Dear Mother Episode 11 – 12
DEAR MOTHER
Chapter 11
…….We got to my grandparents place and explained all that had happened,grandpa was suprised as to how evil uncle Clement is, nevertheless they decided they were going to see him and ask why he had thrown mother’s things out.Granma made food for us,and asked us not to worry ,that everything was going to be fine.
The next day,my grandparents, accompanied by some of mother’s uncle,mom and I,went back home to see uncle Clement.Upon our arrival,we met his absence,we were told by neighbors he had gone out,but they said he was looking very casual,hence he probably didn’t go far from home,we decided to wait, we waited for about three hours before he came.when he saw us waiting for him,he wore a long face and Managed greet granny’s and mother’s uncle’s.grand pa was about going in with him,when he (Uncle Clement) asked him to wait outside, that he didn’t want them in,side.grandpa was very embarrassed,but he managed to stay calm.soon uncle Clement brought a plastic chair and sat with us outside.my Son, grandpa began,our daughter came to us yesterday saying you had sent her out with her belongings littered outside,we decided to come and hear from you as it isn’t nice to conclude form one side of any story.so my son,what happened,as we can see our daughter’s belongings are outside,why is this…
Well,I don’t have time for explanations neither do I have time beating about the bush,I am no longer interested in the marriage ,so I want your daughter out of my house.uncle clement said.oh come on my inlaw,you can’t possibly just wake up and ask your wife out without a good reason .grandma said.
Madam,marriage is not a do or die affair,I can not continue living in the same house with a woman who doesn’t respect my decision or stands in issues,he said.what exactly is this decision of yours that my daughter had refused to respect, because I didn’t bring my daughter up to disrespect you her husband, I have never disrespected my own husband,so from whom did she learn this,mother asked….
Well, I married your daughter and not Christabel, I had asked her to take christabel away but she refused .so if she cannot obey me as her husband she cannot be my wife either. Uncle Clement said. But my son you were aware she had a daughter before you married her, moreover she had respected you once but taking her child away to Abuja. if you had asked her what happened in Abuja and why Christabel was back to Edo state she would have explained to you. christabel my granddaughter had suffered a great deal all because her mother Sarah was trying to be a good wife to you,christabel was abused ,went through hell and back, you can’t expect her mother to give her out again. Christabel is broken and needs to heal and her mother wants to be around to help her back to her usual self. when you know you will not be able to live with Christabel after marriage you would have told Sarah from the onset that after the wedding her daughter would not be living with the two of you and I believe it would have been a decision of hers to make whether to go on with the marriage or to say no.but instead you made her marry you only for you to ask her to keep her daughter out.having a child it’s not a curse but a blessing .Sarah and her daughter have been together for so long, but all of a sudden you want her to send her child away, that is so not right grandfather explained.
Well sir this is my home and I know what I want. if she cannot send the child away, the marriage is then officially over and I want the return of the bride price on her, I have nothing to do with her anymore, uncle Clement said. come on my son grandmother said, it hasn’t gotten to that we can talk this through and be able to resolve all this ,no madam we cannot resolve this the only solution is for Christabel to leave my house, uncle Clement said.
At this point mother was really angry ,well Clements if that is what you want no problem, I cannot throw my dog away because I had found a dead lion, because no matter what a dog is still better than A dead lion .my child is my everything ,I cannot throw her away or send her out because I met you. so if you insist that this matter cannot be resolved unless my daughter is sent out, then your wish shall be granted. my father and his kingsmen shall return the Bride price you paid on me. Mother said and asked all of us to live. She was able to get a bus and took
Our things that were outside
When we go to grandparents home ,grandfather called for a meeting again in the evening. Sarah is this what you really want? do you really want to leave your marriage? your mother and I are still alive ,and by God’s grace in good health, we can take care of your child. why not allow christabel live with us and then you can be with your husband grandpa said. Father,mother I sincerely appreciate you kindness and encouragement but the truth is a man who cannot love my child cannot love me either, I have tolerated enough from Clement , he’s not my God, I have failed my daughter once ,I am not ready to feel her again. I will do my best to take care of her because I will not forgive myself should anything happen to her.
again my daughter does not deserve any of these, she deserves to be happy and grow up like every other child, I was better off with my daughter I only thougts she needed a father that was why I agreed to Mary Clements but unfortunately Marrying Clement has been the biggest mistake of my life ,and so if this is the way he wants it to end, It shall be .thank you very much baba.
ok my child grandmother said ,if you have really made up your mind your father and I are with you on this, my grand daughter deserves to be happy and I know she would feel betrayed if you give her out the second time because of Clement, I just pray that you find happiness at last because you two deserves to be happy.
grandmother’s words encouraged mother, she was happy to know that her parents were solidly behind her.Grandparents also at last learnt their lessons, that a child needs the support of the parents when the outside world rejects them, they had changed for good.
Some days on grandfather was able to reach his kingsman and they went to uncle Clement to return the Bride price,he paid on Mother. mother and uncle Clement were officially and traditionally divorced. auntie Stella was really sorry that it had to end that way,mother told her it wasn’t her fault that she was only trying to be a friend and help.
Mrs Williams heard what had happened she was really sorry for mother, but she knew mother was right especially because of what I had gone through, so she decided to help the little way she could .she sent Mother some money to put her life back on track, mother was very grateful .
