THE MARRIAGE BATTLE
EPISODE 18
Mami: Ah ah! Adaobi,where are you off to this morning?
Adaobi: Mami I am going to work and I don’t know when I will be back. If you nee-d anything, you can plea-se help yourself out in the kitchen.
Mami: Work! You or Ayo didn’t tell me that you have started work.
Adaobi: ‘Oh! Maybe he forgot to mention it to you’ she said she got Kunle re-ady too.
MamI: Is my grandson also going to work with you?
Adaobi: No Mami, I signed him to a crèche lastweek and he will be starting today.
Mami: Does your husband know about this and isn’t he too small?
Adaobi: No Mami, he isn’t too small. He is of age and besides, he is eight months alre-ady, I believe he can manage.
Mami: and your husband?
Adaobi: Oh my husband, you can tell him when he comes. Chidi are you set to live for he was supposed to live early for his extra moral lesson ‘I am waiting for you oooo, let me drop you off.
Chidi: I am re-ady sister, have you spoken to chigozie yet?
Adaobi: Yes, he won’t be coming back home till he is throu-gh with him exams.
Mami: So you have started work and I will be alone in this house till you guys return.
Adaobi: ‘Yes Mami and plea-se take care of the house’ she said, carried Kunle and left the house while Chidi followed behind.
**
Ayo: Ha! This one the house seems quiet, where is everyb©dy?
Mami: hmmm, you [email protected]£ back so early today, hope no problem.
Ayo: No problem Mami, there is not much to do today. Where is everyone?
Mami: Your wife went to work and Chidi isn’t back yet for his extral moral lessons.
Ayo: My wife went to work? When did she start work that I wasn’t informed?
Mami: I don’t know ooo. infact she ha-rd ly says anything to me these past days except good morning, is she still angry with you?
Ayo: Yes Mami, she is still angry with me and right now, I don’t know what to do anymore for she seems she doesn’t want to forgive me.
Mami: Just because of that small thing and she is still angry with you? You sef, I thought you were going to sign the divorce paper and now….
Ayo: Mami plea-se, I am not divorcing my wife, I am sure she will come around. She just nee-ds time to heal and then maybe she will forgive me.
Mami: Hmmm okay ooo but she is taking time to heal and have you people have s3x since then?
Ayo: Mami, I don’t think that is for you to know or prey into.
Mami: I am your mother joor and I nee-d to know if you are happy in your marriage. If she has not been performing her duties as a wife, it means that she no longer wants this marriage and the earlier you ask for a divorce the better.
Ayo: Mami plea-se.
Mami: What Ayo, I am speaking my mind. This is no longer a home but now a house. She doesn’t talk to you or me, all she does is make sure that her brothers and son is okay, we are left out.
Ayo: Don’t start plea-se. By the way, did she go to work with my son?
Mami: it is obvious both of you don’t even communicate for you not to know her moves. Anyway, he has started crèche.
Ayo: What, when?
Mami: Today I guess.
Ayo: why didn’t anyone tell me about it?
Mami: you mean why didn’t your wife tell you about it? I am not in the position to ask her that question, you are.
Ayo: hmm okay Mami, can I get my food.
Mami: ‘wait let me set it on the table’ she said and went to get dinner re-ady while Ayo went to freshen up. Few minutes later, Ayo [email protected]£ to eat the eba and egusi soup Mami prepared for him. He washed his hands and demanded that the water be replaced ‘Mami could you plea-se change this water?’.
Mami:’Sure’ she said as she went to change the bowl of water. As she was changing the water in the bowl on the sink, she unknowingly poured water on the tiled floor, she replaced the water and went to the dinning where Ayo was having his dinner ‘here is the water’.
Ayo: Thank you Mami, plea-se can I get ordinary water to drink, I have been taking too much cold water lately, I want warm water.
