?♀️MARRIED?
Episode 1.
©Miriam Edem
Weddings! One of my very treasured fantasies. I look forward to that day with every fiber of me, not just the day but to have a happy home, but it looks far fetched to me. Looking at my family, I felt very uncomfortable and s-en-sed something was wrong, but I couldn’t place my mind on exactly what is happening when everyone seemed comfortable with it.
I c@m£ from a background where all the females get pregnant without getting married. Its either they get R@p£d, or fall in love with men who will abandon them, and we all found ourselves in the big compound I heard my great grand father built before he died.
Did I just say great grand father? Yes, so many beautiful and elegant ladies has been born, and that’s how we’ve filled the compound with bastards….. For those R@p£d and after some few years, they die mysteriously and life continues for those still living.
It was not a funny situation to me as I just lost my sister who left the village for greener pastures but never returned. To make it worst, her b©dy was found on the street with some p@rts missing and the shocking thing I heard from my family members was, she should be buried anywhere they like. They were not concerned about her b©dy neither did they want to see her because of shame and what the villagers may say, and it really pains me.
As I sat outside the backyard crying, Mary ran in calling my name which I quic-kly cleaned my tears and stood up.
“What are you doing? plea-se help me to fetch water nau? Mary asked. There was a traditional marriage going on at her place, and the third one in four months. I do help her in fetching water whenever it happens, I wonder the year she will also fetch water for any family member of mine during that big day.
“Sharon what are you thinking na? plea-se come and help us, its for cooking, she said dragging my hand and I sniffed cleaning my tears again.
“You were crying? What happened? Mary asked.
“I lost my sister, Amaka, I replied.
“What? After leaving for the city? That’s bad o, sorry, Mary said and I nodded.
“I’ll go change up, I said and went in to change up so I can join them.
On the way back from the stream with the water on our heads, Mary kept talking of how her sister traditional wears are so expensive and how she’s getting married to a Navy man.
“Wow he must be so rich, the other one of last month was an accountant right? I asked.
“Yes a big accountant and I’m sure mine will be a pilot, Mary replied.
“My sister is getting married to a sailor next month and he promised to take us all to the city one after the other, Chinyere said.
“We will all leave the city anyway, because I’ll be the wife of a big man, Mary said.
“And mine will be an engineer, I happily said too but Mary scoffed.
“But your family does not get married. You’ll just give birth to bastards like them, that’s what your family is known for na, I heard Mary said and I intentionally let go of the calabash on my head and it scattered into pieces.
“What! Mary screamed out.
“Why did you do that? Will you pay for it! The others shouted on me.
“You should be grateful its the calabash and not your teeth because the next time you mock my family in that manner I’ll scatter your face, I shouted back.
“What can you do? Is it a lie huh? Tell me where is Amaka now! Mary shouted calling my late sister name and I pounced on her.
We got separated and I got home with torn clothes, but that was not my problem because my heart was so heavy. My sisters….. Yes we call ourselves sisters even though they are males in the family, we call them brothers also all born out of wedlock. For the males they tend to leave the compound when they are of age to hustle and to give room for more bastards to be born and occu-py. In my case, my mom had me for married man and my father took me with him when I was 5 years old but I saw hell when i stayed with his wife. I had to return back to my mother when I was 10 while from time to time he comes around to drop upkeep for me only if the ancestors t©uçhes his heart to do that.
With the mood I returned back home, my sisters were alarmed and asked what happened but I ignored and went in. I was still furious with what Mary said, I dream so big for myself and wish to settle down comfortably, how can Mary said I will also give birth to bastards like my sisters? I wondered and my mother walked in. My mother is so very young that you’ll mistake her for my elder sister because she had me when she was 16. Don’t say she was loosed, but she had me for my father because she was working on his farm when he f0rç£d himself on her. Though men get interested in her, but when they know she has a daughter they will only want her in be-d and walk away, nothing very serious until my mom gave up.
