BETTY: *****smiled***** welcome ooooo. How far with the generator?
SEGE: **voice cracking*** ehmehmm it didn’t work out well, your husband couldn’t repair it.
BETTY: ***laughed*** funny you. I thought you said he was the best generator repairer around here?
SEGE: don’t mind him jaree, he just fumbled. ***stretched his hands forward*** please. Did I miss any call?
BETTY: not at all. I was just looking through your photo gallery and I found so many exhibitI’m going to tell my friend about.
SEGE: haba, please oooooo. Those pictures are that of my friendsooooo, nothing else is attached to it.
BETTY: I heard you, friend indeed.
Segun collected his phone from Betty and I could see a grin on his face and it appeared as if no damage was done. The three of us had more chats and discussions until few minutes past 10 am when we decided to leave for my mummy’s place. Segun walked us to the car and when I was about to enter, he called me back and whisphered into my ear saying “put your mind at rest and no cause for alarm, my bbm and whatsapp was on pattern lock and our secrets are still safe. I felt so happy inside of me and it was as if a big yoke was removed from me as I felt so relieved. I started the car engine and we drove off as we waved at Segun. We arrived at mummy’s place and she was so happy to receive us. I excused them to perform the usual mother in-law and daughter in-law discussion rites and I went out to hang out with my friends in the neighborhood. I returned home after some minutes and they were already through with their discussions. I told mummy about my travelling plans and we departed for Ekiti state where Betty’s grandmother lives.
We arrived at Grandma’s residence at few minutes past 6pm and she gave me a warm welcoming. The house was a mini three bedroom flat which appeared to be one of the finest house in that village, it has a very nice painting with cool set of interiors. We sat down and we started talking.
GRANDMA: welcome my son.
ME: thanks ma.
BETTY: Grandma, this is Onihaxy, the guy I was telling you about on phone the other day.
GRANDMA: the one you said that you met in Ado and he works in Lagos?
BETTY: yes mama.
GRANDMA: ****turned to me***** you are welcome my son. She has really told me a lot about you.
ME: ***grin*** thanks ma.
GRANDMA: you see this girl you are looking at, she is the only daughter I have. Maybe she didn’t tell you, her mother is the only daughter I gave birth to. And since the death of their mother, her brother and her has been the only joy I have left in this world ****sobbing***
BETTY: its ok grandma, please stop crying ……………**Betty consoling grandma****
ME: ***consoled her too*** its ok grandma. Betty had explained everything to me. I promise to take good care of her and I promise never to disappoint you ma.
GRANDMA: ok my son. Please, take good care of her and no harm must come near her. **turned to Betty*** has he met your brother and your father?, and what about the other man you told me about?
BETTY: ***sighed** Grandma, that is one of the major reasons why I am here. I am confused grandma. Daddy wanted me to marry someone whom I have no feelings for because of his business and political ambitions, and here is the man I really loved and wanted to get married to grandma. Daddy had vowed to disown me if I violate him; I don’t know where to run to that he won’t find me.
GRANDMA: you are right. You remembered his threats on me the last time you stayed with me here in Ado. He has been so intoxicated with power that he couldn’t even respect me as his mother in-law, as if I am not entitled to see my grand-daughter.How much more this young man. What about Henry?.
BETTY: ***smiled**** brother Henry and his wife has really been supportive grandma. They took him like their own family and I was so surprised. in fact, he is closer to them than the way he is close to me. I just wish the same thing can happen with my daddy. I can’t marry that other guy grandma. He is so rude, proud and arrogant. He always walk around with thugs and he has no respect for anybody. You can imagine that he beat up a cab driver that carried both of us some times back because the driver said “Aunty, you are looking good and beautiful”
GRANDMA: haba, just that?
BETTY: I swear Grandma. That is the type of Guy my daddy wants me to marry.
GRANDMA: so what do you want to do now?, why not involve Henry?
BETTY: Henry had tried. remember I told you that my brother wanted to sponsor my master degree program before, I don’t know how daddy got to know. he vowed to disown Henry and rule him out of his inheritance and also freeze his account just like he did to me the last time I ran away from home. And I want daddy to meet Onihaxy but I don’t know how to go about it.
GRANDMA: ok, have you finished your school program?
BETTY: NO ma, till February ma.
GRANDMA: its ok. get back to school first and finish your program. Before you return, I will find a way of talking with Henry. all of us will work together to find a solution to the situation.
BETTY: ok ma, please help me out. Daddy wants me to get married as soon as I return from abroad. infact, the wedding invitation card has been printed and preparations are already on going.
GRANDMA: don’t worry. God will give us the wisdom to settle everything out. have you seen your daddy since you return?
BETTY: seen him kee?, he didn’t know that I’m around. onlyHenry and his wife are aware and I have seen them.
GRANDMA: don’t worry and be rest assured, everything will work out fine. ***turned to me** my son, don’t worry ehn, everything will turn out to good. when are you people leaving?
BETTY: we will be around tillNew Year day.
GRANDMA: you don’t mean it? Including my son in-law?
BETTY: yes grandma, **turned to me*** abiOnihaxy?
ME: *** feeling uncomfortable and smiling****
GRANDMA: this one that you are smiling. you are welcome anyways. Here is also your home. you can stay for any duration you want.
We continued to discuss until late night. Betty and grandma went into the kitchen to prepare dinner and I was in the living room. I placed a call to my mum to inform her about how I was going to stay for some days in Ekiti state. I also spoke with Segun and updated him on the happenings in Ekiti. Dinner was ready and we eat pounded yam and vegetable soup. Betty took our bag to one of the rooms in the house, she told me that it was the room she normally stay in anytime she visits Grandma. she later left me in the room and took permission from me to visit grandma as they still had some discussions. I was left alone in the room and I was pondering on the conversations we had earlier.
“this my father in-law must be a cruel and strong hearted person”
“ how do I even win in this battle?”
“ is it a crime to be born into a poor family?”
“ can’t the rich just allow their children to marry whosoever they want to marry?”
“ what if I end up loosingBetty to my rival?”
“what if Henry and grandma couldn’t do anything about it?”
“ for her daddy to threaten Henry and Grandma, then I’m not save”
“ what if he decided to assassinate me?”
“ or will my rival just relax and allow me to take away the lady whom he had been engaged to?”
“ why is everything getting so complicated?”
I was still sitting on the chair and my heart was covered with fears of the unknown as I continued to think of several things both negative and positive. Suddenly, I just remembered AdeBimpe’s advice about taking me to a spiritualist who helped her in winning over Henry from the battle of her father in-law.
***Onihaxy, don’t you think you should also try this same approach before things become totally complicated beyond remedy?****