Entangled with the lost heir

“I waited for you all day honey, I tried to reach you several times but your phone was turned off.” O'brien said to the sight of his wife, Kate walking into the living room barefoot with the high heels in her hands and her hair severely scattered. “I was out with my friends.” She said carelessly staggering her way into the bedroom with every move she took suggesting how drunk she was. “But Kate, today is your birthday and I thought we could spend some time together, as a happy couple.” “Happy couple huh?” She bent down quickly to pick a pack of condoms fallen from her purse. “Yes Kate.

A happy couple, I waited for you all day, but you left without telling me and now you're back at night.” He caught the smell of alcohol on her body, it wasn't a good sign. “I had plans with my friends, I wanted today to be a special day full of laughter and joy.” “So I don't bring joy? I don't bring happiness? You celebrated your birthday without me, your husband.” His eyes were already watery, hurt by the words of the woman he loved dearly. Known as the youngest couple in the neighbourhood, O'brien and Kate had been married for two years. But their arguments were the most talked about things among their neighbours. “They've started again.” One of the neighbours immediately said, hearing their voices. “That Kate girl is not right for O'brien! She never appreciates him for his efforts to provide and make her happy.” Another gossiped. Kate staggered and lost grip of her purse, it hit the floor with a thud and its content spilled out on the floor. “Morning after pill!” O'brien whispered to himself after seeing the birth control pill among the contents in his wife's purse. “We haven't even being intimate, she never wants to have sex with me. But she has birth control pills? Oh my God! This doesn't look so good.” He whispered to himself, watching her pick everything up quickly as she hoped he didn't see more than he was expected to. “I can't always hang out with you!” She said scratching the back of her head. “I know, you never hang out with me.” “I don't mean to hurt you, but when I'm around you these days, all I can think about is the fact that you don't have a job, you can't pay the bills and you are not worried that men who are younger than you are doing far better in life.” “I know life is not so fair to me right now but...” “Life is not so fair to you?” She cut him off abruptly, silencing his unfinished words, “Life is fair to everyone, O'brien you're just not smart. I'm not happy that I get to live here with you everyday while we are way behind our bills, I can't get the life I want, I just get depressed every time, wondering if you, my husband, is ever going to wake up and make moves that others are making to be successful. My God!” “Why do you always have to say it like I've never had a job, and I never work? I had a good job but I got sacked for something I never did.” He was getting angry. “Something you never did? I still don't believe that story.” “What story do you believe then? I swear to God I never slept with my Boss, she always made advances at me but I never fell in for once. She just decided to frame me, she made everyone believe that I made sexual advances at her and they sacked me.” “Your story is so poorly scripted. You think I'm a child? Wake up O'brien.” She dropped her purse and phone on the couch and stormed into the bedroom. “And now she's walked out on me again.” O'brien said to himself, disappointed as always. “How can I ever get her to understand that sometimes, life just hits us so hard? I once had a job, but I got fired for something I never did. Now here I am, jobless and not even deserving of my wife's love.” His thoughts were so loud one could hear them by just looking into his eyes. “I bought her a gift, but of what use would it be? She'll just say it's too cheap. That's what she always says.” He fell back on the couch behind him, his heart full of the pain of having to live every single day of his life with a beautiful young woman who stopped loving him the very day he lost his source of income. The early months of their marriage were so beautiful and memorable, days and hours filled with the joy of cooking together, splashing water on each other while swimming, going to see movies and kissing in public. But it was all gone! O'brien became a jobless husband with an unappreciative wife and inlaws who looked down on him. ***** “I told you several times, didn't I? I told you O'brien has nothing to offer our daughter. A church rat is even richer than him.” Amanda's voice echoed through the walls of the room as she spoke to her husband, Thomas, her voice mixed with anger and arrogance. “Why do you have to say it like it's all my fault?” Thomas's forehead squeezed then a shrug followed. He was used to being blamed for letting their daughter, Kate to Marry O'brien Miller, a man who's life had turned upside down just less than three years after marriage. But he was never used to enjoying being blamed for it. “You let our daughter marry that good for nothing guy. He's just handsome with nothing in his pockets.” Amanda mocked. “He wasn't handsome with nothing when she married him. And you never called him names when he was still wealthy and brought us nice gifts back then.” “What are you trying to say now? I only liked him because of his money?” Her anger was unhidden. “I never said that. You just did. Listen to me, When O'brien asked for Kate’s hand in marriage, he had enough to take care of her. He had a job and was living well. And it wasn't only my decision alright? You were also involved, and Kate also chose to be with him. So if the marriage ain't working, y'all better stop blaming me.” He yelled then paused to wonder if he was too loud. “We must correct the mistakes we made!” Amanda slowly picked up a glass of water on the table in front of her. “What do you mean?” “We need to speak to Kate, she needs to divorce that church rat before he ruins her life. Our daughter deserves a better man.” “You mean, a richer man? A man that will buy her Lamborghinis and buy you gold watches huh? You and your daughter need to be patient enough. A man goes through a lot of difficulties sometimes.” “Please honey, don't preach to me again.” “Listen, whatever I do, I do it for Kate, if she thinks she doesn't want to go on with the young guy and wants to divorce him, then it's fine by me. It's her life and I shouldn't ruin it with my own choices. She should make hers.” “Good, we should speak to her, she needs a divorce!”