PART 36
Life without Emeka was peaceful. I didn’t believe how easy it was for me to move on. Father asked me what I wanted to do with the car and property. I was not interested in them. I wanted to return them to his father but auntie Nneoma was against it. She asked me to drop the car at home so she could get someone to sell it and she will keep the money for me to get a car in future. She also asked Obinna to rent out the Abakaliki house and stay in the boys’ quarters as the caretaker. Father didn’t like the idea but Obinna was more than glad to move to the town. It was easier for him to commute to work and back.
I knew drama would ensue once the house was rented out. The tenants had unwelcomed visitors to the house who told them the house belonged to their brother and the supposed landlady was the estranged wife of their brother who was taking advantage of his absence to enrich herself.
The tenants called Obinna. Obinna was frightened and mentioned it to his boss. The boss asked for copies of the title documents to the property. He gave him the copies. His boss invited his friend who is a lawyer for advice. The lawyer told them to call him whenever they come to the house again. The following week, they were there. They came on a weekend. Obinna called his boss. He arrived at the building with the lawyer. The lawyer told them they were trespassing on his client’s property. He had the documentation to show she owned the property. He told them never to come to the property again or they would be arrested for trespassing. They were shocked at the extent we went to shut them up. They thought they could harass my tenants into leaving which didn’t work out.
They didn’t stop there. I ran into Ugonna at a cafeteria in school. My groupmates and I were having lunch after a tedious session at the hospital. I didn’t talk to her or acknowledge her. I wasn’t one to spoil for a fight and I hated unnecessary arguments.
She began to talk out loud for everyone to hear.
“How can someone who claims to have married a virgin sleep with her sister-in-law’s husband? At the same time, she was having an affair with her coursemate. I mean, full-blown shameless affairs with two guys without any remorse. When she was caught in her web of lies, she denied it. She ran back to her coursemate lover when the heat was too much. Now, she has been thrown out of her husband’s house and she is camping with her coursemate boyfriend shamelessly”
Her friend asked her, “Who is that?”
“It is one village champion my brother married to elevate the lives of her impoverished parents. She managed to gain admission to study Medicine, it entered her head. Whoring should her been her main course of study since she is so good at her. Her sister-in-law’s husband left his wife because of her”
“What are you saying,” her friend asked. “Who could have done something as terrible as this?”
“She is in this cafeteria as we speak”
I just smiled and completely ignored her. Amaechi spoke to me as though he couldn’t hear what she was saying. Other members of our team were engrossed in the story Amaechi was sharing. I was waiting for her to call my name. I was waiting for her to attempt bullying me and then I will show her pepper.
Her rants didn’t get the desired attention she sought. Some people had to let her know she was being noisy. Some boys told her most girls are whores, it is who they catch that is named. It was thrown open for a debate and an argument erupted. No one was interested in whom she was talking about. I smiled as I walked away from the scene with my team members. I am sure she was shocked I wasn’t panicked at all. I knew how to put her in her place. She wasn’t deterred.
Chiamaka came to Enugu collect her certificate and testimonial from our secondary school so she stayed with me in my place. I was glad to have her come around. She was serving in Abuja and was trying to secure a job in the ministry of
works. She needed documents from both her primary and secondary schools. She still not in talking terms with her father so she stayed at my place. She was aware of everything that transpired. I didn’t leave out any details. She felt I handled it too mildly.
Two days after she came, we were in the room that night when there was chaos outside my door. Someone banged on my door and then some other people were making noise. I went to see what the problem was. I was in my bum shorts and a bralette when I went out. It was no other person than Ugonna with two other girls.
“You must move out of this accommodation my brother paid for today, you slut. Look at this village rat my brother picked up and cleaned up. If you don’t leave, you will live to regret it ” Ugonna announced as I stepped out.
