Thorn between episode 56

TITLE: TORN BETWEEN

WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI

LIFE GOES ON 8

One week after the burial, Mama was alone with Eucharia, Prisca and Flora. Paul and Peter left the village abruptly. Later on, Flora and her uncle also went to Port Harcourt. Eucharia and Prisca were not suspicious because they had to process Mama’s international passport. Eucharia took her to Immigration Port Harcourt for her capture and they went back to the village on the same day. Prisca and Paul left before the passport was ready. Eucharia took Mama again to pick it up. Njideka had to leave because her son was travelling to the United States for his university education. She was taking him.

Two weeks after the burial, Eucharia announced it was time for her to go back. She did not know what happened in Port Harcourt because she had begged her children not to tell her anything unless it was extremely important. They did just that. Adim did not divulge any information to her, he visited only once since he went back to town. Eucharia did not ask questions. Nda Flora stayed with Mama until one of Mama’s widowed sisters came to live with her. She was abroad when Papa died and missed the burial, so she came to stay with her for some months before she travelled back to London to be with her daughter.

Eucharia came back home and observed the presence of armed security men outside her house. They asked her who she was and who she wanted to see. She told them her name, and they looked through an array of pictures, apologised for stopping her and then allowed her to drive in. She was baffled and knew something must have happened in her absence.

When she entered the house, she was surprised to see Onyekachi and Onyedika, she thought Prisca would have taken them. She said to herself, “After everything she still left the children.” She went into her bedroom, she took a bath and rested. She had plans to visit the office the next day unexpectedly. She slept for hours before her children woke her up late in the evening. They were back from work and school. That was when she heard what had happened.

“Daddy came back on a Thursday and stayed here until Saturday morning. He went to the other house, we didn’t know what was happening until we heard shouts and we saw the nanny with ejima running to our house. We opened the gate for them. Daddy had asked us to always lock the gate from inside. We were upstairs watching what was happening from the window, the nanny said Daddy and Nma ejima (mama twins) were fighting. It sounded strange because Daddy does not fight and I know he will not fight a woman, something was wrong.”

Eucharia couldn’t believe her ears, “Really? What happened?”

“Daddy told her it was over between both of them and she started throwing tantrums. She held him like she did in the village but he was not having it. He pushed her and removed her hand, he threatened to beat her up if she dared touch him again. Then he went back into the house and she followed him. Two men from the security post came to the house. Daddy came outside again and opened the gate for them. She came outside too. The men stopped her from entering the house. Daddy’s shirt was torn when he came out the second time, I suspect she dragged it. He brought out the first suitcase, then went back in to bring out another. He called the driver to assist him in carrying more boxes. I was surprised. Nma Ejima started crying and begging at this point. She said Daddy ruined her life and wants to leave her. Daddy did not answer her. He packed the suitcases into his vehicle. An elderly man came with two younger men. They all went into the house. We did not know what happened afterwards.”

“Why didn’t you tell me all these things?” Eucharia asked her daughters.

“You told us not to tell you anything concerning her. We obeyed your instruction and we are telling you now. We have not seen her since she left that day.”

“She left?”

“She left after several hours. She was begging Daddy for the boys but we heard him tell her until she fully recovers she won’t see the boys. She talks to them through the nanny’s phone.”

“Recovers? Was she sick?”

“I don’t know and Daddy didn’t say anything about it. He has been staying here ever since. The boys go to school from here. Daddy said they would go to boarding secondary school. He wants a military school for them. What do you think?” Urenna asked.

“They are not my sons, their parents should decide. Urenna leave me alone. But all these happened and no family member was involved?”

“Uncles Peter and Paul came to the house after those men came and before Nma Ejima left, I forgot to mention that. Daddy has moved into our house fully. Will he share a room with you as before?”

“No, Mmesoma, he has his room and would stay there. I need a break from everything.”

“Auntie Helen asked us to come on holiday. Dumebi wants to take her leave and travel to the US. She said she has a husband for Dumebi. I want to travel with her too. It is time we settle down.”

