CHAPTER 6 –
© OPEYEMI OJERINDE AKINTUNDE
“Dee, Mum is worried about your lack of spirituality” I
said hoping I could work this thing out. If Daniel
became spiritual, maybe mum could change her
mind…
“Ok” Daniel said
“Yeah”
“And what’s your take on that?” Daniel asked
“I think it’s high time you got serious with God and
started attending church” I Said
“Ok” Daniel replied
The answer was too sharp and not thought out…
“Dee, do you understand what this means?” I asked
“Yes” He answered sharply
“Ok” I replied
There was silence and I could tell Daniel was angry. “Dee, you are angry?”
“No, I get it… before your Mum can approve us for
marriage, I must become a church boy. I get it… I
know your mum is big on church and all, so I will
become a church boy. I will give the world for you
Nwala” “Thank you!” I replied releasing a breath of relief. Daniel knew and respected my needs. Mum wanted a
spiritual son in-law, well she was about to get one…
“I love you Nwala” Daniel said.
‘I love you Dee”
“Alright, good night” Daniel hung up first which happened only on rare
occasions. Hunger pangs still had me, so I stood up targeting the
kitchen…
As I walked down our gigantic stairs, I could hear
Mum’s voice from the living room. “Why is she still up at almost three in the morning?” I
asked myself
Was she observing a vigil? But it sounded like she was
having a conversation over the phone. Curiosity got
me, so I tiptoed closer. You wouldn’t believe my mum was still knitting.
Knitting was anger therapy for mum…
“Chika, let her taste the bad life, if 4 out of my five
children are living the good life, people will know I am
a good mother, four over five is a pass mark… I told
this girl that God told me Daniel is a broken man, but
Mba ( No!) , she wants to leave a whole man to marry
a broken man.” I heard her say to my eldest sister. Mum just gave me the answer to the problem. I was
going to make Daniel a whole man. I didn’t want her
knowing I had eavesdropped on her conversation, so I
returned to the room sleeping on an empty stomach. * By morning, just as I suspected, Daniel was the first
person I saw in my house. Amara had woken me up…
“Sleeping Beauty, your Daniel is downstairs
“Daniel?”
“Yeah, Daniel… I wonder what time he left the
mainland to get here by 6:45am, Nwala if you don’t
marry this boy, I hope he doesn’t run mad” Amara
jested
“It’s better he runs mad and later gains his sanity, than for her to marry him and regret all her life” My
Queen mother said from the doorway. “Nwala, as long as I am your mother and I am alive, you will not marry Daniel, I am not one of those
mothers that let their children have their way if it is a
wrong way. I thought I could do that to you as at last night, but on
waking up this morning, I reminded myself that God
put you under my care and I will give a report to Him
about you. So Nwala, go and tell Daniel I said you
both can not happen or I will tell him myself” My
mother walked away from my room. I jumped up from the bed following her at top speed…
“Mummy, please don’t say anything to him
“Then say it” She replied
“I will” My mother was fully dressed, so I knew she would
pass by Daniel on her way out. In other to avoid
problems, I rush down the stairs to meet Daniel. Daniel was seated lost in thought. I could see that his
soul had travelled miles. “Dee… Dee” I nudged him
“Hey! Babe” He became conscious of my presence. He
stood up and hugged me tightly like he was about to
lose me. “Dee, you shouldn’t have come so early, I can tell you
didn’t sleep after our conversation”
“Yes, I want you to give me the update on how to run
the spirituality thing”
“The Spirituality thing” I was taken aback slightly
Daniel wanted to act out the spirituality/Christianity
part for Mum…
“Yes” He replied innocently
“Dee, I think we need to talk, but now is not the time, I want you to leave. Mum is not in a good mood this
morning… You need to leave and don’t come visiting
me at home until I tell you everything is fixed” I said
in a hurry. Daniel looked dazed to say the least. He looked at me
like I just gave him a hot slap. I could understand him. Our house was a second
home for him, he was a son of the house. Whenever
my brothers were back from school, Daniel had the
excuse to sleep in our house for weeks, therefore
telling him, he was technically banned from the house
was not a statement he was expecting. “I should not come here again?” He asked in disbelief.
“Not permanently, till I sort things out with Mum”
“Nwala, what is happening?”
“Dee, trust me, the truth is something is happening, and I am working on it, but your being here right now
is not helping. Dee, Semester break will be over in two weeks, by that
time there won’t be any restrictions on seeing me. You
can see me in school everyday”
“I can’t see you for two weeks?” He asked
disbelievingly
“That’s not what I am saying… I can see you but not here… We can meet outside the house…”
I heard my mother’s footsteps on the stairs as it was
approaching us…
“Daniel, please go ………”
“No!”
“Daniel please…” I pleaded
“Let mummy say what she wants to say to my face. I
am familiar with Mum’s anger so why is this different?
or Nwala are you pregnant for another man?”
“What?” I didn’t see that coming. “Answer me, Nwala… It‘s better I hear it from you
than from your mother?”
“No Dee, my womb belongs to you, isn’t that what you
always say? Dee, I am still your woman, and I need
you to leave now if you want it to remain that way…” I
said strongly
Daniel took a long look at me, and just as my mother’s
footsteps got to the loudest, Daniel walked out of the
living room… They missed each other by a breath…
“Very wise of you” My mother said
I collapsed into the chair…
“I know you haven’t told him, but not letting me meet
him here was very wise, because Nwala, the day I see
Daniel in my house is the day I help you cut it off…” Mother Bear, Queen Mother, Lioness Nwakaego said. I honestly at that moment wished I was motherless!
To be continued…