Three Generations episode 29

THREE GENERATION

Written by: OGECHI ALABI

CHAPTER 29

Isabella’s mother’s visit didn’t do anything to douse the situation rather it worsened it. The family insisted Isabella be extradited to Italy to pay for her sins while others said she should rot in Nigerian prison which had terrible conditions. All pleas fell on deaf ears.

Everyone was amazed at Obi. He had changed completely and stood his grounds. He asked Isabella’s father where he should send everything the daughter bought in the new village house. His eldest sister jumped up from her seat and shut him up. “You are not returning anything. Who is going to pay for what Chioma went through? Killing her won’t even be enough to pay for damages to Chioma and Ogo. I was expecting you to claim the house in Benin too”

“I am not interested in the house in Benin. I feel I have been hypnotized all this while. How can Isabella believe she could use my daughters to pay me for being with her? Tufiakwa! I don’t want anything of hers except this house and everything in it”

When Isabella’s father left, Nwakaego sat with the family for a serious discussion. She had been thinking and she shared her thoughts with Nwanneka who bought into. It was time to make the family buy into the idea. She knew it would be unsettling but it was for the best. They had to think and not work with emotions.

“Papa, mama and everyone present, I want us to have a sensitive discussion devoid of emotions. Let’s look at this situation critically. Ada anyi said something vital which got me thinking. She said, killing Isabella won’t be enough to pay for the damages done on our daughters. I agree with her. What do we gain from killing her? There is a lot to gain by negotiating with her family”

“Nego what? We are not negotiating with anyone. Let this end even before we start discussing it” Onyedika insisted. Others agreed with him.

Papa stopped everyone and asked them to calm down. “Allow her land first. We might be able to benefit from her suggestion”

“Isabella will pay for what she did by going to jail and be kept there for a very long time. In return, I will suggest nda Obi takes over the businesses he was handling for her then in Benin and continue to earn from it. Before you say anything, let me explain. Nda Obi worked very well with Isabella which even his children and wife acknowledged. But, she handled the finances which was the main problem with him running a business. According to her father, Isabella was using his star”

“Obi has star someone can use?” Ada asked.

“Apparently he does and it has been activated. If he is allowed to take over the businesses and probably move them closer to mama Ogo, she can manage the finances and give him allowance for his merriment. That way, he can be responsible for his family as he was during Isabella’s time and not depend on mama Ogo”

There was some silence. It made sense to an extent. But moving the business interstate would pose a problem as Obi is known in Benin by his customers. He handled her drinks distribution business very well and they were very successful. He didn’t need to mention the business centre, salon and barber’s shop, boutique and so on.

Papa spoke. “I agree with you that Obi should continue the business as it was built on his destiny. But, I think we should empower Obi to start on his own. He should legally buy the businesses of her and take over. That way, neither she nor her family can lay claim to the business. But what do we want in return?”

“I will suggest she agrees to twenty-five years’ imprisonment. She will be put in a semi-comfortable prison but cannot come out until she has completed her time”

“Will twenty-five years bring succour to my children? I am not interested in her businesses. Obi can go back to her for all I care. I want her to suffer for the rest of her life. That is what I want. I want her to die a miserable death.” Chinyere replied very upset.

“There is no winner or loser in this situation; we are all losers. I am looking out for the future; I can never lead you astray. Isabella is as troubled as you. Her mother is a religious fanatic. She repeated to me severally her daughter deserved any punishment she gets. She is right but coming from your mother it is devastating. This woman never asked for our forgiveness or the welfare of the victims. She was only interested in quoting the bible and declaring her daughter guilty. You can imagine being brought up by such a mother. A mother that will give up on you by the first sign of trouble. She is not acting like a mother but like a confused woman who has lost her way. It is also possible she has psychiatric issues.”

Onyedika immediately replied Nwakaego “I am not interested in the problems Isabella and her mother have. She created problems for us. Nda Obi doesn’t need help to start up a business again. He has the required knowledge and can replicate the business anywhere. He has to be under the watchful eyes of his wife who will manage the finance. It is left for Obi to become useful. He doesn’t need Isabella’s businesses to be successful”

“Will you support him? Will you assist him in opening the businesses close to his wife? He cannot go back to being dependent on women. This is an opportunity for his deliverance, if you are willing to support him, together we will make an impact in his life”

“We can start by selling everything in the house he built with her. That should give him enough money to start off. Then, we can support him bit by bit until we are sure he can manage the businesses”

Obi then said, “I have decided to relocate to the village as papa is getting older. I will live here while my wife can live anywhere she wants. I will start the drinks distribution business in the town. I have some money; all I need is a place for the business. I want to site the business in town and have a branch in the village. I understand the business very well”

“Nwa m, you have some money to start a business?” mama repeated while raising her hands to heaven. “God, you are good. Obi can talk like this? Obi has money saved? Isabella came into your life for a reason and that reason will be fulfilled.”

“Exactly mama. I want Isabella and her family to see what will become of nda Obi in the near future now he has gotten his destiny back. If he is using his money for the business, I can give you my property in town to use….”

