TITLE: THREE GENERATIONS
WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 49
Chike came to see her after he arrived in Lagos. She went out to his car. Nwanneka was very happy to see him. They hu-gged and sat inside the car to talk.
“I Br@nched at Asaba before coming back. I have given my father money to start preparing for the introduction. I believe your mother will push for us to achieve this”
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
“I want to lay in your arms every night. Baby, I am serious. If everything can be done this month, I will do it”
“I know you are joking. We also have to make our own plans while our parents make theirs”
They talked about the wedding and what each of them wanted. How many guests they were inviting and the venue for the wedding.
“The traditional wedding will hold in the village while the white wedding will be here where my friends and @$$ociates are”
“Most of my mother’s friends and family are in the east. It is only my colleagues that are here. My mother would want her guests to be part of the wedding”
“We stand to gain more if it is held here but we will not banter about it. We will discuss this after the introduction. Put a list together for the wedding so I can know the financial implication”
“I will discuss with auntie Uloma about the list, she should be able to help me”
He left not long after. He had missed her. He promised to pick her up the next morning so they would go to work together. He had planned they would spend some time at his place before he took her home. He hoped his plan would work.
When Nwanneka discussed with auntie Uloma about the wedding, she was excited too. They drew up a list and a plan for the wedding.
“Marriage isn’t easy. Where will you live after the wedding?” auntie Uloma asked.
“His house I presume. Although I would have loved to live close to you all”
“You said he has boys; are you sure you can stay with them?”
“I can. I love them and they love me in return”
“That’s five mouths already to feed. Are any of his siblings going to live with him?”
“None I know of for now”
“Don’t agree to that. It will cause problems for you. They would play the card of this is my brother’s house. You wouldn’t like that. And it will cause problems with your parents-in-law”
“How will I stop him from bringing his family members?”
“Tell him now there will be no family members living with you. You won’t allow your own family too. They can visit but not live with you or stay for more than a week. I know what I am saying”
“Ok, auntie. What else?”
“There are rules for keeping a man. Never refuse him his conjugal rights. If he wants it three times a day be ready to serve him. That way, he will not look outside. You have to serve his food. Make sure his clothes and un-derwear are always washed and ironed. You see how I dry clean your uncle’s clothes every week. It is important he always looks sharp. You have to run the home on a budget and encourage him to have investments. Chike seems to be doing well in his business therefore he should make owning his house in Lagos here a priority. Then he should build in the village. Your uncle is seeing the importance of owning a house in the village. Don’t quarrel with his family members; allow Chike to deal with them. Don’t allow your husband to be disrespected because of you. Avoid any embarr@$$ment as much as possible. Whatever he confides in you, don’t allow a third ear to hear it. Be faithful to him. Let him be the only man who has access to your body from now on”
“He is the only man”
“He is or he will be? Is there something you are not telling me?
“I told you I will check if he is ok and I did”
“And he is?” auntie Uloma asked.
“Very ok”
“Did you use protection? You can’t afford to get pregnant before the wedding o”
“We didn’t but I was safe. I am very sure of that”
“Don’t mess up everything by getting pregnant. Get married with your dignity in place. Tomorrow I will buy you a pill so we don’t take chances. Don’t have se-x with him again until after the wedding. What was the rush if you had waited this long eh? Please, no pregnancy. Let him know”
“He knows it was just once and I won’t do it again. He is asking for the wedding to be done quickly”
‘Are you sure it is not because of your body he is rushing this wedding? He wants to have regular se-x”
“That’s why I allowed him to have his way and now he wants the marriage more than ever”
“Do you love him?” auntie Uloma asked quite serious.
“Very much”
“Then we can draw up the plan, make the list and attach cost o them”
“Ok. Thank you”
Uncle Obi called uncle Onyedika to discuss the marriage plans. He had concluded his investigation and he was convinced the family was good; they didn’t have any diseases or sicknesses or madness connected to them. There was no record of drunkenness, thievery, or waywardness in the family
He gave uncle Onyedika a date for the introduction and they also agreed on a date for the traditional wedding. Uncle Obi had discussed with Nwakaego before informing Onyedika to p@$$ the message to the prospective in-law.
Uncle Onyedika asked Nwanneka to invite Chike over. He gave him the information which visibly excited Chike. The two dates were fine by him. Chike also asked for a date for the white wedding as they had been attending marriage cl@$$ at the Catholic Church at Gbaja Surulere. Unce Onyedika asked him to discuss that with his wife and inform them so they could add it to their plans.
Nwanneka had concluded her NYSC just before the wedding and had applied to work with NIMASA. The colonel had @$$ured her she will be selected but she had to wait a month or two when recruitment will commence. She should consider herself employed. She focused all her energy on the wedding.
Like her mother promised, everything happened so fast. The introduction held and after two weeks, the traditional wedding held. The wedding was the talk of the entire community. Nwakaego didn’t spare any expense to make it grand. Chike’s family didn’t nee-d to be told they were marrying from an affluent family. Those that gossiped that Nwanneka wouldn’t find a suitor had been silenced for good. Uncle Obi stood in as her father while they received blessings from her grandparents.
