HEART OF GOLD.
EPISODE 12
The day for the wedding came and it was successful with Sas serving as the groom’s man at the wedding. Liz had gotten a friend whom she met during her NYSC days to serve as her maid of honour.
Ann who had been following Liz on social media had advised her against marrying Frank without seeking the will of God concerning the marriage.
Liz had gone ahead to tell her to mind her own business and to get a husband for herself. To ensure that Ann stopped disturbing her, she had blocked her from all her social media accounts.
The couple returned home after the reception to continue their honeymoon which lasted for three weeks.
Five Years Later
“I am tired of you returning home at this time of the night with one excuse or the other. I am just tired” Liz said to Frank who was just returning home at some minutes past eleven. It was a habit that he had cultivated about a year ago and she was getting tired of it.
Frank: “I am sorry but I told you that we were having some meetings with some friends who want to help me secure another job after I lost the last and that has kept us in the office till now”he said.
Liz: “you know it hurts me when you lie to me like this. There was nothing like any meeting with your friends and you know that so just stop it”
Frank: “Okay, you are correct. There was no meeting, I actually went to hang out with some friends and we had a few drinks to celebrate his promotion. I didn’t want to tell you because you don’t like me taking alcohol” he said.
Liz: “you cannot be hanging out with your friends everyday and be drinking alcohol without thinking of how to get another job for yourself. You have lost more than three jobs ever since we got married and you are busy celebrating other people’s promotion. The next thing, they will introduce you into the world of women and you will start wallowing in adultery. A man who takes alcohol can do anything” she complained.
Frank: “oh please stop nagging and go and get me my food” he said, going to take a seat.
Liz: “that is what I am saying. You come back late and then you expect me to go back to the kitchen and warm your food for you because by now it would have gone cold and I know that you don’t like cold food. You should know that I also need rest. I go to work from morning till night to fend for this family and when I return, I cook for you. Don’t add to it, please” he said.
Frank: “just what exactly what is your problem? It’s been five years after our marriage and even though you have not been able to give me a child, I don’t complain but you will never cease to nag at any given opportunity. What exactly do you have against me hanging out with my friends?” he flared up.
Liz: “Fr..Frank, you now mock me with my childlessness? Has it gotten to that extent now”
Frank: “you know what, I am not eating again. You can keep the food to yourself” he said and staggered into the bedroom reeling of alcohol.
Liz sat on the chair and began to weep. That was the third time her husband was making reference to her childlessness that week and she was beginning to get worried.
After crying her eyes out that night, she went to bed, wondering if it was her fault that she had not been able to get pregnant.
The next morning was a Saturday and Liz was taking her time to clean the house. Frank was still in bed, struggling to do away with the hangover he was feeling.
Liz checked the time and it was some minutes past twelve.
“Wow, I have been working since morning and now its past twelve, time to rest” she said and went into the refrigerator where she picked a can of soft drink and some melted malt biscuits.
She came back to the sitting room, switched on her television and began to watch. After few minutes, she heard the door bell ring and she got up to open the door. Her mother in law was standing at the door, holding her traveling bag.
Liz: “ah, mama welcome ma. My husband didn’t inform me that you were coming. Please come inside ma” she said, while trying to collect the travelling bag from the woman who refused to give it to her.
Mama Frank: “my friend will you leave my bag? Imagine what you are saying, so I need to inform you before coming to my son’s house or what?”
“No, ma. That is not what I mean…” Liz started to say before she was interrupted.
Mama Frank: “just save your explanation, I am not interested. So, your stomach is still this flat?” she asked.
Liz: “ma?” she asked touching her stomach unconsciously.
Mama Frank: “what is ma? So, as a married woman, five years after your wedding, your stomach is still this flat? What have you been doing that you are still not pregnant yet?”
Liz: “mama, I am trying. I and your son are trying and we know that at His own time, God will give us our own children” she said, trying to force back the tears that was threatening to fall from her eyes.
Mama Frank: “shut up jare. Of course I know that you are not God who gives children but look at all the people that married years after you married my son, they all have their children, some even have twins and you are here saying you are not God who gives children. Shioor!”
Liz: “mama, what would you like to eat and drink? You must be very tired” she said trying to change the topic.
Mama Frank: “I am in my son’s house and if I want to eat, I will go to the kitchen and prepare something for myself. You are asking me what I want when you yourself are busy taking junks” she pointed at the malt and biscuits on the table.
“A woman who wants to get pregnant is busy taking sugary things, tell me, how will the baby stay in your womb when you take in? Instead of you to take herbs and vegetables that will help your womb. Who knows if you are the witch who doesn’t even want to have children for my son” she spewed.
Liz “mama…”
Mama Frank: “Ekwensu fire your mouth there if you call me mama again. If you don’t want to give me grandchildren, leave my son’s house so that another woman can come in now, ehn, ogini?”
Liz: “mama, I will just go in and inform my husband that you are around. I am sure you will be glad to see your son” she said and attempted to leave because she didn’t want the woman to see that she was crying.
Mama Frank: “will you come back here? What will I eat? Don’t you know that I need to eat after travelling from such a long distance?”
Liz: “I will go into the kitchen and make something for you to eat. That is why I was asking what you wanted to eat as soon as you came in” she explained.
Mama Frank: “what is this one saying? Is there no cooked food in this house or what? So you will not give my son children and you will also not give him food? What crime did we commit by marrying you?”
Liz: “I have been busy cleaning the house all morning, ma. If I knew that you were coming, I would have cooked something” he said.
Mama Frank: “so my son will not eat? What do you mean by if you knew that I was coming you would have cooked? What will somebody not see with these women of nowadays?”
Liz: “excuse me, ma” she said and ran to the bathroom to cry. Past experience had taught her that her home was usually hell anytime her mother in law visited and to worsen the case, her husband supported his mother. She was in for a bigger trouble this time around and she knew it.
Click 3 below to continue reading