Mami: ‘Okay’ she went to the kitchen, took a glas-s cu-p which was on the fridge and was about to rinse it on the sink when she sli-pped, hit her head on the sink and [email protected]
Ayo: heard the fall and quic-kly rushed to the kitchen calling ‘Mami!
Mami’. When he got to the kitchen, he quic-kly carried her and checked her pulse still screaming ‘Mami, Mami! He saw blood and noticed that she was bleeding on her head; he quic-kly carried her to his car and drove straight to the hospital. While at it, he kept calling his wife’s number for her to pick but he couldn’t reach her for her number was unavailable. He called Chidi and told chidi to tell his sister to call her immediately if he gets throu-gh to her.
Adaobi [email protected]£ back late in the night and the first person she saw was chidi who was panicking.
Chidi: Sister, where have you been and your number has not been going throu-gh.
Adaobi: Yes, my battery has been down, what happened? This one you are looking so rou-gh and tensed.
Chidi: Your husband called me; he said he has been trying to call you.
Adaobi: Okay.
Chidi: Sister I think something bad has happened?
Adaobi: Why and where is Mami?
Chidi: I didn’t meet anyone at home when I [email protected]£ in and the kitchen was in a mess.
Adaobi: in a mess as in?
Chidi: Kitchen is sort of messed up and I noticed that your husband was eating and didn’t finish his meal, I think something bad may have happened.
Adaobi: Since he called you, I am sure he is with his mother and they are fine. Clear the dining and clean the kitchen plea-se. I am too tired and nee-d to go to be-d for today was too stressful.
Chidi: Okay but I think you should give him a call immediately.
Adaobi: ‘I hear, Goodnight’ she said as she carried Kunle who was also slee-ping in her arms to her room.
____________
The following day, Ayo [email protected]£ back to the house so early and went straight to his room where he met his wife and son slee-ping.
Ayo: Adaobi! Adaobi! He tapped her r0ûghly on her shoulder ‘wake up’.
Adaobi: Sitting up and seeing that Its her husband asked with sleepy eyes ‘where have you been all night’?
Ayo: and where were you yesterday and why is your phone switched off?
Adaobi: My battery was low and I didn’t get the chance to charge it when I [email protected]£ in last night. where have you been?
Ayo: if you were here, none of this would have happened and didn’t Chidi tell you I said you should call me back?
Adaobi: he did, I was too tired lastnight.
Ayo: Really! Do you know that my mother is in the hospital and I have been running around all night.
Adaobi: Oh my God! What happened?
Ayo: I don’t know, she hit her head and has been unconscious. She has been hospitalized.
Adaobi: Wow! I am so sorry, you should take care of her very well and do everything possible.
Ayo: I nee-d you to plea-se help me put one or two clothes together and get her re-ady while I freshen up. You will have to go to the hospital and stay with her till she gets better.
Adaobi: I am sorry but I think that you should call your sister to come and stay with her.
Ayo: Yes she would have loved to but she is writing her exams as I speak with you.
Adaobi: then you shouldn’t go to work and spend all the time with her.
Ayo: but you should be there, I have a lot going on right now and I nee-d to be at work.
Adaobi: I am afraid, I can’t go to the hospital, I just got a job and skipping it, is not my agenda.
Ayo: Adaobi, you should go and stay with Mami for she nee-ds you right now.
Adaobi: Just as how my father nee-ded me.
Ayo: Adaobi plea-se don’t start.
Adaobi: What! I am not starting anything, I am only saying that I will not go and spend my time with a woman who hates me so much and to think that she never wanted me to visit my father is worse. I won’t go, I nee-d to get myself and my son re-ady.
Ayo: Adaobi plea-se, I am sorry about your father….
Adaobi: ‘Good, take good care of your mom for she is all you have got’ she said and entered the bathroom to get re-ady for work.
.
THE MARRIAGE BATTLE
EPISODE 19 (Final)
Kemi: ‘brother Ayo, how is Mami’ she asked as soon as she sighted him in the hospital.
Ayo: She is fine and is asleep.
