Her First Mistake

"Why can't you stay at home with your family on Saturday for once Michael?" Sophia asked her husband with perplexity that fateful Saturday afternoon, she wore linen skirt and blouse, and her hair was simply packed in buns.

Michael ignored her as he walked towards the door in response to the doorbell.

'why is my husband behaving this way for goodness sake' Sophia wondered, she was light in complexion and a little plump, she didn't have any makeup on her face and was now oily.

She was full of hopes about getting married to Michael when she exchanged marital vows with him about six years ago, the first year was okay but the second year, they had begun to quarell, it started with little and seemingly insignificant issues which got worse because the issues were not resolved, and now things had become so bad that they hardly agree to anything.

Sophia could not remember the last time they laughed or did things together, Michael would never stay at home, he was the problem, she thought, only if he would change.

She was still looking at Michael as he checked the peephole, he wore a stripped shirtsleeved shirt on a pair of jeans, at that time Sophia met him, he was a dream come true for her, Michael was about six feet tall, dark in complexion and broad shoulders, he was the CEO of Classic, the best NYC magazine company, he was the kind of man many ladies will throw off their home training for, with his dressing, and his killer smile, Michael was the perfect description of a male God.

He and Sophia loved each other and were always together at the beginning of their relationship, when she informed him that she was pregnant, he was extremely happy, he suggested they get married quickly, and Sophia gave birth to their first child Manuel.

He made many promises to Sophia, promises that gave her the assurance that her parents and her two older sisters who were against the union would soon eat their words, their relationship was simply great, it couldn't go wrong, she was very sure.

"So where had the love gone?" Sophia wondered for the umpteenth time as she sat in the living room of their mansion, looking around the room, the sofa and armchairs were made of brown leather, a white tray filled with seashells and fine pebbles was on a centre table, the colour of the curtains matched with the grey carpet.

Sophia had woken up this morning feeling Moody, extremely tired of the way things stood between her and Michael, and she wasn't feeling any better even till now, in spite of the bright weather outside, she sighed, suddenly feeling exhausted, more in her spirit than in her body.

Michael opened the door, flashing his white teeth in a smile, " Larry Boy,!" He greeted his friend, shaking his hand.

Sophia frowned, ' Larry again? Why wouldn't this man stay away from her husband? he was one of the people with bad influence on Michael, causing problems in her marriage, what was he doing here again? And more importantly why was Michael still relating with him after she had complained at least twice that she didn't want their association?

Their association meant that Michael was still visiting Club 2 against her wish.

The men patronizing the club 2 joint usually did so with their side chicks, and drank alcohol, she had been with Michael when they were dating but when they were about to get married she told him to stop going to the club, he stopped for a while but she discovered some time last year that he had started visiting the place again and she quarreled with him.

And now, Larry who is a regular at Club 2 was in their apartment, Michael obviously had no regard for her opinion, which was one of the caused of their marital problem, Sophia thought in anger, she could only hope that he had not gone back to drinking alcohol and having girlfriends.

"Hey Michael!" Larry greeted his friend in return.

"Larry Boy!" Michael repeated, obviously happy to see his friend, " please come in" he invited, opening the door wider.

Larry stepped in and as Michael closed the door, he said again, " Larry boy! How're you doing?"

"I'm doing great my guy" Larry answered, he was casually wearing an olive green plain shirt and a dark green trouser.

Sophia stood from beside her almost two years old son, and his doll to greet Larry, she shook hands with him and said through tight lips, " Good afternoon"

She knew what Michael might do next, and she must do something to stop it, she had to put an end to this rubbish Michael did.

With determination, she marched into the kitchen, she met the maid doing the dishes, she called the girl, " Maria stop what you are doing and follow me" she ordered, still wearing the frown.

Maria continued washing the plates and she said, " okay, ma'am, I will quickly wash these ones and..."

"Leave them and follow me right now" she snapped at the girl.

The maid quickly rinsed her hands and followed her, Sophia stopped in the living room to carry her son before going towards the master bedroom with the maid following from behind, she entered the bedroom but the maid stood by the entrance.

"Come in" Sophia said, putting her child down on the floor and sat on the king size bed, placing two pillows on each sides of her already sleeping son, she indicated the dressing stool for the maid to sit on, which she obeyed hastily.

Sophia relaxed her face a little as she looked at Maria and said, " your mother called me yesterday and told me that something happened to you where you were staying before"

Maria's face dropped and she kept her eyes on the floor, visibly shaking, wringing her hands.

Sophia noticed how uncomfortable she was, " what exactly happened? How did it happen?" As she asked the maid, she listened for sounds in the living room, she expected Michael to come in soon, looking for the maid.

The dark-complexion girl breathed in and out heavily without talking.

