SPEECHLESSNESS
EPISODE 12
George’s mum went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, her husband was not yet back, and she bothered less, she prepared her favourite dish, nsala and pounded yam to congratulate herself for a job well done, she hummed her favourite song as she cooked, the cook was surprised at her madam’s cheerfulness, within few hours, she was done, she went upstairs to shower and come down to enjoy her meal.
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******* Debbie was still in shock over her mummy’s decision of relocating to Abuja, after serious thinking, she was happy as this will help her move on with her life. It was getting late and Thelma was yet to return from the salon, she tried calling her but her phone wasn’t going through,.. She slept off with her phone glued to her ears.
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*******Mrs Ufomba came out of the bathroom and was shocked to see her son sitting on the bed fuming in anger.
“George!!!!!!!!, what are you doing here?” she stuttered
He ignored his mum and dialled his dad’s number, surprisingly he heard the phone ring, he gave his mum a scornful look.
“We have alot to discuss tonight” he said leaving the room.
He couldn’t take it anymore, he left school not minding how late it was, he wants to put an end to all that was happening in his family, but he’s confused as his mother told him that his father was with his mistress in a hotel and has refused picking his calls, but his phone was right on the dressing table.
“Didn’t she hear the phone ring, and where was his dad at that time of the night?“ Alot of things were going on in his mind, he was pacing up and down restlessly
******Mrs Ufomba was surprised and felt her plans could backfire so fast. This wasn’t what she planned, she needed to act fast to avoid her son doubting her, she thought of a plan and quickly wore her clothes…
The door to his room was slightly opened and his mum walked in.
“Mum, you told me you’ve been calling dad and he wasn’t picking, but his phone was on your table” he threw at her immediately she entered his room.
“I was in the sitting room when I got the message, iy couldn’t move my legs, so I stayed in the sitting room, I was calling him not knowing his phone was on my table. I came up not long ago to shower, and I didn’t bother looking around the room. she said amidst tears.
“Can I see the video?”
“Ermm, ermmm, I deleted it, I couldn’t stand it, if I knew you were coming home right away, I wouldn’t have deleted it, it was heartbreaking, your dad has disgraced me enough,” she sobbed.
Her lies were beginning to work on him, he walked to her and hugged her.
”I’m sorry you’re passing through this just to keep our family together, I swear I’ll kill that b—h that is taking my father away from us, ”
”It’s ok son, I know you must be tired and hungry, let’s go down and eat, I prepared a delicious meal for him but since he’s busy with his mistress, let’s enjoy ourselves” she said smiling inwardly.
“I love you mum, you’re the best mother in the world”
They walked hand in hand to the dining, only to see his dad already seated on the chair, they were shocked
“Sweetheart, when did you return? We didn’t hear you honk, hope you’re ok? You look disturbed” she asked like a caring wife
He watched his dad hug his mum and pecked her.
“Baby i’m exhausted, I need to eat” he said turning to George.
“George, what a surprise visit, what are you doing at home? You left for school few days ago and you’re home today, hope you’re not sick”
“Here they go again pretending all is well, I swear I wont take this anymore” he thought to himself, he brushed passed his dad and rushed into the kitchen.
His mother was busy dishing out food from the pot, when she saw him breezed in and rushed out of the kitchen
“Daddy I swear, if you dont tell me what is going on in this house, I will kill myself!!!!!” he threatened pointing a knife to his stomach
“George drop that knife right now!!” his dad barked at him trembling
His mother heard them screaming and rushed out only to see her son trying to commit suicide.
“Mummy, if you and dad don’t open up and tell me what is going on, I’ll kill myself now!!!”
“God forbid, son I don’t know what you’re talking about” his mum denied
“Mum, you dont know what I’m talking about right? You called me few hours ago crying over the phone, you told me your husband was at it again, that he was in a hotel with his lover. You claimed a friend of yours sent you the video and pictures, and you told me he wasn’t picking your calls, but to my surprise when iy got home, I saw his phone on the table in your room, and now you’re pretending everything is fine Daddy where were you!!!!!!?”
”Oooooh your mum told you all these, I think it’s time for confession, actually your mum and I had a little misunderstanding so I left the house in annoyance and searched for somewhere to cool off my anger, I was just down the street in a beer parlour drinking. I didnt even know I forgot my phone because I was lost in thought, and she has now turned everything around, I’m sorry Anita, I think I have endured enough and this time I’ll tell your son the kind of woman you are.”
She knelt down and begged her husband not to say anything but he was determined to say the truth.
”Son, come to the sitting room and sit down, we have a lot to confess“ his dad said.
They both walked to the sitting room and settled down on the sofa.
******* Everywhere was calm, Mr Ufomba dismissed the cook and housekeeper and they retired to their rooms in the boys quarters. He settled down after making sure he had securely locked the entrance door, George was eager to hear what his father wanted to say.
“Son, I know you’re angry, but you have to calm down. ”
“How am I even sure that you will tell me the truth, I’m scared, you might cook up another story, just like mum did” he threw at his dad.
“I can never lie to you, moreover your mother is here, she has the right to oppose me if I lie against her, or I can invite her twin sister who has been in the United States on self exile”
George was shocked, his mother has never talked about having a twin sister, his eyes widened in shock.
“Mum!!!? You have a twin sister abroad? And you lied to me that you lost your family members in a robbery attack” George said.
“I can invite her over, though it will be difficult to convince her to come, I’m ready to take the risk, just to prove to you that I’m not lying”
His mum was busy sobbing, she felt miserable as the worst secret she’s been hiding from her children will soon be exposed.
