Thorn between episode 35 – 36

TITLE: TORN BETWEEN

WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI

TROUBLE 4

Eucharia refused to return to her father-in-law and gave Adim the silent treatment. Adim was fine with the silence because he did not want to answer questions. He travelled to the village the following weekend to make arrangements for someone. He told his parents that Eucharia had fallen ill and needed to recuperate before coming to see them.

Flora did not buy the story. She packed and returned to Port Harcourt because she suspected there was fire on the mountain. Eucharia would never leave Papa without a replacement and proper handover. She suspected she was angry, and it meant she had found out everything. Adim was not forthcoming with the information on the trip back to Port Harcourt, he avoided it altogether. It made Flora even more suspicious. She had to get home and observe.

She saw Eucharia was hale and hearty and realised she guessed right. She asked Eucharia if there was a problem, but she said there wasn’t. Flora did not pry; she sat back and watched everything play out. She was patient. In all, she felt for Eucharia because she would be the loser. All the sacrifices she had made for Adim would be a waste. He had taken her youth, career, financial independence and education but could not take her willpower. The girl had an intimidating presence that some men loved. She feared Eucharia would join those married women who dated other men outside their marriages to get back at Adim. She hoped she would safeguard her reputation. A good name was better than silver and gold.

Two months after the confrontation at church in the morning of a workday, Thelma came to Eucharia’s house. Initially, Eucharia did not want to let her in, but she sent a note and told her it was crucial she saw her. Eucharia permitted her to come in and came downstairs to meet her.

Thelma began with, “I did not come to fight with you or make any bets, I came because I need your help to talk to Adim. I have been patient enough, and now I would do something drastic that might affect his job.”

“What can I do for you?” Eucharia asked nonchalantly.

“Please tell Adim to pay my monthly allowance for two months. He has refused to pay and has been ignoring my calls.”

“He gives you a monthly allowance? That is good. Please tell him yourself.”

Flora had come out of her room and sat in the dining room as she took in the drama. She did not join in the conversation but paid attention.

“He has to, how would I feed these two boys?” she asked and pointed to the two boys she came in with. “They eat a lot, and I cannot afford to feed them by myself when their father has so much money. If he does not send me the allowance, I will leave the boys here for him.”

Eucharia did not believe she heard right. She looked at Thelma as she stood up from her chair and asked, “What did you say?”

“I said I will leave the boys here so their father will feed them. I am tired of doing it on my own.”

Eucharia collapsed to the ground as she repeated it and lost consciousness. Flora ran from where she was sitting and screamed for the maid to bring water. Eucharia was out for some minutes before they revived her. Thelma watched the drama unfold and was gripped with fear before Eucharia was revived. She was also worried about what would happen after now and when Adim would be informed that she had come to the house.

Flora said to Thelma, “Mission accomplished. Please leave here now before Adim catches you. Eucharia is now aware that you have sons for Adim, you can now go so I can call her husband to come and take care of his wife.”

Flora went to call Adim. She told him Eucharia collapsed and she needed to get to the hospital. Adim said he was leaving immediately. Thelma quickly rushed out with her sons. Flora tried to stop her, “You should have waited for Adim to meet you here terrorising his wife. Eucharia is Adim’s legitimate wife. She is the only wife before God. You are a strange woman who came to take advantage of someone’s home. You will live to regret it. Mark my words. Adim loves Eucharia and would never leave her for you; it will never happen. Hurry off before he meets you here.”

Before Adim got home, Flora said to Eucharia, “Didn’t I tell you to have a male child? I told you that to men like Adim, female children become nothing when the chips are down. You hated me for my advice and now see what is happening now. Those boys are not younger than four years old.” She stopped and was deep in thought and then added, “Do not mention anything about that girl’s visit, keep mute and allow Adim to fool himself. When he finds out you know, he will get what he deserves. As for you, will you be wise and think about yourself? Your girls are grown now so do something for yourself. I will give you six months to grieve over this betrayal, but after that, I will push you to make something out of your life. Eucharia, you were a good nurse, you ran a very profitable business and even the course you chose to read would have racked you millions of naira. Adim knows if you step out of this marriage, many men will line up to have you. He knows and he will never allow you to leave. You also love him and will not leave but take charge and give conditions for your forgiveness so the whole thing will make sense. Stop wasting your life by being a housewife to a man who has shown you disrespect.”