The white wedding held in Lagos. Nwakaego transported family members from the east to Lagos and lodged them in hotels as per her daughter’s request. Her business @$$ociates also joined her in Lagos for the wedding. She flew papa and mama to Lagos and they stayed with Onyedika. Nwanneka insisted uncle Onyedika gave her away which he did gladly and with pride.
After the wedding reception, Nwanneka was presented with two truckload of gifts to escort her to her husband’s house. Everything you can imagine was there. Chike was in shock that he almost landed on the floor when he saw them. Nwanneka held her mother so close and cried. She could feel the love. She was so happy she made her mother proud. Her mother cried too in solidarity. They were all tears of joy.
It didn’t end there. Uncle Onyedika presented his niece Nwanneka and her husband with a car. He said it was from the family but Nwanneka knew better. She hu-gged him and auntie Uloma. She let them know how much she loved them and how she will continue to be a fixture in their home.
Chike was speechless. This was too much. He never expected this from them. He was happy and also proud. His friends deemed him the luckiest man amongst them. Danny couldn’t believe Chike was marrying Nwanneka. He asked him if he could cope with her and he laughed at him. He finally told Danny and his other friends what Nwanneka did to Danny. He opened up to Danny that Nwanneka wasn’t a daughter of an army officer. He made him realise how she played him.
“She scammed me of my money” Danny lamented.
“She didn’t keep the money, she shared it with all the girls you hurt. I helped her with their names and addresses. I hope you have learnt your lesson. And by the way, she is now my wife so keep off”
After the wedding, the trucks were sent to uncle Onyedika’s house for safekeeping until the next day when they would be offloaded. Mama Chike wasn’t happy about that. She wanted them at Chike’s house where she was staying with her husband and children. But Chike insisted.
On the wedding night, Chike took Nwanneka to spend a night in a hotel on the Island. Nwanneka was happy to be there with her husband. She couldn’t believe she was married and married to a good man who loved her.
Chike had proved himself during the two weddings. He met all the demands during the traditional wedding. He came prepared. His family was shocked at how much he spent to ensure everything on the list was met. He bought new outfits for his parents and siblings and three other elders who were not so comfortable. Even though Nwakaego insisted on taking care of the food, drinks, canopy and other things for the traditional wedding, he still made sure his people came with their customary food. He stood proud.
Nwakaego asked him to allow her to fund the white wedding. She told him her daughter is only going to wed once and it must be a grand affair. He accepted. He paid for the hall, the wedding rings, his suit and Nwanneka’s wedding gown. He got a decorator, chose his design and paid but Nwakaego altered somethings and paid the difference. Nwanneka found the baker for the wedding cake. The cake she chose was pricey but he didn’t mind. If Nwanneka wanted it, she would get it. Nwakaego paid for it before he could. His friends arranged for drinks and they were shocked when they met a cooling truck at the venue. Nwakaego had arranged food and drinks.
Chike’s clients had gifted him so much money for the wedding. “You are marrying a girl from Imo? You will spend money o! Let me support you” some of them said. Others gave him more jobs so he could make more money. With Nwakaego’s help, he had enough saved.
He had planned to refurbish the house so it would be to Nwanneka’s taste and get her household items. To crown it all, he had taught Nwanneka how to drive and had planned to buy a car for her. She was gifted a car. He was happy but at the same time, he hoped they wouldn’t continue in this way. It was enough now. He wanted to prove himself to Nwanneka that he was a man and could cater to all her nee-ds; he didn’t nee-d external help.
While thanking Nwakaego and uncle Onyedika for their generous gifts, he asked them to please step back on their financial support and allow him to be a man and a husband. If he nee-ds help, he will be the one to come to them. Uncle Onyedika was shocked. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought he was ungrateful. But then he saw a young man who wanted to prove himself to the world. He patted Chike on the back and said, “I am proud of you son”
The newly married couple checked out of the hotel on Monday morning. They both had the time of their lives and then they settled down to reality. They discussed the house and the items that were given to them. Nwanneka asked Chike to send the current furniture and other household items in the house to Asaba for his parents while they used the new ones. She said they would nee-d to refurbish some of them before sending them so they would be like new. Chike wondered where this angel came from. His family especially his mother was envious of Nwanneka and the love and support she got from her family. He knew doing this will shut their mouths for a while.
“Okey will be living in Lagos from now onwards. I have gotten him an apprenticeship with one of my clients and I want him to live with him or close this place of business”
“Where is that?” Nwanneka asked.
“Agbara area”
“Why Agbara? He can get work in Apapa. I know someone who will employ him. If he is as sharp as you are, he will staff him quickly. He gets contract staff for shipping companies. If you are very good, the shipping company will staff you. Do you know what that means?”
“Nwanneka, I don’t want him staying with us. We just got married and I know Okey more than you. He is spoilt and has been indulged by my mother. Let him go to Agbara very far away from us”
“I don’t want to live with relatives as we agreed. Get him a house close to his place of work. He can only visit us”
“You are altering my plans. He can’t live with us. He can’t even sleepover. Do we agree?”
