₦airaland Forum

hormobolanle:
Wow stories like this one do burst my bubble, Issokay........ Biko wait o pregnant Kimberlywest u Neva still born ni
degelinglacis Kare I dy ur back like school bag

Oyindawealth:
Degelinglasis... Weldone!! As for Bisi I really pity her,..and I support her decisions.....

Hmm...

yewande1234:
Tnx 4 d update ma'am

Uwc

123456dr:
Go girl.

Thanks ma'am

Maryclaire1:
Thanks for the lengthy update I hope u update again like this soonest happy new month

Happy new month to you too

TessaJ:
Kudos to d writer...pls update ooooo

Thanks ma'am

Chapter Two

This was the last thing she did thought she would spend her weekend on. Especially when it was only fifteen hours to Monday. How could she? Amenze groaned inwardly, punching the keyboards in impotent anger.
"Lord please, throw her into the hottest part of hell" she prayed. Her eyes were tired from the brightness of the screen, she had to dim it. She was catching up on her needed sleep after spending the previous nights in apprehension, tossing and turning and yet her brain couldn't think of a solution to her present predicament. She was counting on Shikemi to be done with her brainstorming and provide the solution she needed.

She was certain she had slept until her phone rang bringing her back to the room her friend placed her. It was Stella. She called to inquire if she saw the email she sent. She had replied with a "no" and Stella went ahead in her annoying tiny voice to advise her to check her email on time so she could complete the projects against Monday. And she ended the call before Amenze could drag herself from the mild trance that enveloped her. Amenze decided at first she wouldn't do any work especially when it was not part of her job descriptions to work on a weekend. But, she wasn't sure how the C.E.O would handle it. He had never been friendly to her or even looked at her twice even when he acknowledged her greetings. His leering eyes and charming smile were wholely reserved for Stella. He obviously doesn't care about her laziness and she was sure he would heap the blame on her, if they did not deliver the project tomorrow.

Amenze opened her email and was livid after viewing the huge projects she had to work on. If only she could get the job she had set her heart on initially. Amenze after graduation had been lucky to work with the bank for three years before she was laid off with hundreds of staffs without any cogent reason. It hadn't been much of a sad incident for her as she had planned to resign the following year.

She had saved enough money and was not in debt unlike her other colleagues who allowed themselves to be bullied into buying designer clothes and shoes. She was once reported to one of her immediate boss who had a cousin that sells to the bank for never patronizing her. The woman had taken it out on her complaining about her work and even given her a query. She was almost out of job that month until she went to the woman's church and pleaded with her. It was there she opened up on her bittered emotions.
"We have to help ourselves. Every time you ignore the young girl whenever she approached you with her goods" she said.

There and then she spun a tale about her four siblings that relied on her solely for their survival. The women fell for it and backed off her case. But there were some of her female colleagues that sniggered whenever they thought she wasn't looking. They gossipped about her cheap bags and shoes. But it never bothered her, her goals were very different from theirs.

After she lost her bank job, she got another less appealing one as a part-time teacher which she was doing before Shikemi informed her about two openings at Ogun state. One was the assistant manager of a newly built hotel and the other was her present job. She had been very disappointed when she was denied the hotel job because of a reason she had no idea of.

As her fingers and neck ached from the long hours she spent on the laptop, gave her a solid reason to despise her job. Now, her head was empty she had no idea on how to continue with the project. After chewing her bottom lip and glaring at the screen with squinted eyes, she saved it and shut the system off. She felt more frustrated than a writer going through a writer's block.
Come Monday, I will slug it out with her. She promised silently. A soft knock sounded on the door. Amenze looked up to see her friend carrying a tray. Shikemi's eyes moved around the room taking in every minute details. The bed was ruffled from her restless sleep and her unpacked weekend box.
"You've been in this room since twelve" Shikemi chided
That long? She hadn't realized it been such a long hour working alone in the guest room but when she moved, her aching shoulders and neck told their own story.
"I was not aware" she winced with pain
"Are you still worried?" Shikemi asked and added at her friend's raised eyebrows that silently ask in return "Shouldn't I be?"
"I told you I would think of a suitable solution. I brought you food. Eat" she said this while opening the tray. It was white rice and vegetable. She grabbed the plate and started eating hungrily, her stomach in response tightened in pain while she clutched at it, groaning.
"Take this" Shikemi gave her the fruit juice which she drank slowly.
"Thank you. What have you been up to?" She asked
"I slept. Then I went out to pick my cousin, you remember her?" Shikemi asked while Amenze nodded in affirmative. They had been one of the bridesmaids three years ago.
"She's here and she hasn't explained a thing to me about her bruises" Shikemi frowned. She was obviously worried.
"I received a call from Stella, she emailed me some projects I had to work on" Amenze informed.
"When will you confront that Stella? You've to speak up so she won't take you for a ride" Shikemi was annoyed. She had seen the lady at the restaurant and she appeared to be rude.
"I definitely will. Tomorrow" Amenze replied rounding up her meal. She carried the tray and extended a hand to her pregnant friend who gladly accepted the little help.

Together they headed to the spacious kitchen.
Amenze washed the dishes while Shikemi sat her heavy body on the kitchen counter talking to her husband on the phone. Amenze never cared for what lovers had to say to themselves. To her, it was all acting or reading a Harlequin romance series that only exist in fantasy or cinema screen and not the real world. Presently, she allowed her curiouity to pushed her into listening on her friend's conversation. Shikemi was feeding him with every details of her day. And this was love? Amenze wondered. She was still musing when Shikemi handed her the phone. It was the first time she was talking to Deji since her friend got married to him nearly a year ago. After exchanging pleasantries and there wasnt much to say, she returned the phone back to her friend who beamed on hearing her husband's voice again. Afterwards, she clutched the phone to her chest sadly. The call had ended and she was already missing him.
"Oh please, the honeymoon is over" Amenze said
"It only just started incase you haven't notice" Shikemi retorted and added "whait till you catch that bug"
"Never" Amenze said trailing behind her friend as they left the kitchen, now moving in the narrow passageway. The house was a small four bedroom flat built buy a stingy landlord that had bigger dream than his one plot.

They entered into a modest, neat beautiful room that was a replica of where Amenze was staying. It was painted in spider blue and a lone figure stood at the window. That was all Amenze could see. The room was dark. Very dark. Shikemi switched on several lights, illuminating the room. It brought other features alive. Amenze could see the thick mattress that was draped with a red duvet and plush red rug beneath her legs. The blue leather settee looked inviting and she dragged her tired self into it. Allowing it softness to enveloped her. She sighed in pure content, her eyes shutting themselves to catch the sleep she denied them hours ago. She would have slept but her friend's shriek pried her eyes opened.
"What is this?"

Amenze followed her line of vision and gasped at the large bruise staring at her. The lady had her naked back turned to them. She was only clad in her knickers. A large, fury red bruise stamped itself on her back. She has a lean frame and a chocolate skin. Amenze could still remember her pretty face, and dimpled cheek. Bisi turned around to face her cousin who look shocked. How long she had been in the room, she couldn't tell. Since she arrived in the afternoon, she had stood at the window watching as the afternoon slowly melted into orange and became dark.