Adim came back home and rushed Eucharia to the hospital. She received treatment and came back home. Adim was being overly caring towards her without knowing what had transpired. Flora went with them and tried to caution Eucharia whenever she wanted to explode. When Adim went to make payments, Flora said to her, “You did it your way before, two boys have shown after he told you several times that he was content with his daughters. Do it my way. Play him well and he will be afraid of you. I know you will react, that’s your style, but not now. Wait until he finds out. Don’t tell him, do something that will make him go to her. Maybe deny him sex and he might go to her. Let her be the one to tell him.”

It played out exactly as Flora had predicted. Eucharia refused to have sex with him. She even prepared to return to the village to visit her in-laws, but she planned to stop at Aba to see her Uncle. Even though she acted as though she was fine, she wasn’t. She was broken and needed to pour out her heart to someone, and that someone was not Flora. She gave her good advice, but even with that, she did not trust her. After all, Adim was her brother and when push came to shove, she would support her blood. She visited her Uncle in Aba for wise counsel concerning the issue.

Adim sensed a problem because Eucharia’s silent treatment had gone beyond just ignoring him to sleeping in another room and looking at him with spite in her eyes. He suspected something was at play. He asked her severally, but she completely ignored him and walked away. He wondered if she had found out something. Thelma would not dare reveal anything to her because he had kept her on a tight leech, and if she did, the Eucharia he knew would have reacted.

When she left for Aba, she did not tell Adim. She told the household she was going to the village to see Papa and Mama for the weekend and would be back. Adim was shocked to return home and hear she had travelled. He knew something was up when she did not return on Sunday or Monday. He became restless. He swallowed his pride and asked Flora. Flora laughed at him because she could see he was troubled. “When was the last time you spoke to your second wife? She has succeeded in scattering your home. Go and ask her what she did.”

Adim left immediately for Thelma’s house that night. She was surprised to see him there and also scared. Adim was not a violent man, but she did not like his reaction to any matter concerning his wife. She had been waiting for him to fight her, but he did not. Coming this night meant trouble.

“What did you do to my wife? What did you tell her?” Adim asked.

“You abandoned us because of her, so I had to let her know I am not just anybody but the mother of your twin sons.”

Adim was enraged. He asked, “How did you let her know?” She remained silent until he shouted, “How?”

“I was mad at you and I overreacted. You keep making me do crazy things. I have done so much for you to prove my love and loyalty to you, but you are not satisfied. You chose your wife over me and my boys. I wanted her to know you have another family with me. ”

“Thelma, tell me what you did, godamnit!”

“I took the boys to visit her.”

“You did what? When did you do it? Tell me! Were you there when she fainted? Answer me.”

“Your sister asked me to leave. I did not know she would react like that.”

“Thelma, you have killed me. For this singular act, I will never forgive you. I want my boys, but I will punish you in a way you will never forget. You have destroyed my home and broken my relationship with Eucharia. I told you from the onset that Eucharia comes first; she is my wife, my world. If she leaves me because of you just know this relationship is over. Your happiness is hinged on her happiness.”

Meanwhile, Eucharia sat on the floor of her Uncle’s sitting room and placed her teary face on his lap. She told him everything that happened and cried even more. She was inconsolable, so he allowed her to cry. When she was calmer, he asked her to wash her face and enter his bedroom to sleep comfortably. He said he wanted to get to the shop to attend to a customer and then return for a heart-to-heart discussion with her.

When he returned, she was still crying. He knew the depth of the betrayal and how much it would affect her. The main thing that bothered Eucharia was what people would say. She did not deserve to made a spectacle. She expected more from Adim after all she did for him and his family. Mazi Ukaegbu did not know what to say to her than to encourage her to think about her next course of action, and she would have his full support.

After their discussion, Eucharia asked a personal question, “If it were your wife that you betrayed as Adim did, would she forgive you and fight for your home or leave you and move on with her life?”

