Too precious episode 9
TITLE: TOO PRECIOUS
WRITTEN BY OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 9
Engineer Collins wanted PY officially engaged and married to Ikenna. PY was in her 500 level. She didn’t want it. She cried to PB who came from Ibadan to be with her.
“Tell your mother about Simon instead of crying and doing nothing”
“She wouldn’t be able to do anything”
“I think she will. At least she would listen to you”
“I don’t like Ikenna. He is rude, takes pictures with different women and uploads on social media, he is scattered, his room is never tidy whenever I visit. I stopped visiting him because he always wants to force me to make out with him. He is too forceful. He told me I wouldn’t be able to satisfy him”
“Have you found out what he does?”
“He said he is into entertainment and hospitality. He takes pictures with celebrities. He is always at the club and I suspect he does drugs.”
“Talk to your mother. It is better now than never”
PY was forced to open up to her mother. She explained to her she didn’t like Ikenna. Her mother assured her after marriage, she would learn to love him and appreciate him. Then she told him about his trying to force her to have s€× and the hurtful names he calls her. Her mother became quiet. She complained about his lifestyle of many girls and flaunting them on social media meanwhile he has never posted her on social media. She said she could never love Ikenna as he had no regard for her and women in general.
Her mother listened to all she said. Then she replied, “This is what your father wants for you to secure your future. I understand how you feel because it is the same way your father has treated me. One way you can end this is by standing up for yourself. You should be able to tell him what you will accept and what you would not before it becomes official; you have a right to do that. Let him be the one to say he is no longer interested in the marriage anymore.”
It sounded like a perfect plan. It was a brilliant plan if it was against a sensible person. Unfortunately, PY didn’t know much about the guy she was about to marry. She was so engrossed in her relationsh¡p with Simon who had graduated and was doing his Masters. She never took out enough time to know Ikenna or his family.
She did what her mother proposed. She went to his house without informing him. She was stopped from going into his room. Not long after, some girls exited the room. Then she went into the room. This was in the afternoon and he was lying in bed half asleep. She asked Ikenna who those girls were and he told her it didn’t concern her.
“It concerns me. We are about to get married and I felt we should set some ground rules. All this waywardness will not be tolerated when we get married. You would speak to me the way you want me to speak to you; with respect. I need to understand what you do for a living. Can your income even sustain us or will we be living off your parents? Are you going to work for them? And this going to the club often has to stop. I saw pictures you posted on social media with almost unclad girls. How do you think that makes me feel? You disrespect me and flaunt it on social media. I won’t accept that. We have to agree before we move forward”
“Precious or whatever you call yourself, get out of my room this instant. Take your nagging to your father’s house. Do I look like I am in the mood? Who are you to demand anything from me?”
“I am not leaving here until we discuss. We need to talk before we forge ahead.”
“I will pay your f-cking bride price, you can’t tell me what to do. I said get out of here.”
“You can’t pay my bride price until I accept. From every indication, you are not a responsible person. I will have to go back to my father and let him know this can’t work”
Ikenna stood up from the bed. Ikenna is a big guy; tall, broad with a bit of a beer belly. PY is tall but Ikenna was taller. “What did you just call me?” he asked PY as he grabbed her by the arm. She couldn’t believe what he did so she kept mute. She didn’t know when the slap landed but she felt the impact on her face. “I asked you what you just called me?” PY was in shock she couldn’t reply, he landed another slap. At this point, she was dazed. She couldn’t hear all he was saying except feeling her head move from side to side. She blacked out.
When she finally woke up, she was in the hospital. Her mother, Ikenna mother, his father and Elvis were with her. She discovered she couldn’t open her eyes completely, they were badly swollen. She just called out for her mother which sounded like a whisper. It was Elvis who drew their attention; she was awake.
Ikenna father was to first to speak, “Thank God she has woken up. If she can call out to her mother then there is no concussion. Let me call her father and share the good news”
PY’s mother replied, “I think you should call the doctor first to medically ascertain that before calling Collins. Let’s be focused here. I can’t examine her as she is my child so please call the doctor”
The doctor examined PY, asked questions and requested for her to rest while the medications she was on would take effect. They all left except Elvis who stayed by her side. Hope went out with Ikenna’s parents. She heard Ikenna’s father talking to Collins on the phone assuring him everything was under control. She waited for his call to end before she asked them where Ikenna was.
“He is at home. We locked him up in a room. We will deal with him when we get home”
“Isn’t he supposed to be arrested or even here by her side? I don’t understand. Is this how my daughter will be treated in your home?”
“Madam, take it easy. It is not like that. Everything will be resolved amicably. Ikenna has done wrong and will be punished severely for what he did. He will apologise to her for his actions. I have discussed with your husband and he has agreed”
‘Did he see the extent of damage to his daughter’s face before agreeing?”
