Raina had just returned from her siblings' place in Lagos. The vibrant city with its energy and noise had been a welcome break from the stillness of her hometown. Lagos had a way of making her feel alive, yet when she stepped off the bus and walked into the familiar warmth of her mother's house, she felt comforted by the return to simplicity.
It was there that she first met Frodd. He had been sitting casually in the living room, chatting with her mother, when Raina arrived. He wasn't particularly tall or striking, with a round build and dark skin that contrasted with Raina's fair complexion. But there was an unmistakable presence about him, an air of confidence that made him stand out. He seemed content, but it wasn't just his demeanor—it was the way he looked at her, as if already sizing her up.
"Raina," her mother had said warmly, "meet Frodd. He's been helping me around here, and he's a good man. I think you two should get to know each other."
Frodd extended a hand, his grip firm and steady. There was no instant connection, no spark of recognition, but there was a quiet curiosity in her, as she studied him. He smiled broadly, his lips curving in a way that didn't quite reach his eyes. He was polite, but there was an underlying tension in the air, one that Raina couldn't quite name.
The first few conversations with Frodd had been awkward. He wasn't a man of many words, yet he spoke with such assuredness that Raina felt a strange pull toward him, even though she wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't love, not in the traditional sense, but there was something magnetic about him. He was charming, in his own way, and Raina couldn't deny that his attention made her feel special.
As their visits continued, Frodd's interest in Raina grew more evident. There was a certain possessiveness in the way he looked at her, something that unsettled her but also intrigued her. He wasn't the kind of man to sit back and wait for things to happen. No, he went after what he wanted with a quiet intensity that left little room for doubt. And he wanted Raina.
He was a man used to getting what he wanted. And Raina, though hesitant and uncertain, found herself drawn into his orbit. There were no grand gestures, no declarations of undying love. It wasn't romance—it was something else. It was the promise of security, of belonging, of being wanted by a man who, for reasons she didn't fully understand, seemed to see something in her that made her worth pursuing.
Within weeks, the idea of marriage was brought up. It was a quiet suggestion, a passing remark that turned into something more concrete. Her mother, eager for Raina to find someone who would care for her, encouraged the idea, and before Raina knew it, they were planning a wedding. There was no grand courtship, no deep emotional connection—just the quiet understanding that this was the next step. Raina, unsure of herself but looking for something to hold onto, agreed.
The wedding itself was small—intimate, even. Her mother had been so eager to see her daughter married off, and while the ceremony wasn't extravagant, it was enough. Frodd, with his steady presence and determined eyes, looked at Raina as though she was his prize. And perhaps, in his mind, she was. She was beautiful, yes, and young—someone he could shape and control, someone who would be his own. The power dynamics were already clear, though unspoken, and Raina found herself wondering if this was what life had meant for her all along.
When Raina discovered she was pregnant, it came as both a surprise and a relief. Frodd was happy, genuinely pleased. He wasn't indifferent, as she had feared; rather, he seemed to see the pregnancy as a sign of his success, a way to solidify his place in Raina's life. He was proud of her, proud of the family they were starting. Yet, beneath that pride, there was something else—a sense of ownership. He had married a beautiful woman, one who would now bear him children. There was a quiet satisfaction in that, something that went beyond the joy of fatherhood.
But as Raina's pregnancy progressed, the reality of their situation set in. Frodd, despite his excitement about becoming a father, didn't fully grasp the responsibilities that came with it. His life had always been about getting what he wanted, and he did so by taking shortcuts, by relying on others to take care of the details. Raina was the one who had to carry the weight of the pregnancy, the one who had to navigate the complexities of childbirth alone. Frodd didn't seem to understand the sacrifices she was making, and while he cared for her, it was in his own way—without consideration for the emotional or physical toll she was enduring.
When Mirabelle was born, Raina was exhausted, but there was a sense of relief, of joy. She had a daughter, a beautiful little girl who, for a moment, made the world feel whole again. Frodd, though, seemed focused on the logistics, the way his life was changing. He had a family now, something to claim, something to possess.
But things were not as simple as they appeared. Frodd's mother came to visit, eager to help with the newborn, but she brought her own set of problems. Mrs. Frodd was overbearing and insistent, convinced that she knew best about everything, especially when it came to the care of her grandchild. She brought herbs, traditional remedies, against the doctor's instructions. Raina, in a moment of desperation and fear for her child's well-being, intervened. She broke the herb pot, trying to assert control over the situation. The resulting argument between Raina and her mother-in-law was explosive. Mrs. Frodd swore that she would never forgive Raina for her insubordination, and from that point on, the relationship between them was forever strained.
Raina's marriage began to unravel after that. Frodd's infidelities, which had been a quiet part of their relationship, became more noticeable. His focus was divided, his attention scattered. He didn't care enough to settle down, to take responsibility for the family he had started. The instability weighed heavily on Raina, who had no education, no skills to fall back on, and no support system beyond her immediate family.
And then, after Mirabelle and Eugene, after the struggles and the disappointments, Raina found herself pregnant again. This time, she gave birth to Madeleine. Frodd, despite the birth of another daughter, didn't seem to share the joy of parenthood. His frustration, however quiet, grew. He wanted a son, a male heir, someone who could carry on his name and his legacy. But Raina, despite her best efforts, could only give him daughters. Each disappointment brought more arguments, more tension.
Frodd left shortly after Madeleine was born. He disappeared, never to return. It was a blow to Raina, but not an unexpected one. She had spent years hoping for a change, for something to be different, but now, with Frodd gone, she was left to pick up the pieces. The marriage was over, the man was gone, and Raina was left alone to raise her children, unsure of where life would take her next.
Raina, despite the growing tension, tried to hold the fragments of her family together. When Frodd left, it wasn't just his absence that hurt—it was the finality of it, the realization that everything she had built with him had been based on promises that had never truly been fulfilled. For years, she had invested her emotions, her energy, her youth into a relationship that had, in the end, not offered her the love and support she had imagined.
Raina couldn't help but think back to the early days of their marriage, when Frodd's presence had seemed like a promise of stability. She had believed, naively, that marriage would bring happiness, security, and a sense of belonging. But with each passing day, Frodd's indifference had eroded that hope. His attention, once filled with excitement about the future, became focused elsewhere—on his own pursuits, his own desires.
Now, as she stood with her children, staring at the pieces of her broken life, Raina knew that she couldn't continue to rely on Frodd, not anymore. His departure had left a hole, one that couldn't be filled by the empty words of promises made long ago. There was no more waiting for change. The responsibility of raising her daughters, of shaping their futures, was hers alone.
But in her heart, she held onto a quiet strength, one that had come from within during the darkest moments of her marriage. Despite everything that had happened, Raina was determined not to let the failure of her relationship define her or her children. She would raise them with love, with the hope that they would grow into strong, independent individuals who would never find themselves in the same trap she had.
Though Frodd was gone, the journey ahead, for better or worse, was now entirely hers.