Story by Deborah Paul
mother why
episode 13
After the close of work, Michael drove amelia to his house, she called her mother immediately to inform her she will be coming back late.
Michael had already called his cook earlier on to prepare something very nice for him that he would be bringing a guest.
Rosemary did all her best to make the house look neat and she made something very good.
Amelia couldn’t stop herself from staring at the paradise Michael calls a house.
AMELIA
like you live here?
MICHAEL
yeah, let’s go inside please.
AMELIA
wow!!!! this is heaven on Earth I must confess.
MICHAEL
(He smiled)
I guess thank you will be in place right.
AMELIA
you welcome
Michael showed her the way inside and she followed him still looking around in amazement.
Mrs chioma and Amara could not eat, they were so happy amelia have finally gone go know Michael’s house.
MRS CHIOMA
honestly Amara I’m very happy about this news.
AMARA
why are you happy mum?
(she pretended like she didn’t know)
MRS CHIOMA
do you know what it means for a man to ask you home?
AMARA
tell me mama.
MRS CHIOMA
it means the man is taking them serious.
AMARA
like he wants to marry her?
MRS CHIOMA
not necessarily but close to it.
AMARA
Mum, Amelia might have met him first but I’m the one who first registered my interest and I know you won’t let your precious daughter down.
MRS CHIOMA
you nee-d to calm down first, it’s a good thing that Michael already invited her home… from there we can know what to do next .
AMARA
I will do everything within my powers to get that man I swear.
MRS CHIOMA
(Stare at her for a while)
you sound like you are in love, my daughter .
AMARA
his cute, rich, and above all his very presentable but “love”? common mum does love happen that way? I do not love him, maybe I will later…. but I’m just angry, angry that Amelia would get a man like him and not me….. she doesn’t deserve a man like him, no she doesn’t.
she said breathing very high, she was filled with rage and jealousy. that moment Mrs chioma feared that her daughter might become even more dangerous that she has been..
MRS CHIOMA
we will put things in motion immediately.
AMARA
That would be great…. excuse me.
(she said and went inside)
Michael and Amelia finished eating dinner so they went to the living room go seat and talk.
AMELIA
thanks for inviting me
MICHAEL
I should be the one thanking you for coming.
AMELIA
You welcome then.
(they both chuckled)
MICHAEL
I have been meaning to tell you something Amelia and I don’t know how you will see it.
AMELIA
hope no problem sir?
MICHAEL
not at all.
He moved closer to her on the couch and Amelia moved back a little, she was scared, she didn’t want to get to close because she remembered what job did to her and she thought Michael was about to do the same thing.
MICHAEL
amelia, I know it’s hasn’t been long I met you, but these few time that I have known you, I have grown to like you…. as you can see, I’m the only one living in this big house alone, I think it’s time to have a partner in it.
amelia didn’t un-derstand what he had just say, she got up from her couch as if trying to process the details in her head.
AMELIA
I do not un-derstand you sir
MICHAEL
what I’m saying is that I have fallen in love with you.
AMELIA
Jesus Christ, how did that happen? no,no, no I mean you can’t love me…. how? why?
Michael became confuse, why would she sound like she doesn’t deserve love.
MICHAEL
you sound like you don’t want someone to love you.
AMELIA
yes, that’s what it means…. I do not want to be love, most especially not from someone like you.
MICHAEL
What do you mean by “someone like you” why can’t someone like me love you?
AMELIA
I have seen so many shit in my life boss, you will not want to get entangle with that.
MICHAEL.
I don’t care what your past might have been, I’m your present and even future, I’m promising you a better tomorrow… not cast me away without giving me a chance please.
amelia saw that Michael was not getting her point at all, so she took her bag and requested he took her home.
MICHAEL
Amelia why are you doing this to yourself, to us…. please talk to me.
AMELIA
Michael my family won’t allow me to be happy, I know them to well, once they know we are going to the next stage they will start t frustrate you with their demands…. I’m not ready to enter into any relationship for now…. I can’t feel that stuff you want me to feel.
MICHAEL
Money can never be a problem Ami, if your mum or sister becoming demanding I don’t think it’s a bad thing….. beside they are your responsibility which make them mine too…. please amelia give us a chance.
He said and grabbing her two hands.
Amelia didn’t know what to say anymore, she know de-ep down in her spirit that her family will he the one to spoil things for her.
