HENRY: (After spanking Lauretta) You are so useless! Fool, Very useless fool.
LAURETTA: (Crying) Henry! What have I done, is it because I did not cook in time, you know my condition, you know I'm two months pregnant and you're treating me like this, why.
HENRY: (Beats her more) You are a fool, elder women when they were younger would cook with heavy pregnancy in my father's house, we never ate late.
LAURETTA: (Mutters) Then go and marry your step mother's sister, don't kill me.
HENRY: You said what, you useless imbecile, I will kill you tonight (He chases and beats her till the curtain falls).
(At Barrister Mayowa's Office, Lauretta explains the whole story to him and he listened with rapt attention)
BARRISTER MAYOWA: (Exclaims) This is heavy, deep oo... So you told him you had complications and he beat you to the extent that you lost the pregnancy... Lauretta, that's bad oo, this is the third time if I'm not mistaken!!! are you sure you won't opt for a divorce?
LAURETTA: I'm not even sure self, and my father warned me oo, not to marry such an non-chalant man, lawyer, and he is technically 58 minutes late you said we should meet by 12:00 PM
BARRISTER MAYOWA: That is not even marriage, both of you are strictly managing yourself, true to God!
(Just then Henry enters the office with his mother, Mama Uzor)
HENRY: Nwedene, Oga, I'm sorry for (panting heavily) the delay, bike man delayed! my mama heard about this matter and had to come from the village to the park to receive her.
LAURETTA: Henry, you are not man enough, you decided to inform a third party on issues going on in our home, that is sacrilege!
MAMA UZOR: My friend, will you keep quiet, with your filthy mouth that runs like our village stream, as a virtuous woman, why would you report your husband to a lawyer -- (Lauretta interrupts)
LAURETTA: And Mama, with all due respect, I feel the fault is all yours for refusing to train your sons to respect women. Has your misogynistic son told you that he beats me like Akpako drums, and he drains and removes money from our joint bank accounts to patronize concubines and he doesn't bring money home for feeding.
(Barrister Mayowa covers his mouth)
MAMA UZOR: (Tries to hit Lauretta, but misses) In my time and age, women were submissive, they would work to feed and take care of the household, cook and take care of the family with heavy stomachs, and because of a two-month old fetus you are complaining.
LAURETTA: Women then did not have to stay with a useless husband who beats and punches them like the body of a broken car, giving me blows of affirmation, quantity punches, acts of violence, violent and incessant sex, touches and gifts of slaps, women of then didn't have to pay rent while the husband spends on prostitutes and lies that he is giving the money to his parents, women of then did not have tools that pass on investment opportunities to take their families forward and waste joint funds to drink pepper soup and that foetus (bursts out in tears)
(Henry tries to beat her but she slaps him with a loud echo)
HENRY: Barrister, she slapped me! (He tries to retaliate but he is held down by Barrister Mayowa)
BARRISTER MAYOWA: Mr. Henry, you are a weak and foolish man, you cannot hold your home... I'm not surprised, they are your own words. My wife at home, if you hear what she says to me, you will feel like beating her, but as a lawyer, you know the implications and by all means, you must protect your home. (Mama Uzor tries to cause more havoc) Then Mama, you are a failed parent, my mother and my wife's mother are also traditional women and they understand the nature of the institution, it is a shame and not bondage and also it is a shame to discover that you know of Mr. Henry's atrocities and yet you still indulge him in it and you sit and blame an innocent woman trying to build her work and live as a female human.
(MR. HENRY BREAKS DOWN IN TEARS)
Oh hypocrite, why cry now, there is no room for tears without repentance, tears cannot fix the broken past.
Legal Under Section:
Section 1(C) of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, under Section 34(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, and even under Section 15 (2) of the Matrimonial Causes Act she has every right to leave this slavish marriage and press charges against you for domestic violence and degrading treatment.
HENRY: (Already in tears) Lauretta, I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you, I promise.
LAURETTA: Oh really? Well, that's been done about eight months ago, and lost a year, I'm not a fool, I've watched you...
I've tolerated all your short comings, done... maybe you'll start providing for yourself and start sponsoring your unappreciative towards your step-sisters in school, and Oh... you'll start paying your rent and that of your mother's, (Turns to Barrister Mayowa.)
Sir, I want the divorce between me and this freak of nature filed as soon as possible, I don't need any alimony or anything from him, alimony, cash, or anything that has nothing to his name.
BARRISTER MAYOWA: Alright, so in order to grant your wish, I would like you to tell me how long you've been married, and also send your details of your reason for your divorce via an E-form I'll send to your WhatsApp, I have some high end clients I'm expecting by noon.
HENRY: I can't believe it, Lauretta you're walking away, I thought forever was the deal.
(HE & MAMA UZOR REACH UNTO HER LEGS)
LAURETTA: Get behind me, devil, it's over. (She leaves the scene and they all are begging her)
(BARRISTER MAYOWA SIGHS)
BARRISTER MAYOWA: Nothing my eye never see for this lawyer work, Igbo people sha...
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