I was tired of the harassment from her and so I decided to ignore her and go in. she grabbed me by my bralette and shouted at me, “Did you want to walk out on me? I am talking to you”
At this time Chiamaka came out of the room to see what was happening. She was surprised to see Ugonna grabbing my bralette and said, “Will get your filthy hand off her, you baby killer. Who the hell do you think you are to come here and create a scene? Is it not you Ugonna that boys were using to practice how to break their virginity that is calling someone who married your brother a virgin a whore? Who hasn’t slept with you on this campus doesn’t desire you. You are a known dog. This apartment was paid for by Emeka and not even Emeka can get her to leave because it was paid for in her name” she looked at Ugonna with so much disgust as the crowd gathered and hailed Chiamaka. Chiamaka wasn’t done. “You and Akwaugo are not in the same category. Do you know the secondary school she attended? Which school did you attend? How many times did you write Jamb before you entered school? She entered one hand. All your accusations make no sense. By the way, have you told your friends you and your sister killed her baby which made her leave your brother? Did you tell them you were in the cell for a month? We have all the documentation. If you say it is a lie, we will go to the Police station and social media will trend with the evidence. If I as much as hear you threaten her again, your picture and that of your family will be all over social media. In-laws from hell. She is not marrying Emeka again. Leave her alone”
“You are talking nonsense. Akwaugo pack out of here now” Ugonna responded.
Someone from the crowd then said, “If the receipt is in Akwaugo’s name, what right do you have to tell her to pack out?”
Another suggested, “If she is harassing you too much, I think you should report to the school security. If she can kill your baby, she can kill you”
“If anything happens to Akwaugo we will hold your responsible. You threatened her in our presence; we are witnesses” other chorused, “Yes!”
“You are taking this thing lightly, report her to the school authorities. She has no right to embarrass you like this”
“If she is denying, I caught everything on video. I am sending it to you now as evidence”
“If her friend wasn’t here that is how this girl would have beaten her up. Akwaugo is very quiet; she doesn’t like trouble”
“This one is real sister-in-law from hell”
Other comments were made and then the crowd booed Ugonna and her friends who left with their heads bowed. I was advised to report to the school security for my safety and student affairs for her to keep away from me or be suspended. She can’t bully me and get away with it.
I went with Chiamaka armed with the video to the school chief security officer. I explained everything to him and also showed him the video. He took her number. He called her and asked her to report at his office with those two girls. They came. The Chief Security Officer (CSO) listened to her defence. She claimed her brother paid for the apartment and asked her to move in there. Emeka had told me he paid for this place for me. Why would he ask Ugonna to kick me out?
“Where is the receipt,” the CSO asked Ugonna. She couldn’t produce anything. He then asked me and I provided it. It was in my name. “Your brother paid for this accommodation in her name. She has the receipt”
“That was before he found out about her adulteries and sent her away” Ugonna replied.
This was when I knew how much men hated women who were believed to be adulterous. The countenance of the CSO changed. He said, “this is a completely different scenario”
Chiamaka replied, “Akwaugo left the marriage, she wasn’t sent away. The allegation was purported by two evil sisters. If her husband believed them why did he leave her a car and four flats? He was begging her to come back but she refused because his sisters killed her baby. Anyway, the best thing is to call the person that paid for the apartment”
The CSO asked Ugonna to call Emeka. She tried calling and claimed he wasn’t picking up. Chiamaka asked me to call Emeka; maybe he didn’t want to speak with his sister. I called him and put it on speaker for everyone to hear our conversation. He picked up on the third ring.
“My love” Emeka greeted her.
“Please stop calling me that”
“You will always be my love”
“Your sister came to my apartment this evening claiming you asked her to evict me from the apartment and move in. I just want to confirm if you sent her”
“Who came to harass you?”
‘Ugonna and her friends”
“I haven’t spoken to Ugonna since I left Nigeria. Why would I ask her to evict you? I paid for the other accommodation for her”
“You want her to be harassing me so I would like o refund the accommodation money”
“I have told you never to say that to me again. I paid and I owe you so much more for all you suffered on my account. My love, ignore her”
“I am with the CSO of my school, Chiamaka, Ugonna and her friends. They can hear you. Please clarify everything”
“Ugonna what the heck is wrong with you? Hasn’t she suffered enough? Leave her alone”
Chiamaka said loudly, “Tell him she also went to threatened the tenant in the house in Abakaliki with the other witch”
“What is she talking about?” Emeka asked.
Chiamaka replied, “Your two evil sisters went to harass tenants that were given flats in the house at Abakaliki claiming it wasn’t Akwaugo’s property. She had to involve a lawyer”
“What’s going on in Nigeria? Why are they harassing you like this?” Emeka asked sounding really stunned at all he heard.