"What happened to you?" Shikemi asked again
She watched her cousin's friend whom she had forgotten her name but could still remember her as one of her bridesmaids. Amenze moved closer to her touching another fading bruise on her eye.
"Who did this to you?" Amenze asked
"My husband" she replied with a dry smile.
At this, Amenze threw her hands up in the air. Another horror called marriage.
"Why?"

Bisi paced around the room, her hands supporting her heavy breasts. She moved from one length of the room to another, her breath heaving from the short exercise. She stared at the two rings on her finger. One was her engagement ring and the second gold ring was given to her on her wedding day.
"Was there no sign he was an abuser?" Shikemi asked
"None" Bisi replied thinking on the two years she dated him.
**********
Five years prior,
Bisi was twenty three with no serious relationship but a string of exes she left behind her. She had graduated very early from the university and there was nothing else for her to achieve. She was done with her Masters and decided to chill and focused more on a future that was more important. Most of her friends and acquaintances who were in their twenties were married or engaged. She felt suddenly too old, especially when they call to hear about her relationship; when she would be getting married. She mostly told them lies about some mystery man she was in love with. And then days rolled into months, the year was almost ending and there was no one serious in her life. She panicked and began to do things she never imagined herself doing. She attended more parties and even agreed to be bridesmaid on some random friends wedding. Her free time were spent on social medias digging up her archives in search of old messages she never replied to. Some of the messages were two year old, but then she had to try as stories of couples on social medias were common. It had been a most frustrated months for her until she met him. Bisi met her husband at a party. She had just had a promise of promotion at the museum she worked in. It had been the only highlight in her life. She studied history of arts at the university and had secured her first job as an art teacher before she became a secretary at the museum. Her jobs had evolved during the period she met popular actors. She edit and read scripts for them. Sometimes if she was less busy at the museum, she joined them at their movies location watching them act their movies. A few times she was lured to act a role usually to replace missing actress. It was at the movie award night she met him. One of the upcoming actresses pounced on her the minute the party was over.

"Bisi, have been looking for you" she beamed dragging a tall handsome guy with her.
"May I introduce Timi David to you"
Bisi almost rolled her eyes when the actress groaned at the lack of recognition in her eyes.
"He's an actor. A popular one. Didn't you watch " Krentz" that popular soap opera?" she rushed to explain.

Bisi had to feign recognition. She eyed the slim handsome actor clad in a grey suit. She never considered actors as suitable candidate for a lifetime marriage. To her; they were bunch of jobless human who rode on fame while wasting their youthful age. She was about to turn around and ignore him when he extend a handshake saying "Let me introduce myself properly, I am Timi David a lecturer at the state polytechnic and actor during my spare time"
Now you are talking. Bisi thought to herself.

They kept the conversation light, sharing minute details like state of origin. He was from Ondo state while she was from a small town in Oyo state. Although she grew up in Lagos. They exchanged contacts and he was about to offer her a ride when someone slapped him on the back "Timi David, here you are. Congratulations, I just saw your......." And he was gone without saying a proper goodbye to her.

To her intense horror, Bisi found herself thinking about him over the holidays at Ologuneru with her parents. After the award night on the 18th, he hasn't called her phone or even text her on WhatsApp. And it was almost new year. She panicked wondering if she should call him first. She resolved that she shouldn't take him seriously. He was an actor, and they were mostly unserious. Although she hadn't read anything negative about him on social medias. It seemed everyone loved him.
On her return to Lagos after the New year, she had completely pushed him out of her mind until he visited the museum specifically to seek her out.

"My phone was stolen that night and I couldn't recall your last name, I would have searched for you on Facebook and drop a message" he said as a way of apologizing.
He took her to a glamorous restaurant where she had pizza while he ate ofada rice without saying a word to her till their lunch was over. Bisi had wondered if she had done something wrong and if she would ever get to see him again since she hadn't impressed him. Suddenly he said; why didn't you call me? You had my number. I was worried, I thought I would not be seeing you again. You should have called " he said and she apologized.
He drove her back to the museum and stopped her from leaving.

"Bisi, I know its too soon to start proclaiming that I love you. I wouldn't believe you if you say that to me. But to be honest, I would love to get married to you" at the look of feigned horror on her face, he had said" calm down, am not saying like right now. But please create time for me to let this thing between us develop. I'm sure it would lead us to the altar"
Indeed, it did led them to the altar, the "thing" between them bloomed into a beautiful love story.
********"
The present,

"During our courtship, he has never raised his voice at me. He never did" Bisi sobbed
She was now sitting in between her pregnant cousin and Amenze
"What happened?" Shikemi asked
"He quit his job to focus more on his acting. I got a promotion and was too busy to go to locations. Sometimes, he was gone for months. I never suspected him. He never gave me a reason to do that" she paused cleaning her stained face with her hand
"Whenever I am less busy, he support the idea of me traveling. I visit my uncle in Badagry, unknown to me he spent that period bringing in girls to our matrimonial home"
Shikemi was rocking her, saying sweet words to stop her endless tears.
"My mum called me to a family meeting, I was admonished for abandoning my home for weeks. I explained to them, that my husband hardly complain about it. They forbade me from ever leaving my husband's house at least until I have children"
Bisi had been married for three years without a child.

"I was in the middle of another holiday when we had the meeting. I was very annoyed and I decided to leave for my home that day. I didn't call Timi, I got home and met some strange female shoes and clothing at the sitting room. I couldn't believe it when I got to our bedroom and caught him with a woman twice his age. I was livid"

She smiled bitterly at the memory. The woman had been his long time sugar mummy and she had no idea. She could remember many nights Timi comes home with expensive clothing and shoes for her. He always claimed Mama T bought it for her. He would even insist she called her and thanked her. Bisi had no idea she was being paid for her husband job.
"She look horrible, I still can't believe that Timi with all his education and good looks could sleep with that old hag. She was saggy all over. I attacked him. Hitting him hard with my handbag. The woman tried to stop me but I slapped her. She passed out. Timi was mad at me, and we fought. I didn't care he was a man. I didn't care that he was stronger than me. I hit him as much as he hit me. When he punched me in the eye, I had to stop. He took his sugar mummy to the hospital and i left his house. I was at the hotel for days. I couldn't go to my parents like this. That was why I called you"

The room thickened with silence. Everyone of them lost in their own thought. Bisi never thought she could raised her hands on anyone least a man. When she was still at school teaching, she had never punished her students by beating them. But Timi brought out the criminal side of her. She could remembered his bloodied face she achieved with her nails and the several places she bit him. She had sunk her teeth into his ear with the intention of cutting it off. Now she knew how the women who stabbed their husbands to death felt. She had never imagined Timi could cheat on her with anyone not to talk of an aged woman, in their matrimonial home she was supporting the bill.

