SPEECHLESSNESS
EPISODE 18
His brother’s words sank deep into his head, he hadn’t been able to concentrate on his office work, he would return from work and go to his bedroom without talking to anyone, he now avoids his wife, he detest her with everything in him, he regretted ever marrying her, if the children are not his, he won’t be surprised, as his wife had lived a promiscuous life. He swore never to have anything to do with her again if the kids are not his. He checked his time and it was almost 9pm, his wife had picked Mirabel from school and gone home, he deliberately delays his going home as he doesn’t want to see or talk to either his brother or wife, he picked his briefcase and headed to a restaurant nearby the company where he now eats his dinner for the past weeks.
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******** Mrs Ufomba was pacing up and down, her husband is yet to return from the office, she checked the time again and hissed, she checked his food on the table and it was getting cold, she returned the food to the microwave and went to the sitting room to keep herself busy with the television, she was troubled, her husband’s sudden change seems amazing, he avoids her like a plague, even in the office, he doesn’t come to her for official assignments, he rather sends his PA.
She picked up her phone to dial Sister Chinwe’s number, she met sister Chinwe when she ran away from home, sister Chinwe was the one that brought her closer to God, she has been her spiritual guardian, though she’s from a poor family, she possess a charisma that even the rich doesn’t have. She counsels couples. She has a younger sister, Gift, who just finished writing her jamb, she lives with her in her self contained apartment, she works in a bread factory in order to save money for higher institution.
Sister Chinwe picked her call at the first ring, Anita told her about her husband’s sudden change in character.
“Did you quarrel with him?” Sister Chinwe asked her after listening to her.
“I didn’t, I’ve been trying to find out what the problem is but he’s been avoiding me, as I’m talking to you right now, he’s not yet home, he now keeps late night” she lamented almost crying
“The Devil is liar, please my dear sister in the Lord, I want to pray over what you just told me, I’ll call you back tomorrow morning, but remember to always pray without ceasing”
“Thank you so much sister, only God will bless you for what you’ve been doing for me, I’ll be expecting your call, bye”
She laid on the cushion and didn’t know when she slept off.
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******** “Debbie, I said I’m sorry na, I’ve been begging you for days but you’re still ignoring me, I’ll never lie to you again, I’m sorry” Thelma begged her sister who has been keeping malice with her since she returned.
Debbie ignored her and continued playing with her phone, she stood up and went to the kitchen to get juice, Thelma followed her.
“I know you love freshly made juice, I can quickly make it for you” she told Debbie who gave her a scornful look and continued filling her Cup with juice
“Debbie talk to me na, I said I’m sorry”
“Are you ready to tell me who you were with?” She finally asked her.
“Oooh, dont start again, why are you bothered about who I was with,”
“Oooh, you still don’t want to talk, excuse me” she smirked at her sister and turned to leave
“Ok, I’ll tell you but that will be tomorrow, I promise to tell you the truth”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Cross my heart, I’ll tell you tomorrow,”
“Ok, I will talk to you but you’re not yet forgiven, until tomorrow”
“Can I make the juice for you tomorrow morning since it’s already late?” Thelma asked her
“Sure” she replied excitedly
Thelma smiled to herself and rushed off to the kitchen.
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********** Anita almost fell from the cushion when her eyes opened, she hissed realizing she slept off while waiting for her husband, the television was switched off, she checked the time and it was 11pm, she moved the curtain to check if her husband’s car was parked outside, she saw his car and went up to his room, she heard him speaking to someone on the phone, she tiptoed to his door and eavesdropped,
“I’ve made the necessary arrangements for the test to be done, I dont want them to know my plans, she doesn’t know my plans either, i’ll shock her with the news when the result finally comes out, I have sent everything to the doctor, and he said the result will be out next tomorrow. I’m tired, I’ll call you back tomorrow, bye“ he ended the call and covered himself with a blanket and laid down facing the ceiling.
”What test is he talking about? What is my husband doing behind my back, I must find out what it is” she thought to herself before going to her room to sleep.
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The ringing of her phone woke her up, she glanced at the phone and Sister Chinwe was the one calling, she quickly picked the call
“Good morning Mrs Ufomba, I’m sorry for calling this early, please go to your husband right away, you will find out why he’s been acting strangely ” she said hurriedly.
She jerked out of her bed with the phone still on her ear.
“Thank you sister” she said and the phone went dead, she quicky tied her robe round her waist and rushed out of the room
She tried to push her husband’s door open when she stopped with her hand hanging on the air
“Doctor, we’ve been through this before, and I’ve told you that I’m conducting the test to be sure they’re my children, you and I know the kind of life my wife once lived, I just want to be sure, you need to see how my brother told me to my face, that those children might not be mine, I’m ready for the outcome of the result”
She couldn’t believe what she just heard, she pushed the door open and walked to her husband.
“So you’re doubting your children’s paternity because of what your useless brother said?” she threw at him.
“Please, I will call you back later” he said to the doctor terminating the call
“Tell me one reason why i5 shouldn’t doubt their paternity,” he retorted
“So this is it, this is why you‘ve been acting strangely, I can’t believe this, So this is how Gabriel wants to destroy my home, I’ll kill him before he kills me” she said running out of the room, she ran into Gabriel and seized him by his collar,
“You must kill me today oooo, kill me let me die, I have not done anything wrong to you, why do you want to destroy my family” she screamed at him beating him on his chest
“Stop it woman! stop it right now!” her husband fired at her
“Hold your wife ooo, eeehhhh, hold her ooo, I’m just ignoring her because she’s your wife ooo” Gabriel warned.
Mirabel rushed out of her room on hearing her parent’s voice, she was shocked to see her mum fighting uncle Gabriel.
“Mummy please leave him, he’ll hurt you” Mirabel begged her mum who still held the collar of his shirt firmly
“For the last time, leave him alone woman!!!!!!” her husband thundered
“I will not, he should kill me ooo”
She yelled
Her husband slapped her hard on the face and everywhere was calm, Gabriel pushed her out of his way and went downstairs angrily murmuring some words. That was the first time her husband would raise his hands on her, Mr Ufomba couldn’t believe he just hit his wife.
She held her cheek and hot tears fell from her eyes, Mirabel was sobbing, Mrs Ufomba ran to her room and locked her door, Mr Ufomba felt miserable, he walked back to his room and slumped on the bed, Mirabel kept knocking on her mother’s door until Ruth came and pulled her away.
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********* The two sisters have been busy chit chatting and cleaning the house, Debbie have been expecting Thelma to be the first to tell her about her one week trip but she hasn’t said anything about it, she decided to bring it up
“Thelma, I’m Ready to listen to your tale of one week trip” Debbie chipped in.
“Are you ready for this?” Thelma asked her
“I’m ready oo”
“I met someone, but we’re not together yet……” she paused.
“and you think you’re talking to a kid, you spent one week with someone you’re yet to accept? ”
“I’m sorry Debbie, the truth is that George is my boyfriend and I love him but I have other guys coming after me, I don’t know what to do with them, I’m confused” she stuttered
“Quit beating round the bush……..” the ringing of her phone interrupted her
“Oooops!!!!, Noel is calling, later abeg, I tire for you and your lies” she said to her sister picking her call.
She was so excited after answering the call that she forgot she was discussing with her sister.
“I’m so happy, I’m finally meeting Noel’s father today, Noel is on his way to pick me soon, I need to shower” she said excitedly rushing to her room.
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