“This just explains why we can never get back together. Your sisters are not remorseful. The next time they harass me or if anything happens to me, they are to be blamed”
The CSO didn’t know when he said, “This is serious!”
He made me submit a written complaint and also took Ugonna and her friends’ statement. Then he warned Ugonna and her friends to avoid me otherwise the report will be escalated to the Police. We left.
The next morning, I was with the Dean of Students Affair on our campus. Ugonna was also summoned. She could see I wasn’t playing so she backed down.
I sent the video to Emeka and members of his family. Emeka was ashamed and lambasted the two evil sisters. He begged me to please ignore them. I knew they would do more. I had subdued Ugonna on campus at least.
Chiammaka’s presence gave me the confidence to act and I was very grateful. She had blossomed over the years into this assertive young woman who knew what she wanted. For one, she wanted another child with Amanze so she will have her children with one man. She said she would marry Amanze but once he cheats she is out and would wear the cloak of divorcee honourably. I didn’t like her plan and I told her. I asked if she and Amaze were still having s£x and confirmed they were that’s why she wanted to get pregnant with his child. I advised her to be with someone who loves. Her reply made me laugh and also sad at the same time, “Your love for each other, where did it land you?” She wanted me to go back to Emeka and fight his sisters. I felt I was worth more than that.
During the holiday, heading to my final year, I ran into Dr Maduka. I was so glad to see him and so was he. He explained to me he had to keep away; I understood perfectly. He took me to lunch and I knew we might be followed and pictures of us taken, so I took pictures of us and sent to Emeka, my father-in-law, my father, Uju and Chibuike. Emeka asked how he was doing and I replied. He didn’t say anything more. Others just noted.
“I am sorry your marriage ended. Remember I told you my wife is evil. She is. I heard they made you lose your baby. I hard the entire story. You were nice to them. Our case is in court and I was finally able to see the supposed chat. I told the judge it was fabricated; it wasn’t from me. She believed me. She could see through Jacinta. We are battling the custody. I have agreed she can see the children but she can’t have them permanently with her otherwise she will ruin their lives. We are still on it. There is no going back; I am through with her”
“It is sad. I pity the children. Who will take care of them?”
“I am there and I will marry again. I want to have a son but Jacinta didn’t want to have more children so she wouldn’t lose her shape. She moved out of my bedroom so we don’t have intimacy. What was I expected to do as a young man? She will regret everything she has ever done to me and you. She set me up with girls to blackmail me. One of them confessed to me. She coached her on how to come after
me and she succeeded. When we got close, she told everything and asked me to be careful with her. She was not the first. I became careful”
“You shouldn’t have cheated on her. No woman likes it”
“She refused me touching her and made noise about it. For months, I stayed without ‘being’ with my wife. I reported her to her parents but there was no change. I left her and found solace somewhere else. I told her I would definitely have a son. And I will immediately after the divorce”
“I pray all goes well for you”
“And you too”
New Year’s eve, I came home. I was in my father’s house getting ready for midnight service to usher in the New year when this car drove into my compound. The driver came down from the car and my brothers couldn’t recognize him. He asked to see and he was invited into the sitting room. My father welcomed him and offered him a seat.
“How can we help you my son?” my father asked.
“I came to see Akwaugo” he answered.
“Is she a friend or school mate?”
“No sir. I was referred to her by a friend. She was recommended to me”
“Have you seen her before?”
“Yes, I have”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Chidubemi. I am from Afikpo. I am an international businessman. I own a car shop and also bring in spare parts. I live in Lagos”
“You are welcome, my son. Unfortunately, we are getting ready for Mass. The taxi driver has just arrived as I can hear his horn. You might have to come another day”
“I am also attending Mass at St Peter’s Catholic Church. I will give her a ride to church so we can talk”
“Let her come out first”
I was ready to attend the Mass. I was gorgeously dressed with my hair packed very
well. I made up my mind to always look good each time I came to the village so
people won’t think I was suffering. I wore a peach short mermaid dress with a
black pair of wedges shoes, purse and hat. I looked beautiful and loved it. My
makeup was on point. Emeka’s family will be at church I wanted to look
exceptional.
AKWAUGO