Omolara’s faith Episode 16 & 17
“Good day!” Lara smiled as walked into the
sitting room.
“Welcome.” Tony replied, he didn’t return her
smile.
“How have you been? Hope I didn’t stay for too
long?” she squ-atted beside him.
“Fine.” he looked away.
“Are you okay?” lara noticed the worried look on
his face.
“I’m okay.”
Lara watched him for a while, she knew definitely
this bad mood wasn’t cos of her, perhaps
something went wrong.
“I heard your parents c@m£ alongside my mother
while I was away…” she tried again.
“Yes.”
“What did they come to do? I mean what did
they say?” she asked.
“Nothing…they just c@m£ to say hi to us!” Tony
was still avoidng her eyes.
“thats not true!” Lara knew he was lying.
Tony bit his lowerl-ip.
“plea-se tell me what happened.” she pleaded
patting his arm.
“your mum wants this marriage to be dissolved.”
he blurted out.
She laughed quitely
“So is that why you’re moody?”
“yes…she called me names…even my parents
got their share of the insults!” the words seem to
come out throu-gh his teeth.
Lara ru-bbe-d her forehead…her mother was
impossible.
“Don’t mind her! Okay?” she tried to sound calm.
“Lara…its just that…I errm….don’t..don’t want
you to leave me, you’re all I have now…plea-se…”
he squee-zed her palms.
“I’m not leaving” she as-sured him.
Their gaze locked for what seemed like eternity,
till Lara looked away.
“Lemme get you something to eat, care for some
fish peppersoup? I bought fresh fish from the
water side…” she tried to sound cheerful.
“I’m alre-ady salivating.” Tony ru-bbe-d his
stomach.
“Now you’re joining me in the kitchen…” Lara
laughed as she wheeled him towards the kitchen.
Tony’s eyes followed Lara, as she walked up and
down the room, trying to get his things re-ady for
the journey.
His father would be there in no time to
accompany him.
He sighed and sipped his heavily creamed
coffee. The night had been a tough one, he was
thinking all throu-gh.
He had imagined what it’ll be like if he got
treated well- how life would be with Lara then.
He thought of the probability that he didn’t get
well, would Lara continue to stay that way…
“What are you thinking?” Lara jo-lted him back
from his thoughts.
“Ehn?” he smiled, he had learnt that word from
her.
“Your mug have been hanging halfway to your
li-ps for a while now.” she said Zi-pping his bag.
“Nothing.”
“Hmm.” she looked up.
“When are you coming back?” she walked to the
be-d side.
“I guess three weeks minimum.” he replied.
“minimum three weeks? Maximum should be one
year then.” Lara’s eyes ogled out.
“No…not more than a month.” Tony laughed.
“I can’t stay here all alone…” she made a face.
Tony sighed, what was going to tell her? His
worries?
“now c’mon, its just for a little while, okay? My
mum would come to check on you regularly, you
can even call your friend Deji to come and stay
with you.” he petted her.
“Okay…” Lara sighed.
They heard a car honked!
“Your dad is here…” she helped him into his
wheel chair.
“G’morning sir.” she said as her father in-law
took over the wheel chair.
“How are you?”
“Fine.” she followed them closely with Tony’s
bags.
“bye and take care.” she said as they were about
to drive away.
“Lara?” tony said gently.
Their eyes locked. Tears filled his eyes.
“Pray for me.” he whispered.
“I will.” her voice was weak too.
“I love you Lara, and I’ll miss you.” he sniffed,
before the car moved.
Lara waved at them as they left the compound,
tears streaming down her face.
:::::::*****:::::::
Lara sat, her eyes glued to the Tv. She watched
the indian girls dance, she knew she was
add!çted to Bollywood.
There was a knock on the door, she felt reluctant
to open it. The knock c@m£ again sharply.
She hissed, put the Tv off, before sauntering
towards the door.
“Who’s there?” she asked opening the door.
“Can we come in?” Funke asked coldly.
Lara stood barring the door, her mother wasn’t
alone, she c@m£ with an old man and three
young men.
