Later that day…

Mr. Okoye arrived from work, his face etched with worry and stress. He walked into the house, greeted by his kids, but he didn’t respond. He went straight to his bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Bianca, his wife, followed him, sensing something was wrong. She found him lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

“What’s going on?” she asked, sitting beside him. “You can’t keep this inside.”

But Mr. Okoye didn’t answer. He just shook his head, his eyes welling up with tears.

Bianca tried to reassure him, “You can tell me. I’m your wife. We’ll face it together.”

But Mr. Okoye just turned away, unable to speak. He felt devastated, ashamed, and scared.

Bianca took his hand, trying to comfort him. “Please, you’re scaring me. What’s going on at work?”

But Mr. Okoye remained silent, his body language screaming that something was terribly wrong.

Adding salt to the wound…

As Bianca sat down to eat with the kids, Michael asked, “Mom, what’s wrong with Daddy?”

Bianca tried to brush it off, but the kids could sense her tension. “Nothing, just work stress,” she replied curtly.

But Michael persisted, “No, Mom, something’s wrong. Daddy’s been acting weird all day.”

Bianca’s frustration boiled over, and she snapped, “Enough, Michael! Don’t ask me again.”

The kids fell silent, sensing their mother’s anger.

Later, Bianca went to bed, her mind racing with thoughts of her husband’s secrets. She tried to look calm and inviting, hoping he would finally open up to her.

As she lay in bed, she heard the door creak open, and Mr. Okoye entered the room. She tried to look sexy, hoping to draw him in, maybe he would finally tell her what was going on.

But Mr. Okoye just went to his side of the bed, his back to her, and remained silent. Bianca’s heart sank, feeling rejected and worried about their future .

The Next Morning

At the Okoye residence, Bianca woke up to the sound of her alarm blaring at 5:30 AM. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, remembering that today was her husband’s birthday. She got out of bed and walked to the kitchen to make his breakfast.

As she cooked, the aroma of fried plantains and scrambled eggs filled the air. The kids, Michael and Adanna, were still sleeping, but she knew they would soon wake up to get ready for school.

Mr. Okoye emerged from the bedroom, looking tired but trying to put on a brave face. “Good morning, dear,” he said, forcing a smile.

Bianca tried to make small talk, but he seemed distant. “Happy birthday, dear. I made your favorite breakfast.”

“Thank you, dear. I appreciate it.”

As they ate, the kids, Michael and Adanna, walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

“Daddy, happy birthday!” Michael exclaimed, giving his father a big hug.

“Thanks, son,” Mr. Okoye replied, trying to smile.

“Happy birthday, Daddy!” Adanna chimed in, joining in the hug.

“Thanks, sweetie,” Mr. Okoye said, his voice a little strained.

“Can we give you our presents now?” Michael asked, his eyes shining with excitement.

“Not now, son. Daddy has to go to work,” Bianca intervened.

“But why, Mommy? It’s Daddy’s birthday!” Adanna protested.

“I know, sweetie. But Daddy has an important meeting at work. You can give him your presents when he gets back home, okay?”

The kids nodded, though they looked disappointed.

“Okay, Daddy. We’ll give you our presents later,” Michael said.

“Yeah, and we’ll make it up to you, Daddy,” Adanna added.

Mr. Okoye forced a smile, feeling grateful for his family’s love and support. But he couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that had been building up inside him.

As he prepared to leave for work, Bianca tried to pack his lunch, but he waved her off. “I have a meeting at work, dear. I’ll grab something there.”

Bianca felt a pang of worry. What was going on? Why was he being so secretive?

“I love you, dear,” he said, as he kissed her goodbye.

“I love you too,” she replied, but her mind was racing with questions.

After he left for work, Bianca couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was amiss. Little did she know, today would be a day that would change their lives forever.

Meanwhile, at the office where Mr. Okoye worked, he sat at his desk, trying to focus on his tasks. But everyone in the office was staring at him, whispering among themselves. Rumors had been circulating that he was being investigated for investment fraud, and his signature had been found on documents he didn’t remember signing.

Just then, his boss walked into the office and called him to the panel room. Mr. Okoye’s heart sank as he stood up and followed his boss to the room. Inside, a three-man panel was waiting for him.

“Mr. Okoye, you’ve been placed on suspension for the next few months, pending investigation,” one of the panel members announced.

“But what about my salary?” Mr. Okoye asked, trying to stay calm.

“I’m afraid this suspension is without pay,” the boss replied sternly.

Mr. Okoye felt like his world was crumbling around him. He knew he had to get a lawyer to clear his name, but how could he afford one without a salary?
Later that night…..

