TITLE: TOO PRECIOUS
WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI
CHAPTER 42
After their depa-rture, Simon had a heart to heart discussion with PB. He made her un-derstand she was right about them not having a say over what belonged to her but the house is regarded as a family house wherein lived memories of their father. The room she occu-pied with her lover was their father’s room. He added, “Allen is a nice guy but I have lost some respect for him for agreeing to live here with you. Why can’t he stay with you in his father’s house? That’s the respectable thing to do. In-laws don’t live in their wives’ family house; it is @$$umed to be an abomination.”
“Simon, I told you about my relationship with Allen. Does Allen appear to you as a man who doesn’t know his worth?”
“No, he doesn’t. I was surprised and disappointed when I discovered he now resided here.”
“There is a reason why he is staying here with me. I can’t live anywhere else and he chose to live with me. Does it make se-nse? He sacrificed his self-respect to be with me. I have been holding back from giving my all in the relationship because I want to be sure this is what Allen wants. I trust Allen but, I don’t know if he is doing this for love or companionship.”
“He won’t have any self-respect left by the time this is over and there won’t be one even when you get married. Allen should think about it. Get a place, even though you contribute to buy the place, nobo-dy nee-ds to know. You nee-d to speak to those grounded in tradition to advise you. This is for both your sakes.”
PB decided not to share the reason Allen was living with her. She was tired of people getting involved in her relationship and her circu-mstances. What did they know about her? Why did they make Allen sound desperate? He was doing this so he could be with her. They were defying people just to be together. She wondered if it was worth it. Was love supposed to feel like this?
Allen was also upset at PB’s siblings’ har@$$ment. He waited impatiently for her to return. It was getting embarr@$$ing but he was determined to do what it took to be with PB. He observed they didn’t have the whirlwind R0m-nce he had with other lovers but they knew and un-derstood each other. They interacted more like friends and siblings than like lovers. What they had was special and very comfortable; he wouldn’t trade it for anything else. He could trust PB with his and his children’s lives.
When PB came in, she told him how she handled the situation. She looked worried. She asked him, “Do you feel being with me here diminishes your self-respect?”
“Have I ever complained? I am fine staying here or anywhere with you. I want to be with you and if being here is being with you then I will remain here.”
“I ask this because I want you to know we might have a battle ahead. First, it was your father, now my siblings. Soon, more people will have an opinion of how this should be done. Tradition might come into pla-y too. I nee-d to speak with my grandmother to find out if I have done wrong. I am tired of too much meddling…..”
“If you are honestly tired, then let us make this legal. Once we get married, people won’t have a say.”
“That’s when they will say you are not supposed to live in your in-law’s house. Let me find out first before we make the next move.”
“If there is a tradition like that, why then did your grandfather insist on your pa-rtner living here with you? There is more to this. There must be a reason why he wanted you to remain here. My father wanted me to remain in his house with my daughter. He is not a good man and his reason was purely selfish. Since I left, he has been unhappy. Even if I have to leave here, I will get my own place.”
“I think we should leave here and stay on our own for some time. I want my siblings to realise we have options.”
“What are you trying to prove? Of course, they know you have options; they want this house. We will not leave without talking to grandmother first. She knows what your father’s intentions were. We have to follow them to the later.”
“You seem completely convinced not to leave; is there something you are not telling me?”
“There is nothing. Your father I knew, was a wise man. Let us speak with grandmother before taking any decisions. She should be back tomorrow.”
Enitan called PB later that night but PB refused to speak with her. She felt betrayed and ganged up against. She had fought to be accepted as a niece, fought to be accepted as a sister and now they came pla-ying this card. PB least expected Enitan involvement. She wasn’t ready to have the discussion.
When Titi returned, PB and Allen went to see her. Allen insisted he wanted to be prese-nt during the discussion. He allowed PB to tell Titi all that happened. He sat quietly and listened to them talk.
“Those children chose when I was not around to carry out their evil plot. What they didn’t realise is Precious is equal to the task. Don’t mind them; they are jealous you have this house and can do with it whatever you will.”
“But I was told it is against our tradition for a husband to live in the home of his in-laws.”
“Is this his in-laws’ house? It is wrong for a man to live with a woman he is not married to. Concerning this house, it belongs to you. You made it clear to them. You inherited this house. Transfer the title to your name immediately if you haven’t done that yet. It belongs to you; I am living here because you were gracious enough to allow me. One of your children, from both of you, will inherit this house. I love both of you but it is wrong to live together unwedded. You are setting a wrong example for your children. What can be holding you back?”
“Grandma, please ask Precious. I have asked her to marry me but she claims not to be in a hurry. Sometimes I feel she doesn’t genuinely love me, I am someone convenient for her. I have told her to obey her father’s wishes, I am in this house to support her but she has doubts. What else does she want me to do to make her happy? I have defied my parents and moved in with her. I want to be with her every waking day. What other proof does she want?”
“Precious, what is the problem?” Titi asked.
“I don’t know. Sometimes I am ready, sometimes I am not. My previous experience keeps me from committing. Allen had said he wasn’t ready for marriage, but suddenly he wants to get married. Getting married might just complicate things. Biodun showed me even more love than Allen is showing initially but he hurt me. Allen hasn’t done anything to make me not trust him; the problem is me. I nee-d more time to be sure.”
Allen couldn’t believe his ears. He was heartbroken listening to PB. She had never brou-ght this to his attention. He sat silently and wondered what he would do. “Did I make a mistake being with Precious?” he asked himself. He felt she nee-ded a break, some time to herself. She had internal battles to fight. He didn’t say anything but he was going to gradually pull away so she could decide. He knew he still loved her but he felt betrayed by what she said.
Titi advised them to discuss and agree on the way forward with timelines. They didn’t nee-d to have a loud wedding as it was their second marriage. She reaffirmed that the house was not a family house anymore since it was bequeathed to PB.
The following days saw some changes. Allen refused to have the conversation with PB. He felt they had talked enough. He told her to take her time. He was to travel to Abuja for a meeting. He told PB about it. It was a three days meeting but he told her it was for a week. He came back after three days and stayed with his mother.
Hope knew there was something wrong. She felt terrible seeing her son so downcast. She asked him, “Trouble in paradise?”
“Mum, she is scared I would treat her the way her first husband treated her. Did we rush into this? Her family members are against me living in her house. I want to give her some space, maybe she will realise her mistake and we can make headway.”
“You ran away to resolve issues? You can’t resolve issues by acting childish. I wasn’t comfortable with you moving in with her but knowing you; I felt you had thought about it and made the right decision. It broke your father’s heart; he believes Precious used something on you. What we will do is for both of you to stay apa-rt and see if you still desi-re to be together. Let her decide without you there to confuse her.”
“What of Amanda?”
“Leave her with her siblings and cousins. She loves it there and you can get to see all of them when you want without necessarily seeing Precious.”
“This is a difficult decision because I love her.”
“She also nee-ds to know she wants to be with you forever. Let her do that herself.”
Tbc