Dumebi added, “Mummy, I don’t want to get married and the man will treat me the way Daddy treated you. Men can be unpredictable and it worries me. Who would have believed that Daddy you showed so much love and attention could disappoint you like this? I am happy you got your life back and you are doing what you love. I want to ask, why didn’t you fight her and Daddy? You were so calm about the whole thing that she thought she had won. How did do it?”

“Don’t fight what you do not have control over, my dears. Why Should I fight Thelma? If your father didn’t talk to her or fall for her seduction would she have succeeded? You don’t have control over any other human except yourself. I controlled my emotions because they were in several places. I took time to grieve the loss of my marriage as I knew it and adjusted to what it is now. I have conditions that will help my mental state. I was not ready to share a man with another woman, she could have him to herself. If I had acted like Thelma would I be loved and appreciated as I am now? Who was disgraced? It was not just Thelma, your father too. He would avoid the village for a long time.”

“But why didn’t they punish her in the village when she did all the things she did? Imagine the way she held Daddy, it was disgraceful.”

“My dear, she did worse, she slapped your Dad’s uncle who supported him to marry her. He slapped her back though, maybe that is why they did nothing about it. Or they believed your daddy would do something about her and there was no need to do more. She’s had it easy. If it was before, the Umu Ada would have come for her. Like I said, I don’t want to be concerned about your father’s other wife.”

Read – Stuck With An Obsessed Girlfriend episode 40 – 41

Adim came back later that evening and saw Eucharia in the house. She didn’t tell him she was coming home. He was very happy, actually excited to see her. He told her he had missed her.

They had dinner together because Eucharia was curious about the happenings with Thelma. Interestingly Adim didn’t say anything about it. She waited patiently as he talked about other things. Finally, Eucharia raised the issue by asking why the boys were in her house.

“Their mother is receiving treatment so they have to stay with the children, I trust they will be better cared for by their sisters than leaving them with strangers unsupervised.”

“Urenna said you are considering boarding school for them. Why?”

“I want them to be independent. Who would believe they are ten years old but behave as though they are six? I want their mother’s hands off them so they would get mature. It was when they came to your house they learnt how to clean up after themselves and do chores and they were glad to do them.”

“That’s why you want to send them away?”

“Yes, I want them to be responsible.”

“Ok.”

Eucharia refused to ask more questions not to raise his suspicion. She wanted to ask about the armed security men but decided against it. The reason was obvious. After the meal, he sat with her in the sitting room watched television and then retired for the night. He made no advances towards Eucharia. She was surprised and it went on for weeks.

Njideka finally gave her the full story in her office when she returned from her trip. “That Thelma girl is very stupid and I do not feel sorry for her. Nda Adim tried to move out of the house, she fought him and created a scene. She threw herself on the ground and claimed Adim was beating her. She rolled on the bare floor in the presence of her children. Security men came to the house and witnessed her drama. They asked her if Adim attacked her she said yes but her children, the maid, the nanny and the driver all said otherwise. The security asked her to allow Nda Adim to leave the house in peace. He did not know she had called her father and brothers making the same claim. They came and saw her trying to stop him from leaving. They tried to resolve the issue but when my husband got there with his twin, he narrated everything she did during and after the burial. Would you believe she attributed her bad behaviour to pregnancy? Well, she will never make such a mistake again. Adim requested his bride price back. Peter and his uncle have gone to their place to initiate it. She begged but your husband said he was through with her especially her cornering him with the pregnancy. The girl exposed me. Every advice I gave her, she poured it out, I was shocked. I could have sworn she cared about me. Anyway, I know why she is angry with me.”

“Why?” Eucharia asked.
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“She told me you used charm on us and that is why we like you and we allow you to make decisions. That is why she doesn’t eat your food, she believes that is how you get us. She claimed they have a river or pond where their girls wash their faces and they receive favour. I asked her how she landed an old married man instead of a young rich guy. She took offence.”

“She accused me of using charm? It is unbelievable.”