“Sharon what happened? I thought you went to fetch water who to-re your dress? My mother asked but h0t tears poured down. It was that time I felt the beatings Mary friends gave to me while I concentrated on Mary, and my b©dy was so peppery.
“What happened! My mother shouted when I didn’t reply her.
“Is it not Mary, she mocked us and said I will also give birth to bastards and will not get married, I replied her.
“So you fought with her? My mother asked.
“Eh na, what kind of insult is that? I should have broken her teeth, I replied and my mom smiled and arranged up my torn dress,
“You know we are used to all that, just ignore okay and don’t go into fighting because you have to get re-ady to fight with all the villagers which is not possible, my mother said.
“So I’ll watch them insult me? I’ll not accept o, anyb©dy that will say pim again I’ll break that person mouth, I said and angrily cleaned my tears that my mother laughed at my face.
“Mommy you’re laughing? So its not paining you o? I asked.
“Sharon goan cook abeg I thought it was something serious. And make sure you sew that dress o, that’s what you get by fighting, my mother said and left the room.
Ahhhhh! Its so obvious my family has alre-ady accepted the name and taken it as theirs but I refuse to be among, Sharon must surely get married, I told myself and left the room to see my sisters discussing.
“Mercy said she’s bringing a prophet to the compound in two days time, one of my sisters said.
“Prophet to do what na? Another asked.
“She said that the prophet said her family….. Our family is bound and he has to set us free and do some cleansing, she replied and they laughed.
“who s£nd her that one? Is that excess money or what? They mocked Mercy while I pas-sed to get something prepared for my mom because they were not my mates. Sister Mercy is more than 40 years old yet not married, she has a 13 year old son living with us while she fled to the city, now she’s coming back with a prophet who said we are bound. Though we were not religious and didn’t have time for that, but I was very anxious to see this prophets because I have believed them alre-ady. Indeed we are bound and someone has to free us because Sharon must get married!
No p@rt of this story should be edited or copied without the acknowledgedment of the writer.
?♀️MARRIED?
Episode 2.
©Miriam Edem.
While eating with my mother at the backyard, we heard a kind of quarrel going on outside and I jumped up first to check it out but it was Mary family yelling at mine then they saw me. Her mother quic-kly dragged me on my hair before I could say anything and threw a sl@p on my face as if it was a free package.
“How dare you t©uçh Mary you wretched thing! She shouted and from no where I saw 5 f!ngersplanted on her face that sounded so loud.
“And how dare you t©uçh my daughter! I heard my mother shouted standing up to her while I held my cheek and shifted aside. They wanted rising up but my family faced them and no one could say a word, my compound was like a barrack, you dare not bring fight there because we will collect the fight, fry it and feed you with it because of our numbers and you can’t overpower us.
“Just look at all of you, look at how frustrated they look, bastards! We shall meet again, the woman said retreating and they left the compound throwing abuses at all corners.
“What happened! One of my sisters who looked like a bouncer shouted on me.
“Why are you shouting on her? Can’t children fight again? Why is she involving herself into children matters after all Sharon was also beaten up and her clothes got torn did I run to their compound to rain hell? My mother asked her.
“Sister calm down, we only wanted to know who was at fault here, another said.
“Not my daughter, my mother angrily replied and dragged me to the backyard.
That sl@p was so resounding as I was still crying, I swear if it was my age mate that sl@pped me that way I would have used blocks on her head.
“This was what I warned you Sharon, never you go into fighting again. I don’t want you to be like us and I won’t stand and watch anyb©dy hurt you, do you un-derstand? My mother asked and I nodded.
“Sorry okay, you’ll eat my meat today, she said trying to take me off my mood and I smiled at the mention of meat and she laughed as we settled down to continue with our food.
“Thank you for sl@pping her back, e for pain me eh, I said and my mother looked at me and began to laugh.
“I’ve warned you o, don’t fight again because I may not be there, my mother said pla-yfully pu-lling my ears then I remembered the discussion of my sisters and told her about it.