Why are men like this? Why do men think they are mini gods when they are nothing but just a creature with a red blood flowing in their vein? Why do men think its their world and they could misbehave? Bisi thought to herself. She had realized over the next few days that was not the first time he was bringing in women into their home. When she confronted him after he came back from the hospital. He had told her in clear terms that the women had things she couldn't afford for him.
"I have a huge name, how do you expect me to maintain it if not for the help of this women that buy me cars and designer clothes? It's showbiz and if you are wise, you would sit down and share the wealth with me not act like some screwed nut" he hissed angrily climbing the stairs.

She thought maybe he was angry and waited till it was late at night to talk to him again.
"Timi, you owe me your faithfulness. You vowed to love only me. If I had done anything wrong, let's sort it out amicably"
But he had stared at her like she was crazy and he even told her he owe her nothing. She visited her mother in law hoping the woman could talk some sense into her son but she nastily told her "my son was not circumcised just for you"

She had never wrong Timi. To her, they were in love and they had a peaceful marriage and the sex was great. He was the one encouraging her to travel, claiming he doesn't want her to be lonely while he was away at locations. She had believed him and never suspected his motive.

"What will you do now?" Amenze asked bringing her back to the present.
"What else but divorce that cheat. You should even expose him and his sugar mummy to the media" Shikemi said
"And when I divorce him, what difference would it make? All men have their vices; if he's not a drunk, he will be a wife beater or an adulterer or fetish or lazy or something more horrible" Bisi said, Amenze nodded in affirmative while Shikemi shook her head.

"There are many good men out there. My husband is an example. Divorce Timi, you will meet better men"

"And if I don't, will you share your husband with me?" Bisi said with a harsh laugh

"Never" Shikemi said

"It's easy to tell a woman to divorce her husband forgetting about the society that would eat her raw once she's out of the marriage institution. No matter what a woman is going through, they expect her to stay married and use make up to hide her bruises" she paused for breath, before crossing her fingers, a harsh smile on her face. Timi, used and lied to her.

"No, I won't divorce Timi David but I will stay and ruin his life"

tijehi:
She's dating Dayo, and Tunga will not find it funny.

Nice story Dee. Thank you.

Is she?
Adetomilola only knows how to pick the wrong ones

hammedroyabat:
am here

Welcome

mamakendra:
Thanks for the update.
Pls keep it coming.
More ink to your pen

Thanks

Eyinimofeoluwa:
Degelinglacis nice write up queenitee thanks for d invite sis

Thanks ma'am

Doctor Adetayo stared narrowly into the distance as if he could conjured up their subject of discussion. He imagined Stella in her tight short skirt, enlarging her already wide hips with sheer blouse that did nothing to hid her voluptuous breasts and succulent shiny painted red lips that easily curved into a rude smile whenever any of the other men stared at her. And they do stare, especially when she crossed her legs exposing her yellow thighs in the process and popping two buttons open whenever his brother (Adetunga) appeared on the screen for their daily board meetings. Still, his brother never spared her a glance even when she spoke up in her seductive voice; she could have been naked and he wouldn't have batted an eyelash. He wished she would shower him with her undivided attention but she was fixated on his elder brother and even planning to marry him according to the Evil grim magazine he read.
"What will you do now?" Doctor Adetayo asked after throwing the offending magazine on the table.
Stella was a fool. How could she ignore an eligible bachelor like himself, while chasing a man who cared nothing for her. He was a better catch: after all the ladies attested to it, that he was much more handsome than his brother. At nearly six feet tall, with a wide shoulder that tapered to a slim waist, a handsome face, white teeth that appeared contrast to his dark skin and a full pink lips that easily smiled.

And he was rich too; courtesy of his elder brother of course, who single handedly sponsored his education to become a veterinary doctor. He owned his own animal clinic that was well equipped with the latest machineries; even other clinics could not compare with it. Just last year, his brother partnered with him to established a world class zoo, and he was sure in a matter of years, they would be accumulating more wealth. But all these attributes did not attract Stella to him, she practically ignored him despite everything he did for her. He was the one who instructed the HR to hire an assistant secretary for her; just to ease the workload.

To be honest, he did that to prolonged her stay, his brother was threatening to sack her before he left the country. Stella, was a young girl of twenty two who only cared about her look. Her time were mostly spent in the ladies doing a thing or two on her immaculate appearance. From the top of her expensive weavon down to the tip of her shoes, a single strand never went out of place. She was fond of wearing transparent white shirts that never had a streak of dirt no matter how many hours she had it on her body. He could swore, she never sweats. Her armpit was always dry, even during rigorous duties like, when they had to trekked to far departments. She was nothing short of amazing and his insides tightened just thinking of her.

Adetunga sprawled on his four poster bed watching his younger brother's expression. The boy looked hurt and restless as if the three seaters was not comfortable for him. He seemed disturbed by something he couldn't guess. It was Sunday, Adetayo came over with his twin sister to say hello to him. He was to resume in his office tomorrow, Adetayo had been the one handling the business aspect for the past few months he was not in the country. And now their discussion had centred on Stella. His mouth tightened as he remembered the girl. He would do nothing; when she was over her childish infatuation, she would call her father to help search for another victim.
"I will do nothing" Adetunga answered his brother's question.

His heart jolted with sadness when Adetayo turned to him, he looked exactly like their late mother although in a masculine way. Even Adetomi, who was his twin (Adetayo) looked nothing like their late mother. She only inherited her height; which was exactly five feet and her petite stature with black long hair. Their parents died in a car accident when Adetunga was sixteen year old while his siblings were only eight. His parents had a beautiful love story. His mother was two years older than his father; even though they were classmates in secondary school. The two had fallen in love and he impregnated her in their last year secondary school. The usual happened. Her parents threw her out and she moved in with her other relatives. That had zero impact on their relationship; they continued seeing each other while furthering their education. His mother went to a college of education while his father became an accountant. Eight years after Adetunga was born, his parents got married.

"Will you now marry her?" Adetayo asked him
"Hell no, I will ignore her. Besides that, you should continue using my office. I'm moving to the new building" he informed him

Adetayo processed the information for a while. He missed the clinic, he missed the animals. He knew they were in capable hands but he was used to sitting at his table, studying xrays, interpreting blood test and treating sick animals. The only good thing in staying back in his brother's office was seeing Stella everyday. He decided he would stay for a few weeks just to win her affection. He should investigate on why his brother does not want her. He thought.
"I am only a doctor, I will love to be back in the clinic......" he didn't get to finish his sentence when his brother gave him a warning look. Adetunga was their little daddy, he had been responsible for them even when their parents were still living. Although he was not so overbearing but he could be a hard nut to crack especially if he wanted something done.

"It will only be for a few weeks, after I sack Stella, I will move back to my office. I don't want her near me using me to practice her weak feminine wiles" he almost cringed, remembering how the silly girl was caressing his face.
Adetayo looked displeased. He didn't want Stella out of their farm nor does he want her to keep chasing his brother.
"Why don't you want her? You know you have to marry someday" Adetayo said.

