THE ABUSE. Not every marriage that glitters is perfect. I got married to Lanre after fifteen years of dating, and three years of engagement. Our relationship was so beautiful. People wanted what we had. I mean eighteen years of solidarity. We had arguments but it wouldn’t even last a day. We were there for each other. Two days later after our wedding, everywhere was calm, relatives had gone. It was just Lanre, and I. We were seeing a movie on DSTV, Lanre stepped out to answer a call, when he came back, I was viewing Zeeworld. Before I could ask him who it was, he landed me a slap on my back, and threw the remote at me. Let me remind you, Lanre had never hit me or even cursed me since we met at the beach eighteen years ago. The beating became a norm. If I served soup before garri, he would hit me. Brush my teeth after bathing, or buy a cloth without informing him, I was a dead soul. I tried reaching out to close friends but how would I explain to them that Lanre who was everyone’s dream suddenly became a nightmare. I kept everything bottled up. I prayed all day, and night hoping Lanre would change. I couldn’t tell anyone because he was just too perfect. The straw which broke the camel’s back was during a friend’s wedding, my best friend noticed the black scars on my hands, face, and neck. I tried to deny it but she knew me too well. I opened up, and trust Jessica, she wasn’t going to take it as she hated Lanre even when he claimed he didn’t do anything wrong. She approached him in front of everyone dragging me by the waist. Jessica asked him why he treated me like a boxing bag. At first, Lanre denied, saying I fell and when he couldn’t keep up with the crowd which had gathered, he bursted out. And yes, he hit me again which put everyone in shock. But then, I got to realise I wasn’t the only woman in his life. What shocked me was the fact everyone knew Lanre had a four-year old son. Now I ask myself, can I ever love again? If Lanre could do this, then what should I not expect again? Can I trust anyone with my life?