By Amie Sillah
At the Village House
Baa was excited to know what is happening at the city but is also very impressed that his son in law has lived to expectation.
Naa
“Let me freshen up, have you taken your bath?”
“I have hurry up and give me the gist.” “I’ll.”
She served Baa his food and while they were eating she narrated her experience at the mansion.
“Jonsi is suffering and you have to do something, all that glitters is not gold in that house.”
Baa straighten up and asked;
“What do you mean? How is our daughter suffering when her husband did all this for us? Are you not sounding to be ungrateful? I am all ears and start talking.”
“You have to intervene to talk to Antu to take it easy with Jonsi who is just a child; he beats her mercilessly when she makes any mistake and it is battering for real; when I was there Jonsi boiled rice which becomes paddy and he asked her to eat it and when she refused he puts the hot pot on her head and asked Jonsi to carry it around the kitchen while he gave her some bottock lashes while the twins were crying their cots.”
Baa
He hissed and reprimanded his wife.
“Here you go again you know our daughter she is stubborn and recalcitrant it was a blessing that a rich guy in the caliber of Antu came and asked for her hand in marriage and we are now reaping the dividends, the affluence and influence in the village, educating our only son, training Jaha to learn a trade, your small village business is also thriving and for sure Jonsi has started to bear him children which means she has a future to inherit his wealth and will never experience poverty again. What else do we need? How would he feel if I start to interfere in his marriage? Will he stop sponsoring us? My hands are tied; as a mother do me the favour and talk sense into your naughty daughter and stop bothering me with trivialities.”
Naa
“I am not surprised but disappointed! How can you be this callous? You just think about your interest and not your daughter’s, she is dying slowly and you don’t seem to care! Her life is in your hands!” Naa took courage and spoke her mind to Baa.
He shrugged his shoulders and resigned to fate.
“Let’s pray to Allah to save her there is nothing I can do who supports the piper determines the tune. Please let me be I want to enjoy my food or do you want me to lose appetite? Women manage their husbands and made them what they wanted them to be; teach your daughter on how to mold her husband now that she bore him two lovely twins.”
Naa spoke back:
“We weren’t starving and had just enough and the kids were very happy and Jonsi’s wish was only to go back to school.”
Baa became defensive;
“Do you want our family progress to become stagnant? I for one want progress as the rest of the family. My son’s education is second to none and when I saw the opportunity to train him up to university I grabbed it; Jewru will stay and continue my lineage while the girls will marry and develop their husbands’ homes. Can’t you understand?”
Naa
“Our perspectives are different I am interested in the welfare of our children and not only one. Girls are now excelling in all fields of life if assisted. You don’t care to sell our daughter into slavery only to favour our son haven’t you said it all?”
Aina
Sola’s wife now flirts openly with Antu her husband’s business friend and partner. She is society beauty queen and she enjoys the attention and positive comments about her looks. Antu came and collected her at their rendez vous collection point.
Sola
Gossip reached his ears and he confronted Aina his wife.
She entered the room and he asked her;
“Sweetie! What am I hearing about you and my friend/business partner? I am told that both of you are flirting around the city and seen everywhere; is it true?”
Aina
She put on an innocent face and flatly denied it.
“What! They are lying against me there is nothing going on between Antu and I; how can I do such a thing darling? I’ll be damned to do such a thing? What can he do for me that you cannot do? Don’t mind the gossipers and as it is said the idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”
Sola
“Can I not ask again after hearing that my lovely wife is flirting with my friend/business partner?”
Aina
“You can ask oh you can ask! No wahala! Are you not my handsome devoted husband?”
She hurriedly climbed the stairs to her bedroom which she bolted behind her.
At Antu’s Bedroom
The duo had good time at Antu’s bedroom and she narrated the incident to him.
“Darling we have to be more discreet rumours has reached Sola that we are rumbling together but I flatly denied it we have to change strategy and be more discreet.”
Antu
He bluffed and laughed over it.
“Our people say the idle mind is the devil workshop ‘let dem talk naa so den taan’ let us enjoy ourselves whilst it lasts.”
Jonsi
She entered the bedroom enraged as she has already concluded that the duo is committing an abomination.
She pointed to Aina and ordered;
“You adulteress get out of our bedroom and now! Are you not married shameless woman? Is he not your husband’s friend and business partner? Both of you are taking me for granted but I now know my rights I am growing up! Get out and now! Go to your husband and leave mine for me!”
Aina
She is taken aback surprised.
“So she talks? She has mind and is now so bold!”
Antu
“I am as well taken aback! Who is feeding you to rebel against me? I’ll surely find out by hook or crook and deal with the individual.”
Jonsi
“That question is irrelevant, just get out and go and serve your husband and leave mine for me, get out and now!” She ordered.
To be Cont.