"Maria?" Sophia called her softly, " you can talk to me alright?"

The maid shifted her weight on the stool and was about to talk when the door opened to Michael.

When he saw Maria, he looked surprised, he opened the door wider still looking at the maid who say comfortably in the room he shared with his wife, the previous maid who lived with them for four years and left just last month never entered this room.

' what is she doing here?' he wondered, looking from Maria to Sophia.

Sophia didn't meet his eyes, she kept her eyes on Maria as if she didn't know her husband was around.

Michael's unsmiling eyes went back to Maria, " please come".

Sophia stood immediately, she has been expecting this and she was prepared to confront Michael, " she is busy now, what do you want her to do for you?" She demanded harshly.

Michael looked at his wife to explain what he wanted, but changed his mind when he saw the ready-to-fight look on her face, the express on his face changed to anger.

He was the husband and the head of the home, whatever the maid was doing with Sophia must have to wait, he looked at the maid, she didn't seem to be doing anything anyways.

"Maria come" he said in annoyance.

She moved to follow him, but Sophia raise her hand up to stop her, " wait!"

Maria looked from wife to husband in confusion, Sophia asked her husband, " what do you want her to do for you?"

Michael's mouth parted in both surprise and anger, his wife had started again, ' what exactly is her problem?' he wondered.

Sophia continued, " we have soft drinks, different kind of wine, I don't want her to buy those alcoholic drinks, you and your friend can do whatever you like outside but please not in this house, respect me and the kids" she said decisively.

She vowed to put an end to some of those things Michael was doing, she hated alcohol and it's addiction, her husband had stopped drinking alcoholic drinks some months even before their marriage, if he wasn't drinking again, then he shouldn't buy for his friends, they surely would understand.

Michael pointed a finger at her and said, " Sophia this has nothing to do with you and you know it, you can't dictate to me what I should or shouldn't give my friend" he looked back at Maria and repeated, " please come"

Sophia stood up, " Maria stay!" She said defiantly.

She would not allow it, enough is enough, if Michael doesn't know what he was doing, she knew, didn't he realized that their marriage was having problems? And his bad friends, coupled with his own bad behavior were some of the causes of the problem? Michael had always lived a carefree life, like someone who was not married, without any regard for her or her opinion.

Deep in her heart, Sophia knew what she was doing in the presence of the maid was wrong, but what else should she do? She has been tolerating and overlooking for years, but it seems that style didn't seem to work because Michael seemed to be getting worse.

This was not what he promised her when she agreed to marry him against her family wish, he had promised to love her and to make her happy all the days of her life, although he had fulfilled the promises only for some months into the marriage, but soon she began to notice the changes in him, he had become very impatient and shouted at her alot.

Sophia was no fool, she had decided that she would do more than tolerating all his attitude, Michael was not the soft and easy type, he was hard and strong, these qualities had drawn her to him when they met, but now she'd had enough of them, they now irritated her.

Maria looked worried and perplexed, she glanced at Sophia, appealing to her with her eyes to let her go with Michael.

Michael almost could not believe what Sophia had just said, " Maria come here" he repeated firmly, daring Sophia.

"Maria stay" she said, equally firmly, she was ready for her husband, she had allowed the previous maid to buy those strong alcoholic drinks for his friends, and now he was calling Maria to start doing the same, for how long will they continue like that? She would not allow Maria do it.

Michael was very shocked at his wife's reaction, never had he imagine Sophia making these utterances to him, " are you out of your mind? How can I ask the maid to come and you are telling her to stay?" He asked, his eyes blazing.

"Iam not out of my mind Michael, you are the one who is out of control, you don't seem to know what is right from what is wrong anymore!"

Maria was still looking at them with that troubled expression, her perplexity greatly increased, she was shocked at this hot exchange of words between husband and wife, she hoped she was not leaving the frying pan for fire by coming to live with this family.

Sophia spoke again, " I have told you several times Michael, I don't want to see that man in this house again, let him keep away!" She told Michael, lowering her voice so that Larry would not hear her.

She never liked Larry, she believed he was a bad influence on her husband, she thought he was irresponsible and lousy and had only been tolerating him before she married Michael.

The thirty- something years old unmarried man had four kids by three women, about two years ago when Sophia went with Michael and his friend to a party, Larry had been boasting that he sometimes dated more than one woman at a time, he told everyone who cares to listen that he was not ready for marriage, in his words, as a multi-millionaire, marriage was a form of bondage, it brought trouble and torment with the woman controlling her husband, turning his head around and ordering him.

Sophia could still remember the look on Larry's face as he talked that day, ' only a fool rush into marriage' he claimed, laughing at Michael and another man at the table who was also married, since then she had decided that Larry must stay away from her husband, he was definitely a bad influence and she would discourage her husband from going with Larry to club 2.