My Ex Almost Broke Me

“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never run empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in the darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.” I really think it’s cruel of her to play this part of the movie while she’s kicking me out. This is one of our favourite movies. She used these vows at our wedding. She altered the wine part and she said henessy, because that’s my favourite drink. I can’t help but smile at that. She looked so good in her wedding dress, she looked at me with the most loving eyes I’ve seen. But the smile is quickly wiped off my face when I really look at the woman standing in front of me. This is not the woman I’ve known since we were kids. And I got married 5 years ago. That woman was thoughtful, supportive and loving. I can’t say the same thing about the woman standing in front of me right now. This woman is spiteful, cruel and manipulative. “What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear my daughter? Take your s**t and leave.” My mother-in-law points at 4 black rubbish bags by the kitchen counter. I know for a fact that those are my clothes. After 5 years of marriage, she summed up my life, a life spent with her in 4 rubbish bags? I know we haven’t been happy for some time now, but I thought we’d get through this like we always do. “On second thoughts, I won’t let him leave with anything. He can take all the stuff he came here with or he bought, which isn’t much really.” And then she looks around the house, which makes me wonder what she’s looking for. Maybe she wants to add everything I bought, but I don’t want that. I’m only taking the clothes because I need them, I’m too broke to even afford a pair of jeans. After looking around, I guess she found what she was looking for. She adds “Those fancy suits and shoes aren’t going anywhere I bought them.” Sounded like she was expecting an argument from me. She won’t get it. This is not a court room. So, I just look at her, like really look at the very same woman who said she'd stick with me through thick and thin. Just when I’m about to try to talk to her, I see a man walking towards the steps on the second floor, wearing a gown. Walking around the house like he owns it, like he’s the man of the house. I don’t have to ask who he is. As soon as my mother-in-law sees me looking behind her, she turns to see what I’m looking at, when she spots him, a smile grows on her face. This guy isn’t even looking at her. He’s typing on the phone. “I wasn’t told about a guest,” I said to Sibu. But like always, when her mother is around, she hardly speaks for herself. She answers for her, it always grates on my nerves. “No no no, you’re the guest in this house. This is the new man of the house. He hasn’t been here for 24 hours, but he’s already fixed all the things you were lazy to fix. Look around the house.” And I did. I didn’t notice when I walked in. I was busy reminiscing about our wedding day. There’s a new fridge, the one Sibu always wanted, but I was too broke to buy in cash, I decided to lay-by it. That fridge costs R27 000, he bought it cash? The tap I promised to fix when I got home is no longer leaking. The leather couches Sibu wanted are there. Like with the fridge, I couldn’t buy them cash, I planned to lay-by them after getting the fridge. I mean those coaches cost R62 000. Where was I supposed to get all that money? I had to go work today because I needed the money, so when Sibu called to tell me about the tap, I promised I would fix it when I got home. I couldn’t leave the site. And I couldn’t buy a new one. I am broke. I was saving for our 5th anniversary, which is 2 days from now. And now this? Up and close, I see who this man is. He is one of the youngest partners in her firm. Not only that, this is the man she told me not to worry about. What is he doing here? “Who is this?” I asked Sibu. And this time, her mom doesn’t answer for her. “New man of the house,” she tells me, pointing at the tap, fridge and couches. So he calls someone to fix the tap, and then he buys couches and a fridge and now he’s the man of the house? As if I have never done anything or bought anything in this house. The very same couches they replaced were bought by me. And I breathe in and out to try and control my rising temper. I won’t fight this man. Yes, he knew Sibu was a married woman but it’s not his fault she decided to get in a relationship with him. She’s also at fault. I turned to Sibu. “Why didn’t you tell me you found someone?” I asked her and I couldn’t keep my emotions in control, my voice shook. I’m glad they didn’t notice. “I kept giving you hints and telling you to leave my house.” She tells me sounding bored, as if I should already know this. “Your house?” She nodded at my question, looking bored. I swear I saw her rolling her eyes. “She’s also expecting my child,” said the guy, rubbing her tummy. And I swear I stopped breathing for a second. “How long has this been going on?” I don’t know why I’m asking but I need to know. “It’s been almost 5 months,” answered the guy, kissing her neck and rubbing her tummy. I go back and calculate, that’s when things started to get sour between us, but every time I asked she always said it’s work and I sometimes believed her. Work can be draining, especially her work. I lost count of the times when we would stay all night and she’d be busy with her articles. And I’d make sure she had everything she needed within reach. “I thought you weren’t ready.” I felt like screaming but my voice came out as a whisper. She said she wasn’t ready every time I brought the baby up. I knew she could be cruel, but this? It’s like she keeps stabbing my heart. But I try so hard to control my temper and my emotions. She answered me after some time, “I guess that’s because you weren’t the right guy,” sounding and looking bored, it’s clear I’m boring her, she’s been like that since I got here. I stood there for a minute looking at them, not knowing what to say. I can’t fight for her like I did in the past, she has someone else and she’s expecting his baby. “Which plastics should I take?” I asked her, since she said couldn’t take everything, she bought some of the things. She points at one of the plastics using her high-heeled feet. I bought those shoes. And unlike her, I’m not going to take anything back. I bought her stuff because I wanted to. I thought it was the same with her, but I guess not. So, I just take my plastic and I turn to leave and never look back. But the new man of the house isn’t done, “Aren’t you going to fight for your wife? Your marriage?” he’s mocking me, it takes everything in me not to turn back and hit the life out of him. But I don’t say anything, I don’t turn or stop. “He’s never been a fighter,” said Sibu in disdain. She has always hated that about me. But my heart breaks with each step I take towards the door. She’s not going to stop me. It takes everything in me not to scream right there. I get to my old van, I breathe in and out for almost 5 minutes trying to calm myself and stop myself from crying. And then I drove home.