Interesting story: The Marriage Battle - Season 2

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

Episode 22

Adaobi: None at the moment but I will have to look for.

Ayo: Fine by me.

Adaobi: I want him to be leaving with us until God knows when.

Ayo: ‘Okay’ he said as he searched her face for she was tensed while saying it ‘is something the matter?

Adaobi: No not that. I mean; I hope it won’t be a problem since Mami and Kemi are here already and my brother has come to join them.

Ayo: I don’t see anything wrong with it; afterall we are all family aren’t we?

Adaobi: ‘Yes we are’ she said and laid her head on his shoulder.

Few days later, Mami told Adaobi that she would like to have a word with her.

Mami: ‘Adaobi, I would like to have a word with you please’ she said as soon as she was done attending to her son.

Adaobi: Mami hope no problem?

Mami: No! no problem it’s just that I am curious about something.

A daobi: What is it Mami.

Mami: Don’t you think it will be wise for your brother to go and live with your father since he is the only one at home.

Adaobi: No I don’t Mami and why would you suggest that when staying here is also going to help him?

Mami: Nothing oooo, its just that it wont be nice if the next person that comes to live with us is your brother or father and then this house, my son’s house will turn to your family house.

Adaobi: How can you say such a thing about us?

Mami: What did I say, I am only stating the fact.
Adaobi: But you have no problem in you and your daughter staying in this house abi?

Mami: No I don’t. Isn’t it my son’s house?

Adaobi: Well it is and it happens to be that your son is no longer a single but a married man and your son and his wife makes the decision here not you.

Mami: I don’t want you to bring your family members here to come and be staying full time Adaobi or do you think that I don’t know with time, another of your family will be here.

Adaobi: Well, what can I do if you see it that way Mami but you should also know that you and your daughter are here and if I don’t have a problem with it, you shouldn’t have a problem with mine and Yes Mami, very soon, I will be bringing my father here to live permanently just the way you are.

Mami: You will do no such thing.

Adaobi: Watch me Mami, I have never complained about you here and you shouldn’t complain about my family for I will not have it.

Mami: This house you are taking so much pride in; like you built it, is my son’s house and I knew how he tried all he could to be where he is today for I will not allow you bring your family here to reap where you have not sown.

Adaobi: ‘Okay Mami I have heard and I will not batter words with you but you should also know that this house became my house too the day I said I do in court to your son’ she said smiling.

Mami: We shall see then for she was surprised at the boldness and attitude of Adaobi. She never taught that for a million years, Adaobi will stand up to her the way she is doing and decided to use another strategy in making sure that she wont have her way this time.

Adaobi: on her own part looked at the woman who she tried so much to put up with everyday in her house and vowed that never again will she make her uncomfortable in her house. For this house is her house and Mami will never again dictate to her what and what not to do ‘Fine, if that is how you want it, so be it’ she said and went to her room.

Mami: My son, I want to talk to you.
Ayo: Ha! Mami I just came back from work and I haven’t even gone to freshen up yet, cant it wait.

Mami: Ayo it can’t wait, I want to talk to you now.

Ayo: Did you and my wife have a fight again?
Mami: No Ayo, it is not that, I just want to talk to you for something has been bothering me.

Ayo: Okay Mami and where is my wife?

Mami: She should be in her room sleeping or attending to Kunle, I don’t know but she is inside.

Ayo: Okay, what is it and hope it is not about her again?

Mami: No it is not. I want to ask you a very important question Ayo.

Ayo: What is it Mami?

Mami: Do you really love me as a mother?
Ayo: Of course I do and how can you ask me such a question?

Mami: Because I am not seeing it from you ever since you married your wife.

Ayo: Mami, I love you and I love my wife, I can’t trade you both for anyone or anything in the world.

Mami: Your only saying it I am sure because if it is true, shouldn’t you tell me things in this house?

Ayo: What do you mean?
Mami: How come you never told me that you are making arrangement to bring your wife’s father to come and live with us and before you know it, this place will turn to a family home, her family.

Ayo: Ermm Mami, bring who again?
Mami: Adaobi’s father.

Ayo: Who told you that?
Mami: Your wife did and you never bothered to tell me, is that how you treat your mother?

