’t say anything. That day, I took her off my status viewers.
A few days later, she called with happiness in her voice. She said, “I have a baby now. I gave birth a week ago.”
I responded, “So what do you want me to do? Come and carry the baby for you?”
“Oh!” she responded.
When A Man Cheats And Doesn’t Disrespect You, It Should Be OK
Then we both went quiet until she cut the call.
She had been struggling with childbirth, and I knew it. Now I feel bad about the way I responded to her. She was very happy, but she went off the line with shock and disappointment. I can’t get her off my mind.
Yes, she hurt me, but she was happy to have a baby after five years of marriage. I could have said something nice, but I was so angry that I had to say what I said.
Do you think I should call her and apologise? Or should I let her be? After all, we don’t talk anymore, and I can decide to let sleeping dogs lie.
—Maabena
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