“I do not know what she would do, but if I were in your shoes, I would fight for my home because of the girls. Once they are old enough to be independent you can change your decision. I would stay for their sake. A broken home is not the best for them. There are many unmarried girls from homes with both fathers and mothers. What will become of your daughters if it is said your marriage is broken? Who would want to marry them? What will you do with yourself? Would you remarry or enter an illicit relationship? You are not that type of woman, and you can not start now.”

“I do not think I can ever forgive Adim.”

“You can, but you need time to achieve it. You are entitled to your anger. Scream at him, pack out briefly, threaten and give conditions to remain with him. That’s the best you can do. When everything is settled, focus on your children and overlook whatever is happening.”

“I wish I could. I suspect his family knew, but they hid it from me after all I have done for them.”

“Did you expect them to tell you? He must have asked them not to. Go to the village and relax. Adim loves you and he will come for you. He will apologise and try to make things right.”

Read – The Billionaire crazy wife episode 59 – 60

TITLE: TORN BETWEEN

WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI

TROUBLE 5

Echaria travelled to the village later that day. She did not stay with her in-laws but went to their flat. She locked herself in. She came to see her in-laws the following morning. She was cold towards them which they observed. They asked if there was any issue, but she shook her head and went back to her flat.

Adim arrived the following week expecting Eucharia to return home, but she did not. He went to his parent’s flat to see them and check for Eucharia. They told him she was in their flat. His mother even asked him why Eucharia was in the village, but he did not respond.

Adim went upstairs to their flat. He knocked on the door for a long time, but Eucharia did not respond. He was worried and asked if anyone had seen her that day. He wondered if she would come downstairs to his parents since she refused to answer the several knocks on the door.

Eucharia came downstairs some hours later. She was surprised to see Adim in his parents’ sitting room. She did not acknowledge him instead, she talked to her in-laws and wanted to walk away before her mother-in-law stopped her and asked what the issue was. She smiled. “Mama, Papa I took you as my parents and I would have sworn you loved me as daughter. I no longer believe it and I am disappointed in everyone in this family.”

“Disappointed kwa? What did we do? Adim, what is Uk talking about?”

Adim made a hand gesture telling them to ignore Eucharia, but it only infuriated her even more and she added, “You joined your son to talk to me not to have more children and not to bother with having a son. But you supported him to have twins with another woman.”

“Chineke!” Adim’s mother shouted. She turned to Adim and asked, “What is she talking about?”

“He has two sons with another woman. My womb had a son before and with advancement in medicine, I would have had a son for him. But instead, he had the boys with a younger woman. They are not babies, they go to school, which means the deception has been on for years.”

“It is not true,” Adim’s father added, “Adim can never do such a callous thing. The son I raised would not do that to his wife, children and this family name.”

Eucharia was sober at this point as she watched Adim’s mother fall to the floor and place her hand on her head. Adim stood there speechless; the cat was out of the bag, and it was not looking good at all.

“Adim, please tell me it is not true. Adim, answer me, is what she is saying the truth? Did you deceive your wife? Did you have children outside without her permission?”

“It was a mistake, I never planned to have children with another woman, it just happened. Luckily, she had twin boys; what was I to do?”

“Did you mistakenly fall into her otu (vagina)? I want to know. Only a shameless woman gets pregnant for a married man, but it is the man’s wickedness that causes it,” Adim’s mother replied to him. “Why did you not come to us so we could manage the situation? Uk said they are not babies, which means it has been a while. Adim, why? You have cheated Uk and I understand her anger. I side with her. I can never support a woman who sneaks into a family to ruin it. If you were genuine with her, you would have brought her to us to accept before going ahead to get her pregnant. What you have done is to disgrace Uk, and if she decides to leave you because of this, she will no longer be your wife but will still be my daughter.”

“I agree. She will remain my daughter. Pray she does not leave you,” his father added.

Eucharia walked away with tears in her eyes. She went upstairs to pack her things to leave. She could not stay in the same house as Adim. Someone came to tell them that Eucharia was leaving as she loaded her bags into the car. Adim ran outside to meet her.

