I Remember (Part 2)

I remember my mum calling me that hot afternoon. I had been in traffic almost all day and the last thing I needed was a long family gossip; but she's my mum, I had to pick. 'Hello mummy, whats up?', she talked for minutes before breaking the news that made her call. 'Aunty Lami is getting married'. I was stunned and paralysed at the same time, not because I didn't believe my aunty could get married but I had never thought of her as a sexual being. She was almost 40 years of age at this point and quite frankly everyone in the family had lost hope in her getting married. 

I remember my aunty so well. She was always the life of every party. She was a giver which made many people love her, or so we thought. She was always so jovial and so peaceful. She never fought with anyone and she learned at an early age that minding your own business in life pays off. She was right, She was a saint. She was highly educated and always encouraged me to do same. She would always say 'at the end of the day, all you have to your name is what you've achieved', I looked up to her.

I remember my mum telling me that my aunty was stopping by that evening with her husband to be. I was highly expectant to see the man that was marrying my aunty. "He doesn't know how lucky he is" I said to myself. At 6pm, my aunty arrived with her man. The first thing I noticed was the way he walked. He walked liked he had a heavy load on his back. He was about 6'3 and very dark in complexion. He had a nice face and a smile kissed with dimples that made you think of a baby. I was happy that even at her age she was able to bag such a cute man. When they entered the house, my mum offered them some drinks but he declined saying he only drinks water. "Ahh, my aunty is marrying a healthy living person" I said to myself. She noticed my facial reaction, she could always tell what I was thinking. My aunt was like a daughter to my parents so during dinner, they questioned her man like he was at a job interview. After dinner, they said their goodbyes and left. 

I remember doing the dishes really fast. I couldn't wait to hear what my dad had to say. He has always been a  great judge of character and I knew that if he liked my aunty's man, then he was good enough for her. When I was done with the dishes, I joined my parents for a night cap and the discussions began. My God, I couldn't believe what my dad was saying. He didn't seem to like the man but he gave no good reason. All he said was that his spirit didn't align with the man. This worried me too much, not because I felt my dad was right but mostly because I felt exactly the same way. I went to my room and said a prayer for my aunty before I slept.

I remember the wedding morning, the day approached so fast. Felt like I had just met my aunty's husband to be yesterday but 9 months had gone by. She looked so beautiful, she looked so graceful with that crown on her head. I remember when I suggested she wore a crown instead of a vail, I said it would make her look more elegant and she believed. She looked like she ruled several kingdoms and I was proud that my idea made her look prestigious. The wedding was beautiful and I can remember shedding tears when giving a toast. I really loved my aunty and that is why the events that followed in the next months both surprised and hurt me. 

I remember walking into the house that evening. Tired from the days hustle, all I wanted to do was have a cold shower and sleep. When I walked into the house I was met with the gaze of my parents. They didn't seem to be alright but God knows that all I wanted to do was greet them and walk past. I entered my room, took a cold shower. Just before going to bed, I went to my parents room to say goodnight. I was used to opening my parents door without knocking, I know its a bad habit but I was used to it. I entered and I noticed my mum still had a gloomy face, I asked her what happened and she told me my aunty called her. She narrated everything that happened but the only thing I heard was that my aunty was hospitalised after being brutally beaten by her husband. She was admitted in the hospital because this episode lead to her second miscarriage since their marriage. My mum explained to me that this wasn't the first time her husband had beaten her; this had happened about 9 times since they got married. I took time to count the months they had been married. It had been barely 6 months. This was when I heard my dads voice. Like and elder sitting in the midst of youths, my dad was fund of having the last words and this was a norm. He complained bitterly about how he sensed this man wasn't a good man but couldn't place a finger on what his vice was.  

I remember walking back to my room, I couldn't feel my legs. I was angry. I was frustrated. I wished I had super strength so I could help my aunty fight her battles, but I knew I could do nothing. The last thing my dad said before I left their room was 'This is an issue for adults' and in their minds, I was but a child. This was the beginning of aunty Lami's plague. Every time I saw her, she had some sort of bruise on her body that was unexplainable. It got to a time that aunty Lami avoided me. I felt it was because she knew I looked up to her and didn't want me to see her in her weakness; but it was too late. I already saw her like that. I saw what I once considered a strong woman become very weak in the sight of domestic violence. I saw my hero defeated.