Episode 16 Final
TOO HARD TO LET GO
I drove home, and went straight to bed, without talking to anyone.
The next morning, I called out my mother and Deborah, and revealed everything to them.
“She has finally done it again!. Hei!, that girl has given you from her cup again”. My mother exclaimed.
“She didn’t give me anything to drink”. I replied.
“That child can never be yours.Never!”. She continued.
“She is, mama. I conducted a DNA test on her, and the result came out positive”. I explained.
Silence was entertained for a while, before she spoke again.
“Even at that, Douglas, that girl is not coming back to this house. A girl that didn’t only run away from her husband’s house, but also abandoned her family, her mother, for more than a year now. She is heartless abeg”. My mother insisted.
“I have no intention of bringing her home. I only want to focus on Deborah, here and my daughter”. I explained.
“Don’t deceive yourself, Douglas”. That was Deborah, speaking for the first time, ever since.
I turned to look at her.
“How?”. I asked.
“You know what I mean. Even before you did the DNA test, your heart has always beat for Lucy, you tossed in bed every night, with her name on your lips, most times, you call me Lucy, instead of Deborah. Now that you have discovered, the child that made you both separate, was actually yours, you sit down there saying that you have no intention of bringing her home?. Who are you trying to deceive?”. She asked.
“Deborah, look. Even if Douglas tried to bring that girl back to his house, I will disown him. You’re the only wife we recognized. That other girl has no place in his life, anymore”. My mother had said.
Deborah smiled, and shook her head.
“Mama, you don’t even understand what I’m saying. He may not bring her back, but his heart will always remain wherever she is”. She said
“You’re talking n0nsense” I said.
“You know I’m not talking n0nsense, I’m making sense. You have been living your life for Lucy, while I’m busy begging for a little space in your heart. You never shared any of your thoughts with me, you do your things secretly. I don’t think I can continue to leave in pains, while pretending that everything is fine”. She lamented.
“What are you talking about?”. My mother asked.
“Douglas loves that lady too much. I don’t think anyone can come in between them”. She said.
“I still don’t understand you”. Mother said.
“What I’m saying is that I cannot continue with this marriage”. She concluded.
“What n0nsense are you talking?. You cannot continue in a marriage that we fought so much to get you into?”. Mother asked, angrily.
“Mama, I have tried everything to make Douglas love me, but he still sees me as the third party in their marriage. I cannot continue”. She stood up, and went inside.
“Douglas, that girl is not coming back to this house oo. I will see to that”. My mother said.
She picked her phone from the table, and called someone immediately
“”Hello, Franklin, you have to call your brother, and talk some sense into him. I don’t know the concoction that his witch wife has given to him. Call him now, and talk some sense Into him.”. She complained.
She ended the call and started calling another, I knew it was my sister this time.
“Janet, can you imagine Douglas?. She began.
….Eh, that the baby Lucifer had was actually his baby. Eh!, he is going to take care of the baby..yenyenyen. Just imagine”. She was saying.
“If Douglas wants to k!ll himself over that girl, let him go ahead, and die. I am tired”. My sister was saying from the other end.
My mother ended the call, and threw the phone, at the couch.
” Douglas, you’re like a dog that is being dragged out….”. She was saying something, before Deborah came out with her bags.
“What is the meaning of this?. Where are you going with those bags?”. My mother asked, sitting up.
“I’m done”. She replied.
“Why do you want to do this to us?. Please, I beg you, my daughter. Go back to that room, and dropped your bag. This is where you belong, this is your husband’s house. “. Mother pleaded.
“Mama, please, don’t beg me to stay back.I know what I saw here. Leave Douglas and his wife alone, don’t even try to separate them again”. She said.
“Douglas, if this girl leaves, I will never forgive you” . Mother said.
I stood up, and went closer to Deborah.
“Lucy, please, don’t leave me.My life is nothing without you. I…”. I was pleading, trying to collect the bag from her.
She pushed me out with one hand.
“Mama, did you not see what I was telling you?. He just called me, Lucy. His body may be present here, but his mind is faraway with her. I can’t afford to live the rest of my life as a second option”.
