HE SAID NO
EPISODE 35
Mrs. Robert was pacing to and fro the sitting room, she was restless, it’s been almost a week since Amifel left home without a word. At first, they didn’t know that she had left. They thought she locked herself up like she always does whenever she was upset, but when it was way past midday and she had not as much as opened her door, they got alarmed and her mum decided to check her up in her room. They were shocked to meet her absence.
They did not know what they were in for until Amifel didn’t come home to sleep that day and even days after. They call and sent numerous texts, she acknowledged neither of them. Mrs. Robert had been tensed up since the very first day and she regretted that she abused her so much but she tried to justify herself by telling herself countless time that, ‘I only told her the truth as a concerned mother’ and Mr. Robert also tried to make her feel better at every opportunity he got by telling her that Amifel was not a kid, and as such, could fend for herself. Mrs. Robert did not think so.
“My dear, why are you pacing up and down like someone whose house has caught fire?” Mr. Robert said as he settled on a sofa in the sitting room.
Mrs. Robert ignored him as she stood still with her arms akimbo, she kept looking into space like she was seeing an open eye vision. Her husband waited a bit as he watched her in amusement before he spoke.
“Madam, please get me something to eat, I am hungry.”
Still no response.
“Hope you heard me?” he asked.
“Please don’t disturb me!” she hissed angrily as she sat on the sofa adjacent to the kitchen door.
“How am I disturbing you? I said I am hungry, or shouldn’t I eat again?”
“Didn’t you eat some hours ago? The last time I set my eyes on my daughter was 5 days ago, and you are here asking for food. Aren’t you worried at all? My mind has been in shambles since she left and you have just been nonchalant! What kind of a father are you?”
“A father that cannot kill himself!” Mr. Robert yelled, “A father who does not want to have hypertension!”
“So, it is me that wants to kill myself? Ehn?”
“I did not say that, I am only trying to tell you to calm down, she probably needs a break.” Mr. Robert lowered his voice again, hoping it would calm her down, he was tired of saying the same thing over and over.
“Is that all you would say? So, what she did was right abi? “
“Woman, I don’t understand you anymore! Weren’t you the one that chased her away? Or when you were hurling abusive words at her, what were you expecting? Moreover, is she a small girl? Please leave this girl alone and bring my food!”
“But, you also ignored her, you said nothing and that is even worse! Stop pushing all the blame on me!”
“Fine, get me my food!” He was evidently tired and he was beginning to regret that he came home. What made it worse was that he still had some weeks to spend at home, except he just wants to leave home to hang out somewhere till his next business trip.
” At this junction, I am beginning to have a feeling that you have another child outside, but as far as I am concerned, Amifel is my only child and I am way past menopause so please if you will not help me find my daughter, at least let me look for her in peace!” Mrs. Robert grumbled, stamping her feet angrily as she walked out on her husband.
“That’s your business, just get me my food!” Her husband said loudly.
Mrs. Robert ignored him as she locked the door firmly behind her.
Mr. Chukwuemeka Robert was a staunch Igbo man, he fell in love with Yetunde who he made his wife some years after they met. They gave birth to Amifel about 2 years after their wedding and ever since then, there had been no other issue. They sought all of the help they could think of, medically and spiritually… all to no avail. Mrs. Annabel Robert, who was Chukuemeka’s mum tried all she could to make her son take in another wife but he refused, she died not too long after.
Mr. Chukwuemeka Robert loved Yetunde so much and not even infertility issues could make him hurt her.
Although, he was worried but there was nothing he could do, after all, he didn’t even say anything to her the night the whole thing happened. He was mad at Amifel for making all their efforts to get her married futile and his anger which had subsided by the next day metamorphosized to panic when they discovered that Amifel had left home without telling anyone.
“Who would I call, ehn?” Her worried state was evident in her voice.
Amifel had never done this before, the highest she had done before then was to lock herself up, go out without talking to anyone and lock up herself again when she got back.
She suspected that she was probably with her friends but she did not even know their names talk less of where they lived. As she remembered that it was one of her friends that got married to George, she hissed again as anger rose in her heart. That was what pained her the most.
She felt that George was such a good and promising young man, and it hurts her so much that Amifel’s friend got him instead.
“I just want her back home. I want to see my daughter,” she said to herself as if to remind herself of the state she was currently in.
She tried her number yet again, it still didn’t go through.
“Amifel, this is not fair oh.” She sighed pitifully as she stood up to fix something for her husband to eat before he got angry with her and left home as Amifel did. That would be worse.
To be continued…
Written by Sodamade Olamide Tolulope.
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