💞MARRIED
💞TO
💞VICTOR
💞STEPHEN
📰📰📰
#EPISODE_17
📰📰📰📰📰
Everyone including Victor and I were pres£nt at the naming ceremony of Victoria’s new baby. The little girl looked so beautiful and I wish I could get a baby girl instead of a boy. When Victoria placed her in my arms, I sli-pped a f!nger into her tiny little hand, as she wra-pped it around mine.
Princess!
Whoever c@m£ up with that name was right. The one and only princess. Beautiful, with bright and shinning eyes that could ba-rely open, and closed back immediately her mouth was shocked with one of her mother’s brea-sts. She was busy slee-ping the whole time, and when she managed to wake up, her curious eyes slightly opened, taking in what was around her.
The twins pla-yed a little with her, because I didn’t let them stay too long with the baby. Little children are so funny. If they stayed much longer, they might put something in her mouth trying to feed her. When we got back home, questions upon questions hit me, and I just couldn’t go on answering.
“Mommy, when is junior coming?”
“Mommy, is Daddy not going to buy ball for junior so we can pl@yball together.”
“Yes mommy, remember you promised to buy me new go-wn. I will just give junior the cap.”
Trust me, I laughed. At least, she was re-ady to surrender the cap for her brother. The two have been doing great, and knowing Junior has a big brother and a big sister who loves him would be so lovely for him. What a lucky child!
Everyone was asleep, including the man of the house. I couldn’t sleep. Sleep wasn’t coming after watching the new episode of Mama Babr@ the cook.
Today, the guest made not so my favorite swallow, but I was hungry for the Black Amala (Yam flour) at the moment. When the woman served it, it was as if the food should appear to where I was sitting. I remember cooking vegetable soup which I still have left. With that, I knew I just have to eat the food.
I tapped the man beside me. He was long gone, and I just had to tap him over and over again. He turned to me, and slowly opened his eyes. It took him like two seconds to finally asked me what the matter was. I guess he knew, because he spoke before I could. “Suzy, not again plea-se. You ate so much last night.”
“But honey, I’m hungry again, and I really nee-d to eat this food,” I pled.
He looked at me, wiped his sleepy face with his right hand. “So, what are you eating this midnight?” His tone was bored, letting me realize I was bothering him.
“I want Amala,” I said and his look said it all.
“Ama what!” He exclaimed, followed by a frustrating sound.
“Argghh! Monday, it was ice cream. Tuesday, it was Suya. You made me go out very late looking for Suya around. Yesterday it was h0t spaghetti. And now, Amala. I can’t even make it well.” He complained, and I was almost feeling bad. It was obvious he worked so much today.
“I will prepare it. Just esc-rt me. I don’t want to stay on my own.”
“Jeez! I’m not getting you pregnant again.” He got up, and I couldn’t help smiling.
“But Victor, you’ve always wanted five kids.” I tried to tease him. He just looked at me. “Who is going to train them? The three is enough. plea-se just get this done, so I can sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow.” He headed straight to the kitchen, while I followed behind. I quic-kly put the water I nee-ded on the fire while I stood close to it. Victor was alre-ady dozing off where he sat, and I couldn’t brush off the smile that grazed my face.
“Honey, I’m done.” He helped me with a glas-s and a bottle of water while I carried my food to the room. The moment he dropped the water beside me, I couldn’t count up to five steps when I saw him landed on the be-d beside me, and it wasn’t up to a minute when I heard his little, and slow snores.
Someone doesn’t joke with his sleep.
❤❤❤
It was few days to Victor’s Dad birthday. We arrived three days to the day, but met Victoria and her children who had claimed to have been around for a week. Victor’s Mom and Dad welcomed us. Every chance Victor gets, he sleeps, and complained I was always waking him up for midnight food.
Everyone laughed when they got to know. “What will I even call it. Mid-supper?” Fred, who was Victoria’s husband said. “In-law, I did that few months ago. Just make sure you enjoy your labour once the shape is back. And I know women are very good at showing appreciation.” Everyone around laughed. Victoria looked at him, and he tea-sed her with his eyebrows. After so much gist, and catching up with the family, Victoria and I finally got to be together.
“Hope princess is not giving you any trouble?” I asked, helping her to unZi-p her dress down so she could feed the baby.