Ayo: I think there must be a misunderstanding.
Mami: I don’t think so because I heard your wife very well when she said it.

Ayo: Mami, my wife has never said anything concerning that to me.

Mami: Did she tell you that she was going to bring her brother when she was going to the village to see her people?

How much did you even give her when she left to the village? You tell your wife all that you do and she doesn’t tell you any of her plans until she has done what is in her mind.

Ayo: Mami wait first, what do you mean, what are you trying to say?

Mami: I said I think you give your wife too much liberty, before you got married, I did warn you about her type of people didn’t i? I told you that she would bring all her people to stay in this house and before you know it, you will be spending more than necessary on them. Is that not happening already?

To be continued...

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

Episode 23

Ayo: Mami I know my wife so well and i know that she is not one of those women you think she is, just try and understand her please.

Mami: You are not understanding me abi? I said your wife will extort you and use all your money for her family members. Very soon, she will bring her father and the rest members into this house. You better listen to all I say for your own good.

Ayo: ‘Mami I have heard and I will do as you say’ he said and left the sitting room. When he got to his room, he met Adaobi who was all tears, he rushed to her and asked ‘what is wrong and why are you crying?

Adaobi: Sweetheart, My father has been hospitalized.

Ayo: How and why? What happened to him and since when?

Adaobi: This morning sweetheart, My uncle called me that my father was seen unconscious in his room since they tired waking him up which was so unusual and he was rushed to the hospital where they are attending to him at the moment. It seems that I will have to go and be by his side.

Ayo: Thinking about what his mother just told him said ‘there is no point for you to go there now since it is already late and the helper who is to take care of things while you’re away, is she still there?

Adaobi: Yes she is still there and my brother is also with them in the hospital.

Ayo: Your Uncle, Brother and the helper are still with him, there is nothing you can do except pray on his behalf and let the doctors do their job.

Adaobi: But sweetheart, I am very sure my father will need me by his side, it is better that I go and stay with him.

Ayo: There is no point darling, Chigozie and his brother are there and if they need any food or anything, the helper will take care of that. You will do nothing when you go there, its best you stay here and be calling them from time to time.

Adaobi: I am his daughter Ayo, no daughter will be happy staying far from his father while he is ill and even if I stay here, I will not be myself for I do not want anything to happen to him.

Ayo: Nothing will happen to him, he will pull through, you do not need to worry and besides, Kunle and I need you here.

Adaobi: Looking at him with tear filled eyes said ‘Okay, I will do as you have said’.

Ayo: Good and tomorrow, I will write a check of 500,000 naira that you will send to them for his treatment.

Adaobi: Thanks Sweetheart, I don’t know what I would have done without you.

Ayo: ‘That’s what family is for and besides, he is my father too’ he said smiling.

The following morning, as Ayo was about to go to work, Mami came to him.

Mami: Errmm Ayo, is everything alright because I haven’t seen Adaobi leaving her room.

Ayo: Yes Mami, everything is alright except that my wife told me last night that her father has been admitted in the hospital and she has been worried sick since then. She hasn’t been herself.

Mami: Really! Did you call to confirm if it is true?

Ayo: Yes Mami, I did call and confirm the news and it is true. When I called Yesterday and early hours of this morning, they said they are still in the hospital and they needed some cash.

Mami: Who did you talk to?

Ayo: I spoke to chigozie my wife’s brother and their Uncle, Mr Emenike.

Mami: Are you sure that the man is really sick?
Ayo: Mami please don’t start, I thought I told you that he is admitted.

Mami: Okay, fine. How much do they need?
Ayo: They didn’t really state the amount but I wrote a cheque of 500,00 naira for my wife to send to them.

Mami: 500 What?

Ayo: 500,000 naira and why are you shouting?

Mami: Why won’t I shout Ayo, why won’t I shout? 500,000 naira for ordinary Malaria, have you gone mad?

Ayo: Mami please, I do not have time for this your talk this morning.

Mami: how would you have the time when they have given you igbo witch to chop? How will you have the time?

Ayo: Mami please, don’t start.

Mami: Will you shut up and listen to me. Since I came here, have you given me up to 300,000 naira not to talk of 500,000 naira?

