OSUWAKE
Episode 4
My brother almost died as a result of my dad’s strong hold on his manhood. My mum cried and begged him to free her son and face her – that the battle is between the two of them. He never listened, and instead continued his assault on a generation.
Leo was at the point of death before our neighbours trooped in, first of all, it was our grandmother that emerged from her hide out but instead of her to caution her son to let go off her grand son’s lethal weapon; she went behind my mum and added salt to an already existing injury – she gave her a very painful bite behind.
As my mum was struggling to ascertain the person that injured her in such a manner, she pulled our grandma’s hair and found out it was her mother-in-law..
“why did you bite me, what did i do to you”
Before she could say something further, she inflicted another hate driven bite on her chest. she grew very angry.
As my mum was agonising in pain, she retaliated and chewed her lips. She tore her lips and she started bleeding immediately.
Unfortunately for my mum, my dad bounced back on his ready made prey and dipped a sharp knife in my mum’s eyes. Blood flowed like a stream. She was left in ruins, in severe pain and self pity too.
We rushed to our mum and ferried her outside immediately. Both parties were counting on their losses as two mothers engaged in a brawl; one driven by an unknown hate and the other a victim of her innocency.
We went straight to the police as brightness breathed the earth and reported the issue. They took some pictures of my mum in a normal routine show of solidarity.
They too retaliated and reported the issue aswell. Pictures of our grand ma were equally
documented. They ignited further enquiries in a show of professionalism as both sides retired to the treatment room. A domestic standoff had just occured!
I was lost in thoughts and frustration. Is this really my dad i knew or someone was now acting on his behalf? A relationship that was conceived in a secondary school love triangle, which eventually led to marriage after the first case of pregnancy was reported and eventually shortened the academic life of a woman.
In a nutshell, although, they loved each other and lived together even in the hit of my dad’s family members revolt. What could be wrong now? No one dared to answer that notorious question.
It dawned on us all when my dad took another turn as he started throwing our things outside.
He chased us out of his house. No one was spared!
Not even our Charlie, one of my brother who just finished secondary school and was pursuing admission in the university. He recorded excellence in his post UTME exams and was on the verge of announcing our family’s arrival on a university soil before our dad withdrew his support and recommended our mum to train him in school instead. A father did that!
It was a shock to the spectators watching the family crisis. A father turned his back on his offsprings – the seeds of his early youth!
it was a very catastrophic moment for all of us
The tide had turned against us and were racing against it in a very painful and pitiable manner.
Who else will salvage the situation and provide a roof on our head. It was a mother!
my mum made her way in heaviness of heart to their elder sister’s house with the injuries on her body all glaring, she poured her heart out. It was a very frustrating and heartbreaking experience for a woman in ruins ignited by a one time die hard school lover husband. You can’t imagine this at all! Good stats!
The big aunty and my god mother, as i fondly calls her, welcomed us and accomodated us wef that date.
Back there in my aunty’s house, it was a survival of the fittest, my mum was struggling to recover from the series of injuries inflicted on her by familiar forces. She could neither eat nor partake in any activity for a very long time. The saddest of the news was the fact that our big aunty was a widow! Her husband died a long time ago leaving her lonely but strenghtened with seven kids. Six boys and a girl being the eldest amongst them. They were very little when their father departed them and so, she had been burdened with their survival ever since then.
it was very tough for her as a widow with an already made burden inheriting another one.
but, it was blood that matters. What a father had neglected, a sister had to remedy the situation. Her hands were tied, so raising money to aid our plight became her greatest challenge. It’s even suicidal to think of it considering her own debacle.
So, in order to keep body and soul together, i resorted to doing menial jobs like fetching water for people and builders, graced peoples farm lands and touched the weeds fighting their harvest; all this we did for money. Even parking of sand – we could do anything provided is not against our moral standards just to raise money in support of our big aunty.
we also supported her massively in her farming activities because she was farming for a living.
my mum’s journey to recovery was slow and complicated. She had alot of issues with her eyes but it was later subdued and she bounced back to full recovery.
she went back to her lover and his people and begged for their forgiveness and pleas to accept her back but they never listened to her. My dad turned a blind eye – he never agreed to accept her back.
she then began sending us to our dad to atleast raise money for our feeding but he had already turned into a monster and iron fisted, as he always sends us away amidst warnings never to come begging for anything again.
the poor woman coudn’t bear it any longer and so, she filled a lawsuit and they commenced a case there. My mum prayed in the court that our dad should the one responsible for our upkeep as he drove her out without any tangible reason.
to be continued..
the saga continuez
A life story saturated with intrigues, controversies and life struggles
written by ©️Emeka Nwobu
stay tuned for more..
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