MY WIFE PUSHED ME INTO HER SISTER´S ARMS:
MY wife and I have been married for nine years and we have three wonderful children; two girls and one boy. My wife is what I would call a real African beauty — remember Ihuoma in The Concubine?
I am also grateful she has bore me such lovely children. The problem, however, is that my wife, whom I will call Di, is exhibiting bad qualities, which seem to get worse by the day. She is lazy, irresponsible, inconsiderate, hot-tempered, quarrelsome and too demanding.
I noticed some of these qualities when we had just married but I hoped she would outgrow it. Then she was 24. I tried to encourage her to do some work at home or at least to supervise the househelps. I told her that once the househelp gets to know that she could not do anything for herself, they would take her for granted and hold her at ransom. I was patient with her in the beginning. At that age, I thought she was still young and naïve. When I noticed she did not know any household chores and she despised most of them, I tried to work with her during weekends, to do things like cooking, washing, cleaning the house, washing dishes and even laying the bed. I thought I was teaching her, but every time I tried, she seemed so disinterested. I gave up. She wants the househelp to do everything, including laying our bed.
Since my wife does not work (she has so far got four job offers which she turned down that they are not well-paying) I always leave her asleep when I go to work. And, mind you, she wants me to leave some money for her to go shopping, to the gym, to hang out with friends and to indulge herself — everyday. If I don’t, she will raise hell, and she will deny me even ‘the basic things’.
If the housemaid does not clean our bedroom, or wash the baby’s clothes, I will find everything in a mess when I come back in the evening. One time I talked to her parents about her behaviour and I expected them to talk to her but nothing has changed.
Five years into our marriage, her parents sent her younger sister to live with us. The girl was then in S.5 and now she is in her second year at university. My wife expects this girl to do everything for the family, including washing her undergarments. She takes care of me and the children and does everything a woman should do in her home.
The problem is that I am getting more attracted to this girl. She is warm, hard working, respectful and has everything you would want in a woman (she is now 22). In fact, most people who come to our home think she is my wife (I would not mind her being one) and this tempts me even more.
As her sister goes out to drink with her friends, this young lady stays at home and looks after the family like it is her own. She knows where all my clothes and the children’s clothes are and she puts them in order.
This is so tempting, yet I cannot chase her away because she is looking after my children. I must admit, I have already made advances. At first, she resisted saying she did not want to ruin her sister’s marriage; but she later gave in and we have been in an intimate but secret relationship for the last two years. She seems to enjoy it but says she is overwhelmed by guilt.
The more I stay with this girl, the more she becomes irresistible. When I advised Di to get a place for her in a hostel, she vehemently protested. Of course, my reason was to avoid temptation but I would not tell Di.
These days, this girl looks so attractive. I guess very few men would be strong enough to resist the temptation.
I feel bad but since my wife is just a shadow in the home, I have no choice but to keep this girl around.
Recently, she told me she could no longer hide her love for me and she has started feeling jealous of her sister. She wants us to be open about it if I am not just using her. She also wants to get pregnant, which makes matters worse. I love my wife and would not want to hurt her yet I love this girl too. I appreciate her contribution to the home and I cannot imagine life without her. I would not want to lose her. To be frank, I want her as a wife but then I fear it will cause chaos in the home.
In all this, Di is so unsuspecting and not bothered and she is not doing anything to save her marriage. Ironically, she insists the girl must stay with us and look after the children. The children call her Aunt Mummy, probably because she is always there for them.
I am now thinking of taking her on as my second wife officially, when she is through with her studies. I am putting up a house where I want to take her, though I have not told her of my plans. I still blame my wife and believe it would not have gone up to this if my wife was doing what she is supposed to do as a wife and a mother.
To all married women, my advice is that sometimes men do things not out of their choice but because you push them into the situation. Be careful who you bring to your home and what you do in your home. It can build or break your marriage.
I have reached a point of no return but, how do I break the news to my wife and my parents-in-law? Please counsellor, advise.
K.P
OMWAMI ONO MUSOBYA OBA NEDDA????
