Titi caught a long stare of herself staring into the mirror, slides of thoughts rushed through her head as to how close she used to be with Mark before they got married. She felt he was now different … “or is it me” she whispered
“maybe I’m not as beautiful as I used to be, I’ve added so much weight…” she said while still catching glimpses of herself in the mirror and making a 180-degree turn. With an unsatisfactory note on her face, she decided to take her mind off it and go do some foodstuff shopping at the market but today was different because the thought had refused to escape her head.
Titi and Mark met at NYSC camp and started out as friends, but time revealed their feelings for each other and soon they were inseparable. They did literally everything together and when Mark finally got down on one knee and asked her to marry him, she was so elated but not surprised because it already felt that way like she was his forever. Two years after they got married, they had Tunmise, and she brought so much joy to the family and then a year later Bolu came along. Mark was a great father to his girls and would do anything for them he was also a responsible husband and would always provide for Titi’s needs and for that of his daughters.
Immediately Titi returned home from the market she sat on the sofa with a thud and quickly dialed Hadizah’s number. Hadizah and Titi had met as far back as during her Jamb lesson days and had been best friends since then and would talk about absolutely anything to each other. Hadizah picked up the call;
“Hiiii bestiee” said Hadizah in jovial tone,
“Hey dizah” replied Titi in a shaky voice,
“Hmm you sound down, what’s wrong”
“Different thoughts dizah but this particular one won’t leave my head”
“Go ahead and spill babygirl kilonshele?”
“It’s Mark I feel like he’s changed in terms of us as a couple”
“okay, did he do something in particular?”
“No but I feel we’ve kind of grown distant from each other, he doesn’t compliment my outfits anymore, we don’t conjugate as much as before and I don’t even crave for it because immediately we’re done he just sleeps off, no affectionate touches, no random kisses. Sometimes I just shake it off my head because he works several jobs and he is really trying in ensuring he provides for the girls and I but we’re just five years in marriage, isn’t it too early to start being this distant? He’s not even romantic anymore or do you think he has someone else?”
“Woah slow down, lets not think that far just yet, have you tried talking to him about it?”
“Not directly, I just bring it up in between talks, sometimes he just apologizes and claims he’s busy and occupied to remember these things sometimes”
Hadizah advised Titi to look for sit him down and pour her heart to him and let him see how truly unhappy she is about the issue, Titi thanked her and Hadizah delved into talking about other matters that lit up her mood. Later that evening after Mark got back from work, it was 9 pm, Tunmise and Bolu had already gone to sleep, Titi welcomed him with a hug which she intended to be a long one, but Mark made it so brief.
“Sorry I came late, that contract I’ve been following lately is taking so much time” said Mark while taking off his shirt.
“Mark I want to talk to you” replied Titi as she grabbed a throw pillow and made her hands comfortable on them.
“Hmm Its late but go ahead anyway.”
She told him everything bothering her about their marriage and poured her heart out just as Hadizah had advised. He listened to her attentively and when she was done he gave a heavy sigh and took a hold of her right hand with that of his left;
“Babe I’m sorry I made you feel this way but you don’t have to think that far you know I love…”
“I don’t have to think that far?” Titi interrupted with a higher tone. “Come on babe!, when last did we go on a romantic date? That was Valentine’s Day and today is August 19th, these days you don’t even notice when I make a new hair, when we were still dating you’d hype my new look and take random pictures of me but it’s not there anymore”
“I know but you should understand my jobs are taking my time and my head is always occupied/ with a lot that I have to keep up with”
“I know, but if you love me and value our five years marriage, you’ll change and you’ll make out something, I even keep judging my body sometimes that maybe I’m not beautiful as I used to be or maybe you have become someone else,” she said sternly whilst looking away.
“No please, I’d never do that to you, you’re irreplaceable and please there’s nothing wrong with your body,” he said as she pulled her closer and kissed her shoulders.
They spent the next hour talking about random things and laughing at some funny scenes from the television and later fell asleep on each other. Early the next morning Mark had left for work and she also was going to drop the kids off at school while trying to usher the kids into the car she saw a letter on the driver’s seat and opened it to read. It was a handwritten love letter from Mark with the title: “For better for worse”. She read it with a beam of smile on her face and her day was made. After the previous night Mark had become more intentional about the both of them and things got way better between them.