shades of marriage 13&14

Shades of Marriages 🥰😊😔🥺😭 Part 13.&14

“Oh my goodness! What have I done to myself? Am I cursed or something? Why can’t I have a peaceful life for once. God please help me”. I cried bitterly within.

I got distracted when my phone started ringing. It was Austin.

I quickly and hastily dried my tears. I was warned by his sister not to mention anything to him, else they will take it that I want to divide their family.

“Hello dear”. I said feigning happiness.

“My love. How are you? Hope you are ok?”. Austin asked.

I couldn’t reply immediately because I was trying so hard to control the tears that were protesting to fall from my eyes.

“Are you there?”. Austin reiterated.

“I’m okay baby. Hope all is well at the office?”. I asked.

“Everything is good now. I miss you so bad already”. Austin said.

“Lover boy”. I said teasingly.

“Is it easy to have a woman like you by my side? Please allow me to love in peace o”. Austin said smiling.

One thing about Austin is that he always have a way of making someone laugh.

“Okay o. Do and come back, I miss you badly”. I said.

“Wait till tomorrow evening baby. How is my son doing? I hope he is kicking?”. Austin asked.

My heart skipped immediately. Everywhere became suddenly too hot.

“Hello! Can you hear me?”. Austin asked.

“The network is very bad. Let’s talk tomorrow”. I lied. I didn’t know what reply to give to his question.

“Okay baby. Goodnight”. Austin said and ended the call.

I couldn’t sleep the whole night.

The next morning, I woke up very early to sweep. As I was sweeping, Austin mother came to where I was and asked me to stop sweeping.

“We don’t sweep everyday. Go to your room and rest. After we are done with breakfast, we will be going to the hospital”. She said and went back to her room.

I couldn’t even sleep again. I managed to have my bath and just lay on my bed waiting for my judgement.

Austin called but I didn’t pick. I just didn’t know what to say to him.

After breakfast, I was taken to the hospital. An ultrasound scan was carried out and the doctor said there was no baby in my tummy.

My heart broke to pieces.

“So you wanted to trap my brother with a fake pregnancy right? You are unbelievable”. Oluchi fumed.

I couldn’t say anything to defend myself. I just stood there crying.

Mama called Austin to come back home immediately for an emergency meeting. Austin called me immediately but I didn’t still take his calls.

Austin travelled back with the next available flight.

“Where is Elizabeth”. Austin asked immediately he entered the house.

I heard his voice but didn’t come out. I locked my room door immediately.

“She’s inside her room. I bet she won’t be able to face you knowing the gravity of what she has done”. I heard oluchi say.

“What did she do”. Austin asked.

“She is not pregnant. She lied to you. She wanted to trick you into…”.

“Who told you she is not pregnant”. Austin rudely interrupted Nkechi.

I haven’t heard him sound that angry before.

“She told us about her former marriage and everything. We took her to the hospital…”. Mama was speaking when Austin forcefully stamped his feet on the ground.

“You people did what? How dare you subject my woman to such scrutiny”. Austin shouted at the top of his voice.

“Have you been jazzed? How can you still be defending her after hearing about how she tried to tie you down with a fake pregnancy?”. Mama shouted angrily.

I was just in the room crying while the whole drama was going on.

“I won’t give you people the right to treat my woman the way you like. You have to treat her the way I like and you can see how well I treat her. I blame myself for leaving her with you people. Elizabeth! Lizbeth!”. Austin called out as he approach my room.

I had no choice than to open the door for him. He entered the room and sat on the bed.

For over ten minutes, he didn’t say anything to me. He just placed his face on his palms. I just stood there staring at him. After a while, he removed his palms from his face and I saw that he has been crying.

I went on my knees immediately in front of him.

“I am sorry baby”. I pleaded with tears.

He lifted me up immediately.

“How can you knee knowing fully well you are pregnant”. Austin asked.

“But you just heard that I am not pregnant”. I said confused.

“So, are you agreeing that you tried to trick me with pregnancy?”. Austin asked.

“No no no! You know I will never do that”. I said defensively.

“Good. We will try another hospital in town to run another scan”. Austin said.

I was so touched by how he trust me that I burst into a loud cry.

“Why are you crying. I am so mad at you right now that I am controlling myself. Why didn’t you tell me about what was going on? How could you blindly follow my mother and sisters to the hospital without first informing me? I called you severally but you didn’t pick. Are you indirectly telling me that you are more loyal to my family than you are loyal to me?”. Austin said angrily.

“I am sorry. I didn’t want to cause division in your family. I wanted to win their love by all means”. I said with head bowed down.

“Elizabeth! Know who you are. Once we get married, you will be my woman and I can’t have my woman crawling around for my family. You will respect them and that’s fine but never you lose yourself while doing that. I can’t imagine myself taking orders from your family without first informing you. You know why? It’s because I only got to know them because of you and this goes for you and my family as well. Please always give me heads up before you do anything with my family okay?”. Austin said while holding my hands.

“Okay dear. I am sorry”. I said.

“Oya come to daddy”. Austin said with his hands wide opened. I went to him and he gave me the warmest embrace ever.

