MY MOTHER-IN-LAW

A SHORT STORY

BY AYODELE ADEOYE

I got married to Felix on the 12th of October last year with high expectations, having dated him for six years. Most of my friends were jealous of us because our love for each other was one without doubt. My mother-in-law was all over me before I got married to Felix. She treated me like a princess and I have no fear marrying Felix.

After our marriage I couldn't conceive due to STD I contacted from my husband. We treated the disease for almost four months. During this period my mother-in-law kept her eyes on my stomach anytime she sees me. Don't engage in any hard labour or stress yourself, I will be available to help you do anything you want me to do for you, my mother-in-law chorused in my ears severally. She must have thought I was pregnant. After six months she noticed I was not pregnant the day we passed the night in the family house. My period started the night we moved into the family house.

Romo, you mean you're not pregnant? My mother-in-law asked with an offensive voice. What have you been doing all this while? Eating my son's food and spending his money on latest fashion? We married you to give us grandchildren and not to come here and become a parasite. Look at how fat you have become in six months and my son is getting lean by the day.

This was the beginning of my troubles in my husband's house. My mother-in-law became unfriendly and hostile to me. She instigated my husband against me. My loving husband suddenly became a nag and unloving. In no time, he reduced my monthly allowance by 50%. When I asked him why he reduced my monthly allowance, he said mama said I was eating too much and that's why I cannot conceive. My heart was broken as it was obvious I was loosing the love of my husband. At this time, I became desperate to conceive to win back the heart of my husband.

Felix began to spend most of his time outside. His mother became his close companion. My mother-in-law gave me an ultimatum of 3 months to be pregnant or move out of her son's house. Even though I was a Christian I began to contemplate on alternative means of getting pregnant. Temi, my childhood friend, on hearing about my predicament took me to baba Ajele, a herbalist in Ogbomosho. Baba Ajele is a spiritual specialist in childbearing matters. His conditions seems difficult to achieve so I abandoned him.

I went to see prophet David Ayuba, a popular pastor in Ibadan. He is a prophet and also a herbalist. He could switch to anything you prefer. He knows the Bible so well and he is also vast in the Qur'an. He also knows herbalism and can go fetish depending on your choice. Since I am a Christian I asked him to use the Bible for me. On hearing that, he quoted Isaiah 6:1. Immediately I picked my phone and opened my mobile Bible to check what it says.

"In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple"

Your mother-in-law is the Uzziah of your life, she must die or else you won't have a child on earth. This and many other things were what prophet David told me. My hatred for my mother-in-law was activated on hearing this. How can my mother-in-law give me ultimatum when she's behind my predicament? Uzziah must die, I told myself. Of course I know too well that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God in pulling down of strongholds. My prayer points and prayer pattern changed.

I started avoiding my mother-in-law by the recommendation of prophet David. But my three months ultimatum will elapse in two weeks. My mother-in-law must die before two weeks or I get pregnant. I intensified my prayer but nothing seem to be happening to my mother-in-law rather she was getting stronger by the day. A week later, I consulted prophet David again to intimate him on the development. We have to invite Sango this time, his sword kills faster. So, he took me to a small shrine in his backyard to conjure with the gods of Sango. Thereafter he brought out a calabash filled with clean water and asked me to call the full name of my mother-in-law three times. By the time I called her name for the third time her face appeared inside the water right inside the calabash. I have watched this severally in Nigerian movies but this time it was live with me. I became afraid and wished to back out but it was too late. He gave me some concoctions and asked me to pour on her face. As soon as I did I felt something like a drop of sand in my two eyes like that feeling which one experience when one is having Apollo on the eyes.

That was the first stage of work according to prophet David. He gave me some white powder to pour around her mouth, I did and he ordered me to cover the calabash with a piece of red cloth. Go home and bring me news tomorrow he said boldly.

I left and was expecting something bad to happen to my mother-in-law but nothing happened until the fourth day. As I was trying to read a tiny write up on the screen of the TV, I felt a sensation on my left eye, something similar to what I felt at the shrine. I tried to scream for help but my mouth got twisted in a jiffy. I couldn't call for help as the pain in the eye persisted and eventually jumped into the second eye. I rushed to the bathroom to wash my face and it was like fire added to the pain. By the time I got out of the bathroom, both of my eyes could no longer see.

I wanted to call my husband but I couldn't see anything. I lost my voice while I was trying to shout. I began to use everything I could lay my hand on to make sounds that could attract attention. After 30 minutes of pain the security guard, Taju came in. Madam what happened? He asked but I couldn't answer him because my mouth was already twisted. He called my husband and I was rushed to the hospital immediately.

My husband had spent so much on me while in the hospital. The nurse who is helping me to write this story has been pleading with me to confess to my husband what I did but I can't as I can't bear the shame and what will happen next. Please pray along with me for God's healing. My mother-in-law had forgotten the ultimatum she gave me due to my illness. I don't want to loose my marriage.

What advice do have for Mrs Romo?

Give a word of advice to mother-in-laws outside there.

Do you think Felix did anything wrong?

since the heading started with short story, i will take it as its called FICTION.