“Not really,” she said. “Just that I’ve not been slee-ping lately, and just knowing that Mom won’t be able to follow me back to my place worries me. She had been helping. She had always been there since I gave birth to my first child. I’m not sure how my mother in-law will be like. She’s visiting for the first time to take care of my child.”
I could share the feeling with Victoria. Knowing Victor’s mom never liked me from the start got me so nervous when Victor told she was coming to as-sist me with the twins. But my as-sumptions were all wrong because she was ha-rd working, she helped me, and supported me most when I nee-ded her to. I felt peace with her. She did everything my mother could have done for her daughter.
••••
💕💕💕
The next day was going so well, until…
“Wow, Grandma is this my Daddy?” Emmanuella asked, followed my Emmanuel. “Wow, Grandma my Daddy is cutting a very big cake here.” The two ranted on and on. I laughed quietly at the corner I sat. Their Grandma had brou-ght them Victor’s albu-m when he was young like them till his secondary school days. That albu-m…
Victor’s mom had showed me that albu-m more than three times. I was tired of it alre-ady, but I could not reject it whenever she comes to me with it. But today, I intentionally stayed busy on my l@pt©p. Instead, she showed it to the children who just saw the whole thing for the first time.
“Emmanuel, Emmanuel, see Mommy.” Emmanuella tapped her brother who was busy looking at something else. It was one of the pictures Victor and I took back then in school. I never knew he made a copy of it for himself until I saw the albu-m for the first time.
“Mommy, this is the cake you will make for Emmanuella and I on our birthday.”
I alre-ady knew it was the cake in that picture Emmanuel was talking about. Grandma chuckled. “Of course, very big one. Bigger than this,” she joked, but they thought it was real.
“Yes Grandma. Very very big like this house.” Emmanuel exaggerated, and both Grandma and I bur-st into laughter. The poor woman nodded. “Are you sure it will be enough?” She tea-sed them again, letting the two argued. The two looked at each other.
“May be we should go for big one like our house.” Emmanuel suggested again.
“No Emmanuel, Grandpa and Grandma’s house is very big. Remember we are giving Sandra, Linda, Mommy precious in school, my Aunty, your Aunty, our friends, and….”
“Everyb©dy.” Victor’s mom added, and I immediately bur-st into another heavy laughter. They were alre-ady planning for their birthday. Children are one type of comedian on their own. Just as we were laughing, the door was opened, and got everyone’s attention.
“Daddy!” The children rushed to him. “Daddy see yourself.”
“Daddy see.” They showed him the albu-m. He just smiled instead. “Mommy, how many people are you going to show this albu-m?” He handed me the plate of rice in his hand. “Okay guys, drop the albu-m so you can get your lunch now,” he instructed. The twins did just that, and left the room immediately. Then he faced me. “You should change and come down, the guys are around. Lets pl@ytennis.”
“Tennis in this state?” His mom interrupted.
“Mom, you should come and pl@ytoo,” he said, and left the room. His Mom looked at me for reply, but answered her by getting up, and reaching for a short and free go-wn. “I’m guessing you’re just going to watch,” she said. I replied with a light smile, and put on my go-wn.
The door did it best not to make noise too ha-rd , but the f0rç£ which was added to it made it hit the wall so ha-rd as two beautiful melanin girls ran in. Immediately Victor’s Mom saw them, her face lit up with joy as she hvgged them, conversing with them, and replying her with a polished, and refined grammar.
“Grandma aren’t you pla-ying tennis?” They both asked.
Victor’s mom shook her head in reply.
The tall girl disapproved her Grandma’s reply. “Grandma, you should know this. Exercise is good for the b©dy, and it help the bones.”
“And also relaxes the b©dy, and help you ease stress.” The short one added.
“And not only that Grandma. It makes you look younger than ever.”
“Just like me Grandma.” The short one concluded, turning around for Grandma to see how young she would look by pla-ying tennis. If that is so true, then every Grandma should start doing one exercise or the other to look just like their Grandchildren. I smiled to myself, and just then… It hit me!
These are…
“Suzy James James!”
That voice… Belongs to the only girl I admired back then in high school. Her brighter smile appeared as she made her way in, screaming money is good for
the b©dy from head to toe, as we embr@ced in a hvg, which could have been a ti-ght one, but Junior was in her way.
