CHAPTER 163
" I accept. They say that if you love someone then you should let that person go. Today I am making a decision that will hurt me for the rest of my life. I am going to allow Naomi and her family to leave. I will ask my guards to escort them back home" said Ryan in a sad tone.
" No, we do not want any more favours. Such kind of favours are the ones which make people to disrespect us and think that we are not worth anything. When we came here, no guards escorted us. That is how we are going to leave" said Naomi.
Akeshia who had been watching them all this while stood and went towards Naomi. She tossed her head three times as she thought on what to say.
" What's all this? You all have no idea that Ruth has been at the closer gates before she came here and found out that Lawrence and Vivian have been set free from the guest cell. She went to seek forgiveness from Martin. It might mean that Ruth still loves Martin in a way." said Akeshia laughing annoyingly.
Akeshia's statement made Naomi to be filled with lots of anger. Naomi decided to go towards Ruth in order to confirm if whatever Akeshia was saying was indeed the truth.
" I-I can explain" said Ruth a bit hesitant.
Naomi slapped Ruth immediately and left the living room. She was indeed tired of tolerating Ruth and all her hidden agendas. They made her feel as if she was the child and Ruth was the mother in the relationship that she shared with Ruth. Ruth decided to follow Naomi who had gone to her room. Luckily, she had not locked her room door.
Ruth entered and went to sit on top of the bed beside Naomi. She held Naomi's arms but Naomi removed her arms from Ruth.
" I was to tell you this later on. In my mind, I thought we were dealing with the problem that we were facing first. I did not have any idea that Aunt Akeshia would tell you even before I tell you myself. You and Faith are the only people I am left with in this world and I think it is not good for us to quarrel the way we do mama" Said Ruth.
Faith who was listening from the room door was filled with Joy in her heart after hearing the fact that Ruth still cared about her. She immediately entered the room and went to sit beside Ruth and Naomi. She wondered how she was going to change their minds not to leave anymore. She felt that Naomi and Ruth could listen to her since she walked with them through half of their journey in life.
" Aunt Naomi, Ruth, I still think that the decision you have both made is not the right decision. Leaving this town and this house would mean that we have lost everything after the hardwork that we have made coming all the way here all for the sake of Purist. I know that you love him. I know that you love Ryan with all of your heart and it has been by the fact that you chose Ryan over Martin" said Faith a bit hesitant.
Faith knew that Ruth and Naomi were tough headed. It was hard for them to change their minds after they had made a decision over something.
" You! Why did you you make up your mind that you would never get married to anyone? Wouldn't I be making that decision if I loose both Ryan and Martin? At times we have to choose family over everything and that is the main reason why I have choosen Ryan. Blood will always be thicker than water" said Ruth smiling.
Ruth had formed a habbit of smiling whenever she felt dissapointed or she felt that she was in trouble. Naomi knew that fact and therefore it made her understand that Ruth did not really want to leave because she had already fallen in love with Ryan.
" I think that you are right Faith. We cannot leave. We have to stay here till the time that Purist is back in our arms without defiling any cultures of this land. That will mark the day when we will leave to the closer gates and finally claim back what is mine. What my own mama built with all of her own efforts should be rightfully ours and we should take care of them exactly the way my mama would have wanted" said Naomi smiling.
" Yes mama. I am sure that that is what my grandma would have wanted" said Ruth smiling.
Faith , Naomi and Ruth left Naomi's room right away and decided to go to the living room to give everyone the good news that they were going to stay. As soon as they arrived at the living room, Ruth went towards Ryan who was seated on the floor crying. He found it hard to understand how the woman he loved would make a decision to leave him without understanding how he felt or considering his feelings.
" Stand up Ryan" Naomi ordered Ryan as she went and sat on the couch.
Ryan immediately stood in a deep state of confusion. He wondered why Naomi was speaking softly to him all of a sudden.
" I have finally stood up Aunt Naomi. Have you already parked your suitcase? I will escort all of you outside the house" said Ryan as he wiped his tears.
" No! We are not leaving anymore. Love does not require making another person hurt before we want to get away with what we want to get away with. The consequence of our decision is that today we are going to have an engagement feast. There is no time to waste. We cannot let anyone destroy this love anymore" said Naomi.
Ryan happily embraced Ruth so tightly that it made everyone at the living room to laugh.
" The next time you all laugh, I will slap you so hard on your faces. Can't you see that a romantic moment is going on here?" said Ruth smiling.
" Come on Ruth. A lady who wanted to leave my brother-in-law without even considering his feelings now feels that she's in a position to tease anyone? It seems that you have really forgotten what happened a while back. You sent us to the guest cell but Martin released us from the guest cell simply because he did not want neither his brother nor his brother's wife to get hurt. That is simply how it will always be whether you like it or not. Ryan will always choose his own family over his own wife and that is if the wedding happens as planned" said Vivian laughing annoyingly.
Ruth angrily went towards Vivian and wanted to slap her but Lawrence stopped her by holding her arms. This made Ruth to step aside and ignore what she just wanted to do.
" Listen to me young lady of Olam town. I know and understand that in your town women are taught to be perfect warriors and feel that they have the right to hit anyone anytime they want to. Listen to me young lady. You have the right to hit anyone in this your short life time but not my wife. You have slapped her enough ever since you came to this house" shouted Lawrence at Ruth.
This made Ruth to be filled with lots of anger. She felt as if the one who was talking about the right not to hit the other was the one who sent people over to hurt and beat her up which was unfair according to Ruth. She did not dare to speak since she felt that it was wiser not to cause trouble anymore.
" Why? Why won't she slap your wife if she is empty headed in order to get some sense into her? You wife has said just now that I would choose my own family over Ruth. Isn't that right? I don't want to repeat the same mistake and therefore I am here to make a decision over the issue that my wife got hit all over again. This is my judgement. Vivian and Lawrence should be returned to the guest cell. They will have no choice than to stay there till my wedding is over. Guards! Arrest them and take them away from here" said Ryan angrily.
" No Ryan. Nobody in this house deserves to be punished. I have already forgiven both of them and I forgave them the moment that my family and I decided to stay. So! Nobody is going anywhere. Please accept my plea if you really mean that you love me Ryan" said Ruth as she folded her arms and begged Ryan.
" You are a good person Ruth. Other people value their own lives but you, you value relationships above everything else. I am so happy that you are going to be my wife. It is so clear to me that I made right choice and you will always put a smile on my face for the rest of my life" said Ryan as she held Ruth's arm tightly in such a way that she did not realize she was hurting Ruth's arm.
Ruth did not try to stop him but instead pretended to smile. She felt that love also deserved enduring pain at times.
MARRIED AT SIXTEEN.