Ayo: Mami, this one is health matter and he is my wife’s father.

Mami: and I am your mother, have you given us such an amount even when we were ill?

Ayo: Mami, you are always with me here and I look after you but she doesn’t have her father always with her.

Mami: and so, is that why you want to run dry because of them?

Ayo: I am not complaining Mami.

Mami: and I am. I wonder how much she will ask next time when you have given her so much amount already.

Ayo: Let me worry about that Mami please and stop already.

Mami: Be here and be doing osho free, She will soon ask for another money and before you know it, all her family members will come here and be living. They will eat your money and suck you dry. Don’t say I didn’t warn you ohhh. Use your tongue and count your teeth while you still can.

Ayo: ‘I have heard Mami’ he said, entered his car and drove off.

Adaobi: ‘Hello Chigozie, how is Papa’ she asked as soon as he picked the call.

Chigozie: Papa is sleeping now.

Adaobi: Have they found out what is really wrong with him?

Chigozie: No sister Adaobi, they are still running some test.

Adaobi: Okay, am about to go to the bank to deposit some money into your bank account for his treatment.

Chigozie: Okay sister. I will be expecting the money then.

Adaobi: How is Papa health, is he okay, can he talk, walk, sit or stand?

Do you think this thing has anything to do with his diabetes?

Chigozie: I don’t know sister, I can’t really tell until the doctor tells us what is wrong. When are you coming?

Adaobi: Ermm I don’t know for now, I will be calling you from time to time. Is Uncle Emenike there?

Chigozie: Yes.

Adaobi: Give him the phone and let me talk to him then ‘Hello Uncle, good morning’.

Emenike: Where is the money for there is nothing good about the morning if we don’t have it.

To be continued...

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

Episode 24

Adaobi: Uncle, I am on my way to the bank as I am speaking with you to deposit the money in Chigozie’s account.

Emenike: and what is wrong with Depositing the money in my own account? Do you know that I have been here since last night waiting and hoping for my brother to be treated and get better.

Adaobi: I was thinking it’s okay to send the money to his account and you can collect it from him from time to time.

Emenike: Bia Adaobi, are you trying to insult my personality here, your father, my brother is my responsibility and my concern. What do you mean you will send the money to chigozie a child and I will be collecting it when I need it?

Adaobi: ‘I am sorry Uncle; I didn’t mean to sound in a rude way. I will send the money to you immediately, just send me your account details’ she said and hung up the call.

Mami: Adaobi! Adaobi come now for I want to talk to you.

Adaobi: Good morning Mami.

Mami: Eh! Eh! Don’t Mami me, so you and your people have decided to suck my child dry abi?

Adaobi: What do you mean Mami and who is sucking who dry?

Mami: You and your entire family members have decided to suck my son dry abi?

Adaobi: Mami, please I am not ready for your drama this morning.

Mami: Will you shut up your mouth, so you think I don’t know that my son gave you 500,000 naira for ordinary malaria treatment abi?

Adaobi: Mami it is not for Malaria treatment and what is wrong with my husband giving me some money?

Mami: Everything is wrong with it Adaobi, everything. After this money he has given you, who knows how much he will give to you the next time.

Adaobi: There won’t be a next time Mami, I pray there won’t be.

Mami: And then you bring all your family members to come and live here?

Adaobi: Mami, you have your son with you always and I do not have my father with me here always, why do you hate my family so much?

Mami: ‘Because you and your people are going to be his downfall and I won’t let that happen even if it is the last thing I do on this earth’ she said and walked away.

Ayo: What is going on here and whose bag are packed?

Adaobi: they are mine sweetheart, I am leaving first thing tomorrow morning to go and see my father and probably stay there for a couple of days.

Ayo: Really! And have you asked if I am okay with that decision you made?

Adaobi: He is my father Ayo, not some stranger.
Ayo: I know and I thought I gave you some money today for his treatment.

Adaobi: this isn’t about money, my father needs me with him and I am going to him tomorrow.

Ayo: I know he is your father and you have people to take care of him over there, why don’t you relax yourself and be patient?