📝📝📝📝📝
Just one more day to the big day. Everyone was busy here, and there. Victor had been ma-king phone calls since I c@m£ downstairs, while Victoria was going in and out with gifts, and things to be nee-ded for the day. Temi settled down next to me on the long couch. “I haven’t seen Yomi this morning,” she said.
“He should join us any time from now. He had this urgent work he went to attend to.” Yomi’s wife, who was dressing her little boy, Tommy, replied as she took her seat opposite us. Temi reached for her phone, and the next thing we heard was “big head.” Everyone knew that was no other person but Yomi.
“That you always trip for.” The door closed, and we all turned our heads to the door, as Yomi walked in with a bright smile on his face. “I’ve not arrived yet, and you’ve alre-ady started rehearsals. Ehnn! Fat madam Temi.” Just what Victoria and I had been waiting for. The drama. I saw Victoria at one corner paused, watching, as we both shared a gossip glance.
Your people are about to start.
“You wish,” Temi immediately responded, checking her two arms. “I know I’m just starting to get fat.”
She said what!
I wish Victoria had not laughed, because the moment she did, all eyes were on her. Yomi’s wife laughed as well, but not too loud, trying to suppress it with a smile for others not to hear. But seriously, everyone laughed because they saw what she could not see, or deceived herself not to see. Been a long time I’ve st©pped using my glas-ses, and I could see clear and sharp. Beside me sat a beautiful, black, fat woman. Temi Bashua. It was obvious she was eating so well. And not just so well. Very. Very well.
“But Suzy,” she faced me. “Am I really that fat? HB isn’t complaining, or ever mentioned about my weight, except this big head of a cousin,” she said, referring to her husband as heartbeat. I smiled, trying to think of the right words to say, when someone else took the burden away from me, because I was going to lie.
“Why are you asking again?” The only man who was capable to say many things replied her. “You just told us you’re getting fat. Can’t you see the definition of fat here.” Yomi pointed to Victoria who was still maintaining her not too slim stature. Everyone laughed. Seriously, I missed them together. We all knew Temi felt bad, and with the look she threw Yomi, we knew things were about to get more interesting.
“That craze never leave your head shey?” Temi shocked everyone with the pidgin, as she t©uçhed the side of her head with her index f!nger. Yomi laughed, and everyone couldn’t wait for the next scene.
“My own Temi speaking pidgin! This world no get p@rt two. One gbosa for Mr. Ken,” Yomi praised Temi’s husband, and we all laughed. Victor who was still ma-king calls was using one side of hisl-ips to smile. When he was done, he turned to Temi. “plea-se don’t mind this big head,” he said. Victoria, and I, including Temi knew the two were birds of the same feather.
Temi got up, and hissed. “My time is too precious to be wasted.” She faced Yomi’s wife. “plea-se how are you coping with him? Like, this guy is much of a trouble.” Yomi’s wife just replied with a smile, acting all gentle when she was not. Temi shook her head at Yomi, before facing Victor. “I trust my friend. I know Suzy is treating your fv¢k up alre-ady.”
“Big time!” Victoria replied for me.
‘Don’t tell me you’re feeling high like that.” I knew Victor was referring to me. I turned to his direction. “I’m feeling high in the lord. And ehhn!! Is she lieing? I’m your wife, and treating your fv¢k up.” Yomi laughed, ma-king jest of Victor, and later turned to me. “You know what Suzy, I just love you.”
“Ehnn!” Victor’s voice went high like someone who just got back his lost voice.
“Brother calm down. Is Jesus’ love I’m talking about. He taught me to love everyb©dy even the familiar enemies that like fighting my life.” Everyone knew at least one familiar enemy, and immediately, she acted by it.
“Ishh! Love your wife first.”
Yomi turned to his wife. “She knows she’s my world, my joy, my sunshine, my happiness, the only one who will remain the mother to my kids. She knows my love for her has no p@rt two. It’s an unconditional baby.” Yomi win-ked at his smiling wife, whose smile got bigger, and wi-der, as she chuckled slowly.
Temi cl@pped, and laughed before facing Yomi’s wife. “He deserve all the accolades in the world. He’s my favourite cousin, and my love for him is priceless. I like what I saw, and if you want me to give you some accolades as well, you nee-d to feed him well, and make him more fatter than me. We have the same craze, and we must look the same way.”