Adetunga sighed, marriage talks between his siblings had started few years ago. Sometimes, he felt guilty wondering if he was not the one delaying their decision to marry. They are twenty seven year old already. Adetomi was overripe for marriage; being a female.
"Everything about her reminds me of Funke. She's lazy, fashionable and shamelessly chase me about" he answered

"That's not true" Adetayo jumped to her defense
Adetunga shook his head. Now his brother was defending her. Only God knows what she had been up to the moment he left the country. Who knew maybe she had enlisted the help of Adetayo to get him to the altar. That was never going to happen. He planned to get married, in fact he was more determined than before. Once the suitable future Mrs Ademoroti presented herself, he would wed her in a second. He needed a woman who would not stir lust in him, a lady who would performed the duties women were designated for; bear his children, cook his meals and at night be ready for her duties. And she should have her income; no matter how little. That's a wife.

His thoughts was disrupted with the presence of his younger sister carrying a tray containing food. They were going to dine in his room. It was big enough and screamed luxury. The four poster bed was not the only one dominating the room, the three red sofa with a glass table at the centre adorned the room. The room was painted in chalk white with the curtains and other equipments sharing the red color with the sofa. The far end of the room was mini library. Adetunga love reading especially at night before he dozed off.

With the help of her sibling who was older than her by fifteen minutes, they set the table. She had made friedrice and chicken with salad and fried plantain just the way her two brothers loved it. He watched his older brother removed himself for the bed he was lounging with a wide grin as he sat beside her. He planted a quick kiss on her forehead before they started eating. They were siblings who lacked physical resemblance; while Adetunga looked exactly like their late father, Adetayo was a replica of their mother and Adetomi a mixed of her late parents. She was still a stunning sight except her lack of height. She had studied Nursing science at her brother insistence and now she was working with the federal government.

"This is delicious" Adetayo praised, dispatching his mouthful. Adetunga nodded positively before adding"your husband will be happy"
He knew Adetomi was in a relationship, but he had no idea why she was been secretive about the man. He knew all her exes and failed relationships. Failed relationships she could have avoided if only she listened to his advice. She had a way of drawing losers to herself. Her first boyfriend was one flashy guy, who had no job but kept living on her finance. He had to seize the car he bought for her; which latter turned out to be a good thing because he sold all her belongings (clothes, jewelries) after she had doled out cash after cash for him all in the name of love and he flew out of the country. Adetunga had thought she would have been wiser only for her to start dating an old man who lied to her that he was a divorcée. It had annoyed him seeing his twenty four old year sister with a man in his late forties. It turned out the man had a wife, he was still living with. Now, he had no idea who she was dating.

"Who is he?" Adetayo voiced out the question in his brother's head.
There was a dead silent. Only the knives and forks were doing the talking. Even though Adetayo was her twin, she had little love for him. He was always in her business criticising her as if he was the wise one.

Especially when she started dating, it had strained their relationship. Adetayo had slapped her first boyfriend when he came by to her house and met him there. It had ensued into a bloody fight. She could still remember the bloody jaw of her ex. Since then, Henry(her first love) had been scared to commit himself to her because her family were against him. Adetayo had ruined her first relationship. And when Mr Akinlade came around, looking forlorn because he had no wife she had felt pity for him and accepted his proposal. It was the most beautiful relationship she ever had; well except this new one. They did things amusing to him. He was like a new territory; a new experience to her and all what she did was to spoil him with love. She took him the club, taught him how to dance and drank alcohol. Together, they had traveled the world ; visiting different countries until his oldest daughter came to visit her and warned her to leave her father alone. Adetomi stared at the young lady who was almost her age explained how her mother had become hypertensive and how their father had neglected his duties towards his children because of her. It was that moment she swore off men. Not exactly that moment; two days after Mr Akinlade visited her, luckily her twin was around(it was that day she appreciated his presence in her home). He helped to knocked several senses into the numb skull. She usually laughed when she remembered how Adetayo dragged him out with his agbada. That night she had sobbed drily. Men only sought her out to use her.

It was during her twenty seventh birthday that March, she met him. Feeling so low with the events in her life, her colleagues had suggested they should celebrate her birthday at the club. She had welcomed the idea, since they only got to live once. Besides, she hadn't been to a club after her failed relationship with Mr Akinlade. Everything had started on a beautiful bloom especially when she spotted a familiar face in the club. Her fellow nurses were overexcited when he agreed to join their celebration. With him, being the popular schoolgirls' dream----tall, dark and handsome, they were all outdoing themselves just to attract him. Adetomi was amused and until that night she never saw him for what he really was. He was every woman's dream; successful, charming when he talked and handsome too. She couldn't blame her friends for losing their heads over him. But then, she hadn't imagined she would end up in bed with him. The one thing he stirred in her was respect and admiration. The night drawn on, with alcohol loosing her inhibition. She had been the one to initiate their kiss and slowly, things progressed from there. From abandoning her drunk friends in his car while his driver took them to a hotel and slipping to his guest house. That night had been a memorable one; one she relishes every now and then.

She couldn't tell them about her relationship with him. Adetunga would never approve. It was a forbidden love affair.
"Who knows maybe its another fifty seven year old man. I don't know how she picked them. First it was that her yahoo boyfriend, the second was a man closer to his grave and the third is who? Tell us Adetomi" Adetayo sneered
She slowly stood up fighting the tears that were threatening to spill. She left the room and went in search of her personal effects. She could hear her older brother scolding him.
"You just killed my appetite. How could you be so rude" Adetunga was annoyed with him he always spoke out of turn. He picked up his shirt with the aim of going after his sister. He thought Adetayo would have the same sense but he had already piled his plate with their abandoned food.
"You are unbelievable" Adetunga said leaving the room
"I didn't loss my appetite" was his silly retort.

Outside, he met his sister in her car about to leave. He slid into the passenger seat but she would not turn to look at him as she was busy fighting her tears.
"Come here" he said embracing her.
"Stop crying, you know how it distress me" he said thumping her back.
"Then let me marry him" she sobbed
"Who's he?" he questioned, dreading the answer
"I have told him to approach you. He will seek your consent" she answered.
Adetunga knew he had to do something, soon. Soonest. Tomorrow, he would call Dayo to help him hire a private investigator.
"Adetayo is stupid, you know that. Just forgive him" Adetunga told her after drying her tears.
"I will not and I will definitely give him hell, when he starts dating that angel" she replied
At this, Adetunga smiled. He couldn't wait to watch her dealt with Adetayo who thought he was superior when it came to the matters of that hollow organ.

hormobolanle:
degelinglacis.....switching on my prediction mood
I can c amenze n tunga coming together not for love but develop feelings for each other at d end

I dy ur back like hunchback Kontinue

Mayreeyam coman read O,so u will kn aw to perform on ur wedding night

Lool , Dayo is single you know?

EvaJael:
Great story degelinglacis

Thanks dear

Thirty five year old Ademoroti Adetunga, a business tycoon, agricultural industrialist and a philanthropist stepped out of his car, with his three trusted bodyguards that followed quietly behind him. He was one of Globe's 50's richest bachelors in Africa. When he saw his name on the magazine being listed as a rich Bachelor, he had almost laughed his head off. He knew there would be strings of jobless, mindless ladies praying to have him. For his wealth. They would think him a great catch, more like a blank cheque or a worthy accessory to the independent arrogant ones. And yet, none of them was there, twelve years ago when he began his struggles. Women hardly look upon a wheelbarrow pusher. That was his job in the early years; striving to sell his farm produce.

