TILL DEATH DO US APART

 The story. 

She wanted to fix this once and for all. She felt it was her obligation and responsibility to try and fix her marriage. It is true that when love can no longer sustain the marriage, commitment,  and sense of responsibility does. This was Elma's concern. Though things were never what she expected, especially after having an affair with her personal assistant, she felt she could rekindle the love and bring her home.

Shutting the door of the penthouse behind Mark her boyfriend, Elma warned him never to call again, not when she was trying to fix her home and get back with her husband.

After Mark drove off, Elma took a step backward from where she was, fell on the bed and sobbed profusely. It was hard for her to see him leave. In the past six months of knowing Mark, he made her feel loved again and provided her a shoulder to cry on. He made her forget the horrors George her husband made her pass through in the last three years. 

Elma left the penthouse that night driving with a feeling of regret, wondering why her own marriage was like a Pandora's box, a great source of unforeseen troubles. Some years back, she was living the best of her life but soon afterward, she discovered that George was a drug addict, involved in all manners of shady lifestyle she didn't understand why. Trying hard to put off the emotions of having to leave Mark and the fact that her husband was a monster, she recollected the several failed attempts to make their lives work and get back in terms, but with each passing day, George was becoming something. 

The next morning at her office, her secretary handed her a bouquet, "Happy anniversary ma'am", smiling at her as she walked into her office. 

At her office, going through a pile of files on her desk, she pulled out one of the files, open and behold a written note with " I LOVE YOU TILL DEATH DO US APART" boldly written. 

At first, she was skeptical about what she saw but a second glance made her smile. Maybe her good old days were returning to her she said to herself. 

She reached her hand on the desk phone, and put a call across to her secretary to find out if the husband or Mark was around the office that morning before she got there but the secretary told her no.

She felt perhaps George wanted to surprise her but how did he access the files let alone have a written note hidden in it? She asked herself rhetorically.

Beep! Beep!!... the desk phone rang, Elma picked up the call... " I will pick you up by 6pm this evening for our anniversary party, don't be late"... the caller said and hung up the phone.

Elma heaved a sigh of relief. At least she was sure the call was connected to the written note amongst her files. Maybe George who she knew of being fond of surprises was about pulling one of such mischievous surprises of his.

That evening she dressed elegantly, her hidden beauty was more glaring. The beautiful red gown fit her perfectly. Admiring herself at the table mirror close to her bed, Elma recalled her wedding day, and the beautiful memories sent a beaming smile to her youthful face. 

Within a while, she heard a car horn downstairs. She knew George was certainly around for the anniversary party. Hurriedly, she descended the stairs. As she took step after step, the flaring red gown followed her in dazzling beauty. 

At the party, Elma and George talked things over and each other graciously apologized for whatever happened that did drift them apart which in turn made their marriage suffer.  George pleaded for forgiveness and made her a promise of never laying his hands on her again.

After the party, they both head off to George's family lighthouse to ice up the anniversary with a good moment of intimacy.

The next morning, Elma woke up to see herself handcuffed. George was sitting right at the edge of the bed she was lying on. She didn't understand the mystery behind the handcuffs and the fact that George was well-dressed that morning. 

She felt it was another of George's mysteries and tried to ask why he chose to handcuff her. 

"George, what's going on?"... Elma asked, adjusting herself to a sitting position in the bed.

"... Elma, we've been through a lot, and we will be ending everything now George said without looking at Elma who was right behind her in the bed.

"I haven't been a good husband for the five years we've been together, and I hope you forgive me now and forever, he said, laughing scornfully. 

At this point, Elma didn't see it as fun anymore. 

"George, I thought we've talked things over between us... she said trying to reposition herself on the bed and there she realized that George had handcuffed her hand and his together. 

Knowing that all wasn't a joke, Elma pleaded with her husband to release her hand.

"Please George let me go, she begged. Let me off this handcuff, she pleaded. 

George brought out a revolver pistol, shot himself in the head, and fell on Elma.

Elma couldn't believe her eyes. It was all like a dream. She shouted, cried, and tried to reach out for her phone but her phone was nowhere to be found. 

She dragged herself off the bed with George's corpse still handcuffed to her, reached for the pistol, and pulled the trigger to take her life too but there was no bullet. 

She turned over the corpse and a piece of paper fell off George's pocket. Elma unfolded the paper, "I KNEW ABOUT YOU AND MARK on one side, TILL DEATH DO US APART was written on the other side.

TO BE CONTINUED...

~ Patrick Ekong ©️