Before you begin…
This story contains themes related to marriage, motherhood, personal sacrifice, and the emotional complexities of life.
“Tell us what you’re feeling, Na’imah. Why did you leave your house? Your kids? Your husband?” Dr. Rowe said while unlocking her iPad.
“I felt trapped. I’ve been feeling trapped. I have been with the same man since I was 16. Left home at 16. Became a mother at 17. Has my husband treated me like a queen, providing everything I have ever wanted and needed? Yes. But I feel trapped and robbed,” Na’imah stated while sniffling, trying her best to maintain an even tone in her voice.
“Robbed how Na’imah?” Dr. Rowe asked.
“I feel robbed because I had a very bright future ahead of me. I was valedictorian of my class, headed to college to do great things, and then, after graduation, I went to New York for a summer program, met Russell, fell in love, and got pregnant. We had options to terminate the baby, but he insisted that I keep Jahmir and…”
Russell jumped up from the couch and lost his shit.
“Hold the fuck up, Na’imah!” he boomed. Russell was a tall, handsome man with a very commanding presence. At 40 years old, he was still a sight for sore eyes. I could understand why the secretary was fawning over him.
“Russell let her finish, please.” Dr. Rowe insisted while giving him that look that only a Black woman can give when you know you’ve fucked up.
Na’imah continued, “All I’m saying is had I decided to abort my baby and went back home to New Orleans after the summer program was over, things may have looked different for me. I feel like I was trapped with a baby and robbed of my future.”
“Russell, do you hear what your wife is saying? Would you like to respond?” Dr. Rowe asked with a cool tone, but Russell had hit his limit.
“Man, this some fucking bullshit. Na’imah, you leave home on a random ass Tuesday, get a penthouse in the city, and then start all this crazy ass talk about feeling trapped and robbed? Man, Na’imah be fucking for real! Ok, so what, yeah, I trapped yo’ ass with a baby and begged you to keep it. I did that shit because I knew that I wanted you to be my fucking wife and had you gone back to New Orleans yo’ ass was never gone worry about me again. Yeah, I took your virginity and got you pregnant, but every fucking promise I made you I fucking kept! I hustled my ass off in them streets to make sure you and my seed was good. I stood toe to toe with yo’ punk ass daddy when he tried to take you and my baby from me. Everything you ever asked of me, I fucking did Na’imah!” Russell screamed.