Kumuna is married to Madike and the young couple are head over heels in love Ku is an uncertificated village teacher while Madi a qualified village carpenter who do have contracts from the catchment area clients saw it profitable to deal with him at the village level than going to the town or the city to incur more cost. Madi employs a willing, dedicated apprentice Alpha Karamba who makes his job easier.
At first Mama Oulaye loves and understands her daughter in law she buys her things and when she goes to school she does household chores for her villagers would comment;
“Look at Mama Oulaye doing all the household chores for Kumu who is married into this compound, is it Kumu or Oulaye?”
She would laugh and threw some remarks;
“How for do she is youthful and humble and when she comes from school deadly exhausted I don’t want her beauty to fade like some of us as long as I live she would not suffer.” She tell the villagers.
“Kumu is really lucky to have such a kind hearted mother-in-law.” They would remark.
Did such a relationship last forever?
Harassment
Soon after the initial years things took a U-turn for the worst;
Kumuna was doing her laundry when Mama Oulaye came and threw away the water to the ground under her feet;
“Why do you use my utensils when you have eaten all the children in your womb?” She hissed,
Binta
She expressed her disappointment;
“What! Why did you do it? Is she not your daughter in law and someone’s daughter? You have four daughters already married with mothers’ in laws would you be happy if your daughters are treated as such?”
“Are you her lawyer? Take me to court now; my daughters are women who gave birth to both males and females and their mothers in law have to honour and respect them unlike such witch of a daughter!” She went into her house.
Madike
He came just in time and has witnessed everything and he exploded;
“Mama! Are you at it again? Why do you love to harass my innocent wife? What has she done to you to deserve such a treatment? Where you not the one who approved of her in toto when I married her two years ago? Let her be she is innocent.”
Mama Oulaye
“Do I blame you when she has given you love charm? You now cannot see her fault she has eaten all the kids in her womb but I know her type I’ll harass her to leave my only son I’ve seen grand children from four of my married daughters now I want to see my grandchild from you, is that too much to ask for?”
Madike
“Who has married Kumu me or you? Am I not the one to worry when you have already seen grandchildren from four of your married daughters? We have just married about two years ago both of us have been tested and doc told us we are fine now we are just waiting for God’ time children would come when there time has come stop harassing my wife but if you insist with your havoc I would leave the house for you I can manage to rent until I am able to buy a home away from the large family.”
Mama Oulaye
“It’s a lie this witch here can never divide our family and I would be damned to allow such a thing to happen.”
Kumuna
“What have I done to deserve this? I did everything and still Mama is adamant and bent on tormenting me? Am I God who give children? And for how long have we been married for her to start calling me names? Some couples have married for more than a decade before they were blessed with kids why is mine any different?” She lamented.
“Stop lamenting I am here for you don’t allow Mama spoil our day God would one day answer to our prayers.” He counseled.
Mama Oulaye
She was picking rice in front of her house dad was combing his hair and moustache Kumuna came and greeted her hesitated but Mama became impatient and asked her to say what she wanted to say and leave her presence;
“Mama this present is for you it is very nice I saw it and bought two for you and my mother.”
Mama took the bag examined what was inside then she unnaturally threw away the bag.
“Mama! Why did you do that? Do you hate me this much? I saw the good material bought two for you and my
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