General Pov

       Theresa Chigozie was known among her patients and staff as the most caring and attentive nurse in the hospital. Everyone wanted to be tended by her. She knew the nurses code of conduct and she wanted to keep to it with all her heart because she loved her job. She knew she was strict with her kids, especially Eliza but raising a teenager is so much harder than she had thought, especially as a single mom, no, a divorcee.

She was treading on a minefield. No one knew her current status. I mean, This is Nigeria where everything you do is guided and bounded by your culture. Being a woman and a divorcee is not something to write home about. You'll be tagged as a woman that can't keep a home. You'll always hear something like mmmh, she's a divorcee, who knows what she did? Or maybe she cheated on her husband, tufiakwa (God forbid).

It will always be the woman's fault and the man will be the victim. That stigma will always be with you. No man would ever want to marry you. Your life will practically be over. That was why women endured in their marriage regardless of what they were passing through in the hands of their husband.

Theresa knew this, that was why she was prepared to take the secret to her grave. She knew it won't be easy but she had to try. She knew the kids loved their dad so much. But she doesn't regret the night he walked out on them. She couldn't bear it anymore. She didn't mind being both parents, if only Elizabeth would understand.

*        *           *           *            *             *

      "Your blood pressure is 150/60. It's perfectly normal" Theresa smiled at the patient. "You're recovering very fast"

"Nurse imeela. (Thank you nurse) You don save my life today (you've saved my life today)"
The frail old woman said with her pidgin English.

"Oh, no no. The doctor did all the work ma"

The woman didn't even acknowledge what she said.
"Your husband dey lucky o. You don marry? (Your husband is lucky. Are you married?)"

"Y Yes" Theresa stuttered,suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Wey your ring dey? ( where's your ring)?"

"I lost it ma" She lied. "Have a good night rest ma" She said bolting for the door.
She almost bumped into Dr Chukwuma.

"Hey, are you alright? You startled me"
Dr Chukwuma looked at her with a concerned look.

"Oh, yeah, i'm fine" she said handing him the patients chart and hurried away.

Dr Chukwuma wore a puzzled look on his face. This isn't the bubbly cheerful Theresa I know. Something must be wrong with her.

*       *        *         *           *         *           *
          Theresa finished administering a treatment to a patient in the private ward, as she was descending downstairs with a tray of used injections, she heard her name, she was being paged to the general ward. She darted towards that area.

As she neared the male ward, she heard voices of two people seemingly having an altercation about something. As she opened the door, lo and behold, it was nurse Ijeoma again and a male patient in his 30s.

"Etikwala m Ihe a n'aka m o! ( don't put thing on my arm o!)" The male patient yelled in Igbo.

"Gịnị na-eme gị ? Ụjọ ọ na-atụ gị? (What is wrong with you? Are you scared?)" The nurse asked quite unnerved at the mans' antics.

"Heh! I just dey look you o! Guys, warn this nurse o!

The other two male patients in the room was simply looking at the man with amused expressions.

Theresa drew close to them.
" What's going on?"

"Ehe! Thank God, Nurse Theresa is here" The patient was actually glad to see her.

"Ijeoma, what's going on here?" Theresa asked her.

"Is it not this man o, asking the history of the injection i'm trying to give him. Every time I come in with his meds, he's always trying to know all about it. The others are not giving me wahala (a hard time). It's only him, nawa o!"

"Okay, calm down, Mr........."

"Omemgboji" He offered his name still scowling.

"Mr Omemgboji" Theresa continued glancing at his file "You have acute typhoid"
Which is almost gone seeing the amount of energy you're expending while arguing Theresa thought.

"I know na. Malaria and Typhoid na Nigeria's sickness"

Theresa stifled a smile and continued "And the injection she was trying to give is Typhoid Vi polysaccharide vaccine" She continued to explain its functions in a laymans' term to calm his fears.

" Ehe, Thank you nurse. Na the thing this nurse suppose explain ( This is exactly what this nurse is supposed to explain to me)"

Nurse Ijeoma shot him a death glare.

"So should we proceed with the injection, sir?" Theresa asked him

"Yes, okay"He agreed.

Ijeoma grudgingly did her work but carefully and slowly.

After that they left the room.

In the hallway, Theresa turned to Ijeoma.
" Now was it so hard to just do what he asked?"

Ijeoma shook her head " Mmmm, I don't have this kind of patience you have o"

" That's why we are called nurses. We are caring and patient enough to deal with the whims of our patients "

"Your name suits you o. Mother Theresa" Ijeoma teased.

Theresa chuckled and started down the hall with Ijeoma behind her.

As they were chatting, They spotted Dr Chukwuma, the tall, handsome, dark with pointed nose hunk who was an eligible bachelor and was also the center of every ladies attraction. He was walking towards their direction with another doctor.

Theresa's heart sped up immediately.
Why does my heart act abnormally when I see him She thought.

"Theresa, hey" Chukwuma gave her that heartstopping smile that always affected her. "How are you?"

Ijeoma smiled inwardly like she knew what was happening.

"I.... I'm fine" Theresa stuttered, her cheeks flaming up. She noticed the other doctor smiling. Suddenly she became embarrassed.

"Are you sure?" The doctor asked her again with that intense gaze.

"Yeah, I am" Theresa replied trying to avoid his gaze.

"Okay, well, see you later."They left.

         Theresa hastened her footsteps, going outside for some fresh air, she really needed to cool her already heated cheeks.

" Hey, wait up" Ijeoma followed her grinning.

"Don't you have something else to do than follow me all night?"

"I'm just curious. What just happened in there?"

"Nothing" She said, feigning ignorance.

"It's not just nothing. Dr Chukwuma obviously has the hots for you" Ijeoma grinned.

"I don't care. I'm a married woman" Theresa looked away, masking her lie.

"I know. But I don't like that your husband o!"

"It's none of your business" She replied in a low tone.

"It is my business Theresa. Especially, when you're the one suffering in the marriage. It is definitely my business!"

"What do you want me to do then, divorce him?" Theresa asked her,testing her to see if she could confide in her.

"Um....well....." Ijeoma seemed lost in words. "Not divorce per say. At least, separation. For the time being"

"Then what happens after that?" Theresa's voice almost cracking up.

"You know i'm not a marriage counselor. But there's one I can take you to."

Theresa had gone to several marriage counselors plus the ones she had to force her husband to go.
The only solution they provided was "Be patient, God will fight for you" or "Don't worry, he'll change. Just be more caring and kind to him."  Some of them even recommended going to a ministry that there might be a spiritual force at play. She exhausted every option but nothing worked. After that unforgettable night and a divorce paper found on her table the next day. She knew it was over.

"So divorce is not an option, then"

"You know it's not. Not in this part of the world."

"Then we're done with this conversation" She angrily stomped out.

What do you think guys?

Was Theresa making a good decision by keeping her marital status a secret?

I hope you're enjoying it guys.
Please don't forget to vote, comment and share.