The Parents
Mom asked after Ify;
“How is my daughter excluding the in-law? Get her out I want to reassure whether she is okay?”
“She is very well thank you, let me go and call her.” Mama Ayo went for their daughter.
Ify
She graciously came out to hugged and greeted her in-laws;
“Papa, Mama how do you do? I missed you greatly.” She examined Papa thoroughly and said;
“Thank God for Papa now your health is fully restored and you look like a teenager.” They all laughed and the in-laws prayed and heap praises upon her.
Papa Banki
He showed his patriarchal authority;
“Is he not callous? Look at my beautiful, glowing well behaved daughter being abandoned here with her pregnancy to mend for herself, he also froze her accounts, does he want her to go and beg in the streets? This is despicable and unacceptable! He should thank his stars that he has god fearing pleasant parents if not he would have tasted my venom; I am a no nonsense man everyone can attest to that in this community.”
Dad
“My in-law take it easy I am apologizing for my son, he has repented and was running helter skelter, pillar to post begging to have his wife back.” He knelt down.
“Please let our in-law come home with us, he is remorseful and misses his wife.”
Papa Banki
“My daughter knows the bed bug in her bed, she came on her own volition, now she is here let her tell us what she wants.”
Ify
She reassured her in-laws.
“Dad, Mom I have nothing against my husband, he has been a good husband and partner, I don’t lack anything but his attitude towards his parents is absurd and was making me a scapegoat in society, as he refused to take care of them in the midst of plenty, people began to point fingers at me especially when he was taking care of my parents and other families in the village. When I spoke to him to change his ways he refused and I then took it upon myself to assume that responsibility to ease my conscience and then I left on my own volition. I’ve heard you Dad and Mom but let my husband come for me and if he doesn’t I’ll never go back to him; go back and deliver my message to him.”
“Okay my daughter, we shall come back for you with our son, you are well spoken,” Dad posited.
Papa Banki
“You’ve heard from the horse’s mouth, go back and come with your son in two weeks’ time,” They praised them and left.
The Parents
The parents came back with their son in his transport and were well received.
“Welcome to your home, this is the beauty of our culture, by virtue of marriage the two families become one.”
Dad
“Me and my family greatly appreciate the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to us and as I head this delegation seeking for peace back into our family Allah, God will answer to our prayers, amen! And I am promising to take full responsibility that this family will remain peaceful as long as I live.” He reassured.
Papa Banki
He called upon Ify to speak out her grievances.
“My beautiful daughter all family members are here to hear from the horses’ mouth, speak out as we are all ears.”
Ify
“As I have earlier explained Bangs neglected taking care of his parents while he looked after mine, society blames me for it, they gossiped I place juju upon his head to favour my parents against his which is a blatant lie. I want to correct the impression and begged him to change his ways to no avail. I decided to back out and let him decide whether he wants us to continue the marriage or go our separate ways, Bangs is wicked, he has an unforgiven heart; how could you Bangaly reject your own parents while you bask in plenty and they live in penury? What have they done to you that you could not forgive? Tell us from your own mouth the great crime that they have committed, we are listening and start talking.”
Bangaly
“This is my sad story;”
He reflected on the life of his two parents;
“They lived the life of cat and mouse, dad a drunkard and a gambler neglected his responsibility towards his family and left everything to mom, school fees, feeding, health care all left on mom’s shoulders. She later became exhausted and abdicated her responsibility which she earlier shouldered, then came this fateful day.
My twin brother Billy got sick with malaria and was dying. Mom asked dad to help with money to buy drugs at a druggist but he refused and said the little money he had was for gambling and started to insult mom and left. Mom was exhausted and frustrated, she put upon her wrapper and decided to leave too, I begged her to try hard and buy drugs for Billy.
‘Mom! My brother is dying don’t follow your irresponsible husband, he does not care but you cared in the past but no more, try and buy the drug,’ I begged but to no avail, mom just put on her clothes and left with these hurting words,
‘I am tired of parenting responsibility marrying an irresponsible husband I fend for the family with my petty trade while he does nothing only drinking to stupor and gambling, my petty business is down and I am trying people to borrow me money to start again before then I want to be free, I am going to my village for a new leash of life, fend for yourself I’ll not kill myself any more, good luck and goodbye,’ and she left, but as she left I warned her,
‘Remember tomorrow will come, you suffered and gave birth to us, dad did not give birth, care for your children and don’t leave them to fate.’ But she ignored and left, I rushed to the druggist Pa Fofana and trusted some drugs from him, he was kind and gave me some;
‘When will you pay? Your family owes me a lot of credit; if I continue this way you’ll kill my business.’
“I’ll pay,” but he frown and said,
‘You are an ambitious boy with a great heart, you’ll be a great man tomorrow but don’t forget me when you enter paradise.’
“I rushed home and found our compound full to the brim. What did I see, my twin brother no more he struggled with pain as he gave up the ghost then I swore.
“I’ll struggle and Insha Allah if I get wealth and be wealthy my wicked irresponsible parents will not eat any of my wealth not even a butut!”
“My wicked parents killed my twin brother and denied me company at a tender age and I hate them with passion and was angry when my wife embrace them, this is my story and I am now asking was I not justified to treat them as I did?”
Ify
“You were right to be angry for their negligence but you should have spoken out to me your wife and I would have convene such a meeting with trusted elders and we solve it once and for all. Whatever the case you went too far they make their mistake but two wrongs cannot make a right. You have to forgive them now that you have opened up let us reconcile and I return to my matrimonial home. This was your only problem but otherwise you are a wonderful partner and husband, that’s why I married you.”
The Parents
Dad is guilty as he stooped before his son and apologized for the first time.
“I am very sorry my son for neglecting my family, I blamed it on youthful exuberance. We married as teenagers and I was reckless and stupid.”
Mom
She broke down.
“The burden was too much for me as a teenager, he left everything on my shoulders. My parents opposed the marriage saying we were not prepared and I travelled to the country accompanying my aunt who had married a Gambian. I am very sorry my son no mom wants to lose her child especially a valuable son.”
Reconciliation
It was a great reconciliation and many things in store for the parents, who were taken to the site only for dad to be given a Duplet and car keys;
“These are for you Dad and Mom this is your new house in the city and this is your utility car to run your errands and carry you around.”
The religious persons prayed and Bangaly cut the ribbon.
The Good News
As he was cutting the ribbon Bangs got a phone call and he yelled;
“What! That is very good and timely news, twins boy and girl!” he turned to the crowd;
“My jewel has given birth to bouncing twin boy and girl, both kids and mother healthy and kicking. Congratulations to our reconciliation. Our family is blissed and we thank God, Allah for it!”
Happy ending and the informer was exposed and put to shame. She confessed to his parents about her role in the confusion; they forgave her but Mom put her at a distance and continue her positive life of service to humanity because she has tasted poverty and became humble in influence and affluence.
The End
