CHAPTER TWO

I suddenly felt the ray of bright light on my face as I struggled to open my eye. I didn't realise how long I had been sleeping for. I really wished I could go back to sleep because I really wasn't a morning person but I was glad it all wasn't a dream as I managed to open my eye seeing a dressed up Ridwan.

    I sat up straight on the bed wondering where he was going to.

   "Thank Goodness you're awake, I need to be at work immediately" Ridwan said, adjusting his shirt then I walked towards him to help.

   "I thought you wouldn't be going to work until next week" I inquired helping him with his tie.

   "There is so much work at the office already. I wish I could stay" he said.

   "How do I look" he asked

"Handsome, like always" I said smiling.

    "I will be back before you know it, take care of yourself" he said kissing my forehead.

   "What am I going to do all day at home" I said to him unhappy that I was going to be home myself all day.

   "There is tv, watch Netflix or something. I need to get going now. I am running late" he said before walking away.

    "Have a nice day" I said

I sat down on the bed wondering what I was supposed to do all day. I had no friends here in Abuja and all my family lived in Lagos. I knew it was going to be a long day but I wasn't ready to be bored so I just created events for myself. First, I knew I needed to shower and get something to eat. I was glad I was living my dream. I had the best husband and I knew we were going to create magic together. I was happy, it felt like I didn't have anything to worry about anymore. I had everything I had always craved for in Ridwan and that alone was something I was going to be forever grateful for.

    After I showered, I wore a short and a crop top. Those were my best indoor clothes. I went downstairs to make food for myself. But I couldn't help but still admire the house we were living in as I went downstairs. I had never lived in a house this big. It was beautiful, the kind I only saw in movies were stars lived. It had a small garden outside and it even had a pool. The sitting room was large, the type that could be used for a family reunion. It was beautifully designed with nice paintings on the wall. Ridwan was a lover of art so that wasn't much of a surprise. It was painted white with blue curtains that complimented the living room perfectly. My favourite parts of the house were still  the mini study room which had my books in it because I really am a lover of good books. And also the kitchen which had a lot of contrivances and appliances. The coffee maker, dishwasher, and some other ones I hadn't even seen before and it was beautifully designed too. Everyone knows how a lovely kitchen always makes you want to cook.

   It was already past noon and the day felt like it should have been 6pm already. I had just finished with the novel I was reading and I felt I should watch a movie till I fell asleep because I always sleep off anytime I watch a movie and  my friends always made fun of me for that. It was always funny when I did actually but it wasn't my fault that I wasn't really a lover of movies.

   I started watching a series and as I was about dozing off my phone started ringing. At first I thought it was Ridwan probably calling to check up on me but when i checked the caller I.d, I realized it was hawa. My best friend.

   "Bestie!!!" I screamed as immediately I picked the call.

   "How have you been baby girl" she asked, I miss you" she added

   "I have been good o, I just really miss everyone. There is no one here to talk to"

   "Guess what" she suddenly said

"What" I asked curiously

   "I am in abuja" she said

"What!!!" I exclaimed "how, when, what happened" I said asking multiple questions.

   "Calm down dear" she said laughing.

"I want to hear everything"

   "Okay, so you remember I told you about the internship I applied for in an hospital here in Abuja"

   "Yeah, I remember" I

"I got in and I am starting work on monday" she said excitedly.

   "That's great news, I am so happy for you" I said happily. I and hawa had finished nursing together from the university of lagos and now she had gotten the internship placement in one of the best hospitals in the country.

   "We should catch up sometimes, go to eat, watch a movie or something" she suggested.

   "Yeah, we really should celebrate. I will call you"

  "How is Ridwan, tell him I said hello" hawa said before hanging up.

  I was really happy for hawa and I also want to do my internship, get a job and all. I had been the best graduating student in my class. I didn't want my degree to go to waste so I decided to talk to Ridwan about it.

   I was asleep on the couch when Ridwan came in.

   "Welcome" I said getting up from the couch as I rubbed my sleepy eye.

   "How was your day" I aske as I kissed him on the lips.

  "It was great" he said as he wrapped his hands around my waist bringing me closer to him.

   "I missed you so much all day" he said kissing me on the lips again.

   "I missed you too, I was bored all day" I said wrapping my hand around his neck and leaning in for a kiss.

    "You should wear this bum short more often, I love it on you" he said and i just blushed.

    "I would wear it everyday just to please you" I said and we both laughed.

   "So what are you going to eat" I asked

"I bought Chinese food on my way back from the office" he said.

   "But you know I don't like Chinese food"

"Yeah, that's why I bought just mine. I figured you can make something to eat" he said

   He went to the kitchen, took a plate to dish his food and then I just start across him.

   "There is something I actually want to talk to you about"i said

  "What is it, you know you can say anything"

"I want to start my internship so I can be able to look for a job and start my career" I explained.

   "I don't want you to work, internship or not, you're not going to" he said and at first I thought he was joking because he couldn't just make such decisions for me.

    "You're joking right"

"No, I am not" he affirmed.

    "You can't make that decision for me. I was home all through today doing nothing and it felt like hell. I can't live like this!!" I explained.

   "You have everything you need here and you know you can ask me if you need anything more. I can give you an allowance 10x more than the salary you will earn. I just don't want my wife working"

  "You know it's not even about the money. You know how much Nursing means to me!!!" I said, already very angry at his decision.

   "One day you will understand i am doing this for you!! It better you stay at home" he said standing up to go up into the room.

   I couldn't wrap my head around why he was saying any of this. When he knew how much it meant to me but I really didn't want to start a fight in the early days of our marriage so I made a decision to not talk about it again for sometime. Mother always told me about how marriages was filled with compromise, patience and tolerance but I really didn't know the compromises started early and that it would include my career, the one I loved so much.