“Lara can’t you see people are waiting? Let us in
na!” her mother said again.
Lara shifted for them to get in.
“So mum who are they? And how may I help
them?” she asked closing the door behind her.
“ehen/ the old man is ermm…the younger
brother to your paternal grandfather, his name is
Baba Lagbaja…” Funke began her introduction
“These ones are you father’s
cousins…errm..yes…beni, this one is Soji,..this
one is Dele, this one is errm Tunde…they are all
from your father’s village.” Funke continued.
“So what are they doing in my house?” Lara
asked sternly.
“Ah ahn! Lara ki lo de! Shey an ja ni! Are we
quarelling? Serve them drinks first now.”
Lara obliged.
“What’s your mission” she asked the Baba
Lagbaja as she served him.
“They have come to take you!” Funke
announced.
“Take me? How?” Lara laughed as she sat on a
settee.
“Omolara my grand daughter…” the old man
began.
“you are the only female child in our family, we
value you alot.”.
“Yes!” tunde, soji and Dele chorused.
“You are the only one left to continue your
father’s lineage, you can’t let your father’s name
die like that.” baba Lagbaja said coughing at
intervals.
“So?” Lara frowned.
“We have come to take you out of this marriage,
we nee-d children to bear Popoola’s name.” he
further explained.
Lara laughed uncontrollably.
“You don’t laugh when an elder is talking.” Tunde
yelled at her.
“She’s stubborn o.!” Funke chirped
Lara ignored her mum and faced Tunde.
“You don’t yell at me, else I’l throw you out of
my house.!”
“Baba…”she turned to face the old man
“I’l go with you if only you can do something for
me.” she said politely.
“Name it omo mi.” Baba Lagbaja said
“If you can return all you’ve collected from Tony
and his parents, then I’l follow you.” Lara as-sured
him.
“What are those things?”
“To start with, my mother must return the one
million naira she collected for bride price, then
all the jewelries and ornaments, then all the
clothes, the house they bought for her, all the
gifts they showered on her…alll..the…”
“Ehn!” The old man screamed interrupting her
“Ehn!” Baba Lagbaja exclaimed again.
“Yes o! Including the two jeeps Tony’s Father
gave her, and the…”
“Wait!” he st©ped her, turning to Funke.
“Funke! N gbo? You collected all that? Are you
trying to sell your daughter? You’ve sold her
alre-ady I rather say!” he yelled at her.
Funke shifted uneasily on her seat.
“My daughter, sorry to have troubled you o. ”
Baba Lagbaja told the smiling Lara.
“Young men let’s go!” he said angrily and they
rose to leave.
“Wait wait! I’ll pay!” Funke was desperate.
“I’l pay in installments, little by little.”
“When you sold your daughter to them, did you
give her to them in installments?” Baba Lagbara
skrie-ked at her.
“Don’t ever come to me again o! If you do Sango
would strike you dead! ” he cursed before leaving
the house with his group.
Funke was confused! How could her daughter
become so mean.
“hey mum! You’ve got another plan?” Lara
laughed at her dejected mother.
“Well, I’m afraid, you’ll have to die without a
grandchild o. As for me, I can easily adopt as
many children as I want o!” she jeered.
Funke threw her handbag at her in anger.
“Ouch!” Lara winced as the bag hit her belly.
“plea-se o! Be careful, Tony’s Babies are in
there!” she laughed some more.
“Lara, you’re doing this to me your mother!
What’s your gain?” Funke asked tears staining
her eyes.
“My gain?” Lara looked sobber.
“My gain, is that, I can make you feel bad after
all you did to me!” Tears welled up her eyes too.
“Omolara! I’m leaving you! Continue to ruin your
life!”
“Yea! I’ll continue from where you st©ped” Lara
spat out.
“Don’t ever come to look for me! I’m no longer
your mother.” Funke fumed heading towards the
exit.
“And I’m no longer your daughter!” Lara sh0t
back.
Funke turned round astonished.
“Lara?” she whispered.
Lara walked into her room, leaving her to stand
there like an undecided ghost.
TBC….