PHENOMENAL WOMAN

PHENOMENAL WOMAN Chapter 1

Walking and pacing around in a sitting room that is seated at the heart of a gigantic building, one with a little garden at the edge of the spacious compound.

Ryan inherited this house from his multi-billionaire father, he moved into it shortly after he got married to Ruby.

Ruby is a beautiful woman in her early thirties, she is currently struggling with depression because of the turn of events in her marriage. A home that was once blissful with the presence of her loving husband and Mabel, her daughter has suddenly become very quiet as she struggles with loneliness.

Scantily dressed in an old short gown with a very dirty, smelly apron tied around her waist, Ruby now sits on a stool, rests her back on the wall and begins to take stock of her family life in a soliloquy, "what has actually happened? What has changed?" she questioned herself.

"Ryan, my husband claims to love and understand me but none of this is evident in his attitude towards me lately .

I met Ryan at a surveyor's summit where I represented my boss who had travelled on an official duty. Ryan also represented his Father's company. We had several eye contacts in the process of the meeting, when the summit came to an end, he walked up to me and invited me for dinner which I turned down because of my tight schedule, we exchanged phone numbers and he zoomed off. I worked as a personal assistant to the manager in a company before I met Ryan and I loved my job. During our courtship, I explained my weaknesses to Ryan. I told him I don't know how to do house chores and I dislike cooking because I usually get injured in the kitchen, I always go for fast food and he agreed and told me that I am more important than that. He flattered me by telling me that waking up to behold my beauty every morning is more than enough for him.

Two months before our wedding, Ryan advised me to quit my job claiming that he was more than able to shower me with love and compassion. He promised to give me all that I need because his father owns the most enterprising company in town, he said I will never be lonely. I disagreed initially and this caused a rift in our relationship but because of the deep and undying love I had for Ryan, I obliged and we continued with the wedding preparations.

He did most of the cleaning and washing. He ordered our food from the best restaurant during our honeymoon. Shortly after honeymoon, he got house help. I always satisfy him in bed anyway.

Partricia's coming into this house was a blessing in disguise because the chores my husband does when he returns from work was interfering with our love affair, he could not give me full attention as he did in the past, he'll just mount the bed and sleep, no time to gist about the day's activities and many more.

I became pregnant and I couldn't sleep well till the second trimester. I had high blood pressure and I couldn't feel my baby's movement anymore, I was hospitalized until my blood pressure became normal. Partricia was so helpful and supportive at this period, she stayed with me in the hospital till I was eventually delivered of my first child; Mabel. I was discharged from the hospital a week after delivery. Partricia was very instrumental to the success of the naming ceremony that followed thereafter. I really appreciated her for standing by me, my husband and in-laws gave her special gifts for her kind gestures.

One fateful day, I had taken my daughter to the hospital for a checkup. On getting there, I discovered that I left her hospital card at home so I went back to take it. On getting home, a shocking discovery welcomed me. I heard a male's voice from the visitor's bedroom where Partricia lodged. In a bid to confirm, I tiptoed to the door and when I opened the door, I discovered Partricia was having an affair with the new laundry man my husband had just given a contract of laundry and dry cleaning.

I reported the case to my husband and he scolded her and warned that such a thing should not repeat itself again.

Few days later, my husband got an invitation to supervise a new branch of his father's company that was being opened in another state and he left immediately. Shortly after that, Partricia started misbehaving, she became so rude and I became very upset with her. I sent her away two weeks after my husband travelled.

When my Ryan returned and I told him what transpired and how I sent Partricia away, he was not happy and his attitude towards me changed since then".

At this point, Ruby bursted into tears and exclaimed with her hands raised towards the sky, "Oh God! I need you to restore my home, I need my man, my joy..."

Meanwhile, Mrs Marvy Collins had been knocking at the door but there was no response, Mrs Marvy is a mother, a vibrant lady in her mid thirties, an energetic home keeper and a very good friend of Ryan's family.

She opened the door when she knew it was not bolted. Mrs Marvy could hardly find a place for her legs as the floor was marred with dirty water, raps of biscuit, snacks and clothes, obviously the floor has not been swept for days. She managed to walk through the grime passage and found Ruby seating on the floor of the sitting room with her hair unkempt.

Mrs Marvy was surprised to see her sobbing on the bare floor. House Flies from the kitchen and dining table gave Mrs Mary a welcome anthem, smell oozing from the toilet and bathroom made her nose savoury, Houseflies were holding a party on the dirty plates in the kitchen zinc.

Mrs Marvy moved closer to Ruby who had broken down in tears, lifted and guided her into the bedroom, trying to console her. Just then, Ruby's phone rang and it was Marbels' caregiver informing her that her daughter is sick and has been vomiting and stooling.

PHENOMENAL WOMAN 2

Ruby hung up the call and narrated the telephone conversation she had to Marvy who startled fearfully. Marvy drove the car as they both headed to Mabel's school. On getting to their destination, Ruby dashed out of the car, kicked her foot against a large stone, slided towards the left and was almost falling but Marvy ran towards her quickly,held her hands for her to gain stability and made her sit on a chair at the entrance. After Ruby had settled down, Marvy went into the office to announce the presence of Mabel's mother.

Few moments later, Mrs Livingston the Head Mistress welcomed the duo and narrated the experience she had with Mabel. " If you had honored the previous invitations we sent to you, you would have saved yourself from stress and your daughter's health would have been guided and monitored effectively".

"Mabel lacks proper care from home, for the past two to three months, her lunch box is always dirty,