Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lorenzo took a bus home. He was feeling tired and weak. He just wanted to get to the comfort of his house.

He knocked on the door of the house and it took a while for his wife to open the door. It started raining all of a sudden. The breeze blew the water from the rain to where he was standing on the porch.

He waited patiently for his wife to open the door because it was his fault that he left his keys at home when he was going to work. He was soaked before his wife opened the door for him. 

“You are late today.” Hazel, his wife, complained as he walked in.

“I was busy at work,” Lorenzo replied to her with a smile on his face, because he knows she will be mad if she told him what happened at the factory.

“Look at how dirty your clothes are. Don’t tell me you got bullied at work again today.” Hazel exclaimed, and she closed the door.

“No, I wasn't,” Lorenzo lied and smiled at his wife.

“Then explain the injuries on your body and why your clothes are so dirty.” She requested she inspects his whole body.

“You are even bleeding from your head. When will you stop being a weak man?” She scolded him.

“Your clothes are even wet.” She added.

“That’s because I was waiting in front of the door for you to open the door before the rain started.” He explained.

“Of course, that's the only thing you can defend from all that I mentioned. You only know how to talk back to me. When will you learn to be strong and fight back when you are being bullied?” Hazel lamented bitterly.

“I don’t understand how a grown-up man that is even married can’t stand up for himself.” Hazel scolded him again.

“I am sorry. There were too many people against me. That’s why I couldn’t fight back.” Lorenzo defended himself.

“Even if you were facing one man, Lorenzo, you’d still not be able to fight back.” Hazel countered his defense, and she folded her arms.

“I got a cut of today’s payment. We should be happy about that, shouldn’t we?” he flashed another smile at his wife, pretending like he wasn’t feeling pains all over his body.

“I see that’s all that matters to you.” She hissed. “You are happy that you got paid for being beaten up. You are supposed to be ashamed of yourself. If a thief comes to this house, you won’t be able to defend us.”

“You know that’s not it, Hazel. I was just making sure that you got all you wanted. You look beautiful tonight.” Lorenzo commented, ignoring what she said about him defending them against thieves. 

“You are wearing makeup and one of your expensive dinner gowns. What’s the occasion tonight?”

Hazel hit his arm and quickly wiped her stained hand with a handkerchief. “You forgot my parents are coming to see us today. You are more forgetful these days.”

“Even my cousins are coming too. The food we were supposed to serve at the dinner has not been cooked because you came home late. I hope you won’t mess things up today.”

“I am sorry, honey.” Lorenzo looked a little sober. He was sad that he didn’t always make his wife happy.

“Lorenzo, dress up and stop apologizing. I told you I was tired of hearing you say sorry. Wear proper clothes to impress my parents.” She chastised him.

“I don’t even understand why I married this joke of a man that can’t even stop himself from getting bullied and beaten up every day.” She said to herself.

The doorbell of their house rang, and Lorenzo went to get the door. It turned to his in-laws.

“Fuck!” He muttered under his breath. He wasn’t expecting them to arrive at that moment. He ushered them in.

“Good evening ma, Good evening, sir.” He greeted in-laws, but they snubbed him.

“Come in Michael.” They faced the young, fine, and handsome man in their house.

Hazel looked so disappointed because her parents met her husband in that state, as he was looking dirty.

“Good evening Mom.” Hazel greeted her mom. 

Her mom rushed in. “You look so lean, honey. Have you not been eating well? Has he not been making money to feed you and take care of you?”

“Why are you still wearing these old clothes? I bought it for you last year. Why has he not bought a new set of dresses for you?” Her mother complained.

“I warned you not to marry this piece of shit.” Hazel’s father interrupted. “Look at the way he is looking dirty and is that blood coming from his head?”

“He is not only poor and unable to afford basic things but he also gets bullied and beaten up like a high school kid.” Hazel’s father mocked.

Lorenzo bowed his head in shame.

“I always wonder how Hazel got to marry this useless and poor man that can’t even afford a proper lifestyle for Hazel.” Hazel’s cousin commented.

They settled down in the sitting room.

“Hazel, I’d like to introduce this young man to you. He has been providing a lot of help and support for our company. He is a very responsible man.'' Hazel's father pointed at the young man that came with them.

“Yes, Hazel. Your father is right. He is a very good man. Minus the fact that he helps the company. He has showered me with numerous gifts.” Hazel's mom added.

“He has done so many things that your useless husband cannot achieve for the next ten or twenty years at his young age.” Hazel’s mom praised him highly. “His name is Micheal.”

“We brought him here today to see our beautiful daughter.” Hazel’s father faced her. Then he noticed Lorenzo was still in the room. “He's going to be our company’s partner soon.”

“Lorenzo Rossi, or what is your name? You stink, and your presence is affecting us. I don't think a grown man should be told before he showers. Excuse us.” Hazel’s father sent him away.

Lorenzo walked into the room he shared with his wife. He cried as he started taking his shower. He felt so sad because he was poor and he couldn't give his wife enough.

He was also sad because his in-laws brought another to their house for his wife. He knew they wanted Hazel to divorce him.

Lorenzo missed the days when Hazel loved and married him for who he was, and she didn’t care if he had money or not.

All she did to talk to him about now is scold him for not cooking what she wants or getting bullied at work.

After he showered and wore fresh clothes, he went outside.

“Do people still wear those kinds of clothes?” Micheal laughed at Lorenzo as he came out. “I have seen these clothes in a while.”

“I bet he has been wearing them since ten years ago.” Hazel’s cousin laughed at him and Michael joined him in the laughter.

“Lorenzo, please make what we will eat. It’s getting late already.” Hazel said to him. Lorenzo wondered why Hazel was talking to him like that in the presence of visitors.

“He does the chores?” Micheal asked Hazel, and she nodded in agreement. “Well, That’s fair since he can’t afford to get a maid to do the work.”

“You are right, son,” Hazel’s father patted his back. “My precious daughter can’t do any house chores or cook with her fragile hands.”      

Lorenzo went into the kitchen and he got a call from his father. He picks up his phone after two rings, wondering why his father had called.

“Father,” Lorenzo spoke into the phone.

“Hello son, you sound tired,”

“I have been busy with work, that's why I sound like that,” He lied because he didn’t want his father to know the reason why he was feeling tired.

“You must return home at once, son.” His father ordered. “I will send you the address right now.” He added before hanging up. Lorenzo wondered why his father wanted him home.

Since he was feeling depressed and sad, he decided to go home for a break from the dramas he had been facing lately.

His phone beeped again, it was a text from his father, he opened it and saw the unfamiliar address in the text.