Adaobi: There is no one or anybody that can take care of my father better than I do. Ayo, what is wrong with you and why are you so adamant on me not going to see my sick father?

Ayo: I know he is your father and I know that you love him so much but I don’t see any reason why you should go there tomorrow or anytime soon.

Adaobi: Why are you saying this?
Ayo: Live your father alone for he has people that will take care of him, you are not his only child.

Adaobi: I can’t believe you just said that to my face Ayo, what has come over you?

Ayo: Because you have a new family. I and our child should be your main priority not your father.

Adaobi: Ayo, my father is sick and this could be his last moment on earth, let me go and see him please.

Ayo: ‘You have a new family here and you should concentrate on us.

After all, when I payed your bride price, I paid it in full’ he said and stormed out of the room leaving Adaobi Speechless.

Adaobi: ‘Mami please tell your son to let me go and see my father’ she said as she begged her on her knees.

Mami: Oh! After challenging and blabbing your mouth, you now need my help abi?

Adaobi: Mami please! It is only you that can talk to him for me and I really do not know why he doesn’t want me to go and visit the man who took care of me and made me what I am today.

Mami: I dont have anything to say to you Adaobi or whatever you call yourself, your tears will not move me to go and beg your husband to allow you visit your father for any reason.

Adaobi: Mami please, he is my father and what have you said to him for him to be this stubborn towards my plea with him?

Mami: Now you will know that I am his mother and he will listen to whatever I have to say.

Adaobi: Mami please I beg, punish me for anything but don’t involve my family to it, they are innocent.

Mami: you see Adaobi, I never liked you from day one for my son but you went ahead and got married to him , to top it all up, you even have the guts to get pregnant for him. As long as I am in this house, I will make sure that you never know no peace. This tears in your eyes is just the beginning of what I have in mind for you; I will make you suffer Adaobi, I will make you suffer.

Adaobi: Mami please, I will do whatever you want just allow me go to my father please.

Mami: Wo! He has spoken and I am in support of his decision.

The following morning, as Ayo was about to live for work, Adaobi stopped him by the door side.

Adaobi: If anything happens to my father Ayo, I will never forgive you.

Ayo: nothing will happen to him.
Adaobi: I need some money.
Ayo: I thought I just gave you some money for your family, how come you want more money?

Adaobi: not for my father but for the house. What is wrong with you and when do you start complaining about the money I ask for and what I do with it?

Ayo: That’s how it will be from now on.
Adaobi: Your mother has finally succeeded in brainwashing you and I hope you realize it before its too late.

Ayo: This is the last time you talk bad about my mother.

To be continued...

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

Episode 25

Adaobi: But Ayo, it is my father that we are talking about here and whatever your mother might have told you is so not right.

Ayo: ‘take care of yourself’ he said and left.

Emenike: Hello, Adaobi can you hear me?

Adaobi: Yes Uncle, I can hear you. What is wrong with Papa please?

Emenike: After a series of test was conducted on him, we were told he was simply too dyhydrated that was why he became unconscious.

Adaobi: ‘Wow! Thank God’ for she was so relieved about the news.

Emenike: Yes, that was the reason why he became unconscious but I am afraid there is something else?

Adaobi: ‘What is it’ she asked her heart beating.
Emenike: the news is not so good.

Adaobi: What is it Uncle?
Emenike: Your father, my brother has colon cancer and it has reached the last stage which is very dangerous.

Adaobi: What? Colon cancer, how come?
Emenike: I don’t know Ada, I don’t know and I am afraid that he may not come out of this.

Adaobi: God forbid Uncle, God forbid! My father is healed already in the mighty name of Jesus. No evil or sickness shall befall him for he is healed and protected.

Emenike: This is bad Adaobi! this is bad. I think you better come here as soon as possible with Chidi for it doesn’t seem like he will stay with
us for too long.

Adaobi: ‘No! No! No! Papa cant die, Papa can’t leave us all alone. No he won’t die for I won’t accept it. I will transfer some money to you right now and I need you to tell them to do anything possible to keep my father alive’ she said and hung up the call.

Mami knocked in Adaobi’s room but she got no reply and decided to enter the room to see what Adaobi is upto. When she got to the room, she met Kunle on the bed wailing and crying while Adaobi was on the floor crying.

