? ENDLESS
TEARS?
EPISODE 2
Stunned silence fell and cold gripped me. I think i am going to be sick. Tears trickled down my cheeks.
No! It can’t be happening to me. Everyone can’t turn their backs on me, especially not the originator of this turmoil. There must be a mistake. I stood on shaky legs, allowing my legs take me a bit closer to him.
“Corp, it is me, your Ama.” I said shakily. “You told me you love me, have you forgotten? You told me you loved village girls like me because we are well cultured. You promised to marry me and make my dreams come true. You said-”
“Please spare me all that bullshit” Alex retorted sharply. “You are a fool if you believe all that crap. All I wanted was to have a good time while I was in service. Lisa is the woman I love, I would never change, got it. As for that thing in your tummy, you are not so dumb, you should know what you can do about it. What you nee-d is money right? I would give you money to take care of it and a little compensation to lead a good life. Is that OK?”
I froze and I think my face is as white as A4 paper. How could he suggest such a thing? Better still, how could I have been so stupid? Staring at him, the person who was supposed to make me smile became a monster.
“Amadioha strike that mouth of yours” my mum flared up. “How dare you ask my daughter to ab-ort her child? My daughter would never do that. Over my dead body”
Dad stood up. “Did you think we came here to play? You have only one option open to you, and that is to marry her, if not, I would create enough scandal to last a lifetime. Imagine, you used my daughter to relieve your s-×ual urges. It is not your fault, if not for the senseless daughter I have”
“Never! I would never marry her” he declared.
“Of course you won’t” his mum declared, glaring at my parents and I. I swallowed. The pain I was feeling in my che-st was burning.
“You will” the Senator declared and everyone turned to him. I didn’t give a damn what he said.
“What are you saying dad? I am supposed to marry Lisa and I will. I love her” he said with finality.
“You should have thought of your love for her before sleeping with another woman. You must face the consequences of your actions, you won’t make me lose my election because of your foolishness.” He said sternly. “Come with me” he stormed out of the sitting room. Copper and his mum followed instantly and copper Bello looked like someone going to war.
Tears flowed freely and dad did not waste the opportunity to rain insults on me for bringing shame to him. Mum tried to console me but I was totally shattered. I couldn’t believe my ears and eyes. How could my life suddenly turn to a horror movie within the twinkling of an eye.
I don’t know how long we waited, probably minutes or hours but suddenly, they all came in. Corper Bello looked strained and terribly angry but I was past caring.
“Get all the preparations ready, they would get married next week” the Senator declared.
“Better” my dad declared.
“Well there is no nee-d for any preparation because I would not marry Corper Bello” I declared.
“You must he out of your mind”, Dad said with unconcealed disbelieve and rage.
“Oh no, I am not mad papa, in fact, I am very normal. There is no way I would marry this man” I said for-cefully, with silent finality, expecting everyone to accept my resignation. My face is as ha-rd as granite.
Alex hooted in mock laughter which was soon replaced with a frightening snarl but I was past feeling intimidated. “You would pas-s for a talented drama queen, only that I doubt if your looks is good enough for a royalty position. Stop pretending as though the prospect of marrying me does not sound tantalizing to your ears. Is that not your ultimate goal in the first place? I know that marrying me is the dream of poor wretched village local champions like you who are seeking to change the weight of their purse with my money” he hissed throu-ghclenched teeth.
I swallowed and smiled bitterly. “You can insult me Corper but it would not change what I have just said. I have no interest in marrying someone who thinks of me as nothing but a pros-titute to be used for s-×ual satisfaction”
“He called you what you called yourself” The senator’s wife said in anger.
“Don’t you dare insult my daughter, you witch” my mum retorted.
“Perfect” Alex yelled suddenly. “Since it is evident that none of us is ready for the bondage of being married, and she obviously won’t flush the thing out, the best thing is to give you money. I would write you a cheque enough to change the status of your family and give your child a good life”
I smiled painfully as the pain I felt increa-sed several degrees. “Now you want to pay me. That certainly makes me a slut, doesn’t it? I don’t want your money Corper” I said for-cefully and turn to walk out of the choking room before I suffocate.
“And where do you think you are going?” My dad boomed, stopping me in my track. “I think that pregnancy is beginning to affect your br@in. Come back here this minute” he roared.
“As I said, the only option is marriage. No one in my lineage has had a child out of wedlock and it would not start with me. She is pregnant now but must definitely give birth to the child in her husband’s house”. Dad faced me with a stern glare that had me squirming a little. “If you won’t agree to this marriage, you can very well forget about being my daughter because I would disown you” he roared.
I gasped as his words registered. “Papa”
“I mean it Amara” he said sternly and if I still knew my dad well, he was not kidding. Mum did not even have a say because dad silenced her protests before it even left her mouth.
“Don’t bother saying anything woman” he said to her. “When I disown her, you would follow her.”
Real pain and feelings of betrayal bubbled up and tears rolled down my hot cheeks.
“You either marry this boy or pack your things out of my house along with your mother. I won’t have a disgrace in my family”.
I was sobbing now. If it were up to me alone, I could let it all go to hell but I definitely would not let anyone suffer for the mistake I foolishly made with my eyes open. I was vaguely aware of Corper Bello pacing the length of the extremely large sitting room.
The Senator and his wife seemed to have gone mute. Corper Bello’s eyes caught mine and he stopped pacing, glaring at me with more anger than I have ever seen in anyone in my nineteen years of experience. His hands were sque-ezed very ti-ght and all I could see were veins scattered all over his still too handsome features.
I vaguely thought that he would march towards me and punch the child out of my tummy and my hands instantly went to my tummy, trying to protect my baby; if anything, he looked angrier.
Instead of feeling fear which would be expected, my anger matched his and I thought I would fly into pieces due to excess bottled up anger. Well, anger was definitely better than the feelings of hurt and betrayal, I told myself.
I swallowed ha-rd, wishing I could swallow my tongue as well. “When is the marriage taking place?”
TBC…
LET’S PRAY FOR AMARA OO. WOULD YOU HAVE MARRIED?