“My family are nice people but mama being a devout catholic won’t want me to marry a divorcee because Catholics don’t support divorce. They believe that if you marry a divorcee, you are commiting an adultery with her against her husband. That was why I didn’t tell them about your previous marriage. It’s good you told them anyways “. Austin said.

“I thought you’ve told them already o. This my mouth won’t kill me “. I said smiling.

“That’s why I love you, You are too innocent”. Austin said smiling.

I just sat on his laps blushing.

“I am sorry for what my mom and sisters did to you. I will talk to them and everything will be okay”. Austin said.

“No problem. I am sorry for keeping things away from you. It won’t happen again”.

We shared a long kiss afterwards.

“Now, let’s go settle scores “. Austin said as he grabbed my hands.

Austin held my hands as we walked out of my room.

His mother and sisters were surprised to see us hold hands inspite of what they told him.

  

Shades of Marriage 🥰😊😔🥺😭 Part 14

“Mama, I apologize for my outburst earlier on. I allowed my emotions to control me. Please don’t be angry”. Austin pleaded.

“You really surprised me. I have never seen you that angry”. Mama said.

“I apologize for my unruly behavior mama”. Austin said as he genuflected.

“I hear o”. Mama said reluctantly.

“Mama, I know you and my sisters mean well for me and you care deeply about my wellbeing and happiness. Elizabeth here..”

He reached out for my right hand and held it firmly. He continued;

“I was the one that approached her even before her marriage ended”.

I could see the shock in their faces. They passed puzzled glances at one another.

“I was the one that loved her first. I was also the one that made her fall for me. If there’s anyone to be crucified here, then it should be me. Concerning her pregnancy, even if she isn’t pregnant, it won’t change anything because I have always wanted her to be mine before the baby came into the picture. I am not marrying her because I think she is pregnant, I want to marry her because I love her with everything I hold dear. Please, I want you people to respect my choice of a woman. I can go ahead and marry her without your support but my joy won’t be complete. I plead you all to give us your support and blessings”. Austin concluded.

This was followed by a loud and prolonged silence. Loud silence because I could see what was running through their heads in their puzzled faces.

After what seemed like eternity, mama finally broke the silence.

“What else do I have to say? You are a grown man and I believe you know what you are doing. I was particularly excited when you told me you have finally found Love. This is because we were all scared you would never find love since the death of Chi Chi. If Elizabeth is the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with, I have no choice than to give you my support even if it is a very tough decision to make”. Mama said.

“Elizabeth, do you really want my brother as much as he wants you?”. Oluchi asked.

I looked at Austin with so much admiration.

“Who wouldn’t want to be with a man like him? I love him so much and I am glad to be his woman “. I said with smiles.

“You leave us with no choice than to start planning for the wedding “. Oluchi said and we all burst into laughter.

“Please take care of our brother for us o. He is the most precious person in our lives “. Nkechi chipped in.

“He is in safe hands. Thank you for your approval and acceptance “. I said bending one knee as a sign of appreciation.

“Were you really pregnant?”. Mama asked.

“I swear with my late mother’s grave, I saw the two lines in the pregnancy strip. I don’t know what is happening. Austin and I would try another hospital. I am even confused myself “. I said.

“Yes mama. I will communicate back the result to you people. Even if she isn’t pregnant, we can still make babies in the future “. Austin said.

“That’s true”. Oluchi added.

That was how I finally got accepted by Austin’s family.

Austin pleaded I follow him to Abuja since he doesn’t want me to be alone in Portharcourt. So I followed him to Abuja.

We went to another hospital in Abuja to confirm if I was truly pregnant.

During the ultrasound scan, it was discovered that I had fibroid which was covering the fetus, that was why the first doctor didn’t see the baby.

“I wonder why the doctor who carried out the first scan didn’t notice this big fibroid. We need to remove it surgically so it won’t affect the baby”. The doctor advised.

Austin booked an appointment immediately. The surgery was scheduled for the next week.

I told Faith about it. She travelled down to Abuja with her baby a day before the surgery. Austin also took a week off from work so as to stay by my side. His mother also travelled down as well. I felt so loved and cared for.

The surgery was done and the fibroid was successfully removed. To the glory of God, my baby was safe.

Faith travelled back to Port 4 days after my surgery. Mama stayed for over a week before traveling back to the village.

In all of these, non of my family members were in the scene. I told my father I was having a surgery but he acted so indifferent. He never called to check how the surgery went or if I was still alive.

I was so hurt that I told Austin that we shouldn’t do any traditional marriage because I didn’t want my father to reap at where he didn’t sow but Austin wouldn’t hear any of it.

Thanks to Austin who stayed by my side, I was able to heal really fast.

A day was scheduled with my father for my introduction.

In the day of my introduction, no single preparation was made to receive Austin and his family. It was as if, it was a normal visitation.

The excuse was that, I was once married so there was no need to start running around again. I could see the disappointment in the faces of Austin’s kinsmen.

“Austin does not deserve to be treated like this”. I cried bitterly within.

My marriage list was given to Austin. It was twice the amount of my first marriage. My father was bent on frustrating my life.

After plenty talks and deliberations, a date was fixed for my traditional marriage.

News got to my ex husband who vowed to make sure the marriage doesn’t hold.

To be continued

Judith Onyoyibo