Chapter 38 - Home Bitter Home

Channy was sweeping outside when she saw Naian and Emelinia arrive in a wagon. She felt overjoyed to see them at her house because she wasn't expecting them. Naian paid the wagon owner while Emelinia smiled happily at her mother.

Channy was happier to see that Emelinia was looking beautiful and well kept. She hugged Emelinia and accepted the gift they brought for her. She then put her hands together and gave Naian a bow.

"Please do come in." she mirthfully ushered them into the house

Emelinia picked Lakki up in the living room and put him on her laps. She and Naian played with him while Channy served lunch on the coffee table. It was compromised of spicy baked potatoes, assorted vegetables and meat stew. She was supposed to have it with Erny but he almost never came home for lunch.

"How is everyone home?" Channy asked them as they ate.

"They are all fine mama. How have you been?" Naian responded with a smile.

"We have been fine." she happily nodded with a soft laugh.

Lakki leaned onto Naian's arm and started to eat from his plate. Channy felt a little embarrassed by this and got up to take Lakki away from Naian when he smiled at him and fed him.

Channy observed the way Naian was behaving with Lakki and saw that he would make a good father. Lakki hardly ever got that much attention from his own father because he was ever drunk or moody.

When lunch was done, Emelinia got up to take the plates into the kitchen but Channy held her hand up in the air disapprovingly.

"This is your first time here as a married woman so I cannot allow you to do any chores." Channy refused.

"But mama..." Emelinia whined.

Channy playfully shook her head. "Honey you know better than to argue with our traditions." she grinned and Emelinia chuckled in defeat.

Channy put the dirty dishes on a tray and hummed as she went into the kitchen.

"Emelinia, where is the bathroom?" Naian asked.

"It's down the passage to the left." she answered and he left.

Emelinia went into the kitchen where she found her mother quickly washing the dishes. Suddenly she heard Lakki cry in the living room and she rushed to go and check. When she got there, she found Lakki nibbling on a raw baba fruit.

A baba fruit looked like a banana but unlike a banana, it was purple in color when ripe and brown when raw. It was also eaten as it was without peeling it.

Emelinia picked Lakki up and tried to calm him down but he wouldn't stop crying. At that point, Naian joined her and looked at the baby concerned.

"What's the matter?" his sincere voice sounded.

"He wants baba but none of these are ripe." she explained as she rocked Lakki.

Naian stretched his hands and she gave him Lakki. "He is a short tempered one isn't he?" he joked and Emelinia grinned. "I'm going with him to the market to buy baba for him. I won't be long."

"Okay."

Emelinia threw herself on the sofa as soon as Naian closed the door.

"Where is Naian?" Channy asked when she returned to the living room with three glasses of juice.

"He has gone with Lakki to the market to get him baba." Emelinia answered.

Channy placed the juice on the table and smiled at Emelinia. "Naian is really good with children." she said. "When are you going to give him a child of his own?" she asked with a naughty grin and one eyebrow up.

"Mama I knew that you were going to bring this topic up." Emelinia picked up her juice, visibly irritated by the question.

"Why wouldn't I? It would be nice to get a grandchild from you." Channy chuckled and Emelinia looked away from her.

Channy moved closer to her and nudged on her hand with her elbow. "So tell me, is there any chance of you being pregnant?" she asked and Emelinia scooted away from her.

"Mama, why are you asking me this?" Emelinia asked back and Channy giggled. "I am not pregnant. Naian and I aren't ready for that yet." she firmly stated.

"How could you not be ready? You are married. You have a good source of income and you have a roof over your heads."

"Mama you won't understand. Let's just change the topic please."

"Emelinia, help me to understand then." Channy's mood became serious.

Emelinia was getting tired of her mother pestering her and she stood up with folded arms.

"How can we have a child when we haven't even been intimate yet?" Emelinia asked Channy and she gasped.

"You mean to tell me that you have been depriving your husband of his rights over you?!" She sternly asked Emelinia.

"Mama he is the one who decided this. He saw that I wasn't ready. Let's not forget that he and I got married under difficult circumstances. Surely you don't expect us to start having sex right away."

Channy pulled Emelinia's ear hard. "You better start getting ready or else you will regret it." she angrily said and let go of her ear.

"Ouch mama, that hurt." Emelinia rubbed on her ear. "How will I regret it huh?"

Channy rolled her eyes. "Naian may seek sex from someone else because you are starving him. Once a man starts cheating on you, it is very difficult for him to stop. He might end up keeping his mistress as a permanent concubine!"

Channy's words shocked Emelinia. She felt so much regret for having told her the truth about Naian and her. She took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at Channy who was glaring at her.

"Naian would never do such a thing mama. He is a patient man." Emelinia defensively argued.

Channy shook her finger aggressively. "Even the most patient person runs out of patience at some point." Channy pointed her finger at Emelinia. "This stubborn attitude won't take you anywhere."

"Naian is a good man mama. He can never ever do the things you are saying. He isn't like that." Emelina angrily replied.

Channy scoffed. "I used to think the same way about your father. He treated me so lovingly and even went as far as paying my bride price. Little did I know that he was already married in Cherilisia. I only discovered it after I fell pregnant. Suddenly the man got back to his senses, demanded the dowry back and he denied having gotten me pregnant.

