FARIDA
PART 57
Sam requested to see his children. Farida knew this day would come eventually. She prepared the twins and went down to the agreed location with them. The representative from the child care department was present with a woman. Farida couldn’t sight Sam anywhere. Monica came with her to give her moral support. As they settled down with the children, the representative introduced the lady with her as being assigned by Sam to see her children on his behalf. Farida and Monica thought it was Sam’s mother but they were both shocked when she turned around and it was Iya Farida.
Farida stared at her mother in disbelief. It took her mother almost even months to visit her daughter and grandchildren. She just looked at her mother. How could she have done this to her? How could she have taken sides with a man who treated her so badly?
Maami couldn’t believe she was looking at her daughter. She looked even more beautiful than she last saw her. She was seeing the Farida she raised before Sam came along. She looked so young and carefree. She looked at the children. They were so cute. They looked well taken care of. Farida couldn’t have afforded to do this on her own but then Monica and Wale were with her. No wonder she didn’t need anybody. No wonder she didn’t contact her.
Maami moved forward to pick the babies but Farida stopped her. Farida said, “I am not comfortable having this woman touch my children. If Sam can’t come and see his children and has to send a proxy then he is not ready to see them”
Monica tried to hold her back but she refused. She insisted her mother could not touch her children. She asked the representative what was to be done and she said since she has insisted and Sam didn’t come himself, then the woman cannot see the babies.
Maami was devastated. Shewas in tears as she watched Farida pick up her children in their car seats and head out. Monica waited behind to talk to maami.
“Maami, you caused this. How can you take sides with Sam over Farida who is your blood? Sam did wrong but neither my father or mother abandoned him because of his mistakes. But you, you quickly washed your hands off Farida just because she refused to go back to Sam. You have missed a lot. I have watched keenly the love affair between Farida and Wale and I am so glad I supported them. Farida has blossomed. She is better than the Farida pre-Sam. We are all doing very well. We don’t have so much but we are all happy. You should have been a part of us. It would have made it complete but instead you are against your daughter; your only daughter. She is angry. I will try and calm her down. Where are staying?”
Iya Farida gave her the details of the hotel she was staying in and her UK contact number. She went back home sad. She remembered her conversation with her mother before she embarked on this trip. She remembered her mother’s words.
“Family, whether they are doing the right thing or not, will always be family. You can never run away from Family. If Farida says she doesn’t want to marry the man anymore for reasons best known to her, who are we to say no? How could you have allowed the situation linger for this long. Have you quickly forgotten what happened to you and your sister? How can you ever consider abandoning Farida of all people after all you told me about her? You said marrying that man was a mistake. She has realized it. She loves another who you approved of before. We can’t always be right. Forgive your daughter. You have missed out on a very important part of her life out of anger. You were her confidant, her everything. Go back to Farida, forgive her and pray for her. Allah knows what is best for everyone”
Truly she had made a grievous mistake. Thinking about it, Sam’s mum and Iya Wale were for their children and put all the blame on Farida. Farida didn’t charm anybody. Wale rejected his pregnant girlfriend to be with Farida. Whose fault was that? Sam betrayed Farida and still wanted her back. He was very wrong. Why couldn’t her only daughter have a happy home from the very beginning? She had always desired to have marry a faithful man who will take care of her and the children while she takes care of the home. She didn’t have such good fortune. Even Wale wasn’t faithful to her by getting his girlfriend pregnant. Are they cursed with such luck?
It took two days for Monica to convince Farida to allow her mother visit. She was adamant maami wouldn’t see her or her children. Monica didn’t know what else to do but contact Wale. Wale was ecstatic maami came to see Farida and the babies. He called Farida.
“I know why you are calling me and the answer is no”
“I agree with you. She such a beast. She is selfish. Probably he was gaining financially from Sam that was why she supported him. It I highly likely he told her about Idara before he married her. You know all these mothers, they can do and undo. Do not allow her near our kid; he might have brought something to harm them with …..”