Kemi: What happened to her?
Ayo: She sli-pped and hit her head badly.
Kemi: is she really okay?
Ayo: yes she is.
Kemi: can I see her now?
Ayo: yes you can but she is slee-ping at the moment.
Kemi: breathe a sigh of relief ‘how come you are here and didn’t you go to work today’.
Ayo: no I didn’t.
Kemi: What about your wife, why isn’t she here?
Ayo: She just got a job and it will be bad if she misses work today.
Kemi: Job! is work more important than our mother?
Ayo: No it isn’t but she started work yesterday and she can’t just skip work when she just resumed.
Kemi: Hmmm okay. That means she will be here in the evening abi, after work?
Ayo: I hope so. Ermmm Kemi since Mami is still slee-ping, why don’t you go home and prepare something for Mami?
Kemi: you mean your wife didn’t prepare anything for her before leaving for work?
Ayo: ‘Kemi plea-se, I am not re-ady for any question and answer segment. Take this money, go to the market, buy whatever you nee-d and prepare something for her. Make it quic-k and fast’ he said as he handed her the money.
Kemi: collected the money and went to the market bought all she nee-ded and went home to prepare the food. When she finished, she dished it and went to the hospital where Mami was waiting for her.
Mami: ‘Kemi’
Kemi: Hello Mami, how are you feeling and how is your head?
Mami: My head is fine just a little headache from time to time.
Kemi: Your healed in Jesus name
Mami: Amen.
Kemi: where is brother, I left him here.
Mami: Yes, he left for work. He said there are a lot of things he has to do which he hasn’t been done and that you will bring me something to eat.
Kemi: Okay but work this evening? By the way Mami, has Adaobi called you?
Mami: No! why?
Kemi: she should have called you atleast or ……
Mami: Or what?
Kemi: I don’t know, showed that she worries about you and your health. It seems brother Ayo is trying to cover up for her inability to be here.
Mami: You shouldn’t stress yourself about that especially now that she just buried her father few weeks back.
Kemi: You mean her dad died?
Mami: Yes!
Kemi: Wow! Hope the burial was successful?
Mami: Yes it was.
Kemi: and hope brother stood by her side when she nee-ded him the most.
Mami: Errmmm… Yes he did.
Kemi: Mom whats wrong, whats errmm he did which means he didn’t abi?
Mami: he didn’t because she didn’t let him. She went throu-gh all the process alone and I am to be blamed for all that happened.
Kemi: Are they having problems Mami?
Mami: Yes they are.
Kemi: Hmmm. Mami, I know that you never liked Adaobi right from day one but don’t you think you should let her be?
Mami: What do you mean?
Kemi: Mami, brother Ayo is married and has a family of his own, don’t you think its time you let him be and let him make his own decision concerning himself and family alone.
Mami: Are you trying to say that I have not been a good mother?
Kemi: No you haven’t. Listen Mami, when I went to school, I sat down and really taught about them and you,I realized that you have been the main person in their relationsh!pinstead of them. Mami, I know you never liked Adaobi but plea-se, she doesn’t mean any harm, I see the way she loves and care for my brother and I know that he is happy with the decision he made concerning settling down with her. You should let them be and let them enjoy their marriage.
Mami: Why are you telling me all this?
Kemi: Because I see the way you treat her and I see how you try as much as possible to make her be the bad person when you two have a misun-derstanding. I am going to get married oneday and Mami plea-se be sincere with me, would you want my mother-inlaw to treat me the way you treat her?
Mami: she dare not try it.
Kemi: You see! You have answered the question alre-ady. Just plea-se Let her breathe and you know what?
Mami: What?
Kemi: That’s one of the reason I haven’t been home because I feel guilty about it all.
Mami: You should have told me earlier.
Kemi: ‘You wouldn’t have listened, you would have told me to shut up’ she said smiling.
Mami: Seems I have been a very bad person.
