I can’t even remember how many times she had come home, late at night, crying and bloodied. And every time, she made excuses for him. Always going back, despite the endless body harm she was going through

But this was over the counter

She was all bloodied, her face unrecognizable

This, apparently, was love

We gate crashed through the hospital emergency doors, a team of doctors meeting us and hauling her into the surgery room

Left alone in the corridor, I looked around. The hospital was deserted, only a few hospital staff moving up and down, nonchalant

The ambulance came screaming down the CBD, weaving and lurching its way through heavy traffic, honking angrily, causing more havoc and danger than whatever awaited it

I looked at my sister, complicated medical equipment running through her body. An oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose

She was hardly breathing. The only movement was her chest, ever so slowly. 

This was pretty bad

I looked at the medic but he avoided my eyes, focusing on Doreen instead

Love was over rated, I thought 

See, Doreen and Jack have been dating four years now. But the untold suffering my sister had gone through was just out of this world

I found a bench and slumped down, exhausted

Just then my phone buzzed. I looked at the screen. My husband. 

I sighed. I knew what was coming if I didn’t pick his calls. It had been happening for quite a while. He called several times but I didn’t pick. The silence here was so golden. So pure

As I looked at the flurry of activities in the hospital corridors, I suddenly realized I was in the same setup like my sister’s. 

Birds of the same feather, I reckoned

I quickly texted him, saying I was at the hospital. He called again, twice. 

Half an hour later, as I was trying to find something to eat at the canteen, Sam arrived, looking flustered and worked up. 

As I was just about to take a bite of my muffin, his slap landed on my cheek, the hot coffee spluttering all over my chest, the stinging pain making me dizzy

I staggered, almost falling down. He quickly reached out and grabbed my jacket, restraining me. He pulled me close to him, angrily stepping on my coffee cup. 

His stale breath was overwhelming me. His bloodshot eyes pinned on me. His rough hands were pulling me back and forth

He hit me again, this time with the back of his hand

“Stop it, Sam..!”

He suddenly stopped and started pacing up and down

“You are not picking my calls. Why?”

He quickly came and held me tightly just as the tears started flowing

Everything went flurry. I hardly remember anything that happened from there. Fleetingly seeing him handing me yogurt. 

Through blurry eyes, I saw him hand me a pile of serviettes, from the canteen

A few minutes later a nurse came looking for me. My sister had been discharged. She had a bandage across her forehead. And another on her hand

Sam was all over her, apologizing profusely, gently leading her towards the car park

I walked behind them, my head spinning.

“I promise you he will pay for this..! Nobody touches my in-law and gets away with it. Let me handle him..”

We drove home, my mind swirling with varying emotions. 

“Honey, should we pick something to eat?” Sam asked, looking back at me, a small smile hiding his dead eyes

“No, bae. Just drop me at Doreen’s. Am sure I can cook something for her. I will see you kesho,” my voice, I hoped, did not betray the hatred in my heart

Deep down, I told myself, this was the last time I was seeing him. 

As I stared at his car disappear into the thick night, I knew we needed to do something about our partners. Me and Doreen

“So you are leaving him this time?” I asked as soon as we settled into her one bedroom house

She looked at me with those cooing eyes, speaking volumes yet saying nothing

“He will change, you will see,” she responds as she settles on the bed

I start making some omelets, tiny drops of tears forming at the corners of my eyes

“Yeah, Sam will change too,” I whisper to myself