“Nwakaego, thank you but I would rather a man helps me out. I don’t want anything from a woman. All the women I was involved with used my destiny including Chinyere. My eyes have cleared. I will take charge of my destiny and responsibility. Whatever Chinyere is doing will be additional. The time has come for Obioma to prove himself to his family. I will do this myself with help from my fellow men”

“What happens to Isabella? Do we agree to allow the law to take its cause? Let her stand trial and be convicted. That’s the best”

The women were not in support and argued with Nwakaego. The men listened to the arguments and took sides with the part that had good arguments. Finally, it boiled down to Chioma deciding what she wanted.

“I want to be compensated for what I had to face in Italy. I am starting my life all over again by going back to school to get better grades and do a better course. When Nwanneka got pregnant, I was amongst her cousins that jeered at her. Now my shame is more than hers. The person I am older than is the one building my confidence. Like I told mama Nwanneka, I want to go to nursing school. I want to take care of people. There is no age limit to being a nurse. I want the compensation to help me fulfil that dream instead of mama Nwanneka. I will know, something good came out of my experience”

Everyone was silent. Even Nwakaego and Nwanneka were shocked by her words. This was deep and would help with her healing. Everyone was sober and the silence dragged for some time. Then Onyedika spoke. “What do you want as compensation?”

“I want them to give me N50,000. The car my father was using should be given back to him. He should be compensated so he can start a business where my mother is. I saw the way he handled Isabella’s businesses and I believe he can handle his even better. I want my mother compensated because in all this, she was the worst hit and if not for her, I wouldn’t be back home with everyone.” Chioma replied.

“What then happens to Isabella?”

“She will promise to free Ogo from the madam and settle her too. Then she can serve a shorter time after she has signed an undertaken never to come near me or any member of my family again. It is a fair negotiation. She can do ten years instead of twenty-five”

“I don’t agree with that. She should serve her full term so she doesn’t prey on others” Onyedika replied.

“I think we should involve the Colonel in this issue. We will invite him for the next meeting so we decide. In the meantime, what Chioma said about compensation stands; she has the final say on that”

The next weekend, the family gathered. In attendance were the Colonel and Uloma who came to give Chinyere moral support. Uloma was looking very dashing and everyone acknowledged how beautiful she looked. Onyedika tried not to pay her any attention but still, his eyes couldn’t resist beholding her. She had taken very good care of herself.

The meeting started with Chioma repeating what she said the last time. It drew silence from the Colonel. It came from a place of grief that was healing. He couldn’t believe Chioma was willing to forgive Isabella who had wronged her so much.

The Colonel was disappointed when he saw Isabella for the first time. He wondered how Obi would have found this girl attractive enough to be with her openly. She looked used and wasted. Her complexion was mixed colour in her attempt to bleach her skin. Her knuckles were dark and wrinkled. She had veins popping out all over her body. What was the attraction? He had to accept that it couldn’t be ordinary as Chinyere had suggested. There was no way Obi would leave Chinyere who despite having six children still looked presentable for someone who should be covering most of her body in shame.

Based on Chioma’s decision and arguments from the family, he came to a decision. “What Chioma has requested for in terms of settlement stands. But, I would have suggested Isabella serves fifteen years in a medium prison but since she is paying all these compensations, it is only fair she serves ten years and she will be placed on a watchlist for human trafficking. If she is ever caught or gets involved in human trafficking again, she will go for the maximum. I will relate this to her father who has been disturbing me. She will plead guilty, serve her time and will never have anything to do with members of this family ever again. If she attempts to do anything to a member of the family, she will never be found again. Right now, she is experiencing disappearing from the surface of the earth. She is in the far North with no communication with the outside world”

Everyone liked the idea. It was suggested an agreement would be written and signed by the parties involved. It ended in excitement. Refreshments were taken amongst themselves. It marked the end of Isabella’s reign of terror on the family. With these conditions, Ogo will also be free to come back home. It was a celebration of life.

Nwakaego observed Onyedika was trying to get Uloma’s attention but she had been ignoring him. Uloma deliberately went into the bedroom when she noticed he was walking towards her. Nwakaego wondered what was going on. She joined Uloma in the room and asked what happened. Uloma explained. She saw Onyedika at the border some weeks back when she went with a colleague to Cotonou to buy a car. She went so she could see Onyedika as she had agreed with Nwakaego. She didn’t see him when she crossed although she stylishly asked after him. It was on their return she saw him at the border. She tried to avoid him this time but he had seen her. He stopped them. He took them to his office. He asked her who the man with her was and she explained he was a colleague. He allowed the man to leave but made her stay until late into the night before he drove with her into town

“Mama Nwanneka, he was telling me he knew it was because you, I came to the border. Apparently, someone had mentioned to him a lady was looking for him before I arrived. He said you sent me to him. I explained to him my colleague knew someone who worked with him. My colleague mentioned I was married to a Customs officer. The agent asked your name and I said it mentioning you worked at Tincan. He said he knew you and you worked at Seme border. I mentioned the agent’s name and he knew him. That was how I was saved you. He wanted me to go home with him that night but I refused. He wanted to take me to my new accommodation claiming he had a right to know where I lived. I told him to go back home to his girlfriends, I was not interested in going home with him. He dropped me at the bus stop and I found my way home. I am just seeing him today since then”

“Now I understand. Why didn’t you allow him to know your place?”