“Oh yes I heard about it, its in 2 days time, my mom said.
“What do you think? The Prophets are right ba? I asked and she scoffed.
“What makes them right? Have they finished loosing all the bound people in their family and village? I’ve told Mercy o that I won’t support with a kobo into what she’s doing because I am not interested. That’s how Kalu family brou-ght one like that into the compound and people began to die like chickens, prophet my foot! My mom angrily said.
“But mommy look at us na don’t you think something is wrong? How long will the villagers keep insulting us? You know in everything there are fake and authentic and sister Mercy may end up bringing the real one to cleanse us, dont you feel uncomfortable with our situation? I asked.
“Look Sharon, how many times will I tell you that nothing is wrong with us and this is just our fate? We have gone to the native doctor and he told us we are okay so that’s it, i am not interested in any real or authentic prophet whatever, my mom said.
“Oh but mommy…….. “Sharon eat before I’ll sl@p you my own now, I want to eat and remember your table manners, my mom cut in and I heaved………….
The next day I was just slee-ping outside with my small mat when I heard an old bike with the sound of a thousand trailer drove into the compound. I woke up annoyed to curse such a bike for disrupting my sweet sleep but was surprised to see sister Mercy coming down from it and I ran to collect her bag with the other children that were outside.
“Welcome sister, we greeted her.
“Thank you, and where is my son? She asked.
“He went to pl@yball, the other of my sisters replied because I was not aware. With that excitement I ran in to tell my mom that her sister is here and she looked at me expecting me to say more but I was confused with the look in her eyes,
“So did she bring cow alongside with her or dangote? She asked because of the way I was excited. Its not as if sister Mercy gave me anything o, of course even if she carries anything it will be for her son but then this excitement am feeling is only because the prophets will be coming the next day.
“I thought you should greet her na, I replied my mother.
“If I knock you eh…. no if i kick you eh, common get out from here! My mom shouted and I ran out immediately. With the way my mom is behaving its like she has had a clash with sister Mercy that am not aware, but that didn’t quench my excitement as I ran to see if I’ll see her again.
I saw her talking with her sisters who were at home and I happily held her hand,
“Look at Sharon, this one go fine scatter o, Sister Mercy said tou-ching my hair.
“The shakara girl, the rest of my sisters said but that was not my problem.
“Eh eh sister, are they still coming tomorrow? I asked.
“Who? Sister Mercy asked and I frowned immediately.
“The prophets nau, I replied.
“Oh yes and why not? that’s why am here na to prepare the road for the coming of Jesus, she replied and I felt like jumping up.
“But na wa for you o, such a decision can’t be taken on you alone, you should have asked for permission from us or hear us out before taking any decision. What cleansing are you talking about? One of my sister asked.
“You’re ma-king it look as if we are demonic or something, another added.
“Now you all are wrong, this is not any demonic activity, its just a spiritual exercise for our own good to cleanse us that’s all. Don’t worry I paid for everything because I love you all, and you’ll see the result of it very soon, Sister Mercy said and my mother just c@m£ out folding her arms looking at her.
“So you can’t come out from your mansion to welcome your elder right? Sister Mercy asked my mother and I slowly left her hand and shifted away from her.
“Whatever people you’re bringing in here upcoming spiritualist, see my daughter o, because if anything happens to her eh, my mother replied.
“And what do you mean by that? Are you the only person that has a daughter here? Don’t I have a son living here also? Sister Mercy asked.
“That’s your business, but know what you’re bringing in here, don’t say I didn’t warn you, My mother said and went in and Sister Mercy loudly hissed. I just took myself slowly from their pres£nce and thought of how tomorrow will be when there is conflict alre-ady, but is it that my people are not even concerned or worried about their situation? Sister Mercy that is thinking in my direction they are attacking her alre-ady including my mother, what exactly is wrong with this people sef? I wondered.
Tbc