SHACKLES OF MY HUSBAND by Olowojesiku Deborah Iyanu
Episode 10
That weekend, Amara and Obinna came home with Daniel to celebrate their mother’s admission into the University to study her dream course. It was such a beautiful moment for them all, Uloma had a one-on-one discussion with Daniel and then discovered he had good intentions for her daughter, she gave them her blessings but warned them never to engage in pre-marital s*x. She threatened to curse them if they ever go into it.
Amara graduated from the University and went for her Youth service, by then, Daniel was already working in an insurance company and was earning big. Amara has met his family and all they were waiting for was for her to round up her youth service so that she and Daniel can be joined in holy matrimony.
Since Amara would be getting married soon, Uloma decided it was time her children meet their father. During a public holiday, Uloma invited her children home alongside Daniel and together, they traveled to the village. On getting there, Uloma was surprised to see two graves outside the compound.
Uloma went into the house and met Mama Ada picking beans, she greeted her and introduced herself. Mama Ada embraced Uloma deeply and began to weep, after some minutes of weeping, Uloma introduced her children and Daniel to Mama Ada before requesting to see Teacher Emeka. Mama Ada’s reaction towards Uloma surprised her so much because Mama Ada never liked her from day one.
Mama Ada: (weeping) Uloma, my daughter, your husband is late. There are two graves in the compound, the grave of my husband and my son
Uloma: what?? What happened to them? What happened to Emeka??
Mama Ada: hmmm, how I wished I accepted you for Emeka, maybe he would still be alive today. Emeka was killed by the husband of the young lady he came to introduce to us as his wife. The lady was married but because she had no child for her husband, he left home. While Emeka was working for them as their security man, he had s*x with the woman which resulted in pregnancy
Uloma: wow! Emeka got married to a married woman!
Mama Ada: we didn’t know too ooooh. When the woman became pregnant, she then discovered that her husband was impotent yet he hid it from her and was blaming her for their barrenness. She tried divorcing her husband to get married to Emeka. Unfortunately, on the day of their traditional marriage, the man stormed the venue of the traditional marriage with armed men and Emeka was shot in the chest. He died after spending two weeks in the hospital, on his deathbed, he gave me three letters which he asked me to give you.
Uloma: are you trying to tell me that Emeka is dead??
Mama Ada: yes, my daughter. My husband fell into depression after Emeka’s death and died some months later.
Uloma: Hmm, this is terrible. Emeka got killed by his flirtatious lifestyle. May the soul of the dead rest in peace.
Mama Ada: (knelt before Uloma) My daughter, please forgive me for all I ever did, I am very sorry.
Uloma: Mama, you hurt me deeply but then, if you didn’t do that, I won’t have known the road to success. Truly, these are your grandchildren but I can’t force them to have a relationship with you. The Amara who you do starve then is all grown and would be getting married in months.
Mama Ada turned to Amara and Obinna and apologized for all the wickedness of the past and then bless Daniel and Amara’s union. Before leaving the village, Mama Ada was given a huge amount of money to start a business.
To be continued.
Let’s try to be kind to those around us, we really can’t tell what tomorrow holds for everyone.