Kemi: I didn’t say so and your still my mother no matter what happens but let your son get the happiness he de-sires is all I ask.
Mami: Are you saying that Ayo isn’t happy?
Kemi: No man will be happy when home doesn’t feel like home anymore.
==
Later in the evening, Ayo [email protected]£ back home very late while his wife and child were fast asleep. He didn’t bother with dinner for he has alre-ady eaten while at work. He got dressed and went to sleep immediately.
The following day when he woke up, he didn’t meet his child and wife and dialed their number for it was switched off again. He got re-ady, got dressed, had his breakfast and went to the hospital.
Ayo: Hi Mami, how are you doing and where is Kemi?
Mami: I am fine and Kemi went to school very early. You know she has exams to write by ten in the morning.
Ayo: Okay. Wow! Who brou-ght this food here he looked at the food that was placed by her be-dside ‘hmmm it’s your favorite, did Kemi bring this here?’
Mami: No she didn’t. I thought it was you?
Ayo: No! I am just entering here today.
Mami: Then it’s Adaobi, she may have come in and saw me slee-ping.
Ayo: are you sure it’s my wife?
Mami: Yes she is. Kemi couldn have gone home when she sle-pt here and that’s our flask.
Ayo: ‘Yes it is’ he said smiling.
Mami: can I ask you a question?
Ayo: You can ask me anything.
Mami: Are you really happy?
Ayo: Yes of course and why would you be asking me that?
Mami: are you happy Ayo?
Ayo: Mami I said I am very happy.
Mami: Have you been happy lately?
Ayo: Ermm, I guess so.
Mami: The truth Ayo.
Ayo: No Mami I haven’t been happy. My wife ba-rely say one or two words to me and this days, the house seems to be uncomfortable to come to. I just wish there is something I could do to her to bring back that spark in our marriage and I can’t,I am helpless.
Mami: don’t worry, you will get back the joy in your home again.
Ayo: how Mami, my wife and I seems to be moving further away each day.
Mami: just let it be, she will come around.
Ayo: You think so?
Mami: I know so.
Later in the evening, after close of work Adaobi decided to go straight to the hospital.
Kemi: ‘Hello Sister Adaobi, I wasn’t expecting you to come over today’ she said smiling.
Adaobi: Good day Mami and how are you feeling today?
Mami: I am doing better by the day and thanks for the food you dropped by.
Adaobi: Oh Mami, its nothing.
Mami: it is to me. Errmmm Kemi, can you give us a few minutes alone?
Kemi: ‘Sure Mami’ she said as she carried Kunle from Adaobi’s hands and left them alone.
Mami: I have been wanting to talk to you this morning and I am glad I will do that now. plea-se sit down she instructed her.
Adaobi: Sat by her side and said ‘hope everything is okay?’
Mami: Yes, everything is fine. Its just that as soon as I get home, I will like to start ma-king arrangement to go to my own home, its been empty for a long while.
Adaobi: stared at her with confusion ‘what happened, why the change of heart?
Mami: I have thought about you and my son and I think it is time I let you live your lives. Listen Adaobi, I know you are still angry with me and your husband but that should end now.
Whatever he may have done wrong was because he was following my instructions and if there is anyone who deserves any punishment, it is me for your husband nee-ds you. You nee-d to make your house a home again.
Adaobi: Why are you telling me all this?
Mami: Because I want my son to be happy and it seems he is always happy with you.
Adaobi: Why do you hate me so much?
Mami: Because I never liked igbo people but that is not the reason I asked you here. If you are waiting for an apology from me, you won’t get it, the least you can get is me leaving your house as soon as possible.
Adaobi: Looking at her mother in-law and realizing that they may never get along but she deciding to live her house was for everyone peace of mind and for her son’s happiness smiled ‘I don’t nee-d your apology, I just want my husband back and if you saying you are leaving us, that to me is fine’.
After Mami was discharged from the hospital, she moves back to her home and Ayo live happily with Adaobi…
THE END