Mami: ‘Adaobi, are you out of your mind, how can you live my grand son to be crying without you attending to him’ she asked as she picked him up form the bed ‘Adaobi is it not you that I am talking to?

Adaobi: Ignored her but kept saying ‘ Oh Papa! My father is in a critical condition’.

Mami: Are you the first person that her father is in the hospital? So because Ayo has refused you from paying him a visit that’s why you want to punish your son abi?

Adaobi: ‘My father! Oh my father’ she kept saying.

Mami: My father oh my father! She mimicked her ‘You are not the only one with one in this world. As if to say na only you get Papa’.

Adaobi: Papa! Papa! Papa!
Mami: Na you sabi, If you like stay here till thy kingdom come. I am in the sitting room with Kunle and I will feed him his meal.

Mami: Welcome my son, how was work?
Ayo: Fine and this one that you are with Kunle today, what happened?

Mami: Nothing ooo, your wife has been in her room all day, she didn’t even take a look at her son today. If not that I heard him crying in the morning after you left for work and attened to him, I am sure he would have remained that way with no one attending to him.

Ayo: Crying, why was she crying?

Mami: I don’t know and I didn’t bother to ask her. I am sure it is because of her father for that was all she kept saying.

Ayo: Let me go and freshen up Mami.
Mami: Okay.

Ayo: When he got to his room, he met the room he shared with his wife in am mess, just the way he left it earlier in the day and his wife coiled at the side of the bed ‘Sweetheart, are you alright’ he said as he went to her.

Adaobi: My father, he needs me and I have to go to him.

Ayo: I thought we have already talked about this?

Adaobi: Please Ayo, he is my father for God’s sake.

Ayo: you left my house in a mess because of your father, when I payed your bride price, I payed heavily.

Adaobi: this isn’t about it, is it?

Ayo: No it isn’t but I thought your people will have no need of you when I was doing that especially that Uncle of yours who is so greedy.

Adaobi: That Uncle is my family Ayo, please mind how you talk about him.

Ayo: of course he is and your father, you won’t go and see him and that is final.

Adaobi: My father is dying Ayo.
Ayo: it doesn’t change anything.
Adaobi: and if I go against your will?
Ayo: You won’t do that.

Adaobi: Just because you paid heavily doesn’t make me yours. I am your wife and not some property or slave you feel you can talk to anyhow and she obeys. If you don’t like what I do next with myself or my family then sign the divorce papers for I won’t have you make me trade my father for you or anyone else.

Ayo: Your family is here,me and our child.

Adaobi: Really Ayo, really! You want to cage me as a slave simply because you paid heavily when you were paying my bride price or simply because your mother told you so?

Ayo: Adaobi please.

Adaobi: Don’t please me! I have been an obedient wife to you, I have loved and treated your mother just the way I would do to mine, even after Omugwo is over, she is still here with Kemi, I never said anything against them. Instead, I welcomed them and made them comfortable.

Ever since she came here, she has been the one dictating things in this house while all you do is listen and follow her lead and I am not going to sit idle and watch you ruin the only people that I care about. if I have to choose between you or them, I will choose them a one and one million times and over and over again. To think that I once loved you and I thought my family is important; I am so disappointed in you.

Ayo: Adaobi….

Adaobi: ‘Let me finish please Ayo, my father is sick and I am going to him. If you do not like the outcome of things I do and how I do them from now on, I will be glad to divorce you’ she said and left the room for him.

To be continued...

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

Episode 26

The following day, Adaobi together with Chidi and Kunle left to the place where their father was admitted.

Chigozie: ‘Sister, where have you been since, Papa was calling out to you ever since he was admitted’ he said as she approached him and Emenike who were looking sober.

Adaobi: ‘No! No! Please don’t tell me that my father is dead already’ she said looking at Chigozie and Emenike ‘will somebody please say something’.

Emenike: Chei! Wonders shall never end.
Adaobi: Uncle where is my father?
Emenike: You have to put yourself together.
Chidi: brother Chigozie, where is Papa!
Adaobi: Will somebody answer me this minute before I go mad with worry here.

Emenike: I am sorry, your father passed away a few hours ago.