He looked around the crowded hall before beckoning on his men who immediately flanked him on each sides. He was bored, dead bored from maintaining a polite look on his face while nodding his head in reply to "hellos" sent his way. A couple of scantily dressed females made to approach him, he retreated to a more secluded corner that offered him an advantage to watch the ladies, while they couldn't see him. He had no desire to be fished by some desperate ladies who had nothing of value to offer him. Adetunga hissed as they seemed to linger, hoping for a crack in the stance his men formed. One of them was even bold enough to raised herself on her toes, just to see him. But the added inches to her height was no match for his men. After several minutes that seemed like endless hours, they left to prowl other men. Their displeasure registered in their twitched lips. Not that he hated women but tonight he was just not in the mood to flirt and pretend he had no idea they were after biting a chunk off his wealth. They were not different from his ex-wife, Funke, who shattered his heart, repeating the same story every once upon a time broke men tells.

"Tunga" his friend beamed as he walked up to him.
Adetunga moved out of the corner he was, dismissing his men in the process.
"Why are you hiding?" Dayo asked, eyeing him suspiciously
"Ladies" he grimaced before he added " I'm tired of been here. This hall is now full of kids. The president shouldn't have passed that law" Adetunga said, his frown deepened as more of the younger generation entered the hall.
They were at the residential hall built by old students of 80s and 90s that graduated from RSS. It was pleasant to bump into old classmates and seniors until the new law allowed the influx of the younger students that graduated even in year 2014. It was annoying to see the great hall filled with runs girls in their skimpy wears and the boys saggy trousers.

"Well, you've been away for months. We protested against it. A new law have been passed, they are allowed in here on the ground floor every three months. Let's move up" Dayo replied as they claimed the stairs.
Adetunga relaxed visibly as he saw familiar faces greeting him. They were smiling warmly, grinning, and some were even laughing. He had to pause, wondering if been away for four months and seeing him tonight had elicited such pleasure or someone had mixed their drinks with something stronger. That should be it. Adetunga thought.

He turned to look at his friend, Dayo, he was genuinely perplexed as he was. A group of men he hardly conversed with, stopped him and congratulated before he sat down. This time he groaned inwardly. They couldn't all be drunk. He was about to call the barman when his school son greeted him with a grin similar to that of an idiot.
"Congratulations" the young man said
"On what?" he snapped, annoyed.
It was the young man's turn to be shocked before he said "sure, you must be jesting"
" I'm not" he replied
He left their table and returned with a large magazine "Evil grim". He must have crammed the page, because he opened it to the page where Adetunga was.
"What are you doing on Evil grim?" Dayo stared unbelievably at the picture of his friend
The magazine was dreaded by many. Whoever was behind it, has the attitude of telling it all without mincing words. Telling stories from scratch especially scandalous stories was their forte. Many homes were ruined through the magazine, after husbands saw evidence of their wives cheating. And careers were not left out.

He read as the stupid magazine described him as the tall, dark and handsome rich Bachelor, who stood over six feet with muscles that testified to his hard work at the gym. He sighed, wondering if it was really him they were describing. He hated the gym and had never stepped into one. He considered it a waste of time. A real man muscled out from his own sweats; sweats that provides the daily bread and fixed the bills. He quickly scanned the long write up till his eyes saw the object of the gossip. His picture with Stella. Their engagement was announced.

"You engaged her?" Dayo asked, his voice usually raised
"I did no such thing" he answered
"The ring?" Dayo asked again, pointing the gold ring circling the finger of the smiling Stella in the picture.
"I did not give her ring. She even begged me for this picture. You know how I am camera shy and all that" he was suddenly tired.
"What gave her the gut?" his junior asked
"Her father. You know how the man has been hunting me down for his daughter as if am one of those toys he could acquire for her with his wealth" Adetunga answered
"This is serious. I warned you not to indulge her, but you did not listen. You even allowed her to work for you" Dayo said
"It was her father that wanted me to train her. She just graduated and has no business experience. I was halfway into it before I realised it was a trap" he explained.
"You want to get married, you will marry her" Dayo added, after a moment of silence had ensued
"Not me, yes I want to marry but it will never be her"

Adetunga knew it was time he looked for a wife. He was getting old, thirty five was more than a quarter of a century even though he planned to live up to eighty, and he had already spent thirty five and now left with forty five. He was once married for love, but this time around he wasn't looking for "love" as part of the bargain. He was older and wiser, and he knew that 'love" wasn't necessary, or even desirable.This time he would choose a wife with his senses intact instead of the flesh between his legs and he would pick a woman who was willing to work hard and be independent and a good mother to their kids. One who would be discreet with her infidelities unlike his ex wife and one who cared about family.

Considering the way he felt, he would have been just as happy to remain single for the rest of his life if there hadn't been the question of children. He wanted children, raised in the right family values not the common trends of baby mama and fathers. He wanted a woman who desired a convenient marriage.
"Tunga" Dayo called
He replied with a noncommittal "hmm" that dragged him out of his reverie.
"What do we do?" his concerned friend asked
"Nothing, her father cannot force me to the altar. Don't worry, I understand you don't want me to make the same mistake. And marrying Stella would be hellish compared to Funke" Adetunga assured him.
"It's about time I remarry" Dayo announced

He unlike his friend had a blissful marriage of one year
until his wife died while giving birth to their son seven years ago. It had shattered him, leaving a hole no one could fill in his heart. His nights were filled with dreams about passion he shared with his late wife. If only she had not died, they did still be waxing stronger, celebrating years and years of marriage.

"Why?" Adetunga asked
"I need a mother for my child, a companion for me" he answered
"I wish I was you, I wouldn't dream of remarrying when I have a child. Do you think if Funke had left me with a child instead of using contraceptive without my knowledge that I would remarry?"
"You wish you had a woman, a wife you are hopelessly in love with and she died while giving birth to your child?" Dayo asked and saw his friend gloomy expression.
"I don't wish that on my enemy" Dayo added
Their conversation naturally drifted back to their businesses. Dayo was a building contractor and he owned a construction company that was doing well. He hoped to pass the legacy to his son, someday. Adetunga talked lengthly on his trip to Germany and the new equipments he bought. After a few drinks, the two men stepped out of the residential house fixing another date to hang out.

horlah1:
Some MIL sha...
Thank God for opening my eyes on time..
madam degelinglacis i salute u and may God bless ur brain couple with ur hand

Amen

Chapter One

"I want to get married"Amenze said to her beautiful pregnant friend sipping smoothie at the Office's restaurant.
It was closing hour at Morot international farm limited for administrative workers like her. The other workers ran shifts. The farm was on 24 hours as it was one of the top leading farm at Ogun state and Nigeria.
She had skipped her lunch to complete the piles of work the senior secretary from the hottest part of hell shoved on her table. That was her habit for the past eight weeks, at first she thought the workload was indeed great, that explained why the HR department decided to hire an assistant secretary. But as days went by, it became clear, the senior secretary was lazy. Her morning routine involved cat walking into the office, her knocking shoes usually announced her presence even before she opened her wide mouth to say "hello" to her colleagues.

