Just After I Said I Do – Episode 8

EPISODE 8

Hhhmm

I turned my left hand and I glanced through the face of my wrist watch …” Amaka, I have to go now, I need to get something ready for my husband before he comes back from work, and I am sure my mother inlaw will also have been wondering where I’ve been all day”… I stood up to adjust all that needs to be adjusted and I finally reached out for my handbag and I walked towards the entrance. …” I’ll see you before the week runs out”…. She nodded in satisfaction with a pretty smile

on her face even though it’s so clear that behind those smiles are invisible tears, and then she finally managed to mutter few words …”it’s OK darling, just make sure you’re fine and please be strong, don’t worry, you’re going to pull through all these very soon and your marriage will begin to experience the happiness and joy it has never experienced before”…

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I tried to hide my tears by bottling up my breath but at the sound of my “amen” to Amaka’s prayer, they found their way through my eyelids down to my cheeks and finally to the corners of my lips. I gently used my hands to clean away the tears at the corners of my lips and I kept on nodding my head from time to time as Amaka’s prayer rang in my head. By now, she couldn’t take it again, she stared at me in pity and her tears were also making ways on her cheek. We both stood there for minutes in silence and all we could do is just to stay calm and give way for our tears. Amaka finally broke the silence as she walked straight to where I was standing and all she could do was to open her arms wide and I couldn’t hold back myself, in no time I had found myself in her arms with tears, I gently placed my head on her curvy chest because she’s a bit taller than I am, and I just allowed my tears flow freely. She held on to me so tightly like a mother to daughter and she parted my back so gently. Her hands made it way into my neatly packed hair and then she began to assure me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt so loved again …”don’t worry darling, you’re a strong lady and you’re not going to break down in this. Your prayers of sincerity will work for you,… Fine, you’ve made the mistake already, but we’re going to correct it together in prayers, you failed to commit Raph’s heart into God’s hands while you were still single, now that you’re married, we’re not only going to commit his heart alone to God, we are going to commit his totality to him. Don’t worry, by the time we’re through, your mother inlaw will not see you as her daughter inlaw again, rather, she’ll begin to see you as her first and only daughter….

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I had set the table already, everything in its right position and all my hubby needs to do is to have his normal nice bath and resume to the dinning table. I quickly ran into the kitchen to clean up the whole place as I couldn’t do proper

cleaning while cooking because I just have to rush everything. Yes I was extremely happy today when Raph called from his office that I should make his dinner, I was surprised, and that’s because his mum has resumed cooking ever since she came around, and so when he called me out of the blues to make his meals, I was just short of words and all I could do is to storm the kitchen and make his favorite.

In no time I was done cleaning, I reached out for one of the kitchen napkins that was neatly arranged on the rack and I cleaned my wet hands. I quickly rushed into the dinning room to sit with my husband so I could at least watch him while he eats…

As I got to the door post leading to the dinning room from the kitchen, I froze, I couldn’t take a step further, my bones began to get weak and it was as if my body system is undergoing paralysis as I stared at the tray of food I had earlier arranged on the table has been neatly set aside at the other end of the table. I need not to be told that my mother inlaw is at work again, there she was, sitting on the next chair beside her son and watching him as he eats with all satisfaction.

I managed to gather all courage from within, but I couldn’t hold back my tears because it seems that’s the only thing I can’t control, I have always tried to prevent myself from tears, but it has never worked. I walked gently towards them with my arms crossed and I tried my best to be meek and gentle. My mother inlaw quickly adjusted herself and her look alone had told me all that I need to know, Raph on the other hand, continued with his food with all seriousness as though he was writing an external examination and he was acting like he’s not aware that the third party is present in the dinning room. I gently used my palm to clean the tears on my nose and lips and I never knew when I began to talk

…..”Raph! I am your wife for crying out loud! Your fully wedded wife! What

exactly have I done wrong to deserve all these mean treatments from you? Raphael why are you treating me like this! Why?…….

At this time, it was as if my tears were cooking up so fast at high temperature, they were gushing out and I Could feel their warmth on my cheeks. I lost my meekness and endurance and in no time my voice began to increase at its peak, my anger has totally taken over and I just want to pour out all that I have within,

my boldness appeared from nowhere and I looked directly into his eyes because by now he has actually stopped eating.

……”Raph, enough is enough, I think I just have to remind you about who I am and

my position in this house! I am your wife, and right from the first day I said I do to you on the altar, I have automatically became your mother, sister, friend and daughter! And so nobody, I repeat, nobody whatsoever has the right to make your meals or see to your welfare in this house without my permission!….

And at this time, Raph was in another dimension, mama could no longer take it again, it was as if my words were hitting the most delicate part of her heart and all she kept on saying is “Hey, ema gbami oooo, where exactly is all this confidence coming from”……

I deliberately ignored all her words as I tried to calm myself down because I know I am still coming back to her but I need to finish with my husband first. My courage began to rise again and I soon find myself talking without fear again

….” you stopped me from working, you punish me emotionally, you deny me my

full right as a wife, you made me feel less to nothing in my own house just because I loved you!!!… Raph, for good two years I have endured and loved you in your weakness, meanness and even infertility! And I kept on taking all the blames as if I am the bad one here. Raphael why???….. I was just repeating the word

“why” over and over again and each time I repeat each word, my courage began to disappear gradually and the tempo of the word “why” began to reduce little by little and all of a sudden, my tears began to make way again. At the sight of my tears, my mother in-laws courage brightened up again and before I knew it, she was up in her words again.

….” hey hey, Egbami ooo, edakun erami kale, you this good for nothing girl, after

wasting your God given youth, you still have the right to accuse my own able bodied son of infertility”…..

My tears seized at the sound of her voice and my courage appeared from nowhere again, I tried my best to put my fear behind and for the first time in my life, I looked at my mother inlaw directly.

….” Now listen to me mama, enough is enough. You have overstayed your

welcome here, this is my husband’s house and it is automatically my territory and

so I will not allow anyone lord over me in my God given territory. I and my

husband has been joined together and nobody has the right to put asunder!!!….

My heart beat began to race at it peak as I couldn’t believe I was the one who just finished talking. My mother inlaw was short of words and all she could do was to stare at me with her mouth wide open for some minutes. And finally when she gathered her courage to talk she came in with a full force in a full dimension and before I knew it we began to exchange words…

…”omolola, I have overstayed my welcome in my own son’s house… Egbami

ooo”…..

Now my confidence is disappearing little by little….. ” yes mama, he is your own

son, but don’t forget that he’s my own husband too”….

She quickly faced Rapheal and I know she just wished he could say something and stop looking at us like a deaf and dumb and she called out his Yoruba name.

…..” oluwadamilare!, I carried you in my womb for nine months, I backed you for

good three years and your wife said your house is not my territory!!!……

I quickly turned towards Raph too without even minding his facial expression.

…..”Raph, I also carry you on my chest and you ride me every blessed night

too”…..

All of a sudden, my mother in-laws hands were already on her head and she shouted with all seriousness

……”Rapheal!!!! Your wife has the gut to talk back at me after breastfeeding you

for good two years!!!….

And now, I turned away from Raph, facing my mother inlaw squarely.

…..”oh! Mama, you breast feed him for good two years abi? …..then I should be

praising myself oooo, cos I breastfeed him almost every night, even against my wish, especially when his hormones are high!!!….

JUST AFTER I SAID I DO