Belinda was ecstatic when Peter asked her to move in with him. Everything was moving according to plan. In fact, this was slightly ahead of its schedule. Dating Peter had felt serious from the beginning, and she could see a future with him. She’d estimated that they’d be married in about two years and move in together in about a year, but Peter had rushed the timeline by four months.
Living with Peter was a smooth transition. They’d slept over at each other’s houses long enough to know what the other person preferred. In any case, they didn’t have any major differences in their household management except for the lights. Belinda couldn’t understand why Peter left the lights and sockets on in every room.
“Babe, it doesn’t make a significant impact on the electricity bill,” Peter often told her when she complained.
Peter’s argument didn’t change Belinda’s position, as she would switch off the lights whenever she noticed Peter hadn’t done it. It went without saying that Peter paid the electricity bill.
Two months later, a storm started brewing in the happy home. Belinda went home to a dark apartment.
“Baby, I thought you said you were home?” She texted Peter.
“Oh, I was, but a friend of mine has called me. I’m catching up with him and will be back later,” Peter responded.
The house was dark because they needed to top up the tokens. Belinda figured she’d buy, and Peter would refund her later. There was no need to ask him to buy since he wasn’t in the house.
Peter came back drunk in the wee hours of the night. Belinda didn’t bring up the tokens issue until a few days later. Peter said he’d refund her, but kept putting it off. They went on their lives as usual, but Peter kept ‘forgetting’ to buy things when Belinda sent him.
She’d give him a list of things they needed to buy, but he’d leave out a few items, often the most expensive ones in the list. When Belinda brought it up, he either claimed to have forgotten or came up with an illogical explanation.
“What’s going on with you?” Belinda asked him.
“Nothing,” said Peter.
The following month, the caretaker caught up with Belinda as she was going into their apartment. He was asking about their rent. The wide-eyed look on Belinda told him that she had no idea of what he was talking about. She, however, promised to look into it.
Peter came later in the night. He was drunk again. Nothing like anger to highlight the stink of alcohol. Belinda left the bed immediately Peter got in. The room smelled like a brewery. She opened the window and went to sleep on the couch.
Peter was so out of it that he didn’t feel the mosquitoes bite him. He woke up the following morning, wondering why he was so cold. As he entered the living room, the piercing eyes from Belinda were enough to let him know he was in trouble.
“Did you forget to close the windows because I’m freezing?”
“I’d prefer not to live in a brewery,” Belinda said.
“So you opened them intentionally?” Peter asked.
“Before you make me out to be the villain, we’re late on rent, but you have money to go drinking? Don’t think I haven’t noticed the ‘small’ items you leave out for me to buy.”
“Wait, how do you know about that?” Peter asked in shock.
“How do I know about it? That’s the most pressing matter? Was it a secret? What’s going on?” Belinda yelled.
“I’m handling it. I quit my job, but I’m handling it,” Peter said.
“You did what?” asked Belinda as she took a few steps back and sat on the couch.
“I quit my job.”
“When?” Belinda asked Peter.
“About a month ago,” Peter replied.
“Why? When were you planning on telling me?” Belinda asked. She could feel her eyes swelling with tears in anger.
“It just happened so fast. I had been unhappy, and then my supervisor pushed me to the edge, and I snapped.”
“I can’t even look at you,” said Belinda. She took her phone and left the house.
She took a long walk, trying to process the information. It didn’t make sense to her. Later, she went back to the house.
“What’s your plan?” Belinda asked Peter.
“I’m looking for another job,” he replied.
“Do you have any leads? Do you have enough savings? What about the rent and other bills?” Belinda asked.
“I’m almost out of savings. I was hoping you could cover the bills for now,” said Peter.
“What? If I hadn’t bumped into the caretaker, I wouldn’t have known you quit your job, and now you want me to take up the tab?” Belinda yelled.
They were in the eye of the storm. Belinda paid the month’s rent after it was clear Peter couldn’t do it. As she took on more responsibilities, she wondered if Peter had asked her to move in because he’d planned to quit. Peter denied it and repeatedly told her that it was a spur-of-the-moment decision.
That didn’t make her feel any better. Unfortunately, Peter’s fortunes didn’t get better, and he couldn’t find a job fast enough. Their relationship couldn’t survive the situation.
Check out more stories from The Singlehood Series
He Broke Up With Me Because I Refused To Quit My Job
He Claimed That I Only Liked Him For His Money
The Guy Used To Spend So Much Money On Me Yet We Weren’t Dating
He Gave Her An Ultimatum: She Must Quit Her Executive Job, Or He Would Leave Their Marriage
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