Mother is a fantastic Cook and when she operated the little restaurant she had before Clements came into the picture, she had many customers who loved her cookings, so mother decided to go into food business once again. but this time she made it a little sophisticated. she even had a name. Bella’s Foods and catering services. yes she used my name. Soon she had customers patronizing her every now and then, and people wanted her to be their caterer for their occassions.
things were going well for Mother one day at a time. We moved out of grandparents place and rented our own apartment . though we always go visiting granny’s of course. I was in school and I was doing well .mother was doing fine, she had peace of mind so to say.
indeed being a single mother and happy is better than being in an enslaved marriage, nevertheless my friend, I pray you find that man who deserves your Love and who would love you back and of course love your child aunty stella would always say, but mother will insist she didn’t need a man all she wished was for me to keep growing and doing well academically.
Some months later after we had moved out of grandparents place we were at home one Sunday evening watching a movie together,when we heard a knock at the door, mother went to get the door, lo and behold she saw someone she least expected. she was shocked and shouted what are you doing here, I had to rush to the door to see who it was…..
Dear Mother
Chapter 12
Getting to the door,I saw man I didn’t know,he was starring at me,is she the one,he asked mom,get out of my house,mother shouted, please Sarah,I am sorry,I really am sorry,please.
Really,really,you abandoned your child and I for over 11years, and all you can do is come back oneday saying you are sorry,so if i had abandoned her the way you did years back,which child would you have to come to mother shouted,Sarah,I know you tried,yes I know,but please,allow me sarah to be the father of our child. I thought they said you were married and with kids so what happened to those all mighty kids.mom asked, The man kept quiet for a while, he was too shy to say anything, where are your kids ,what happened to your kids,that all of a sudden you remembered you have one here you abandoned and rejected . Sarah it wasn’t my fault my family made me believe you weren’t good for me or you weren’t going to make a good wife,,, they were very concerned about our tribal differences and made me marry someone from our tribe, actually she was forced on me because she had refused to marry me at first, I really tried to make them see reasons and allow us together with our daughter but they insisted as a first son it’s only nice for me to get a wife from amongst us.well real men make decisions and stand by it,n not been pushed around by family,mom said.
My mother made her friend’s daughter marry me even though it was against her wish at first she had to agree when the pressure from both my mother and her mother was unbearable, we had lived for eight years and had three children together, only for me to find out 3 months ago that none of those children was mine. Mother was shocked when she heard this, as for me I was just staring a both of them because I really didn’t understand what was happening,the man on the other hand, was already in tears, I loved and cared for Jessica, I did all expected of a man to his family, but little did I know I was fetching water with the basket, Another man came claiming my kids where his,he said,
well,that’s karma for you,mom said.I was devastated, I didn’t believe, my wife could cheat on me,when I informed my family members of the development,they were suprised,a meeting was held,and my supposed wife said,she was already pregnant with our first baby for her boyfriend when my mother and mine forced her into marrying me,so she did,and then presented another man’s child as mine,buy even after that baby,she didn’t stop visiting her lover,they continued untill they had extra two babies,making my three children, another’s man’s kids.these past few days of my life has been the very worse ,I have been through hell and back
He cried , and cried,as I speak to you now,I can’t find my wife ,the kids nor the the man,my life has been a mess,but thennnnnnnn
Then you remembered you have a child somewhere, you are sick in the head and definitely needs mental evaluation,a child you abandoned well let this be the very last time you will bring your two left legs to my house,or open your mouth , seeking for a Child here.get in,side,mom said to me and shut the door.
As we arrived in,side,I asked mom who the man was,she told me he wasn’t anyone important,so I should not bother ,i didn’t push further as I could see mom wasn’t comfortable with the issue,but is he my father? ,I managed to ask after some minutes ,mother surprised,she noded her hair affirmatively,I ran out,but couldn’t find the man,he had gone.i was sad that I didn’t get to know.
I got to know my father,mother allowed us,but told him she had nothing to do with him,she didn’t want him in her life,when he tried so much to get mom n it didn’t work,his coming became limited,he came only once a while to check up on me,he preferred to have a phone call.
Mother’s business was going well and Mother was shinny.she had many customers,almost every weekend mother had a job to cook in someone’s occasion.
It’s been two years,I was already in senior secondary school 2,i have been living peacefully with my mom,it wasn’t easy,but I had recoverd from my excapde with Uncle Ade, though I didn’t forget,I was stronger.
One day after school,I was helping mother at her shop,when a girl on school uniform at about my age came to mother.goodafternoon mam,she greeted, please ma,I Am hungry, could you give me a little food,i don’t have any money,mother felt pity on the girl,and served her food.she was very grateful,she thanked mother and I when she was done eating,she took her plate to where water and soap was,she wanted to wash herself,I stopped her and asked her not to bother,I took it from her,your parents have done so much In your upbringing,mother said.whike the girl gave a smile,.we charted for some minutes nd introduce ourselves,the girl was a nice person,she liked me,and I liked her too.
Okay Bella,bye she said,as she takes her leave, goodbye ma, God bless you for a wonderful meal,I really appreciate,she said to mom.we bidded her goodbye,as she was about to cross back,we heard a loud scre-m,the girl had been hit by a car,who didn’t even wait to see how she was.mom and I ran to the scene…