“I agree. I will ask Ik to help get the accommodation around Marine beach so he can be independent.”
“Get him one room, it is ok for him. It has to be something he can afford to continue paying for from the job”
“Why don’t we get him a mini-flat. We can keep supporting him until he is staffed. He will make money on the job too. A mini flat is fine”
“If you believe so”
When they went home, Chike transported his parents and siblings back to Asaba. He collected Okey’s CV and asked him to leave until he gets the job as promised by Nwanneka. Okey was happy to hear this. He had seen the things in the truck and couldn’t wait to live in luxury in their house.
The flat was completely redone. Her mother had ordered a new set of sitting room, dining and bedroom furniture. They had a new set of kitchen utensils and gadgets. Her mother bought her a four-burner gas and two-burner electric cooker, a de-ep freezer and a two-door refrigerator. She was even gifted grinding stone, mortar and pestle both big and small, local cooking pots, wooden spoons, and many more. The house had been repainted before the wedding. The new furniture nee-ded new curtains to go with them. There was a big box television her mother gifted them with a CD player. The boys in the house were very excited.
While Chike worked, Nwanneka organized the home to her taste. When he comes back home, he returns to a freshly made hot meal. He takes a shower and retires to bed with his wife in his arms. He showed her how much he loved her and he did it almost every night.
Nwanneka secured the job for Okey and also got accommodation which Chike inspected. He felt it was too much for Okey who he knew wasn’t a serious person but he didn’t want to exp-ose his family too much to Nwanneka. He sent for Okey to come.
Okey was happy to come back to Lagos. When he arrived that Friday, he met Nwanneka at home. She was cooking. She welcomed him and asked him to relax. She continued cooking and then came out. She saw he had removed his shoes and left them on the rug (shoes were not allowed on the rug). His feet were placed on the gl@$$ centre table. She didn’t say anything, instead, she offered him water to drink. She then told him he would have to wait for the food to be ready. He grumbled loudly. She wondered why. She wasn’t expecting him; he wasn’t expected until Sunday.
When Nwanneka came out with the tray of food for him to eat, she noticed he was not in the sitting room. She thought he was in the toilet so she set the food down on the dining table and went back into the kitchen. When she came out, he wasn’t still out and hadn’t eaten. She checked the toilet and then the rooms. He was in their bedroom. He had dropped his bag and laid on the bed. Nwanneka was surprised. She kept mute and just informed him the food was ready. He grumbled inaudibly. Nwanneka knew this guy was trouble brewing. He ate the food and went back into the room. He didn’t appreciate her for the food. She heard him leave their room and enter another room. She wasn’t comfortable with him entering their room.
Chike came back home. As he always did, he grabbed his wife and ki-ssed her p@$$ionately in a corner of the sitting room where the boys couldn’t see them. They stopped when someone cleared his throat. It was Okey.
“Good evening. Welcome back” he said to Chike.
“What are you doing here? You were not expected until Friday. How was your trip?”
“Fine. I decided to leave earlier”
‘Have you eaten?”
“I have. Your wife eventually gave me food”
“You are lucky she was at home. She will be resuming work and wouldn’t even have my time. Nneka, keep my food warm, I want to take Okey to his place”
“To my what?” Okey asked.
“Where you will be living”
“I won’t stay with you? Why now? Did she complain about me to you?”
“What kind of question is that? Did you do anything to her? Answer me”
“I didn’t do anything. Why can’t I stay with you? Is it because she doesn’t want me here?”
“Chike, go and ask your father that question. Long before I married her, I promised him I would get you an apprenticeship and accommodation and I am fulfilling my promise to father. Instead of apprenticeship in faraway Agbara, Nwanneka secured this job for you. If you are uncomfortable with the arrangement, I will advise you go back to Asaba. You can’t sleep here tonight. You will sleep there and then return to Asaba whenever you desi-re”
He went into the room to get his things. Chike was upset. “Why are your things inside the room? Who told you to go into the room?”
“I was tired and I went to rest”
“I hope so. Let’s go”
He took him to the flat. In as much as Okey could see the flat was very nice and the location was good, he was still upset he wouldn’t be staying with his brother in his house. He wanted to be taken care of like his brother. He enjoyed the meal Nwanneka cooked and wanted to stay there and enjoy his life. Even the work they were talking about didn’t excite him at all. He hated stress.
He laid on the bed in the room, there was a ceiling fan there. He went into the kitchen and met an electric tabletop cooker, a stove, pots and pans. They had equipped the house with the mere necessities. Why did they do this to him? They lived in luxury and kept him in penury? He was upset.
His mother had told him to always blame his brother’s negative actions on his wife. She @$$ured him he will always have his way. Well, it didn’t work out.
He remembered them ki-ssing in the sitting room. His brother’s wife had a beautiful body. No wonder his brother would come back and she will be his first focus. She had charmed him with her wealth and beauty. Now he was stuck with fending for himself. He had to look for ways to get back into Chike’s house.