ADUKE…
Chapter 17
…… Getting to the church,I couldn’t believe Ben hadn’t arrived,you know that feeling when the bride is in church and the groom is no where to be found,my heart was beating fast,I felt like dying,his best man was around and couldn’t give an account of Ben’s whereabout, according to him,Ben had asked him to go to church that he was coming..
I tried calling him, several other people tried calling him,his phone was ringing but he wasn’t picking up,the officiating Ministers,my family and I were all worried,what could have gone wrong,I reminisced about the eve of our traditional wedding,when he asked me if I had anything to tell him, could it be that whoever told him I had something to tell him happens to be one who knows me, could the person had spill it out, oh my world,I am finished,I was panicking, Maami and Baami were trying to calm me down,but all effort was to know avail…
My wedding was for 9am,and it was past 12noon,but the groom was no where to be found,just call me,A Bride without A Groom,but how can a little mistake I made ruin my life like this,why me,who exactly did I offend,why is my life like this,I didn’t know what to do,I had lost two men because of my sin,am I going to lose Ben too in such a disgraceful manner because of my past yet again….I was crying profusely..
But then,a voice came to my head and said,his ways are not our ways….
I started praying, asking God for yet another mercy,I turned the situation to prayer,I was praying vehemently In the car,my parents and others were surprised that I had immediately stopped lamenting and crying and had started praying….
Haven prayed for sometime,I stopped and was starring at space,the head pastor then came to me in the car and said if by 12:30pm the groom isn’t around they were going to leave,I looked at him and nooded in agreement….
People were already whispering and talking,the groom has abandoned her,what a shame,what a pity,were the words flying round,even in the church…I wanted to cry and wipe of the shame I was in but then,I didn’t know where I found the courage to be strong,I was just singing songs of praises to God….
It was 12:45pm and the minister had announced to the congregation that the wedding can not hold since the groom is no where to be found,he apologized for the inconveniences,maami was crying profusely, Baami was walking up and down in panic….
The head Minister and other Ministers came out to encourage me, on their way out,my daughter,you have to be strong,take courage in God,he alone knows what’s best,and no one can question him, please my child,be strong, God has a plan and purpose for you,heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…
He stopped talking and was starring at the gate,other Ministers and I turned our heads to the direction to see what was happening,when we saw Ben walking in….
The best man and other persons shouted in happiness….
He Knelt down before the ministers and apologized for coming so late…..
What in heaven’s name happened,you kept your bride and everyone else in panic,you weren’t answering your phone,and weren’t home either,what happened, everyone asked…
Please sir,it was something beyond my control I am sorry,he repeatedly said.he came to me and pleaded he was sorry for coming late..
My parents and every other persons around pleaded with the ministers to go on with the wedding, thankfully they obliged and we went Inside the church for the wedding,which was as fast as possible.before 2pm everything was done…
I could see pain in Ben’s eyes even though he was smiling,I wanted to know what was happening,I wanted everything over and done with so I could ask Ben what the matter was….
We went to the reception ground,and Ben was trying so much to be his usual self,but I could see pass him…
At last the whole party was over,I had become Mrs Ben.we drove to the hotel we had planned for our honeymoon,he didn’t say a word all through the ride, everything was strange to me,what could be going on,I tried to begin a conversation,oh thank God honey,we are finally married, it’s been a very long and tiring day,I said,but Ben didn’t even say a word nor responded.
Getting to the hotel, Ben alighted from the car and went straight to the room, without minding the bags in the truck,I was still on my wedding gown,and it was heavy,I had to get the bags myself,and was struggling with my gown and carrying the bags,,thank God for a worker in the hotel,who saw me in dear need of help,and assisted me to get my things to the room…
Ben was in the bathroom when I got in,it was a very big and presidential kind of room,so beautiful and adorable,but the pressure in my heart didn’t allow me appreciate it…
Coming out of the bathroom,he was on short and an handless shirt, honey, what’s going on, please talk to me,what happened today,why the extreme lateness to church, what’s happening,why aren’t you talking to me,I asked,but he wasn’t talking to me, instead he took a novel on the table in the hotel room and started reading,,,I tried to hold him and talk to him,he removed my hands from him and went out to the bar of the hotel and started drinking there,,
I was waiting for him to return so we could talk,I was very tired, everything happening was too much for one day,what could be. Happening with Ben,did he find out my secret,is it something else,does it have anything to do with our marriage,what could be eating him up like this,after thinking for so long without a comprehensive stand and answer,I sat on the bed in tears, I didn’t even know when I fell asleep…..