Adaobi: No! It can’t be, it can’t just be. Where is his body?

Emenike: Adaobi you can’t see his body.

Adaobi: ‘Where is his body oooo, I want to see my father oooo. please somebody should tell me that my father is not dead please! God if this is a dream, I want to wake up oooo’ she screamed and wailed.

Chidi: Who was carrying Kunle gave him to Emenike to hold while he went to console his sister who doesn’t want anyone to come close to her.

Adaobi: Nobody should come close to me please, Nobody! She cried.

Few days later, while Adaobi was making preparation ready for her father’s burial, Mr. Emenike decided to call Ayo and deliver the news to him for Adaobi has told her brothers not to call her husband and neither should they pick his calls.

Ayo: Hello Uncle, good day and thank God you called, have you heard from my wife and how is my father in-law?

Emenike: What kind of a husband are you that you allow only your wife and her brothers to carry the burden of burying their father when they have an in-law, what kind of a man are you Ayo?

Ayo: I don’t understand sir, what do you mean?
Emenike: so you mean to tell me you don’t know that your father in law is dead?

Ayo: What? How, when?

Emenike: What do you mean how and when? Didn’t your wife tell you that her father passed away few minutes before she got here?

Ayo: Oh my God! I am so sorry and I never knew. No one told me anything.

Emenike: Now you know and I hope you know that his burial is three days from now, be the gentle man that you are and bring yourself here immediately.

Ayo: Okay sir, I will.

Emenike: by the way, do you know that he died of Colon cancer?

Ayo: No I never knew.

Ayo quickly rushed home to tell his mother the latest development for he didn’t know what to do and how to face his wife when he gets to the village.

Mami: Ah! Ayo, this one that you are back home and panting, hope all is well?

Ayo: Mami all is not well.
Mami: What is wrong?
Ayo: is my wife and her father.

Mami: oh! I knew it, I knew that they will call you for some money again and what are you going to do about it this time?

Ayo: Mami it is not that oooo.

Mami: What is it if it is not money, she has refused to call or talk to you and now that she is broke, she has finally called abi?

Ayo: Mami please listen.

Mami: there is nothing to listen to Ayo. I warned you that this woman is bad for you, I warned you that her people are bad, isn’t that what she is showing to you now?

Ayo: Mami please…

Mami: Listen Ayo, If I were you, I would send not a dime to them.

Shey they think they can live without you, it is even better for you sef. Afterall, you have done your best.

Ayo: Mami, it is not it.

Mami: it is it oooo. look my son, I am your mother and I will never lie to you. If you had listened and married Kemi, I am sure we won’t be having all this problems. How can a married woman live her matrimonial home without her husband consent? Shey she said if you don’t want anything with her, that you should sign the divorce papers, I wonder why you haven’t even thought about signing it yet.

Ayo: Mami will you please listen….

Mami: No you listen to me and throw that woman out once she comes back. She is not and never will be the woman for you.

Ayo: Mami please…

Mami: Ayo, you better listen to me very carefully, do not, I repeat, do not send her any money for your own good ooooo.

Ayo: listening to his mother and seeing that his mother really hates his wife asked ‘why do you hate her so much’.

Mami: Because she is a gold digger and not the woman for you.

Ayo: Hmmm. Mami will you please listen to what I have to say?

Mami: I have told you my own oooo, what is it you have to say by the way?

Ayo: He is dead.
Mami: Who is dead?
Ayo: My wife’s father.

Mami: What, how, when? She exclaimed..

Ayo: I don’t know but what I do know is that he died before she got there and he died of Colon Cancer.

Mami: Jesus!

To be continued...

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

Episode 27

Ayo: did you know about all these?

Mami: how would I when she never told me anything.

Ayo: I am responsible for all this, I should have allowed her to go when she wanted to.

Mami: it is not your fault my son, you didn’t know it was very serious.

Ayo: Even at that Mami, I was so blind that I didn’t know what she was passing through and how she was feeling. I wonder how I will face her now because it is all my fault.

Mami: Don’t beat yourself up jare.