Afterwards, she would enter the board meeting with the CEO applying her daily dose of makeup. Sometimes, she wondered if the lady thought the company was meant for wannabe models. Her addiction to the mirror and filing of her fingernails was beginning to irritate Amenze who shared the same office with her. While she worked her ass off, the other lady snapped selfies all day.
Amenze decided she would complain to her first, and if there was no changes she would report to her boss, she was tired of absorbing workloads of two people.

"Really? You are tired of acting bridesmaid at your friends wedding or what? Oh! I know why" Shikemi said with a large smile on her chubby face. She was a tall,dark skinned lady at the happy age of twenty six.
"Spill it!" Amenze urged her on
"Now, that I, Oluwashikemi is married and pregnant, you my best friend felt left out, isn't it? You want to experience the marital bliss I have been blabbing about for seven months" she said this, with eyebrows raised dramatically.
Shikemi was surprised that Amenze, a misandrist------ an exaggeration of course, who hated everything male, young or old mentioned marriage. She was never a fan of happy endings or romantic stories. If one were to show her couples blossoming in longevity of marriage life both online or offline, Amenze would still point out the flaws that surrounded such marriage. Her words usually began with
"Shike,in a sane world devoid of African stupid, outdated beliefs " at this point, Amenze usually blow grammar just to emphasized how much she despised African culture while Shikemi egged her on. She loved hearing Amenze's view even though she was a romantic herself----the exact opposite of her friend.
"this woman would have divorced her husband, and not celebrating tenth year of patch-patch marriage. A marriage were she's childless and happily raising her husband's son from one of his concubine who died while birthing his child. Tufiakwa!"

Shikemi never allowed her friend's opinion of men colored her own relationship with them. When she met her husband Deji, Amenze had screamed Yoruba "demon" but Shikemi had none of it, and did not encouraged all the negative talks her friend was capable of spewing about Yoruba men. In fact, she warned her to steer clear of her relationship and she kept the ups and downs from her. It was when her wedding date was set, she told Amenze about it.
"I know its pregnancy hormone that make you blab these days"Amenze said quite annoyed
"Calm down, I was shocked when you made that announcement. You are the same person who claimed she was never going to get married or have a romantic affair with a man. You sang your plans to my hearing everyday. It was IVF you wanted and you've been saving for it. Now, that you have the required amount for an IVF, you want to splurge it on a wedding ceremony?"
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be rude to you because I am in a difficult situation" Amenze, usually bright face became serious. Her mouth tightened in anger as memories of the previous week came flooding in. She pushed her drink aside, the same thing her friend did, indicating she was all ears.
"Last weekend, my uncle came" she paused for a while gauging her friend's reaction. Shikemi knew her story, how the man threw her out when she was only sixteen.
Shikemi burst out laughing. "That your debauched uncle"
"The one and only" she replied
"What is it this time?" Shikemi asked
"You know my late aunty had my late mother's properties before she got married to that useless man. Luckily for me, they are not that educated to know that Aunty Osama was only a caretaker till I am twenty six. The lawyer found me and told me about the clause in the will, it says I have to be married before that age and you know my birthday is December 19. He came over to taunt me. This is the first week in September, where will I get a man to marry me? I don't even have a boyfriend" Amenze was frustrated at this point she couldn't hold back the tears.
She sobbed into her palms, pain, fear, exhaustion, and frustration bubbling uncontrollably. How could she look on and allowed her mum's sweats fall permanently into the same man that abused her when she was only a teen. He even went further to lied to his wife that she was sleeping with older men in the neighborhood because his plan to rape her failed.
"Amenze, stop crying. It's okay" Shikemi reached across the table to console her friend.
"No, its not okay. I never met my father. My mother died when I was only eleven, leaving me alone with her younger sister. Do you know that my mother sent Aunty Osama to the university, but what did she do? She dropped out and got pregnant for a married man who was only interested in our family affluent. Three months after mum died, she moved in with this man who sent his wife and daughter out. I lived with them and watched how they squandered every penny they made from rent. At age fifteen, I spent days and nights fending off his fat hands on my bosom. At sixteen, I was kicked out. It was you that helped me. Its not okay" Amenze sobbed more.
"Let's go home. We have a whole lot to discuss. My husband has traveled. Come and stay with me" Shikemi said, after consoling her.

Together, they stepped into the six o'clock evening spreading a cool, yet warm breeze. The breeze, although cool did nothing to improve her mood.Several questions kept crawling through her rattled mind. How did her uncle knew about the terms of her mother's will? How did he found her? The questions invaded her mind and she became lost to the happenings around her. In her a hazy vision, she saw someone waved at her as she entered the car.
She allowed her mind to analyzed every scene that took place the previous week. The lawyer called her on phone to come over to Benin, when she told her she was far away, the lawyer directed her to the law firm branch where the details of the will was thoroughly explained to her.
Since her late aunt would be the beneficiary of her mother's properties if the term of the will remained unfulfilled, it was natural for the lawyer to inform her aunt's family. That was the only way uncle Billy got to know. She thought.
He must have gotten her home address from one of his children because its been eight years she saw him last. She was still in contact with her aunt's children especially Ogie, the first child. When he told her, he gained admission into OOU, she had sent him her address so he could contact her whenever his school resumed. That was very foolish of her.

The conversation she had with Shikemi was not completely the truth. Uncle Billy had waited for her outside her flat, she was shocked when she saw him. The last time she’d seen him, he hadn’t looked that bad. He was wirier, and his gaunt features would look better placed on a corpse, making him look like the grim reaper. There was a stench oozing from him and the clothes that hung off his diminished frame. Cracked lips drew up into a smug grin as his droopy eyes raked over her with a look that made her skin crawl. She pulled back from the scrawny hand that made to touch her.
"What are you doing here?"
"Shush! That's no way to talk to your uncle" he grinned, showing teeth coated in brown from drinking herbs.
"You are not my uncle" she retorted
"Yeah, that's true. I would have been your first lover assuming you had the brain to think of the goodies that will come with it. But what did you do? Your stupid self threatened to tell your aunt and I had you thrown out for that. Threw you out so you could suffer"