It was Joyce’s call that woke me up at about 8am the next day….
Iyawo she shouted at the other end of the phone,I gave a very cold response…
Eheennn,you don’t sound excited and happy,what’s going on,I mean wedding night is usually the blast for couple,hope it was wowwwww,,oya give me gist naa,Joyce was busy being her usual self ,not knowing I wasn’t,infact my life wasn’t at that point…
Joyce please let me call you back,I said to her,and hung up…
Ben wasn’t in the bed,honey, honey, honey i called,I thought he was in the bathroom, but when I didn’t get answer,I decided to push open the door,but Ben wasn’t inside.
Where could he be,I was still on my wedding gown,I had to change into something easier and lighter……
I had my bath and was refreshed,it was actually our Thanksgiving in his church,but he’s no where to be found….
What’s with all these disappearing and appearing,I called his phone but he wasn’t picking,he later turned it off……
I was going mad,the whole thing was becoming too much for my head to handle,,, while I was still hopelessly trying to call Ben, Baami’s call came in..
Hello Baami mi,e ka to sir,I greeted…
Omomi,ba o ni,Aduke , please you have to come home immediately,Baami said,, Baami hope all is well,you know today is my thanksgiving in church,I am even trying to call my husband,I don’t know his were about,I had said ..
There will be no need looking for your husband,just come over, he’s here,Baami said…
Baami,my husband is there?,I asked confused…
Yes my daughter,he is and I am not understanding what he’s saying, please be hear as quickly as possible,Baami said and ended the call….
My God, what’s happening, what’s going on,I changed again,and hurried home to my parents house….
Iyawo, iyawo,iyawo, everyone greeted as I alighted from the taxi cab….
I tried to answer their greetings as nice as I could,then I rushed inside,lol and behold, indeed my Husband was there…
Baami karo sir
Maami karo ma
I greeted my parents,and they answered me in not too cheerful manner.
Honey ka ro,I greeted Ben but he ignored me.
My daughter,what is going on,or what went wrong between your husband and you, because I do not understand what is happening here,Baami said,while maami was in tears…
Baami, I don’t understand myself, my husband has been acting strange,so different,he hasn’t said a word to me since yesterday,I don’t know what I have done to him,I said in tears…..
Sir,mam,I came this early to tell you,that I am no longer interested in your daughter,the marriage is over, Ben said in so much anger…
It was like someone had hit my head with a piece of wood,I felt a sharp pain on my head….
Ben,what did you say?,Baami asked.
Sir,I said,I want a divorce,I am no longer interested in marring your daughter, because I can not be married to a woman like this, Ben said….
My son, please we can talk this out,we can , please what ever your wife, my daughter has done to you, please forgive her,this can’t possibly be the only solution,how can a marriage of less than 24hours come to an end.please Ben, forgive her of anything she had done, please… maami said
Forgive a woman who lied to me all this time,even when I called her a day before our traditional wedding to tell me If there was anything I needed to know about her,she looked me in the eyes and lied to me,how would someone who claims to love me,be such a dangerous lair,if she and even you her parent could keep such secret from me,then she could keep deeper things….
God knows I wouldn’t have mind,I wouldn’t,we could adopt kids,it won’t hurt this much if I didn’t find out from someone else,it won’t hurt this much if your daughter had told me the truth even at the last minute when I asked her,no no, instead she choosed to call me a fool,by telling me there was nothing, Ben said in anger….
I was already in tears,I was shaking profusely,oh,my past,has come to hurt me in the face,oh my world…
Ben,what are you talking about,what secret are you taking about,please my son,you would have to speak In plain language,cos my wife and I don’t seems to understand a thing.
Oh please sir,stop the pretense,you won’t tell me you and your wife aren’t aware that your shameless daughter here, slept with anything in trouser as a student,and had her womb completely damaged in the course of an abortion,and would never be able to bear a child,Ben spilled….
Whatttttttt,mother said in shock and passed out…..
Written by
Rejoice Igbinovia Aluyi
