CHAPTER 12: FAMILY ISSUES

I've already told ijeoma about the damaged womb before Emeka proposed. So the next day, we went to visit Emeka's parents when we got there we saw ijeoma and her parents. I panicked because I and Emeka agreed not to tell his family about my damaged womb.

When we revealed our intension, Emeka's mom was happy and rejoicing while his father couldn't contain his joy since they've been troubling Emeka for his marriage so that he bring forth grandchildren. Ijeoma was stamping her feet on the ground, she was getting angry. She stood up and dragged me to my feet.

"After ruining your life, you want to tie my cousin to your predicament you brought yourself into. No, it won't. " She angrily said pointing at me.

" What are you talking about?" asked ljeoma's mom.

"Emeka, you know about her womb, she asked turning to Emeka. Neither I or Emeka could say anything.

"what's wrong with her womb", Emeka's mother asked.

"this girl tried killing herself through poisoning, Emeka saved her but the poison already destroyed her womb", she looked at me nastily.

"eh!, Emeka, what happened to this girl's womb?," Emeka's dad asked being shocked. Emeka could not speak, so ijeoma helped him.

"Ebere's womb is damaged, there is no difference between her and womb-less woman", Ijeoma said to Emeka's dad.

"does Emeka knows?" Emeka's mom asked pointing at emeka, 'do you know?", she asked again.

Emeka still could not say anything, we were both putting on a garment of shame could not allow us speak. Ijeoma did the talking for us.

"of course, he knows he was the one the doctor told the information, I don't know what this one called Ebere told him or brainwashed him, Shameless. After believing Emeka raped you, you want to marry him, after destroying your womb, you want to tie him down, impossible. if you don't need children, he do, in fact his parents needs. They are not getting any younger. You have been a mom and he hasn't been a dad. Go and find someone foolish enough to harbor your predicament. You would have still be a mom and have your womb but you killed Afufumagu." she said.

Her words pierced right through my heart I couldn't hold back my tears and I couldn't stay quiet either. I out bursted.

"I didn't killed Afufumagu, if you are so perfect, how come you are not married yet, you are 2 years older than me. Everything that happened to me could have happened to anyone including you and am sure you would have handled it worse than I did, I reacted to my emotions and I didn't think. So miss perfect put yourself in my shoes and see if you can wear them." I said and walked out of the house, Emeka said 'wait' and tried following me but Ijeoma drew him back.

"do you seriously want to run after that thing?, stupid girl", Ijeoma scoffed with a disgusted look on her face.

",ijeoma, even if she committed the worst thing in the world you won't have spoken to her like that. She's is your best friend", he said.

"friend!, best friend?," ijeoma asked.

"she used to be"Ijeoma said further.

"when did she stop being your best friend?" he asked.

"when she decided of all people to tie you down with her predicament. That stupid girl". She said insulting her.

"stop insulting her', He warned pointing at ijeoma. Ijeoma's parents and Emeka's parent were to shocked to talk. They were very silent.

"I will continue to insult her, she's a stupid girl, she is a murderer, she is a beast, and she is a foolish girl. She is a…." before she could finish the statement a hot slap landed on her cheek, I left my purse I went back to get transport to go home so I witnessed the slap, the slap was very heavy that I thought her cheek was going to fall off. I forgot about my purse and stared in Emeka's angry face pointing at her and Ijeoma's red face.

"Emeka, did you just slap me?", Ijeoma asked rhetorically with her hand on her face.

"yes, I did and I will repeat it again, if you don't have regards for your senior's fiancée", he said.

"Emeka, you slapped my daughter, your cousin because of a womb-less girl?" ijeoma's mom confirmed.

Emeka did not notice my presence he turned and saw me, he stopped pointing at he, he saw my shock, he then stared at my face. I remembered about my purse, I collected my purse and went out. Emeka followed me.

"what just happened?" I asked as I noticed his presence.

"I slapped ijeoma because she was insulting you", he said, I stopped walking.

"she was insulting me not you. Did I ask you to slap her', you slapped her so hard that I thought her cheek was going to fall off", I said.

"even if you didn't, I ought to defend you", he said.

"why?" I asked.

"because when we are married we ought to have each other's backs"

"which marriage, didn't you hear them and its all my fault. I told you, I knew, I saw this was coming, but you kept pushing, you can't carry me along am a burden" I said.

"no, you are not, forget about them", he assured

"stop deceiving yourself, there's no way", I said and left him, he couldn't move, he was glued to the ground.

I went home and straight to my room, I locked the door, I turned left and saw ropes that I bought for the cloth line. I looked up and saw the ceiling fan neither mum or dad was around. I thought of suicide, I tried the rope on the fan as I was about to put my head, I remembered how suicide destroyed my womb then I felt that killing my self is being a loser accepting defeat. So I untied it. I just cried all day long.