“You are taking it too far. Lovers quarrel and have fights. It was a misunderstanding and he overreacted. He will be dealt with; I promise you. This will never repeat itself”
‘It surely won’t; that I can promise you”
“Take it easy, everything will be fine. She is in the best possible hands right now”
When Hope got back to her daughter’s room, she took pictures of PY showing the extent of her injuries and forwarded them via email to Collins and Allen. She wrote:
This is our Precious. She was beaten to this extent by the boy you are forcing her to marry. He beat her until she was unconscious and threw her and her belongings out of his room like she was garbage. Luckily, I called and the person that answered advised me to come and pick up my daughter and take her to the hospital.
Collins, if anything happens to my daughter, you will live to regret it. This boy is a beast. Did you investigate the person you asked your daughter to preserve her V-rginity for? You were just interested in allying with the family using your daughter as the scapegoat.
I expect you back today, unfailingly. I called your office when I couldn’t reach you and was told you were not at the base. You have to join us to nurse Precious to health. If you don’t come, I will file a complaint against Ikenna at the police station for domestic violence.
Allen, pray for your sister to fully recover. That’s all you can do for now. And also keep these pictures safe just in case we have to go to court.
The email promoted a series of events. Collins called his wife a good number of times but she refused to pick up. He called PY and Elvis phones. Elvis picked and asked him where he was. He wanted to speak with Hope but she refused to talk to him on the phone.
He was at the hospital later that evening. He had gone to see Ikenna family before coming to see PY. He tried to tell Hope everything was taken care but she wasn’t interested in talking to him. He spoke with the doctor at length.
The next, the swelling had subsided. PY could open her eyes w¡der than the day before. And she could talk. Hope asked her what happened; she wanted the details not the c*ck and bull story Ikenna’s parents fed them with.
She told her parents what happened. She gave them the details without leaving anything out. Collins didn’t realise Hope was recording. Collins then said, “You were at fault. He told you to leave, you should have. Why did you call him irresponsible? You aggravated the situation.”
“Dad, he had two girls in his room when I came. When I asked him about them he didn’t respond. I was his wife to be and I deserve to be respected. I poured out my frustration about our relationsh¡p and he chose to beat me instead of settling down to discuss with me. And you support him?”
Hope pitched in, “Precious, don’t waste your energy on your father, birds of the same feathers flock together. Your father doesn’t know what respecting a spouse is so he doesn’t know it can be demanded. We have seen Ikenna’s true colours and we can’t continue with the marriage”
Her husband answered angrily, “Says who? I am her father and I decide who she marries. The boy has made a mistake; let’s give him time to repent and ask for forgiveness. Let’s not make rash decisions”
PY knew there was no escaping this. She spoke to Allen about it and he asked her to fully recover before doing anything else. She had just one year of school to go and she was thinking about abandoning everything and running away. She knew another assault like this could kill her.
Ikenna came to the house to apologise to the family. He said he was drunk at the time it happened. He swore he had turned a new leaf and would treat PY with the utmost respect.
“So, when next you call her a bitch, a retard, a fool, and try to force her to have s€× with you, what should we do?” Hope asked.
Ikenna shot an eye at PY before answering, “It will never happen again”
Collins then added, “Let the two of them go upstairs to talk by themselves”
“Elvis please go with them. I can’t take chances with my daughter being beaten again” Hope said as she signalled Elvis to join them.
Elvis went with them. He gave them space to talk but was close so he would react fast if anything happens.
“Why would your mother say those things about me? Have you been running your mouth to her?”
“You mean have I been talking to my mother? Yes, I have”
“Is it everything you discuss with your mother? I won’t tolerate that after marriage, she should face her own family. I don’t want anyone filling your head with wanting to leave the marriage, I will never divorce you. What happened that day was unfortunate. Do not speak with me when I am angry or want to take a nap. Anything can wait until I am ready to deal with it. You understand me?”
PY just looked at him without responding. She was so irritated she wanted to leave the room. There was nothing to discuss; she needed another plan to get out of this. She applied for her transcript and held unto it.
Two weeks later, ASUU went on an indefinite nationwide strike. PY asked her mother to buy a ticket for her to get to London. She still had minor scars but she didn’t care. It was time to come clean with everyone and don’t care about the consequences.
Her mother bought the ticket for her. PY cleared her room of every valuable she had. She asked PB to take her to the airport. She didn’t disclose anything to her. The way she said goodbye to PB at the airport got her suspicious but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
When she arrived in London, she stayed with her aunt for three days and then she asked Simon to come for her. Her aunt had gone to work when she packed her luggage into Simon’s car and drove away with him.
Simon was shocked when she said she was in London and was worried when he saw her with her luggage. He wanted to ask questions but he felt she needed the peace. When they got to his apartment, she went straight to bed. She had changed. She was different. She was withdrawn. What could have happened?