Indeed, she had suffered during the first few months she had no one to shelter her. Luckily, she just finished her WAEC and was attending JAMB class when they threw her out. At first she had hang around the neighborhood hoping her aunt would changed her mind and maybe some of their neighbours would intervene. But that never happened. And no one was helping her, in fact the older woman that allowed her to share her room at night, threw her out because she was disturbing her "business". She went to Lagos street closer to ring road and joined the leagues of beggars so she could feed herself. At times, she assist people to carry their loads and she was rewarded with few naira notes. She slept in uncompleted buildings, sometimes shops, depending on how her day went. That was how she lived for months amidst touts and beggars like her. It became impossible to continue dreaming about her future, and how she would entered the university to study Pharmacy. Life events happened, she discovered a larger commercial site iyare motors and together with mobile beggars like her, they moved there. In the morning, she helps shop owners sold drinks and snacks to the passengers for whatever stipend they promised. She spent her earnings on food and she was always left with insignificant amount. Sometimes, when she's not making sales, she accosted the passengers to give her money. They were mostly impressed by her demeanor and impeccable English which distinct her from the other beggars. She was usually questioned about her parents and whenever she told them her story, they were always full of pity and part away with some naira notes. She became popular in the garage and sometimes helped the drivers to send love text messages to their numerous concubines. This opened her to a new life, she watched men of different age groups who had wives and grown up children at home playfully pats other ladies bottom. Some of these ladies frowned at them and slap off their offensive hands while the others giggled. They were depraved set of humans and she wondered if that was how men were. Her uncle was a cheap, womanizer that could sleep with anything and everything on skirt. If a goat wore a skirt, uncle Billy would chase it and bed it. Her aunty turned a blind eye to his atrocities and she would encouraged him by putting money in his pocket. She could recount more than twenty stories of cheating husbands in her neighborhood and naturally the bread winner title was passed to their wives, who fend for the family while they spent their lives and incomes on other women.

The night was usually calm, with reduced number of passengers and drivers returning to destination of their choices. The traders packed their goods inside their shops with the big padlock securing it. It was during that period beggars and homeless people choose different spot to make their beds. Amenze usually joined family of beggars, that had five children. Those that enjoyed the luxury of the garage are the touts that had access to buses in their care, where they could sleep on tattered seats. Inside these buses, was usually a mini party where they spent their incomes on hard drugs, alcoholic drinks and sexual enhancing beverages. They slept with destitute girls and street prostitute. It became a norm, that was no big deal in the garage. The ladies trade their bodies for financial gains and Amenze knew sooner or later, she would end up as a wife to one of those hooligans except her fortune changed. How long could she cope in the gathering of low peers? She was fast becoming one herself as her dreams died each day.

It was during her sixth week at iyare motors she met Shikemi, they went to the same secondary schools but were not friends.Amenze, was the senior girl before they graduated and she was quite popular. When Shikemi saw her with a bowl of drinks and begging commuters to buy from her, she was stunned. Someone so brilliant wearing worn out dress and hawking? No, For anyone to attend their secondary school, they must have been quite rich. Shikemi thought.
She approached her and listened to her story.
"You can stay with me" Shikemi told her.
Shikemi's parents were not in the country. They usually visited their four children, twice in a year. Hence, the reason why she was bold to bring in a stranger to live with her and her siblings in her parents little bungalow. It was in that house, Amenze took a job as a primary school teacher and with the help of her friend, she obtained JAMB and was able to save enough for her tuition fees at the University of Benin.

"I am talking to you" uncle Billy angrily grabbed her wrist. The little fool had ignored his questions all along.
The tightened grip on her wrist brought her back to the presence.
"Leave me alone" she screamed
"Listen here, bring out your keys so we can talk this out in your bedroom" his smile made him look identical to the snake that deceived Eve to eat the apple.
She tried to keep her anger under control but his taunts made her called him a drug addict, that led to his dismissal at the police college. She made effort to turn around and probably called her neighbours to handle him, Uncle Billy was faster, he seized her around the waist. With one forceful tug, he jerked her to him and drew out a sharp knife from his trouser.
"Make a noise, and I will stab you directly on your vein, Got it?" his bony face became cold in anger.
She nodded, holding onto the hot reply searing her tongue.
"Were you the one that contacted your mum's lawyer?"
"No"
"Beautiful lies, I won't sit down and fold my hands while you stole what I have worked for all these years. Fifteen years to be precise. Your mother left everything on shambles but I spent my money restructuring it, now a useless will says the buildings belongs to her daughter. Amenze, its a lie. You're a liar. Not while I am breathing you will get married. I will personally see to that. What man would even marry you before December?"
In his anger, he continued to inflict pain on her wrist. The pain brought tears to her eyes which she blinked back furiously.
"Billy, start counting your minutes on this earth, its numbered and you will soon die from your own wickedness"
“Amen, what the hell is happening?”
Thank God for Nat, her flat mate The huge guy jumped into action, tossing his heavy fist at the side of uncle Billy's face, Amenze heard the crack of a bone and she was shocked. Nat, pushed the older man on the wall, where he pummelled him on every part of the body. She watched in satisfaction as uncle Billy dropped to the floor with a badly bleeding nose.
"Who is he?" Nat asked her
"He's a bully, could you believe he came all the way from Benin?" she said
"Oh, he made a grave mistake. Let me bundle him up and throw him somewhere far from here" Nat said, carrying uncle Billy as if he was lighter than a feather.
"Thanks Nat" she smiled

Uncle Billy in his weakened state, threatened fire and brimstone which she ignored. She wondered what would have happened to her, if Nat didn't show up.
She decided it was best to tell Shikemi everything, so that she would know what was really happening.
"Shikemi, there's more"
"All ears" was her reply with her gaze fixed permanently on the road.

********************

PROLOQUE

Amenze in her pink pyjamas sat at the lonely staircase in her grandfather's house. Her little hands were frozen with tension. She can't seem to get enough warmth and it had always been like that whenever she was around the old house. She hated been here, and had voiced it out to her mother who believed she was being stubborn.
"Amen, this is your heritage and you shouldn't run away from it" her mother's stern voice warned always
Now, there was commotion downstairs, voices were raised without any meaningful words being said . She was only eleven years old but she could understand that her mother was not loved by her half-siblings. They were jealous of her because she was the one who successfully graduated in a university while the others were secondary schools dropouts.

There was something wrong. Horrible things were always happening whenever Amen and her mother visited Grandfather's house. She stood up and walked lightly to the back of the kitchen were it was easier to eavesdrop. Her ears strained to pick up exactly what the voices were saying. Her Grandfather's voice was loud and shrieking as he shut them up. He was a no nonsense man even at his seventy year plus age. She can easily pick out Aunt Osama's voice mentioning her mother's name(Amenze's mother), Esele. Aunt Osama was her mum's favorite sister and she had been living with them right from when Amenze was three years old. She had always been good to Amenze, even when she gained admission at university of Benin, she came home every weekend to be with her and her mother, which made the rest of her aunts to be green with envy.
Aunty Osama shared similar stories with Esele (Amenze's mother). They were both the only child of their late mothers which deprived them of having siblings that shared the same mother with them. When Esele was six year old, her mother died, which left her at the mercy of her stepmother and three older siblings that treated her with disdain. Her stepmother saw her as the fruit of her husband's lust. The evidence of his undisciplined tool and took her revenge with full measure, since she could not confront her husband, his seed became her bully. She beats her over nothing and sent her to bed most nights without food. They turned her to a housemaid. Esele, walked miles no adult could on errands without the assistance of a taxi or bike. But the six year old grew up with the unnecessary hardship, and by the age of ten, she was in charge of running of the entire household. Her stepmother, thought she was punishing her, unknown to her she was molding a gold that has to pass through the furnace to turn out well, while her own daughters waste away in laziness.
Things remained the same in Adamson's family. Esele's father did his best to ease his last child suffering, sometimes he blocked her on the road and give her food to eat. Atimes, he was in her school to pay food vendors, instructing them to give his daughter breakfast and lunch. But that was all he could do, he was a busy man running away from his troublesome wife and could not provide the family warmth Esele needed. And his desire to have a son overrode his senses. After the three daughters, he stopped communicating with his wife, the love they began with went down the drain and the only thing he could remember of his wife was her tendency to nag and curse him.

