He Took Back Everything Except The Pain I Caused

We were both attending nursing school when we crossed paths. He was an incredibly handsome man. Despite rumors labeling him a womanizer, he never did anything wrong. I turned him down a few times, but he persisted, showing genuine care and bringing me gifts during his frequent visits.

One day, my roommate Suzy asked, “Why don’t you give him a chance? He keeps coming back. He might be the one.” Deep down, I felt he was the one. I loved him and appreciated everything he did. The only barrier was his religion; he was Muslim, and I couldn’t see him converting to my faith, nor was I willing to become Muslim myself.

I pondered this often, but that evening, Suzy said, “It doesn’t have to end in marriage. Use this time to get to know him better and let the future unfold.” Her words resonated with me, so I decided to give it a shot.

The next time Awudu visited, I told him yes. He looked surprised, so I clarified, “Yes, I would like to be your girlfriend.”

From then on, we were inseparable throughout our time in school. As fate would have it, we were both assigned to Kumasi for our National Service. He was incredibly supportive, helping me find a place to stay and furnishing my room. Though he didn’t have much money, he was determined. One day he’d bring a fridge, the next a TV, and so on, gradually filling my room with gadgets.

One evening, while he was visiting, he took my phone while I stepped away briefly. In that short time, he read messages from a guy who had been trying to get my attention. Yes, I had gone out with him once, and he had visited me before, but there was nothing serious between us.

Awudu became upset and started to throw a fit. “Why are you entertaining a guy who clearly likes you?” he demanded. I replied, “He’s interested, but I’m not. I’ve turned him down. He’s just a friend now.”

He was just a friend, but he was inching closer to my heart. Awudu had a right to be upset. If he had read the messages a bit longer, he would have discovered that I had kissed the guy once.

I found myself torn between continuing with Awudu or giving Sammy a chance. That’s when Awudu’s religious beliefs resurfaced in my mind. “Awudu is a Muslim; our future seems uncertain. But if I give Sammy a chance, we could have a promising future together since he’s a Christian,” I thought.

I confided in Suzy about my dilemma, and she said, “I can’t tell you what to do, but Awudu has been a great guy. If you have doubts about the future, address them now or let him go.” I liked the idea of “letting him go,” so I began to plan my exit from the relationship.

I started seeing Awudu less and made up excuses. I thought he would take the hint and leave me alone, but he became even more understanding and forgiving. One afternoon, he called to see if I was home for a visit. I told him I was on my way to see my mother and would return the next day. Meanwhile, Sammy had already informed me he was coming over, and I wanted to avoid any awkward encounters.

A few minutes after Sammy arrived, I heard a knock on my door. Before I could react, Awudu walked in. “I thought you said you were going to see your mother?” he asked, glancing around the room and spotting Sammy. He fell silent and left.

I knew our relationship had reached its end. I felt sad about how it concluded, but I was relieved that it was over. Days passed without hearing from him until one afternoon, I heard another knock. I opened the door to find Awudu standing there. He didn’t say a word; he simply walked in and headed straight for the microwave. He carried it downstairs and placed it in a waiting taxi. He returned for the blender and the standing fan. I understood his message: he was reclaiming everything he had given me.

I couldn’t stop him. Fear gripped me that he might lash out. I wanted to block his path and plead with him to stop, but the anger on his face terrified me. He returned for the TV and then the rice cooker. That’s when he noticed I was cooking rice. “Pour the rice out; I want my cooker,” he demanded. I pleaded, “Awudu, please don’t do this to me.” He shot me a menacing look that made me fear for my safety. I said, “Just give me a few minutes; it will be ready soon, then you can take it.”

Suddenly, he dumped my rice on the floor, pulled down the curtains, scattered my jewelry, and picked up the beads he had given me for my birthday. He then lifted the fridge onto his shoulder and started down the stairs. I rushed in front of him, begging him to stop. He noticed my phone in my hand and tried to grab it from me. He lost his balance and slipped down the stairs, and unfortunately, the fridge fell on his left foot, breaking it.

He screamed loudly, causing my neighbors to rush out. He couldn’t stand, and his foot began to swell. The neighbors brought ice, wrapped it in cloth, and tied it around his injury. He continued to scream in agony. The taxi driver helped lift him into the car, and just as they were about to leave, he told the driver, “Come back and pick up the fridge after dropping me off at the hospital.”

I felt sorry for him, but the fridge seemed to be his priority. True to his word, the driver returned for the fridge. Had it not been for the accident, he likely would have taken the mattress or even the carpet. I realized I owned nothing in that room.

When Sammy visited and saw the state of my room, he asked, “Were you robbed or something?” He promised to help, but for months, he didn’t bring me even a spoon. He professed his love until one day, he vanished from my life.

Awudu now walks with a slight limp, but he’s doing well. We currently work at the same hospital, but we hardly speak. My room is slowly coming together. I don’t have everything he took yet, but little by little, I will replace them through my own efforts.

—Sarah  
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