“Why are you doing this? We need to talk but not here. Let us go to Port Harcour together and then we can talk better. I never intended to hurt you. Biko nu.”

Eucharia ignored him and drove away. She did not go back to Pot Harcourt but to Aba to stay with her Uncle until she felt strong enough to face the drama awaiting her at home.

When Eucharia returned, she was a different person. Adim tried to accuse her of going to meet a man and she flared up in her sitting room. She warned him never to question her morality because he was in no position to judge her. She accused him of making her abandon her career, her education and even her business so she could be completely dependent on him. She just realised why he did all he did, it was to control her and not allow her to leave him. The more she realised how foolish she had been, the more aggressive she was in fights even in the presence of the children, she no longer cared. Adim moved out temporarily from the home to reduce the tension. She suspected he went to be with Thelma and it gave her sleepless nights.

She stopped going to church because of the shame and humiliation. She refused to see anyone including Peter and Njideka. She was a shadow of herself. She had stopped eating and had lost her faith in God. She was wasting away slowly and it was affecting her mental health. Adim’s continuous absence did not help matters. At one point, she had suicidal thoughts; she was fed up and wanted to end it. The pain was too much for her to handle.

One morning, after several weeks of isolation and self-loathe, Flora came to her bedroom where she lay down on the bed and was deep in thoughts. She said to her, “Eucharia, you have grieved enough but it is time to act. Nobody supports what Adim did, I know I do not. We are not the enemies and we are as disappointed as you are, even not more disappointed. Staying in here makes you look weak. You look like you are hiding away from the world in shame. You are not the one at fault here, Adim is. Stop making it seem as though you did something you did not. I am also angry and would not give you wise counsel, so I will advise you to see someone neutral to talk to you. Why not talk to the Parish Priest? I am sure he can help you through this trying moment.”

Although Eucharia did not respond, argue or refuse to go. It made sense to her as her faith was failing then. She stayed indoors for the rest of the day. She woke up early the next morning and prepared for morning service. It was a weekday and she could speak with the Priest afterwards for as long as she could. Most of her clothes were too big for her because of the amount of weight she had lost. She chose something that was still presentable and went to morning mass.

She saw the Priest after Mass and he counselled her. She was in tears when she shared the story with him. When she was through, the Priest told her, “Do you know how you can conquer this issue? It is by showing both of them love. You cannot undo what is already done but you can decide to accept it and make your peace with it. It is difficult but my dear, it is what it will eventually come to. He will beg you and use those you love and care for to appeal to you. He might not be remorseful, but he would want to keep his family intact. Any man would want to do that. But for your sanity and your work with God, accept the woman and the children. Take your time to heal and then move on. God will appreciate it even if they do not. Would you stop being a good person because your husband betrayed you? It is on him. I understand some people will gossip about the situation and call you foolish for listening and obeying your husband, especially concerning having a son. But you are not living for humans, you are living for God. After God, it is your husband. I would like to invite your husband to a discussion before I meet with the two of you.”

“But father isn’t having two wives a sin?”

“Polygamy is not acceptable in the Catholic Church. He needs to know what he has done wrong, especially in the sight of God. You said the woman is a member of the church, I might also talk with her. Your husband cannot abandon his new family, but he cannot marry her. He has to be responsible for the woman and the children. But you know we humans. I do not trust him to leave it at that; I will give the spiritual guidance he needs. You are my priority and I want you to trust God to do what is right.”

The conversation lifted Eucharia’s spirit. She gave the Priest Adim’s office phone number and address before she left. She was back home lighter than she came. She felt stupid by obeying all Adim insisted, not knowing it was to her detriment. She could never trust him again.

Adim met with the Priest and he was surprised Eucharia came to him. He knew the situation affected her, but he felt she would escalate it by bringing it to the Church they all attended. He had to meet the Priest that night after the evening service. He went with Thelma, he had moved in with her while Eucharia sorrowed away. It was his secret as they had moved to another part of town where they were not known. He told his family members he lodged in a hotel to give Eucharia time to heal.