He stopped caring about his daughters who had become rotten due to their mother's negligence and went in pursuit of a male child. He met another young lady and they started an affair. At that period, he was hardly at home. His days were spent in Benin with his new beau. Together, they visited priest, eating concoctions just to have that tiny baby with a little pole between his legs. Nine months came and went, but his girlfriend did not fall into labour. It became a serious issue when ten months passed and no contractions was felt. They decided to opt for surgery, it was the longest night in Mr Adamson life. He was full of regrets and prayed that the surgery would be successful . Even if it was a girl, he wanted both mother and child alive. He resolved in his mind, that all were children, with the best education, they would be greater than most men. Unfortunately, in the wee hours of the morning, the baby came, crying to the world to hear her. While her mother closed her eyes forever.

When the Doctor broke the news to him, he cried hot tears. He tried to contact his late girlfriend's family. They did not show up. They had warned their daughter not to date a married man but she refused and even went ahead to be pregnant for him. Mr Adamson took the corpse and the newly born home. He buried her in his compound. It was that week, his wife took her three daughters and ran away with her Soldier lover. She could no longer bear the insults.
Esele, named the baby Osama and even became the mother. Mr Adamson life became a nightmare, he started gambling and drinking. And gradually, the beautiful house he built was stripped of its valuables. Six months after, he died on the road after choking on his vomit. Esele had to move in with her Grandfather after Mr Adamson property was seized by the banks.
Amenze knew her family stories by heart, and she knew the characters of her mum's sisters: who the devil was, and who was the angel. That was why it came as a surprise to her when her mother threw Aunt's Osama out of the house last weekend. She asked her mother who explained to her that, Osama was planning to get married to a family man.
"Shut up" her Grandfather's shrill voice broke into her reverie
"Esele, has now become your enemy because she told you the truth? Osama, you want to end up like your mother, who dated a married man because of money?" Grandfather's voice was shaky and deeply worried.
"We can't have a meaningful conversation without Esele name being mentioned. It's not like Esele herself is a model of good character. She got pregnant and unmarried at the age of nineteen" her oldest Auny Blessing sneered.
"She got pregnant after doing her introduction, her husband was going to come for the white wedding when he died. But you Blessing got pregnant when you were in JSS3 for a soldier at the barrack your mother took you to. Look at you and your sisters today, you are useless with no education or skill. You've become a liability to me. If not for Esele, I wouldn't have allowed you to live in this house with me. Esele is better off than you all, she's hard working and has two houses she rent to students that fetch her money" Grandfather's proud voice was filled with wealth of sadness and regret in his voice.
He had been insistent on the importance of family, and had spent years trying to rebuilt love and harmony and correct the chaos his late son left. But, the hatred continued to grow over the years. They were all envious of Esele. He even established them but they all mismanaged the businesses. His hope was on Osama and Esele. But Osama, had joined their league . She was only twenty years old in her year two at the University and was already talking about marrying a married man.
He was tired of the misfits in his family. His only wish was to die, after fixing them. But he knew it would never come true. He was scared of what would happened after he was long gone.

Amenze, understood what it all meant, she was a child born into a dysfunctional family. A turbulence was on the way, she could feel it. She wished her mother could leave the family behind and together they can start their own and be happy.
"I'm pregnant" Aunty Osama said calmly
Her grandfather starts to roar again in anger. Amenze stepped back instinctively, she hated tension and screaming and it was all that happened at the old house. Suddenly, she heard a loud bang. She ran closer to the kitchen's window to see her Aunty Osama holding her cheek. Grandfather had struck her.
Aunty Blessing swung into action and held grandfather hand that was aiming to strike Osama again.
"You this old man, you better respect yourself. Esele is not here to save you from me. I can kill you and no one will breathe a word"
Amenze was shocked by their behaviours, she knew they were bad but not to this extent. Aunt Osama was even nodding her head in support.
Where was her mother?
As if on cue, grandfather called on her while shaking his hand free from Blessing death grip.
Amenze stepped into the sitting room from the kitchen, all eyes fixed on her.
"Where's your mother?" Grandfather asked
"She went out this morning to talk to the lawyer" she answered
"Lawyer? What lawyer?" Osama screeched
"I don't know" she answered
"Oh, you little secretive b!tch! She knows, her mother tells her everything and took her everywhere. You will tell me, I want to know what Esele is up to. Is she planning to take back those lands from me? It's our family's land and I am the first child I have a right to sell it" Aunt Blessing went into another tirade. Her voice dripped with contempt.

Amenze was pissed at this point, she was tired of everyone of them. It had been hours since her mother left and no one was talking about her safety. They were all consumed in their hatred. Even Aunty Osama whom her mum loved, only cared about the man who impregnated her. Osama saw her mother has the enemy who was standing between her happiness. When her mother comes back, she would talk sense into her. The eleven year old Amenze vowed. Hours stretched long into a silent evening and there was still no sign of Esele, Amenze went to her grandfather who was reclining on his favourite chair, his face deeply lined with grief.
"Papa, Esele is not back" she informed him.
She grew up calling him her father, a father with grey hairs that looked different from all fathers of young girls in her class.
"Let's look for her" he said

She matched out with her grandfather to go in search of her mother. Esele, had the habit of stopping at the farm where she plucked vegetables and other produce before she head home. They believed she would be there and they were right. Amenze sighted her mother's benz, at the far end of the farm. She called out her mother but no one replied.
"Esele, Esele, Esele" Grandfather kept shouting but there was no reply.
It was Amenze that saw the lifeless body first. Her mother was dead and gone. She checked her throat for pulse, but the cold skin greeted her. There was a large bleeding cut at the side of her right eye that traveled far to her head. It was still bleeding while her mother was cold dead.
That night, grandfather died from shock and grief. And he was buried along side, his son and granddaughter.

Death is the spoiler of all good things.

OK guys, let's have the prologue and we meet in 4 days time, May God spare our lives, Amen.
The thing is, I want to write better than the last time and I can only do this with quality time


© The girl in glasses, 2017

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yungeez:
c jamb question, m on d verge of organising a military coup dat would c u remove as d op of dis thread if u dnt update within d nxt 12hrs

July, 10. May God spare our lives

queenitee:
But wait, where is this op of a person?

Ma'am, you need me?

DWJOBScom:
so when the story go start na

July 10, phintohlar welcome

Story starts on July 10

Maryclaire1:
So following this one...thks for the Invite degelinglacis...

You're welcome ma'am