* * *

Emeka came to my house, I was cold.

"Ebere, where's your parents", he asked as he came in.

"They are in their workplace"I answered coldly.

"Why are you giving me a cold shoulder?", he asked.

" Look, am not giving me a cold shoulder, am just sorry because it won't work. I'm glad you are here so you can take the ring." I said. Emeka stared hard at my face as I removed the ring from my finger and stretched it to him. He held my hand that stretched the ring to him and put the ring on my finger back.

"Please, stop" I pleaded as he put the ring in my finger back. I couldn't pull away from his grip because his grip was too strong. When he put the ring back on my finger, he raised my hand and kissed my hand.

"Emeka, don't make this harder than it is already", I said.

"Ebere, we are the one getting married, I told you, we will overcome them." He assured

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"If they don't want us, I have a plan to make them", he said.

"What plan", I asked curiously.

"When time reaches I will unveil it", he said using his hands to wipe my tears.

"Did anyone not tell you that you don't look so beautiful when you cry? smile,come on smile I want to see that pretty smile of yours. Emeka said trying to cheer me up. I just smiled a little and he said.

"That's the smile"

"Why did you slap ijeoma so hard?" I asked.

"You want to know exactly what happened" he said and smiling.

"Yes", I smiled.

"Ok", he said and then narrated everything to me. We chatted for a while before he waved me goodbye, few minutes he left, his cousin Ijeoma came in

"Ijeoma, why are you here?" I asked.

"Look at my face", ijeoma said, turning her cheek, it was swollen.

'It's been 2days since emeka slapped me and my face is still swollen, Emeka has self-control he never lays his hand on anyone but because of you he slapped me, because of you", she said.

"Ijeoma, hold it there, it's your fault, you've got what you deserve", I said

"I got what I deserve? anyway, I came to tell you to stay away from emeka', he needs a woman who can give him children, look for someone else to place your predicament on", ijeoma said.

"Ijeoma, please don't disturb me get out, in my own father's house you will come and pester me on trouble I did not look for", I said.

"Father's house, is this house, poorer that church rat.' Father's house, your father has not even bought a land, and he will never because of your bad luck" .she said.

"Me?, bad luck, ijeoma you are biting more that you can chew, if we are quarrelling don't insult parents", I warned.

"Is it not true, light ray came but you smashed it by killing Afufumagu", Ijeoma just made me furious out of anger, I slapped the cheek Emeka slapped hard, I didn't think that she's my elder.

"You came to my father's house to insult me, not that I came to your house. Now get out." I ordered angrily

"Ebere you slapped me?" ijeoma asked rhetorically.

"Get out", I ordered.

Ijeoma tried slapping me but I caught her hand before it landed on my face and dropped It.

"You'll see, I will deal with you" ijeoma said

"I won't see anything", I shot back

"Now, leave! "I shouted

"Leave my cousin", she said and left.

Ijeoma, her parents and Emeka's parent harassed me every where went, in market place, basically every place. Emeka still insisted on our marriage. He narrated how he confronted his parents to me

"Mum, dad why did you guys harass Ebere?", Emeka started.

"Why won't we? When you have chosen to put this family to shame", Emeka's mum replied.

"No, you shouldn't, she is my wife to be", he protested.

"Wife to be?, let's see the wife that want to be, she is womb-less stop being foolish, she can't bear you children", Emeka's mum explained.

"Dad, don't tell me you are in support of this", Emeka said.

"Yes, I am in support, full support, how can you be so stupid, you don't want to have a child till death, ha! You are stupid", Emeka's dad stated.

"Ha, even you too?" Emeka exclaimed

"Emeka!! be wise", Emeka mom said.

"Dad, mum, I will marry that girl, no matter your objection.

Abuie wanta kiwi (I am not a child anymore), I can make my own decisions". Emeka protested.

"Come and marry let me see you", Emeka's mom challenged.

"I have said my own " Emeka said and left.

After he narrated it for me, I was worried and sad at the same time and I said to him;

"I think it's time you unveil the plan",

"Yes, I think same too", he said and whispered something to my ears.

"Emeka is your head correct?

How can you do such? When I did it you pestered me till I came back." I asked.

'It's simple and efficient, they will have no choice', he explained.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Yes, very sure", he answered.

The plan was that I and Emeka elope to a place far from their reach, a kind of pre-marriage honeymoon. Only my mom knew about whereabouts. We eloped to enugu, we did a lot of site seeing, it was a splendid holiday. We called home telling them that we won't come back if they don't accept us.

Emeka's parents was now more than ready to accept us. We came back home though they were reluctant and hostile. We fixed a date for the introduction, after that we made plans for the white and the traditional marriage.