The following day, Ayo got his stuff together and travelled to his wife village to help in planning for the burial and to also apologize to his wife. When he got there, he met a lot of people in the house who came to pay their condolence and when he sighted his wife, he quickly went to her.

Ayo: ‘Sweetheart, I am so very sorry for all that happened’ he said as he came face to face to her.

Adaobi: Ayo, what are you doing here?
Ayo: your uncle told me everything yesterday and I am here as a husband to….

Adaobi: Ayo please, I can’t deal with you right now, just leave this minute.

Ayo: But I am your husband and I am here to take respon….

Adaobi: Ayo, don’t make me create a scene here, please leave this minute. I don’t want to see you.

Ayo: Listen, I am sorry….

Adaobi: ‘Ayo’ she shouted attracting attention to her ‘my father died and I wasn’t there to say goodbye because of you. I don’t want to see you now and I don’t want to talk to you’ she said in a hush tone’.

Ayo: Alright but if you need anything just…..
Adaobi: ‘I won’t be needing anything from you’ she said and walked away.

After the burial, Adaobi and her brothers stayed in the village for one more week while Ayo returned back to the city for all effort to talk to his wife proved abortive and it made him helpless and angry. When she came back to the city, she came along with chidi and chigozie for they will now be staying permanently with her.

Adaobi: Good day Mami.

Mami: Welcome home my daughter, how was the burial?

Adaobi: it was fine we thank God.
Mami: I am so sorry for your loss.
Adaobi: Thank you Mami and meet my brother Chigozie, he will be staying here with us.

Mami: Welcome my son and feel at home.
Chigozie: ‘Yes Mami and good day to you’ he said smiling while Chidi
also greeted her.

Mami: ‘Good day to you both and how is my Grandson doing’ she asked as she carried him from her mother’s arm.

Adaobi: He is doing okay. Where is Kemi, isn’t she back from school yet?

Mami: No she isn’t. she doesn’t want to come back ooo, only God knows what she sees in that school.

Adaobi: Its her time, let her have her time. Chidi, show chigozie to his room and you both go and freshen up while I do the same.

Later in the evening, they all retired to bed, Ayo was skeptical about talking to his wife for he knew that she blamed him for his father’s death and wished things were different.

Ayo: Ermmm, sweetheart, can we talk?

Adoabi: backing her husband yawned ‘I am feeling sleepy Ayo’.

Ayo: I know but I won’t take your time.
Adaobi: I am listening
Ayo: Can you at least look at me?
Adaobi: no I can’t and if you want to talk, go ahead for I am listening.

Ayo: Alright! I am sorry for not listening to you, I should have allowed you go to your father and say your goodbye before he passed away and I am so sorry about it. Can things ever be the way they use to between us?

Adaobi: is that all you wanted to talk to me about?

Ayo: Yes, I am asking for your forgiveness.
Adaobi: Goodnight Ayo.

Ayo: Adaobi please, please! he tried touching her and she moved away. She took her pillow and was about to leave the room when he asked ‘where are you going to?’

Adaobi: my son’s room of course.

Ayo: Why, what for?

Adaobi: I cannot stand you at the moment and if I keep pretending that everything is alright when it isn’t, I wont forgive myself. Its better I go to Kunle’s room and spend the night with him rather than here.

Ayo: But we are supposed to trash issues as couples.

Adaobi: Oh! So now you know that we are couples right? When your mother was feeding you with what to do and what not to do, weren’t we couples then? Our relationship has been three people right from the moment we married and your mother seems to have the upper hand in what we do.

Ayo: Let by gone be by gone and lets start all over again and I promise that this time, things will be different.

Adaobi: Hahahaha, start all over again, with you? Will it bring my father back or will it take me back to the moment I wanted to go to him?

Ayo: Adaobi can we please get this thing past us?

Adaobi: No we cant because each time I look at you, I keep remembering that it was because of you that I wasn’t there when he needed me the most. The man who brought me up and made me what I am today is gone and I was not opportuned to say goodbye. Do you know how I feel each time I think of that?

Ayo: I am sorry Adaobi, really! I am.

Adaobi: been sorry won’t make things alright because you broke my heart.

Ayo: but Baby….

Adaobi: ‘That’s all I can say to you right now’ she said and walked away.

To be continued...