“We used to live in Enugu, but due to your mother’s promiscuous lifestyle, I was forced to move to Lagos to save our family the disgrace and shame she brought to us” his dad said
“It all started when my father’s business collapsed, being the only son and child of my parents, it was my responsibility to help build up the company again, after much trials, things became worse. My dad returned one day with a marriage proposal from his best friend Chief Odenigbo, I didn’t t find it funny because I was in a relationship as at then but after much persuasions from my parents, iy accepted the marriage, the first day I met your mum, she was smoking cigarette, her daddy scolded her and made her apologize to me, I changed my mind not to marry her but her father assured me that it was something iy could handle. I was ready to do anything to make my parents happy, I decided to marry her knowing that her father would help build our company again. I played the fool because it was clear she doesn’t love me. A month to our wedding, she paid me a surprise visit and told me that she agreed to marry me because she wants to stay away from her father since he doesn’t give her the freedom she deserves. She told me she will cancel the wedding if I don’t t agree to her terms. We agreed to get married on the ground that she will live her life the way she wants while I do the same, I accepted the proposal thinking I will divorce her when I get what I wanted from her father because she wasn’t a wife material. All my friends were against the marriage because some of them had slept with her before but I ignored their warnings. Two days after our wedding, her twin sister showed up crying, she told me how she caught your mother in bed with her fiance a week to their wedding and the wedding was cancelled and her boyfriend eloped out of shame, I was devastated. I couldn’t stand her. Her twin sister left the country two days later and swore never to have anything to do with her again. Your continued living her life as she wanted to. You were conceived the day we were both drunk, I thought that would make her change, but she never changed After looking at your cute innocent face the day you were born, I vowed to stay in the marriage just for your sake and prayed for God’s intervention in her life. Six months after you were born, she went back to her lifestyle. I single handedly took care of you. My parents died in a plane crash on their way back from Dubai some months after your birth, my life shattered, nobody was there to comfort me. You were my only strength, you gave smiles to my face. I regretted ever marrying your mum son. But I couldn’t divorce her for some reasons. The company later picked up and was doing good, but I dont want to separate you from her. Two years after you were born, her parents were killed by armed robbers in their home, her mother died instantly, but her father spent two days in the hospital before he died. While he was in the hospital, he begged me to forgive him for forcing me to marry his useless daughter and begged me never to leave your mother’s side as I’m the only one that will change her. I promised him on his dying bed that iy will never leave your mother, he died happily after he willed all he had to me, your mother and her twin sister. The will also states that the company should be taken by government if we try to divorce, he made your mother a director in the company while I’m the chairman. Your mother changed to everyone‘s surprise after their death, she became the loving wife i’ve dreamt of, she started cooking my meals and taking care of you, this continued until after your sister was born. I travelled to Germany for a business proposal only to return one day and find out your mother was dating one of my workers, I sacked him instantly for disrespecting me. She started sneaking out to meet her boyfriends. Each time I think of divorce, I remember you and your sister, and her father’s plea. I carried the burden for years and I begged her not to allow my children know the kind of marriage we have. We agreed to be good and responsible parents, we always pretend to be in love in your presence and fight behind you, I tried my best to make her change. Anytime I suspect she’s out with her boyfriends, I do lie that we have a board meeting. I remembered the last time we quarelled, a friend of hers from Enugu invited her to Enugu for her birthday celebration, and she agreed to go but I refused her going remembering the reason we left Enugu and moved to Lagos because she was caught having sex in her office, it was a big blow to me. I relocated the company to Lagos immediately to avoid more embarrassment from her. I’m sorry son, but I cant continue telling you this, it’s so shameful. She wanted to turn you and your sister against me because I threatened her that I would tell you about her secret lifestyle, though I ’m not a Saint also, I have female folks I go to anytime I need a shoulder to cry on. Your mum on noticing this, hired a private detective to keep an eye on me, the video you saw was real, I was having fun because I couldn’t stand the heartbreak, and I’m sorry about that son.
What i dont understand is why she wants to turn you and your sister against me, after sacrificing my happiness for this marriage “His dad concluded amidst tears.
That was the first time he ever saw his dad cry, his heart was bleeding, he thought of Thelma doing such to him, he wiped the tears that has formed in his eyes and turned to his mother.
“Is dad saying the truth?” he asked her with a trembling voice.
She knelt down crying, begging and holding his knees.
“I ask you again, did he lie against you?!!!!!!”
“He’s right, I’m not fit to be called a mother, I ’ve failed my family, I can’t t explain what is happening to me, I’m sorry. I love you and your sister so much, I dont want to loose the trust you have in me, I knew you will hate me when you find out the truth so I decided to take the first step without knowing it will backfire ”
“Mummy you’re wicked, I don’t think I will forgive you, I’ll advice you search for your twin sister and ask for her forgiveness” he said getting up to leave.
His dad’s phone rang and he picked it outrightly seeing the caller id
”first thing tomorrow morning I’ll be in your school, thank you so much sir”
“Who’s school are you going to tomorrow?”
“Mirabel‘s, her principal just called”
“I’ll go with you, I dont have lectures tomorrow”
“It’s ok son”
“Good night dad” he said not looking at his mother who was crying.
His dad stood up went up to his room leaving his crying wife behind.
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He fell on his bed after spending eternity in his bathroom, he had filled his bathtub to the brim, and laid in it enjoying music from his phone, he had his earplug on. He stayed there thinking about what was just revealed, a woman he had loved and adored so much, his own mother flirting around, he closed his eyes and tears fell from them, his head was blank. He still can’t believe his mother could be that wayward.
He remembered Debbie telling him she saw his mother leaving a hotel premises one and they concluded she went for a business meeting. He left the bathtub when he started shivering, he tied his towel round his waist and retired to his room, the grumbling of his stomach reminded him that he had not eaten since afternoon, but he had lost appetite.
Everyone forgot about dinner that night. Mrs Ufomba slept off in the sitting room.
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