Mr. Okoye stumbled into the house, reeking of alcohol and anger. His eyes were bloodshot, and his words were slurred. Bianca’s heart sank as she saw the state he was in.

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

But Mr. Okoye just snarled at her, his words cutting deep. “You’re always so nosy, aren’t you? Can’t mind your own business. You’re just a stupid woman, always getting in the way.”

Bianca felt a sting from his words. “That’s not fair,I’m just trying to help. What’s going on?”

But he just kept insulting her, his words becoming more and more venomous. “Help? You can’t even help yourself. You’re just a useless wife and mother. The kids would be better off without you.”

The kids were terrified, watching their father’s outburst with wide eyes. Michael and Adanna cowered in the corner, tears streaming down their faces.

Bianca tried to intervene, but Mr. Okoye’s anger only grew. “Shut up! You don’t know anything. You’re just a foolish woman who can’t even manage the house.”

Finally, he collapsed on the couch, asleep. Bianca felt like she had been punched in the gut. She fell to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

She pulled out her phone and called Henry, her husband’s friend. “Henry, it’s happening again,” she sobbed. “He came home drunk and abusive. He said terrible things to me and the kids. I don’t know what’s going on.”

Henry’s voice was calm on the other end. “Bianca, I’m so sorry. He was suspended from work today. He’s under investigation for investment fraud.”

Bianca’s world came crashing down. She had suspected something was wrong, but she had no idea it was this bad.

“What am I going to do, Henry?” she asked, feeling helpless.

“We’ll get through this together,” Henry replied. “But you need to take care of yourself and the kid.

The next day ……….

Okoye stumbled into his bedroom, still reeling from the previous night’s events. He was met with the sight of his wife, crying by the side of the bed.

“What’s wrong?” Okoye asked, confusion etched on his face.

“You know exactly what’s wrong,” his wife spat, anger in her eyes. “For twenty years, I’ve stood by you, supported you, and loved you. But last night, you disrespected me in ways I never thought possible.”

Okoye looked down, shamefaced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said.”

“Save it,” his wife snapped. “I’ve heard your apologies before, but this time, it’s different. This time, you crossed a line.”

“I know, I was confused, I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Okoye pleaded.

“Confused?” his wife repeated. “You’ve been confused for days. But I’ve been here, supporting you, even when you didn’t deserve it.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Okoye said, trying touch her but she wave him off.

“Sorry isn’t enough,” his wife said, her voice cold. “you promised me that we would never keep secrets from each other but you failed to tell me the issues you were facing at work.”

“I was set up, documents were found with my signature that I don’t remember signing. Okoye sign.

“Set up?” his wife look shocked. “Who could have done this to you after all the efforts you have invested in this job.”

Okoye looked at his wife, desperation in his eyes. “I don’t know what to do””

His wife shook her head.

Bianca went to call the children to the parlour. They came into the parlor and greeted their father fearfully.

“Daddy,” they said in unison, their voices trembling.

Okoye sat in a chair, looking down at his feet. “My children, come here,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The children hesitantly approached him, their eyes fixed on the floor.

“Daddy, what’s wrong?” Michael asked, his voice shaking.

Okoye took a deep breath before speaking. “I was suspended from work yesterday. I’m sorry for my behavior. I know I’ve been scary and unpredictable lately, and I’m sorry.”

The children looked up at him, their eyes wide with fear and confusion.

“Because of this, there will be a lot of changes,” Okoye continued.

Okoye: Ada, you will be going to university next year and you need to learn a skill. What kind of skill do you want to learn?

Ada: Daddy, I want to learn how to bake and make pastries.

Okoye: That’s a great skill! You can open your own bakery one day.

Michael: Daddy, what about us?

Okoye: Nothing yet, my sons. But I have some changes to tell you about. You will be leaving your private school and going to government school next term.

Chinonso: Why, Daddy? We don’t want to leave our friends!

Okoye: I know, my sons, but things are tough right now and we have to make some adjustments. I’m sorry for the changes in our family, but I promise to try my best to make everything alright.

Bianca: We will face this together as a family.

Okoye: My dear, I’m sorry for putting you through all this. I know I haven’t been the best provider, but I promise to do better.

The room fell silent, the weight of Okoye’s words sinking in. The family’s eyes were fixed on him, their faces etched with a mix of emotions. Then, without a word, Okoye slowly rose from his seat, his eyes cast downward, and walked away, leaving the family to process the uncertain future ahead.

Oluchukwu Ezea Is A Writer, A Thinker, A Public Speaker And A Graduate Of Political Science From The University Of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka.