STORY BY DEBORAH PAUL
OJOCHEMI MY VILLAGE BRIDE
EPISODE 3
OSCAR’S POV CONTINUES
Maria immidiately went on her knees and started to apologise
MARIA
I’m sorry sir, I slept so late last night that I didn’t realize it was morning…..I’m so sorry
OSCAR
you slept so late? what kept you awake? what time were you supposed to retire to bed?
MARIA
8pm sir
OSCAR
so what time did you sleep last night that made you wake up late?
MARIA
you didn’t come back on time yesterday, so I was awake waiting for you so I could serve you your dinner.
How dare she try to put the blame on me? she has worked in my house for a month and half now yet she doesn’t know me? once it’s 8pm I don’t eat dinner so why would she use me as an excuse to sleep late?…. I know why, she’s just lazy.
OSCAR
before I come back from the office I want you out of my house.
MARIA
please sir, I’m very sorry sir; it won’t happen again, please I really nee-d this job.
OSCAR
If I come back and meat you here, you will get more than a slap..
i turn to the direction of my room, I gave it a second thought and turn back to look at her.
OSCAR
you should have your salary before you leave .
I told her and went inside, on my way going upstairs I could hear her cry but I didn’t care….i went upstairs and finished up my dressing, took my briefcase and came back downstair, she was no longer there so I just kept her salary on the table and left.
I gave my gate man instructions to make sure to put another signpost for vacancy outside the gate.
the look on his face made me to sm-irk, I’m sure he already knows I had fired Maria.
I drove out of the compound and went my way.
MRS STELLA POV
I laid on my bed feeling very worried about my son…. I wonder why Oscar will not bring a woman home to introduce to me, sometimes I really don’t blame that boy, I don’t blame him at all….he has been throu-ghalot and has seen too many things that he wasn’t supposed to see at his young age….. could it be that everything my son saw while growing up had broken him?
I didn’t know I was talking so loudly that my husband had to engage in it.
MR PETERSON
what did he see growing up? tell me huh? beside who said Oscar is broken? the boy just takes after his father…. poor people, most especially women are to be tremble upon…..they shouldn’t get any mercy at all else they become too much for you to handle.
I couldn’t believe after so many years my husband still goes about with such sick ideology about life and women …I wanted to give him answer, but no I had more important things to worry about than a sick man.
I got up from the bed and left him, I went into the living room to seat down….. my maid came to inform me that breakfast was ready.
I guessed she saw the look on my face and worried about me
JANET
ma, are you alright? you look very worried this morning.
MRS STELLA
I’m fine Janet
JANET
but you don’t look fine ma…. whatever it is you can tell me.
I thought about it and decided to tell her, afterall my people use to make an adage that corpes will not hide from who would bath him….. maybe if I discussed it with someone I might get a solution.
MRS STELLA
please seat down
JANET
(She sat down)
thank you ma
MRS STELLA
you have worked with me for a very long time Janet, and as it is now you have now turn family.
JANET
I know…..thank you for the love ma
MRS STELLA
you are welcome….. I’m worried about my son, Oscar, I’m worried about him.
JANET
mmm ma, if I say I do not know what yo are saying than I’m lying…. I totally un-derstand what you are feeling…but what can you do? you and I know as a child Oscar has seen way too much, whatever character his displaying now is the result of yesterday.
MRS STELLA
you think so too? few minutes ago I had the same thinking….if my son is acting like this because of the his father treated me than I’m finished….I can’t watch my son become the othere version of his father…. no one has to endure what I endured in the hands of my husband…. no person’s child should endure that with my own son…. but Janet I did try my best, as a mother I tried so my son would be a better man …how come he turned out this way?
(I said crying)
Janet moved closer to me and held my shoulder
JANET
I don’t think crying would solve anything, I think I have an idea ma
MRS STELLA
(I immidiately wiped my tear)
really? please tell me.
JANET
what if you get him a wife?
MRS STELLA
(I was surprised)
get him a wife? I know Oscar loves me so much….but getting him a wife don’t you think I’m pushing my luck too far?
JANET
I don’t think so ma, you are the only person I know Oscar can never disobey or even beat….you were here the other day, if not because of stopped him, he would have beaten his own father…. I mean his biological father…..only you can do this.
thinking about what Janet said, I feel she has a point….but that would be very wicked of me to send someone’s daughter to my son….he would use beating to kill the girl.
MRS STELLA
I have watch my son right from his secondary school days beat people to stupor, not just boys but even girls….and as he grew older he kept beating and losing his patience…. did you forget that one time he beat his female lecturer because she threw a mug at him for sleeping in her clas-s? that poor woman spent four weeks in coma ….he almost went to jail then….it was because hsi father has connection that he wasn’t sent to prison.
JANET
I’m speechless ma…..
MRS STELLA
what Oscar nee-ds now is not a wife but a therapist…if I were to have a girl child, I would never allow her marry someone like Oscar… never.
JANET
what are you going to do now? because the Oscar I know would never take himself to any doctor.
MRS STELLA
I’m as confuse as you are…. he promised to come yesterday but like always he didn’t show up.
JANET
you just nee-d to calm down ma….. you know this isn’t good for your health…. please.
MRS STELLA
thank you Janet….go tell my husband breakfast is ready.
she nodded her head in acceptance and went upstairs to inform my husband about breakfast.
STORY BY DEBORAH PAUL
OJO-CHENE-MI MY VILLAGE BRIDE
EPISODE 6
Later that night after Mr Paul and his daughter had had their dinner and retire to bed, Mrs Stella and Mrs Paul decided to have a chit chat.
MRS STELLA
it’s really nice seeing you after so many years my friend.
MRS PAUL
(She smiled)
I’m telling you…but why haven’t you been coming home? not even for Christmas?
MRS STELLA
what do I still have here? my both parents are dead, my husband’s mother lives in the other village opposite ours…so I don’t see why I should go visit my mother inlaw when my husband never visited my own mother for once.
MRS PAUL
that’s so bad… what did mama do go him that made him react that way? and my friend you are not supposed to treat the wan that way…don’t pay evil for evil.
MRS STELLA
do you even blame me my friend? my mother inlaw hates me, she feels I’m the cause why her only son has one child.
MRS PAUL
I don’t un-derstand, but you have a son for him….and that’s what most men want.
MRS STELLA
according to her I couldn’t bear another child, so she hates me for it….forgeting what her son did to me when I had Oscar that made me had complications during delivery and lost my wo-mb afteraftermath.
MRS PAUL
we heard rumors of how your husband use to beat and maltreat you…. honestly I always wish to ask you about it but who I’m I to judge when we all have our different problem to face.
MRS STELLA
That one is pas-sed my friend….right now I have more bigger problem than my husband.
MRS PAUL
what is wrong my friend?
MRS STELLA
it’s about Oscar my son…..each day his getting worse my friend.
MRS PAUL
getting worse? make me un-derstand please?
MRS STELLA
my son is gradually turning into a monster, you won’t believe that up till now my son is not yet married.
Mrs Paul laughed because she found it funny, her daughter is still in secondary school while her friend is already worried her son is yet unmarried.
MRS PAUL
remind me again, how old is Oscar again?
MRS STELLA
He will be 31 soon.
MRS PAUL
time really flys, imagine us of yesterday already have adults as children.
MRS STELLA
(she smiled)
you can say that again my dear.
MRS PAUL
my own daughter is still in SS2, you know what? they had to push her to that clas-s so she can finish and give other students space….my daughter has turn twenty six and she’s still in secondary school….I feel ashamed my friend…..please don’t let us divert from the real discussion…..you said your son is turning into a moster…..is it because his not married.
MRS STELLA
my son is a woman beater, a man beater, in fact there’s no one my son can’t beat….to show you how worse he’s been….he almost slapped his father one day….i was the one who saved my husband.
MRS PAUL
(Shocked boldly written on her face)
you don’t say…..what has gotten into children of nowadays?
MRS STELLA
I have no idea…. I already told him go go see a therapist but he totally refused.
MRS PAUL
That’s serious , I wonder why God decided to punish us like this….my daughter too has been a terror in this village, there’s nobody she can’t fight….tje only person she listens to and respect is her father….if I talk one, chenemi will talk ten immidiately.
MRS STELLA
I’m just fed up, I have been praying for God to change my son….. my friend what do you think we should do about this children?
Mrs Paul was silent for a very long time, she was thinking of the possible way she could help her friend….then something crossed her mind and she decided to share it with her friends.
MRS PAUL
what if we join the two of tj together as husband and wife?
MRS STELLA
(Shocked)
who?
MRS PAUL
our children of course.
MRS STELLA
I won’t let my enemy’s child to marry my son for now talk more of my own Friend’s daughter.
MRS PAUL
common, I’m sure is not as bad ad you make it sound.
MRS STELLA
I’m telling you my friend it’s as bad….my son almost went to jail for beating his leactuer to coma…. my son is a fighter.
MRS PAUL
more reason why we should get the two married….so they can be beating themselves…..I know who my daughter is, and I’m very sure your son won’t be able to beat her and go gree with it
MRS STELLA
I’m scared my friend, what if they kill themselves? beside I know my son, he will never agree to that…..I’m very sure.
MRS PAUL
And who is going to tell him?
She pulled Mrs Stella closer and wishpered something into her ear which eventually made Mrs Stella to smile happily and accepted the plan.
after discussing Mrs Stella went to her own house while Mrs Paul went inside to discuss with her husband.
after explaining everything to her husband, Mr Paul totally refuse even though she didn’t include the fact that the man their daughter was going to live with is a woman beater…
MR PAUL
I know my daughter have really disappointed you in many ways, but I want you to know she’s all we got….sending her away to the city is like using our hands to kill our only child…. I don’t want that.
MRS PAUL
You should ask your daughter what her wants…. because I’m sure if you mention this to her she will jump at the opportunity.
Before mr Paul could say another thing, ojochemi’s voice came throu-ghfrom the living room.
OJOCHENEMI
my answer is yes daddy, I have always wanted to go the city…. I want to work and earn money….i can’t wait to go to the city papa.
Mr Paul was shocked, surprised that the person he was fighting for wasn’t even fighting for herself….he ordered her to come into their bedroom and she did.
MR PAUL
what did you just say?
she knelt down beside her father’s bed and held his hand sweetly, she knows how to weak her father that he would do what she wants.
OJO-CHENE-MI
papa please I really want to go to the city, I promise to work ha-rd and come back with lots of money…i promise to turn a new leaf when I get there…. in fact I promise to enroll myself in a private school when I’m free….. please papa, grant me this request.
Ojochemi had no idea her mother was giving her out for marriage without the consent of her father and her very self…. she thought her mother was only sending her there based on the conversation they had some time ago about her going to the city to make a living since education wasn’t for her.
after so much plead Mr Paul finally gave him consent which made mother and daughter very happy.
story continues
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