Michael drove her home, he wasn’t too happy because Amelia asked him go give her more time…..she wanted to be sure she wasn’t doing the wrong thing by accepting to date him.
MICHAEL
my regards to you mum and sister, see you tomorrow ?
AMELIA
Tomorrow is Saturday remember?
MICHAEL
I know, I’m just asking if I can come see you tomorrow.
AMELIA
You are free to come at anytime.
MICHAEL
alright, see you tomorrow then.
amelia nods and came down from his car, she stood in front of their gate and watched him drive off.
Amara ran outside so she could see Michael but she came too late, Michael had already gone before she came out.
AMARA
Why did you let him go na?
(she said frowning)
AMELIA
Should I have tie him down here? he has already drop me off so what else?
AMARA
I’m sorry, I just wanted to say hi to him that’s all.
AMELIA
I’m sorry I reacted that way, I’m just not in the good mood tonight.
AMARA
what happened? did you guys have a fight? how did the visit go? let’s go inside so you tell me all about it.
AMELIA
maybe tomorrow, because all I want to do now is go inside, take a shower and sleep.
she said and left her sister standing outside there, Amara hissed and went inside too.
Mrs chioma was coming out from her room when she met amelia going to hers
MRS CHIOMA
you are just coming back?
AMELIA
yes mama, good evening
MRS CHIOMA
Evening, how’s Michael?
AMELIA
his fine…..mum, I’m so tired I want to sleep.
MRS CHIOMA
alright, but make sure you take your bath
AMELIA
of course mum…. goodnight
she excused herself and went inside, while the mother went into the living room to seat down.
Story by Deborah Paul
mother why
episode 14
The next day Amelia opened her eyes to see her sister staring at her so de-eply, she screamed and jumped up from the bed.
AMELIA
Jesus Christ, Amara you scared me
AMARA
Good morning, sorry I didn’t mean to scare you .
AMELIA
(She return back to the bed)
good morning, why where you staring at me like that?
AMARA
tell me what happened yesterday?
AMELIA
what happened where?
AMARA
Common nah, I already told you I’m sorry about how I treated you in the past, and I will like us to start afresh.
AMELIA
And I told you I have heard you, what else do you want me to say?
AMARA
just accept my apologies and forgive me please.
AMELIA
(She sigh)
look I’m not angry with you or mum anymore okay….. it’s your conscience that’s playing trick on you.
AMARA
okay if you have forgiven us like you say,
can we be sister best friends? like you are my sister but still my best friend.
AMELIA
(She smiled)
“sister best friends”? I think I like that.
AMARA
(she smiled too)
so tell me, why were you so sad yesterday when you came back?
AMELIA
(She remembered what Michael told her)
Michael is asking me out.
AMARA
(she screamed as if she was happy?
oh my God, he did? I guess you accepted immediately.
AMELIA
accepted as how? I told him I wasn’t interested.
AMARA
how can you not be interested in someone like Michael? tell me please.
AMELIA
because I don’t love him.
AMARA
you don’t love him? or you don’t want to love him?
Amelia was quiet, she didn’t know what exactly she want but one thing she thought was for real is that Michael has a good heart and every woman would want that.
AMARA
hey, look here, have you not suffered enough? I’m not saying you should date Michael so he came take away your suffering, no, I’m saying if you date Michael you will have peace of mind, sometimes I might go out of line to piss you off, mum too, you won’t seat back inside and cry like you use to, but you will have someone to run to, someone who un-derstands you, who loves you.
AMELIA
I nee-d time to process all this Amara, I just can’t give my heart out and get broken.
AMARA
okay, so how did Michael take it?
AMELIA
even though he tried to hide it, I could see it throu-ghhis eyes that…..
the sound of her phone shut her up, before she could go carry her phone from where she kept it on the table, Amara has run to pick it up for her.
MICHAEL
good morning
(he greeted immediately she picked)
AMELIA
good morning boss, how was your night?
MICHAEL
my night was bad, I couldn’t sleep at all.
AMELIA
What happened, why didn’t you sleep?
MICHAEL
because I’m scared, I’m scared you gonna turn me down.
AMELIA
lack of sleep can make one to fall sick, don’t play with your sleep because of an irrelevant person like me.
MICHAEL
Common Amelia, you don’t have to talk negatively about yourself, you are very relevant and important to me and your family.
