PART 1: CHAPTER 5

I took the flat plate in front of him and hurriedly dished out his food taking from the big plate in the middle of the glass dining table. 

I placed it in front of him before taking my sit. The stew was on the rice and I made sure to give him the biggest meat in the food.

The dining table became so quiet and so tensed that one could drown in it. 

Ezinne seemed to have immediately lost her appetite. She was no longer eating as fast as she was before, she looked like she was about to cry and it saddened me. 

I held her hands reassuringly while I watched as Cletus put a spoon of rice in his mouth with anger written all over his face. "What is this?" He scowled. He pushed the food away from him like it was poison.

"Daddy it is rice and stew___" Ezinne replied smiling. 

"Did I ask you a question you disrespectful brat. I don't blame you. I Blame your mother that has spoilt you so much that you no longer have respect for your father. She has been telling you that you can talk back at me is that it?!" He yelled at her, hitting his fist on the table.

Ezinne shook her head repeatedly as she sobbed.

"What is wrong with the food Cletus? what?" I asked almost at the brink of tears.

My nose was beginning to gather fluid while I looked at him.  I shocked at the way he spoke to our daughter.

"So now you are challenging me is that it? And you are also teaching my daughter how to challenge me too?"

"I'm not challenging you my husband. I just want to know what is wrong with the food so that I won't repeat the same mistake next time." I begged, cutting in.

"Oh so you want to know what is wrong with the food abi? You will soon know. The food tastes just like you, bitter and ugly." He flung up from his sit and pointed at me in anger. "Come over here, now!" He ordered.

I remained seated, afraid of what he would do. "Please I'm sorry." I sobbed silently. "I prepared it well..." 

"I said come over here now or are you deaf!" He screamed, startling me. I jumped up from my seat and walked slowly to him.

My heart was beating wild against my chest and I was shaking from head to toe. I could barely keep my eyes open 

Ezinne started to wail. I wanted so much to hug her but I could not.

"Was this meat warmed properly before you used it?" He asked.

Before I could even think of a reply he took the plate of rice I had dished out for him and poured it all on my face. Then he spat on me. "You and your food disgust me." He growled, pushing me aside as he walked out of the dining. 

I immediately closed my eyes to prevent the stew from sipping in.

The hotness of the food made me wail out loud. My face, my neck, my entire body felt like it was on fire. 

I could hear Ezinne stand up from the chair. Opening one eye a little, I saw her hit him continuously on his waist whilst crying. "Daddy why," she kept saying as she sobbed. 

He hissed and pushed her away gently. "Get out I have no time for this gang up between you and your mother!" he yelled. With that he walked away and slammed the parlor door behind him.

I closed the eye immediately then I ran to the kitchen to wash my face. I put my face in the sink and cried as the water from the running tap hit my face.

I washed my face with soap continuously until my eyes became blood shot.

Ezinne hugged me tight when she came into the kitchen. "Mummy it will be alright, don't mind daddy. He is a monster, you are an Angel." she cried. "I don't like him. I don't like him at all!"

Usually I would have chided her for saying such while assuring her that her dad was a good person, but I just could not do that now. My eyes were still closed and my face still felt like it was on fire. 

"My God why have you forsaken me?!" I suddenly screamed. "Is my sin the greatest Lord? Do you still hold all my past atrocities against me?!" 

Ezinne kept sobbing and I realised what a bad mother I was. For her I had to be strong and truthfully she was the only reason why I fought. I hugged her, caressing her hair while I gathered enough strength and courage to clean my face. I had to take her to school before it was late.