Read: What Do You Mean? | Pauline Dafei

In so much sadness and sheer sarcasm.
A man and his wife, in union by a medal.
For better or for worse.
For better lasted only the honey moon.
For worse lasted the lifetime of ‘conjugal beats’.
“How can you hate me so much? You vowed never to lay hands on me”, the woman mumbles with tears in her eyes.
He tries to defend himself; “these were truly my vows when you were still the Angel I knew and not the shape-shifting monster I am looking at.
You have wasted my sperm and kids in multiple miscarriages”.

For richer or poorer.
“For richer, stopped at buying me gifts, the pretty stuff has ended and now you barely feed the family.”
For poorer; “woman I have better things to do with my money that does not include wasting it on buying gifts for a companion who should have had my kids because after all, I work so hard for my money why won’t go out and work for yours?”

With a feeling of betrayal she snaps; ” You said its either the family or my job. I loved my job so much but you are the love of my life. How can I forfeit this union for a mere job?”

“You are just lazy a very lazy woman.”

In sickness and health.

In health I promised to stay, in sickness I vowed to pray.

“I have not given you a reason or a need to get on your knees.”

She says ” but these scars you’ve placed on my body have sunk deep into my soul, my body can’t hold it in anymore.
You were my soul mate and the love of my life.”

He humors her with a deadly smirk, “I almost believed you were all of it to me you know? But now I see clearly, who the real you is.”

Reminiscing how good things used to be; “we were so happy and so much in love but now I can’t hold you or have you love me like you did. Please baby, please don’t let this union fall apart.
I can’t live with myself knowing you’d be gone.”
“He opens up in her face like a vent blowing red hot; “you are a constant nag! You choke me like the apple in Adam’s throat. I can’t sleep without you talking about romance, kisses and a touch, and clamouring especially about where I’ve been all day.”She sobs helplessly and rolls over to her own side of the bed, as if speaking to herself,

“you’ve hurt me even when it was undeserved, I can’t stay here anymore”.

In a swift moment of confusion, like pulse racing in the loss of a medal, he asked, “what do you mean?”

© Pauline Dafei