He told my parents that I was a loose woman and that he will never ever marry me. That's how my wedding got cancelled! When I asked him why he decided to ruin my life, he told me that his wife was starving him so he needed some relief." Channy furiously said and this time Emelinia scowled at her.

"Now you have gone too far mama. How dare you bring that man into this and compare him to Naian? You know how much I can't stand the thought of him yet you still feel the need to bring him up every time."

"Child I am only warning you. I don't know Naian very well but I love him as my son in law. I mean look at you, you are glowing. He is really taking care of you. I don't want you to lose him because of your foolishness. Emelinia, where are you going to find another man like Naian? Tell me!" Channy screamed at Emelinia.

"I have heard everything you have said mama. Please for goodness sake let us just change the topic." Emelinia begged. "We will have a child when we are ready and that's final. Please don't ask me about this again."

"Okay, fine." Channy furiously sat down with her hands folded and legs crossed.

Erny got back home drunk. Channy and Emelinia heard him singing and they both became tensed. He staggered into the house and when his eyes fell on Emelinia, he became furious.

He pointed at Channy. "What is this outcast doing here?"

"Why is it so wrong for my daughter to visit me?" Channy asked him back.

Upon hearing that, Erny took off his belt and both women ran out of the house in fear. He followed them outside whipping the air with his belt. The neighbors stepped out of their houses and watched the embarrassing scene Erny was creating.

"You are a foolish woman Channy. A fucking birth giver of a whore. How many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to see this useless girl here? You will not turn my house into a brothel!"

Erny suddenly grinned deviously as he looked at Emelinia from head to toe. He took notice of her lovely clothes, glowing skin, pretty jewellery and stunning hair.

"Oh I see now. You have brought her here to help you out in your conjugal duties. I'm too much for you." he pompously said with an annoying smirk. "I don't mind having a taste of you tonight girl." he stretched his lips in a kissy manner and winked at Emelinia.

Emelinia had enough of Erny's insults and slapped him across the face. Channy gasped and covered her mouth in shock with both her hands.

"You have said enough you fat bastard." Emelinia slapped him again. "How dare you insult my mother? You are a shameless man! This house that you shamelessly claim as yours was bought with my mother's sweat and tears. She and I starved for the sake of this house and now you want to claim rights over it? Men like you disgust me."

"How dare you speak to me like that you filthy whore?" Erny exclaimed.

"You're the whore you fat son of bitch. Just so you know, you have no power to throw me out of this house. This house is under my name. I only left last time because I was furious with my mother."

"Is that so?" Erny laughed sarcastically.

"I always wondered what my mother saw in a useless piece of shit like you. She toils in farms while you leach off of her like a pest. If anything, you are the one who is supposed to leave not me!"

Erny raised his hand. "Watch your tongue you bitch."

"What will you do?!" Emelinia screamed back.

Erny pushed Emelinia and she stumbled to the ground. Channy ran to her and held her in her arms. Erny attempted to hit them with his belt when Naian held it. He pulled the belt out of Erny's hand and tossed it aside. Naian then stood in between them. Erny was baffled by this. He didn't know who Naian was but when he saw the rings on Emelinia's finger he grinned.

"So you actually found a moron foolish enough to marry you? Congratulations! But be assured that when he comes back to his senses, he will cut and run." Erny laughed. "Kind sir, please take your useless wife out of here." he said to Naian with his hands put together.

"Erny you will respect my son in law!" Channy yelled at him.

"What will you do if I don't you stupid woman? You were quiet when your useless daughter slapped and insulted me but now when I insult this so called son in law of yours, you want to gain some courage? Shut up!" Erny yelled after her.

"Don't talk to my mother like that!" Emelinia screamed at him.

Erny stepped closer to grab her but Naian pushed him away and he staggered back.

"How dare you lay your hands on me?" Erny angrily asked him.

"I haven't done anything to you." Naian blankly answered him. "However, if you attempt to raise your hand against my wife and my mother again, I will forget my manners." he grimly answered.

Erny backed away in fright. He saw the anger in Naian's eyes and he looked away. When he saw his clenched fist, he realized that Naian was close to punching him.

He turned to Channy. "I am leaving! Don't bother coming to look for me. You stay here with your useless daughter and darling son in law!"

Everyone watched Erny storm out. As soon as he was out of sight, Naian put his hands together respectfully at Channy.

"Thank you for your hospitality mama. Please forgive me but we must return home now. It wasn't my intention that we leave so soon. We will stay longer the next time we visit." he said to her and she nodded her head. "Let's go Emelinia." he ordered her and walked away before she could say anything.

"Mama, this isn't living. You must leave this man." Emelinia cried.

Channy held her cheek and shed tears of her own. "Don't you worry about me child. I will be okay. Go now to your husband."

Emelinia cried as she walked away from her mother. Channy had tears in her eyes as she watched them leave. She took Lakki away from one of her neighbors and carried his fruits into the house.

The neighbors remained murmuring and gossiping amongst themselves. They couldn't help but feel sorry for Channy and Emelinia.