“Believe me. She is jealous of you.”

“If that is the case, why didn’t she take the boys?”

“That was the surprising aspect. Adim told her father he was a title holder in Igboland. If he does not raise his sons, he doesn’t have sons. They won’t inherit anything from him.”

“Why would he say that?”

“From what Peter said, Thelma had a nervous breakdown and was hospitalised. They had to wait for her to be discharged before offering the proposition. I do not know if she accepted but her father and brothers agreed for the boys to remain with their father and would spend their holidays with their mother.”

“Adim would have allowed her to be with her boys now that she is calm. Where is she staying now?”

“I do not know and I do not care to know. How could she throw herself on the floor and roll on the concrete just to indict an innocent person.”

“Adim is not innocent. Anyway, the drama Thelma performed in the village is very much unlike her. She might have some negative tendencies but what she did was to the extreme. But she is Adim’s choice, he cannot run away now.”

“But Eucharia, he has gotten rid of the enemy, forgive him and continue to have a loving relationship. I promise you something, Nda Adim will never try this mistake again. It will be only you. I came with some movies to help spice up your love life.”

“My non-existent love life.” When Eucharia saw the picture on the packet of the movie, she quickly put it back in the envelope before anyone came in.

Njideka laughed as she expected that reaction. “What is wrong with you? Anyone seeing you now will not believe you have four children, they would swear you have never seen ‘amu’ before.”

“This is too much. I am honestly not interested in sex, especially with Adim. I have forgiven him but it can never be the same again. When he touches me, I will think of Thelma. I am a simple girl, I do not enjoy this craziness, it will be too much for me.”

“Watch the movie first. Thelma and her cohorts watch these types of movies to learn how to entice men. Use it to keep your husband. What will he be looking for outside when you send him to cloud nine and back? He will never want to leave. My husband is conservative but when it comes to that, he can do anything for me to be crazy with him. Most men want a saint like you a wife but a whore in bed. Thelma was the whore in bed that became a wife but couldn’t keep her marriage. Many second wives know how to keep the man happy in every way so he doesn’t desire the first wife. He keeps coming back to her. Thelma got carried away that she gave Nda Adim heirs but forgot to play the game of politics in the family. She allowed her jealousy overpower her.”

“Nj, I am not a whore and I do not know how to be one. Adim can’t complain about our bedroom activities, he never complained about them. When it slowed down and I lost weight, he wanted it every day. How can you want me like that and still want a whore? Am I missing something? Do you want me to turn worldly to satisfy his unnatural taste? It will be difficult.”

“What is unnatural? Who taught you how to have sex? What I gave you will spice up your sex life and it is not extreme at all. Instead of him being on top all the time, ride him. Have you ever tried seducing him? Have you ever made the first move? He is the one always coming to you. You are still young and beautiful to be celibate. I swear, if you do some crazy things with Nda Adim once, he is going nowhere. He will believe someone is teaching you and will be completely focused on you. You can make him suffer by not doing it often or claiming to be tired. He will beg you. Even though he might get it outside, it cannot be like the one he alone is enjoying.”

Eucharia laughed shyly. “When I decide to open shop for him, I will see if I can consider improving my skills, but it is not to keep him. I need some excitement myself, being celibate is not easy at all. That period of weakness in the village ignited so much in me that I had to stay in Mama’s house. If I had stayed with him, I would have succumbed many times. At Mama’s house, Nda Flora would not have allowed me to misbehave. It is so difficult. He doesn’t suggest it anymore and respects my space. It is as if he has lost interest in it after Thelma’s issue.”

“And you denied it then. Why are you suffering in silence? Your husband is in the next room, just go in there and seduce him. You know what you used to do to drive him crazy, do it. After you have collected it, tell him it changes nothing. It is when you want it you will seduce him. Do it on your terms. I wish you would watch the movie I gave you, you might have to teach Nda how to please you.”

“Hmm, this is a new one. I will think about it. Instead of having lustful thoughts about other men, I should stay with who I know.”