TRAPPED- Episode 7
Mama Fejiro had helped us to pack our cloths from the clothing line when it was about to rain while we were still in church. She was not at home when we got back home; she returned later in the evening.
That evening, Papa was sleeping in the bedroom while he left his phone in the sitting room. Mama went to Mama Fejiro’s apartment to collect the cloths she had helped us to remove from the line. She spent more than the expected time and I was beginning to wonder what was keeping her. She came back in after 20 minutes. She dumped the cloths on the sofa and went straight for Papa’s phone which was quite strange.
I tried to make out meaning from her facial expression as she went through Papa’s phone but I couldn’t. I had never seen Mama’s face that way; the expression gradually turned to tears. At that point, Papa came out of the bedroom and saw Mama going through his phone. He quickly snatched the phone away from her.
“Onome have you gone mad what are you doing with my phone?” Papa yelled
“aaaaa…Papa David so it is true…..you’ve been sleeping around with different girls” Mama lamented
“What do you mean Onome, did you catch me with any woman” Papa said still yelling
“Look at your phone…. there are several text message conversations between you and your mistresses”
“Will you keep quite Onome…so what is wrong with that…am I not a man…an African for that matter…I can even decide to bring in two more wives if I so wish”
“You dare not, Papa David, is it because I’ve been keeping quiet all this while?”
“Onome I think you are high and you seem to have forgotten that I’m the one you are talking to…you should be happy I don’t even bring them to the house”
“Papa David you are a wicked man, despite the fact that I have been loyal to you, you still have the mind to cheat on me…so this is what you’ve been doing with all your late nights’ adventures….eeeehhh….thank God for Mama Fejiro, I would have still been in the dark”
“Oh…now I see where all this is coming from…you have started listening to gossip”
“The gossip that has evidence on your phone and you admitted to”
“Onome you better keep quiet or do you want me to shut it up for you” Papa threatened
“Shut it up nah…come and beat me again…that’s all you know how to do…I must report you to pastor this time around” Mama cried
“Report who?…have you gone mad, are you crazy…infact I am going to marry another wife”
“Not in this house Papa David” Mama wept pointing her finger at him
“Did you just point your finger at me?” Papa asked with so much anger
Within a twinkle of an eye Papa punched Mama in the face. He pushed her on the sofa punching her ribs. Mama wailed like a wounded lion as she received each punch.
“So you have grown wings, challenging me in my house…eeee….I will teach you a lesson you will never forget today”
Papa said breathing heavily still punching her.
I could not bear it again; I tried to pull Papa away from her. My younger ones joined me too. We were all crying for Mama. I bit him on his hand and pinched him all over but all our effort to rescue Mama from our monstrous father proved abortive; we could not subdue the devil that had possessed him.
He dragged Mama to the kitchen, opened the drum of water in the kitchen and pushed her head in. As Mama grasped for breath, he pushed her head in the more. Slowly I watched in horror as Mama struggled for her life. Papa dropped her at the instant he noticed she had stopped struggling. Mama lay motionless on the floor. Quickly, I ran to her side and shook her vehemently calling on to her but there was no response.
I was still trying to wake her up when I heard Papa starting his car. I rushed outside to let him know Mama wasn’t moving but it was too late. He had driven off.
I ran to Mama Fejiro’s flat to call for help. With her help and that of her husband’s, we were able to rush Mama to the hospital. My younger ones were left in the care of Mama Fejiro’s house help.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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Written by Evelyn Ivie Ojo