“Chai!. Douglas!”. Mother exclaimed.
“Mama, see you in the village”. She said, and started moving to the door. But, then she stopped, like she remembered something. She dropped the bag at the door, and turned.
“Did you change your mind?”. Mother asked.
She shook her head, and started going into the room.
“Oh God, let it be that she wants to change her mind”. Mother prayed.
Deborah came out from the room, some minutes later with a big black bag which she handed to me. I quickly opened the bag, and it turned out to be the wedding portraits I thought I had gotten rid of.
“That is it. Maybe I knew a day like this would come, so I kept them safe for you”. She said.
I found myself smiling, as I went through the pictures.
“Thank you, thank you”. I said, excitedly as Deborah left.
I went, and started hanging the portraits back to their place.
“Douglas, what are you doing?”. My mother called, but I just ignored her.
After I was done, I picked my car keys, and ran out.
“Douglas!, I hope it’s not what I’m thinking”.
I could still hear her voice even as I got into the car, and drove off, heading for Lucy’s.
I met Lucy on her way out, with the baby. I halted, and ran out excitedly to meet her. I took the baby from her hand held her very tight to myself.
“Where are you going?”. I asked.
“I’m taking her to a birthday party in the next street35”. She said.
“There is a change of plan”. I announced.
She looked confused.
“What is it?”. She asked.
“I have come to take you two home”. I declared.
“Home?, home?!”. She exclaimed.
“We’re going home now”. I repeated.
“This is a joke, right?”. She asked.
“No time for jokes, get into the car, and let’s go home”. I said.
She jumped excitedly on me, almost pushing me and the baby down.
We got into the car, and drove back to her apartment to pick some things, and also say. goodbye to her neighbors.
“What about your new wife”. She asked, when we were almost close to the house.
“She left”.I replied, and saw the smile on her face.
My mother was still sitting in the living room when we got back.
“Who is this?”. She exclaimed as soon as we entered.
Lucy knelt down, and started apologizing, in tears, but mother stood up immediately, went into the room, and came out again with her bag.
“I’m not spending a night under the same roof, as you and your personal witch”. She said, and started leaving.
“Mama, you don’t have to do this. My happiness is important here too”. I said.
She released a loud sigh, and started going to the door.
I helped Lucy to her feet.
“Will she ever forgive me?”. She asked.
“Don’t worry, she will come around”. I replied.
We took their things inside.
“Welcome back home’. I announced, one more time.
She hugged me from the back, and whispered close to my ear.
“Thank you for forgiving me”.
I turned around, and hugged her properly, as we shared a long passionate kiss.
A knock on the entrance door, interrupted our happy moment. I got out to get it, and it turned out to be, my mother.
She stood there, with her bag at her feet.
“Are you going to stand there, and be looking at me?”. She asked.
“Mama, I thought you were gone?”. I said.
“So you actually wanted me to leave without touching my grandchild?” She asked, and started pushing her way inside, leaving her bag outside.
I picked the bag, and followed behind.
“Where is my daughter?”. She asked, looking around.
Lucy came out from the room holding Annabelle. She took her from Lucy, and sat back on the chair.
“Welcome, my baby. What is her name?…no, no. Her name is Otuosisochukwu.Yes, that’s her name”. She said.
She looked at us, as we smile at them.
“Are you not going to take your mother in law’s bag to the room?”. She asked.
Lucy quickly picked the bag, and we went inside together.
Two days later, my mother accompanied us to Lucy’s village, to see her people.
Her mother was so happy to see her daughter once again, and was also happier that she came together with her inlaws.
“You’re welcome, my daughter”. The old woman said, after Lucy apologized.
The incident taught us a life lesson, and reshaped our love life for good.
Our marriage is ten years now, with two beautiful children, though It still feels like a dream waking up every morning with Lucy, sleeping right beside me…. I thought I have lost her forever.
As for Deborah, last time I checked, she was living her best life, with her millionaire husband, in the federal capital.
The end.
ยฉ Joy Ifunanya
Joy Ifunanya I love your stories