We all bur-st into laughter, that Yomi got out of his seat and laughed. “I swear, Temi you get big craze. But I still love you that way.”
Who doesn’t always enjoy Yomi and Temi’s little drama? Like, they are one good actors. It was exciting, fun, and relaxing watching them perform their little funny skits.
•• • • •
Lunch was re-ady and the children had alre-ady trooped in to get their share. Temi was the one serving, while I was the one sharing plates, spoons, and cu-ps. Everyone was busy, so I nee-ded to help even when Victor’s mom insisted I rest, and avoid much work, knowing the baby had just less than two weeks to arrive, and meet his family.
This time, it was Queen’s turn. The second, and youngest daughter of Temi. She was just like her mother with the facial look. She was of the same height with Emmanuella, and I thought they were of the same age, but got to know the twins were a year older than her since they were about to clock six, and Queen just clocked five. She was dark in complexion just like her elder sister, except that, her sister was a little chubby, while she wasn’t.
Temi collected the breakable plate from her daughter’s hand, and served small portion of fried rice, with chicken. Queen who was smiling before st©pped. Her smile gone, and a frown crossed her face. “What is it?” Temi who knew something had gone wrong asked.
“Mom, I want more. That is too small. It won’t contain me.”
“Queen, you’re just going to waste it. Come back if you want more,” Temi said, and f0rç£d it in Queen’s hand. Before I could open my mouth to calm her down, the plate hit the floor, and everything splashed around. Temi looked at her daughter angrily but looked away. She said nothing, and just asked me for another plate. I was expecting her to do something, in order for the girl to know what she did was wrong. Either scold the girl, or sp@ñk her a little.
Emmanuella who c@m£ along with Queen saw the scene, and looked up at Temi’s daughter. “Queen, is not good to break things, and spoil things. My Daddy does not like it.”
Queen looked up with a frown. “Mom caused it,” she replied but couldn’t go on because Temi interrupted her. “Take, and leave now!” She said ha-rd ly. As the two were about turning to leave, Victoria who walked in on us st©pped them.
“Temi, I don’t like the way you’re training these children. Is not until you use cain on them before you can discipline them. The other time I c@m£ to Abuja, I saw how she got angry, destroy things, and broke her father’s new l@pt©p” It was obvious Victoria had seen much whenever she was with her cousin.
“The fact that you guys have the money to buy it back doesn’t mean you should let her continue with this habit. It’s bad.”
“But what can I do? She seems not to listen. I’ve shouted, and I can’t go before my time.”
Victoria faced Queen, and I knew what she was about to do. She was going to scare the little girl. “Look here Queen, if you keep breaking things and troubling your mom, I will sell you to the village last last.” Queen didn’t get that. She was looking at Victoria like, what was this woman saying? Until Emmanuella who was beside her shouted.
“Ahh! Queen, if Gideon’s mom should sell you to the village, you will not see your Mommy and Daddy again.” The moment the young girl heard that, she ran quic-kly to her mom, half of the rice poured on the floor, as she quic-kly dropped the plate, and started begging. “Mom, plea-se don’t let her sell me. I don’t want to leave Isabelle, you, and Daddy. Mom remember I want to buy you big mansion and plenty cars. Mommy plea-se don’t let her take me. Don’t let her sell me plea-se.” Queen was alre-ady crying.
“Mommy Gideon plea-se don’t sell Queen. plea-se ma.” My little daughter joined Victoria’s little craze, and I couldn’t hold my smile, resulting to a little chuckle. “Is okay. Both of you stand up. Now Queen, promise your Mom you will not break things again.”
Queen quic-kly wiped away her tears, and turned to her mom who was trying not to laugh. “Mommy, I will not… I will not…break things again.” The young girl managed to say, and quic-kly knelt down in front of Victoria. “Thank you ma,” she said, and left with Emmanuella after telling her mom who wanted to give her another rice that she wasn’t hungry.
As soon as they left, I bur-st out the laughter had been holding. She might not change instantly, but whenever she tries to break things again, she would surely remember how Gideon’s mom would sell her.
Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
💞💞💞💞💞💞
Story_Continues🔭