“What if he made a move I couldn’t resist? My mind might be strong but my body might disappoint me. It was better I stayed away from him completely until I was ready”

“Are you ready now? Is that why you came?”

“Mama Ogo came to Lagos to see her brother and stayed with me. She was the one that told me what was happening and I decided to attend this meeting.”

“Onyedika has been trying to get your attention. Are you ready to talk to him?”

“Didn’t he come back with his woman?”

“I don’t know about that. You should have that conversation with him”

Onyedika was desperate to talk to Uloma. He had tried cornering her but she escaped before he got to her. He didn’t want to make his motive obvious but he found himself trying to see her. They had an unfinished conversation and he wanted to just talk to her. That was all.

Nwakaego asked him if he came with Charity for the meeting. He told her Charity was in Enugu and did not need to know about what was happening in the family until she becomes a member of the family. He asked why Uloma came and Nwakaego told him to ask her himself.

Onyedika was finally able to capture Uloma at the back of the house. He practically dragged her to his compound while she tried to resist.

“Why are you running away from me?” he asked her.

“Running away? Why would I run away?”

“You are avoiding me and I wonder why.”

“What happened to your new wife?”

“Which new wife?”

“The one you brought with you during the Christmas”

“Charity? She’s in Enugu. I didn’t come with her”

“Now I know why you are looking for me. She is not available. I have to get back into the house”

“What is wrong with you? Because you look so fine you are now doing yanga for me. Don’t go in,side, let’s talk in the apartment”

“Onyedika are you joking or what? An apartment you camped your new wife is where you want me to go with you? It won’t happen. Whatever you have to say, say it here; I am not going anywhere”

“Should we then talk in Obi’s apartment or even the new house? I will stay in the new house just because of you”

“I am sleeping with mama Nwanneka tonight. We can discuss in her room”

Onyedika allowed Uloma to go back to Nwakaego’s room while she was in the obi with others having fun. He sneaked in through the back to join Uloma. They talked generally for a long time. They talked about the car her colleague bought, their former neighbours, work and more. Onyedika sat on the chair in the room while Uloma laid on the bed. Onyedika wanted to make a move but he knew nothing could happen there that night.

He discovered he found Uloma irresistible. He found himself running after her. Yes, she was beautiful but that wasn’t it. She had alluring confidence. The effort she put into her looks and the new personality was a t-rn on for him. He wanted to tell her what she was doing to him. He was in Enugu before coming to the village. But still, he wanted to be with Uloma. This was the first time he was accepting his feelings towards her.

He asked Uloma to see him off that night when Nwakaego came into the room and left when she saw them. She esc-rted him to his apartment and he made the proposition again. She declined his offer. He looked at her, he was now worried that someone else was enjoying his wife. He wore a frown suddenly which surprised Uloma.

“What is it Onyedika?”

“Nothing” he replied

“You are frowning”

“I am wondering why you don’t want to be with me now. Do you have someone else? That man that was following you about during the holidays, is he in the picture? Tell me, I won’t be angry”

“But Onyedika, you have a lover in Enugu and I was told you have more in Lagos. Why would I want to be with you when you have many women you are sleeping with? Spare me with the tale of the man when you are guiltier than I am”

“Let us see how we can rebuild this relationsh¡p. It might not happen overnight but gradually we will resolve our issues”

Uloma knew it wasn’t Onyedika speaking anymore but his obviously er-ct manh-od. She wanted to leave him but she had also tried for this long without being with a man. She decided to succ-mb to the temptation. She agreed to meet him in Obi’s new house. Chinyere had asked her to stay there. She came back to papa’s house to say goodnight to everyone. She avoided looking at Nwakaego so she doesn’t give herself away.

She went to Obi’s house and stayed in the room Chinyere had prepared for her. Ten minutes later, she heard a soft knock on the door. She opened it and there was Onyedika. This was the point of no return. She had showered and changed into her nightie. He had done the same. They laid down to talk for a while before their emotions got the better of them. It was a night of bliss for Uloma as months of starvation was very well satisfied. Onyedika enjoyed himself too and loved the confidence she showed during the act. Then he began to worry if someone had made her more confident. He stood up from the bed, turned to her and asked her if she had been with anyone since their separation.

“Shouldn’t it have been a priority before we had s€×; why ask me after? You have gotten what you wanted, you can leave now”

“That’s not what I am saying ……”

“Please Onyedika, let me preserve whatever is left of my dignity. This never happened.” She stood up tied a wrapper and left the room. Onyedika was confused at her reaction. He dressed up and left the room. He wondered what he did wrong, he just asked a question. He went to clean up and he came back to talk to her but she had locked the door and refused to open it. He went to bed reminiscing about the moment of passion he shared with her minutes ago. He enjoyed himself thoroughly.

Tbc