AMELIA
okay, if you say so… ..so breakfast yet?
MICHAEL
rosemary made sandwich but honestly I’m not hungry.
AMELIA
why are you doing this to yourself? you know what? we will talk about this later… I nee-d to do some things
MICHAEL
Alright, how’s mum and Amarachi ?
AMELIA
(She giggles)
mum is fine and amara is fine too, not amarachi
MICHAEL
I don’t un-derstand, you guys are igbos right?
AMELIA
yes
MICHAEL
So why is she’s not amarachi?
AMELIA
amara is an English name, but people pronounced it though as an igbo name….
MICHAEL
now I get, like the Mara cara version right?
AMELIA
(She laughed)
yes, you are right.
MICHAEL
Noted, I won’t do that mistake again, so I’m still seeing you later today right?
AMELIA
Sure, so when are you coming?
MICHAEL
Around 3pm, there’s a place I will like us to go to.
AMELIA
Alright, see you…. bye
she hung up and dropped her phone on the bed, Amara was staring at her to give her the full gist.
AMARA
I was hearing my name, what did Amara do?
AMELIA
(She giggle)
he thinks your are amarachi
AMARA
(She smiled)
you do still remember how mum and dad will always argue because of my name? dad will say he names me Amaka, but mum said she hated that name so she named me after she watched that movie mara, cara. but since dad was addicted to “A” he added “A” at the front making it Amara, mum didn’t argue again because she loved it like that.
AMELIA
(she smiled too)
how can I forget, and like mum she always get her way.
AMARA
So, is he coming?
AMELIA
yeah, he said he will come pick me up by
3pm.
AMARA
that’s cool, i really like that guy for you, so please you nee-d to think fast before someone takes him away from you.
AMELIA
yes madam, please I’m hungry, I want to go and cook something.
AMARA
mum cooked before she left the house.
AMELIA
mum isn’t at home? where did she go to?
AMARA
she didn’t say but sh said she won’t be back till tomorrow evening.
AMELIA
mum, I wonder when that woman will change, anyways till she comes.
she got up from the bed and went into the bathroom to brush and take her bath, she came out fee minutes later and got dressed, she went to the living room and Amara followed her.
Mrs chioma arrived her own home time, she went straight to her father’s compound, her father was late but her mother was still very much alive.
obviously her mother was not happy to see her so she didn’t welcome her.
MRS CHIOMA
mama, didn’t you see me?
MAMA K
what if I see you, are you the president or God himself?
Mrs chioma smiled, she knew her mother was angry at her for living her husband’s house and not sending words to let her know, and since she and her children went to the city she has not called her mother for once.
MRS CHIOMA
mama, you have every right to be angry with me, but if you give me listening hear I will explain everything to you…. please.
Kate popularly known as mama K decided to hear from her daughter first before judging her.
MAMA K
come let’s go inside.
MRS CHIOMA
mama, let’s just seat outside here.
MAMA K
Okay, bring that chair over there.
Mrs chioma dropped her handbag and went to carry the chair, she brou-ght it and kept it beside where her mother was seating.
MRS CHIOMA
Mama, look I know I did bad for not calling you before I left, but after my husband died, his people said I killed him, that I frustrated my husband till I killed him, so they for-ce me to swear an oath and drink the water they use in bathing his dead body…. I had to flee with my children to the city at midnight, coming to your place wouldn’t have been an option cause they would have come looking for me here.
MAMA K
what ru-bbish, it was from your husband people I got to find out you were no longer in your husband’s house, but no one told me you were been for-ced to drink his dead body water.
MRS CHIOMA
mama, just imagine that…. I had to run ooh
MAMA K
that man called your husband I was thinking he was the only one stupid and hopeless in his family, I didn’t know his families are worse than him….. but I blame you, when he came here with his two left legs asking for your hand in marriage you, I told you to forget about him, that his future wasn’t good…. you refuse, you had seen money, money that I knew wouldn’t last, or have you forgotten who your mother is? I knew that money wouldn’t last but you went ahead to marry him, didn’t the money eventually finish?
MRS CHIOMA
mum let’s not talk about the past again, thank God i have moved on…. I came home for something very important.
she said and mama k looked at her de-eply, she un-derstood her daughter’s body language and smiled knowing why chioma had return home.
………story continues