Adaobi episode 12

Adaobi Episode 12
“What is wrong with this girl? ” Ada’s father asked to no one in particular as we stood and faced him, everyone watched.
“I won’t marry someone i don’t love, you can’t force me”. Ada retorted.
The wh0le village must have been a witness to this scene of self determination played by Ada, she had clutched me by my hand and standing besides me, declared me the love of her life whom she wouldn’t leave for any one else, not even the United states president. Everyone watched in awe as we stood there, i wasn’t ashamed, i wasn’t scared, i was just in love and stupid about it.
The convoy sent to pick and deliver her to the palace had arrived and waiting for her. My father too arrived in the middle of the wh0le drama. Whatever little doubt i had faded with his presence, i knew that no matter what, my father would always be for me and never against me, his only son.
A security man that had come with the convoy approached us, he had intentions, bad intentions obviously.
“Hey, mr man, if you lay a hand on any of them, i am going to make your life miserable for you”.
That was my father, he had that intimidating voice and aura. Everyone’s eyes focused on him as he walked to us. The security man was cowed.
“What is happening here Quincy?” he said looking at everyone.
I had no immediate explanation to give, i just stared at him.
“Are you not Ada?” he asked facing Ada.
“Yes sir”
“And what is happening here, why all this people? ”
” I don’t want to marry the governor which is what my father wants to force me to”
“Marry the governor? , who the hell is the governor and what has that got to do with my son”
“Ehe, the governor is the governor of our state, he is the one at the Palace waiting for my daughter, to marry her and this your son here, has deceived her, i don’t know what he said to her to turn her mind upside down but i know it won’t work for him” her father said almost shouting.
My father looked at him in surprise and then at Ada.
“Please let’s go in,side, this is not a matter for the streets”
 
My father had found it utterly appalling and amusing that the sole reason he was in the village, the marriage he was there for was going to be between an executive governor and a little village girl who is in love with an ss3 boy. Though Ada was growing into a woman, one could easily tell she was still a small girl, probably too young to marry such a man, but it was none of my father’s concern, his concern was me and me alone but Ada was a big concern to me and so she was his own concern too.
 
“Ada, you are going to go and meet the governor, alone, at least you ought to respect him with your presence and then when he makes his proposal, you can then politely decline, maybe in private but for you to drag Quincy behind you like that, that would be very silly of the two of you” my father explained.
 
“Decline gini, she won’t decline anything, she must marry him o, don’t mind this shakara you are doing, it is small girl that is worrying you, the two of you” her father scolded.
 
“I am a small girl and yet you raped me and now want to sell me off” Ada said, everyone turned in his seat to look at her and then her father whose eyes had w¡dened.
 
“Eh?” my father exclaimed
“This girl what are you saying? ” her father said
” Don’t even try to deny it, you are evil and i’m going to tell it to everyone today”
“Papa Adaobi is she telling the truth” her mother spoke for the first time clutching her wrapper to her chest and facing her husband.
“What do you mean is it true?, how can i sleep with my own daughter?, so i will leave all the beautiful women in this village and come be sleeping with this small child” he stammered.
By this time, my father was too dumbstruck to speak, he just sat there, looking. I was shocked too but i was also consoling Ada who had started crying again.
“Oh you can’t sleep with her because she is a small girl, but you will marry her out to someone who is probably 2 hours younger than you all because he is a governor” my father said
“it is none of your business whom i want her to marry, she is my daughter afterall”
“My friend will you keep quiet, look at your self, raping your own daughter and still have mouth to talk, you are one of those people bringing bad reputations to this village, i am going to make sure you pay for your crimes” my father was obviously bitter about everything.
“In fact, that wedding won’t hold and i will make sure of it, this is pure child abuse, i’m going to the palace right now” my father said and stood up.
 
My father left for the palace but not without making sure i went home, i was able to leave with Ada because her parents were so engaged with each other that they didn’t know when we left.