Unforgivable 7

Mother told us she had been dating the business mogul whilst still married to Father. She said when Father’s financial travail started the man, Chief Okechukwu aka Blade, started pressurizing her to leave father and marry him as his third wife. She didn’t need much persuasion as according to her he was quite loaded. She said she looked for an opportunity to have a terrible row with Father and then subsequently move out based on the ‘row'
She was with Chief for ten years during which she tried unsuccessfully to give him a child, which eventually led to him breaking up with her. She dated another man in the hope of settling down but he refused to marry her. She lived with him for some five years.
Eventually she was able to rent this apartment and she retired from her civil service job.
According to her, she thought of us often and we were always in her prayers!
I was just bristling with anger
‘ What prayers, nitoriOlorun?( in Gods name) What godforsaken prayers! What then was your gain? What greatness did you achieve by leaving us? You finally ended up in this rat hole you call an apartment.’ I thought angrily.
I recalled her words' You, your father and siblings will suffer, the wretched will call you wretched!’
The shoe was now on the other foot. Karma is indeed a bitch!
I remembered waiting for months by the roadside for her return, not knowing she was busy enjoying herself in the wealth and splendour of Chief, without a thought to my well being or my siblings well being
We eventually left at night after discussing the wedding plans with her. Better yet, Mickey engaged her in the discussion, I was too upset to speak. I couldn’t trust myself not to give her the lashing she so thoroughly deserved. Ewu (Nonesense)prayer!
My wedding day arrived bright and fair. Father proudly gave me away. Dame Anachebe was the chairperson of the occasion. Mother was gaily dressed( in the correct George wrapper and blouse, shoe and bag to match that Mickey had bought for her). Her presence marred my day as I kept giving her heavy scowls when I thought no one was looking!.
My father had forgiven her and at least they were civil. My siblings?, they hated her almost as much as I, but they managed to be polite,  for want of a better word
A year down the line I had a set of identical twins. Spitting images of their father.


To be continued...