“What rubbish are you saying?”
‘Am I saying rubbish? Why are you accusing me of saying rubbish? Is it not what you were thinking?”
‘Don’t say that about maami”
“O, you remember she is maami. Farida my love, if we say we do not understand why maami acted out that script then we are both liars. Out of all our parents including Sam’s, maami has been the most honest and upright. Her reason for supporting your reconciliation with Sam was pure because she wanted you not to experience what she experienced. Sam is manipulative and emotionally abusive but maami doesn’t know it can be worse than physical abu.se. She will learn with time. I am glad she has come around. I hope she stays for a while since you two have some catching up to do”
Farida was in tears a Wale spoke. She carried that pain of abandonment in her heart. Although her brothers were close to her and communicated often, she still missed her very first love. How would she know this is not a ploy to get her back together with Sam? How would she believe her mother had changed? Would she reveal to Sam everything she sees? Could she be trusted?
Wale asked Monica to bring maami to the house to stay for the period of time she would be around. With prior information, Farida came home from school and saw her mother in her sitting room downstairs. She was still upset but she melted when she saw her mother’s eyes were so red and buffy.
“Omo mi, omo dada. My daughter that has always brought me joy. How do I beg you for forgiveness? How do I take back all I have said and done? Look at how empty my life has been without you. Ha, Farida, I am so proud of you. Look at how well you are living. You are not dependent on Sam or his family. I wish they can see how well you are doing; they will be utterly ashamed of themselves”
“Thank you maami. You are welcome”
‘I wish I could turn back the hands of the clock”
“I know maami, but these things had to happen for you to know the true nature of people. I was right about Sam. I was also right about Wale. I don’t care what anyone says, I will remain with Wale forever”
“I am glad to hear that. He is worth it although his mother is posed for a fight. She threatened going diabolic but I have mentioned it to your grandmother. She said she will handle whatever she decides to do. It will not work”
“How? How will she do it?”
“How did you get pregnant? Do you remember when she took us to Iya Agba Alagbo? Did you drink the herbs she gave you religiously?”
“Yes I did”
“Did you meet Sam during that period?”
“I did. Several times”
“Well, I counted backwards and you conceived after you had taken the herbs. So also, my maami knows people that can handle a woman who feels she has diabolic powers”
“So, I shouldn’t be worried about their plans”
“You don’t have to. Take me to see my grandchildren. Ahmad’s wife is also pregnant. Talk to Akram for him to settle down soon, he is all about work”
“He wants to make money before he does. Allow him for now”
Farida took maami upstairs, she introduced her to Kufre and then she met her lovely grandchildren who were playing in their play pen. Maami stayed there with them for the rest of the day. She had further discussion of the meeting she had with Wale’s mother and Sam’s mother. She told Farida that Sam’s mother think she is a gold digger which was what made her start to change her mind about them. Sam never stood up to his mother when she accused Farida. But it was obvious Wale did because his mother believes he was charmed.
Farida was offered a scholarhip for her doctorate degree. She couldn’t believe it. She had to stay back in the UK and acquire it. She was to work while doing it. There was some research work she had been drafted to be on the team. The pay for it was unbelievable and the research was for five years. She was getting paid to do what she loved so much. He mother was with her when she got the good news. He hard work and dedication had paid off.
When she informed Wale he told her he didn’t expect anything less. She was the one that underestimated her capability. He promised to join them in two months after the completion and the opening of the first mega station. The other stations were at varying stages development but with the completion of the first one, he could take a one month break and allow Ahmad continue the work as he understood what was required better.
Iya Farida left for Nigeria a month after her stay with her daughter and grandchildren. She went back home with loads of goodies for everyone at home. She did not regret making peace with her daughter; she could see Farida had made the right choices and was living a happy life. They agreed she would continue to pretend with Sam but that’s it.
Idara created a scene in the house when the security would not allow her bring in her prophet under the strict instructions of Sam and his father. She almost stripped herself n@ked in a bid to get them to succumb. Sam’s stepmother was home when all the drama was taking place but she decided not to be a part of it. When they decided to marry a second wife, no one told her. Had they insisted on hiding it from Farida and she stood against it, Sam almost had her head. She planned Farida finding out about Idara by asking her to comeback home unannounced which worked.
Idara was a mess. Why couldn’t Sam go for someone better looking, better behaved and more intelligent and organized like Farida. They were just opposites. She was tired of her wahala. She had been reigning curses in the form of prayers round the house. Her husband asked her to stay back so she doesn’t do anything drastic. She was fed up with her. Why would she be the one to baby sit a grown ass woman who doesn’t use her brain.
A crowd was beginning to form in front of the gate so Sam’s stepmother called the police who quickly dispersed the crowd and arrested the prophet who insisted on going into the house for trespassing. She instructed that Idara should not be allowed out of the gate on any account what so ever.
Idara came to confront her thinking it was business as usual. She felt if Sam could be rude to her she too could. She was in for a big surprise. As Idara began to yell at her, she gave her a very thunderous slap which made her stagger back. As she was able to get her balance, and charged forward, she received another.
“I have put up with your stupid behavior since you joined this family and to be candid, I am tired of having you around me. The fact I am forced to leave my children in Lagos and tend to you here irks the hell out of me. What is the problem? Farida, Sam’s first and legitimate wife had twins for him after seven years of waiting. Luckily, she had his first son too. You also had a son, so what is the problem? I am here with two sons who are second and third sons and I don’t feel threatened. Sam being the first son doesn’t stop my kids from excelling. You wanted it all. You wanted him to chase his first wife away and keep only you. It failed. Live with it. Why are you going up and down and spending money on liars claiming Farida did something to Sam.? I have lived with them; she did nothing to Sam. She took special care of him. Her absence is very obvious because you don’t know how to take care of your husband. Instead of you to learn, you are fighting shadows. Let me put your mind at rest. Farida has no plans what so ever to come back to Sam. She has moved on. She has a lover and is happy with him. There is nothing Sam hasn’t done to bring her home but she has refused. Sam is the one running after her but she has sworn she is not getting back with him. Sam is all yours if you learn to take care of him like a woman. You need to learn how to cook good food, select his clothes, clean up his room and give him good loving. All this you can learn. Then, you will be the only wife he will go into the house of reps with. Your prayer point is that he wins and takes you with him because he is proud of you. You are fat and shapeless. This is Farida (she shows her a picture of Farida on her phone) can you see how he looks? Would you believe she just had a baby not to talk of twins? Look at you Idara, you are large. Sam is ashamed to go anywhere with you. You have a son so you decided to full ground. Lose weight. Stop eating and being lazy. Get to a gym and visit a dietician. In the next two months you will see a difference. Leave these fake prophets and face God yourself. The rate you are going you will not be alive to fight this fight. You cannot go out or bring people into this house for now. If you insist on stepping out, you can never step in here again. Don’t say I didn’t warn you”
Idara sat down feeling completely defeated. Her stepmother-in-law had never ever spoken to her in that manner before. She usually avoided her completely. So why was she giving her advice? It felt as though she was fed up with her. She really had to ask herself questions. Why would Farida dump Sam who was headed for the house and also from a very well to do family? Why would he have children and still want to end it wit Sam. Was it just because of her or more? She thought long and hard and then concluded, she would take her Stepmother-in-law’s advice and lose weight. It would even make her feel better about herself. She was a feminist so she wasn’t cut out for all that caring for a man when employees can do that. She decided to get a job and make herself relevant. Farida had a job and Sam respected for it. She would would dust her credentials and search for a job that would give her prestige. She embarked on the weight loss first. She had woken up; this was her morning.
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