Chapter 4: The forbidden Love 2

Sitting on a hard mahogany chair, willam was in high spirit when his telephone twanged repeatedly for the first time. Just installed, it was a mark of class....the touch of nouveavriche. He had taken the maiden call from the Post and Telegraph department and Amelia was on the line next to confirm activation. After some excited chit-chat, she subtly pleaded the necessity of a trip to llesa.

For willam it was a foul instruction into the fresh air of the room and a setback to the joy of the moment. "You insist, but you're yet to convince me on the rationale. I believe it'll bring a twist into an already delicate situation," and he banged back the receiver.

The line, stopping dead abruptly was most unexpected and shocking. Willam's reaction was enough to make Amelia quake. Disfavouring me? She held the receiver to her eyes, looking at it desperately as it caused her predicament. She replaced it involuntarily and stepped out of the boot confused. The trick was to chip in the suggestion not to test Willam's. And to seize on a condusive moment he would be most receptive. It had back-fired. She was still considering alternatives when an idea struck, she took the next available taxi cab to Yaba. Looking at her wrist watch, "I'll be there at diner time. When all four eyes meet, it'll be different" she believed. The cabbie had then zoomed past the stadium and entered the road to Western Avenue.

Willam couldn't convince himself about the proprietary of going to meet Amelia's mother at llesa..."to say what?" he raised his voice with a little echo in the broad oval room. Peeved by Amelia's incessant pressure, she has the habit of avoiding argument and then coming from behind to raise the same issue again. She'd be subtle enough forcing the issue, but it's a gimmick, she knows so well. He rose up before the large clock; it was then five-fifty. "Zina," he called out and waited. Zina stood before him in an instant

"The dinner, isn't ready?"

"It's ready, just a moment sir."

Zina was the housemaid recruited for him by Amelia and she had lived up to the billing. He nodded, but then he warned again, "dinner should be on the table by six, you understand?"

"It'll be sir," she replied and quickly retreated. After a few steps she looked back "madam'll eat diner with you sir," she reminded.

"That's to say you're waiting for her?"

Zina smiled timidly and took off in measured joy.

Shortly, the burnished gleaming artwork tick door pushed gently, amidst the creaking noise, Amelia stealthed in. Zina's earlier hint was confirmed. Although he had not fully recomposed from his annoyance, he rose up loomily to receive her. Both faces displayed delight despite the varying moods as she walked jauntily into his arms. "Zina announced your imminent presence just now," he said as he held her hand and they moved directly to the dining table.

"I already hinted that I'll be at diner today, have you forgotten?"

"You mean you told zina."

"To prepare dinner for two, yes."

They both laughed with assumptions, but Wumi cut in further, "It's time to eat lunch and dinner together more constantly."

By the time they started eating dinner, Amelia was already achieving a middling point between the aggressive mood of william and her own anxiety. After a few morsels of pounded yam, the telephone twanged and he quickly reached out for the receiver. Later when he returned, "I suspect you're not really savouring the joy of this new telephone," he remarked, to steer away discussion from the conduct on the telephone line.

"Truly, I'm a bit upset..."

"By what?" Willam teased with an air of indifference.

"You know it, but you're just converting a serious matter into a piffle."

Willam raised up his eyes and looked tight. "That we go to your mum at liesa and brief her... I know that"

"Of course, it's high in my heart call it a priority and you'll be right."

Still looking firm, "tell me the proprietary of doing so. You

are with a legal husband and you want to take another man to your mother. Tell me he stressed again, which mother'd accept that!"

"I'm taking a precipate action about my life, you know that. My mother's the only person I owe an explanation I need to fulfill that obligation. That's the light I want you to see it," she pleaded.

"I'm just worried about making a fool of myself following a legally married woman to her mother as a fiancé. If your mother rejects me and your idea, she'd be right to do so.

"She could do that, but that cannot remove the fact that a child's on the way for us here," she pointed to her belly, hid in a roomy gown.

"When last did you see her?"

"About a year now and that was when I gave the hint that my marriage is on the tempest. Professor Johnson has also gone there to report the situation. We'd go there just to confirm what she's already aware of."

There was a long pause. Must I always bend to Amelia's wishes? I fear I'm selling out my authority as a man and his mind rumbled again. "Why'd you always insist that your will must be?"

"That's a terribly wrong assumption!"

"It's not an assumption....it's of substance."

For the first time on that table, Amelia looked awry and her face actually turned awful. "D'you mean what you're saying? I hate to be misunderstood...leading to nothing but wrong judgement. That's happening now! The scenario's plain clear, I'm at the receiving end of a matter....a husband to break up with and a mother to be convinced to see reason It's all my headache I agree, but I need support in the struggle. Who else can I turn to now if not you.... the father of a child in the making. "An overwhelming circumstance might have made me what you allege I am now am I really an overbearing woman, willam? This not my fault, consider my plight and see my own point of view." She pleaded and buried her face in the sprawling big gown for the tears flowing down her face.

"Alright! Alright Amelia Stop that! Your craving is granted but let's seek wisdom from others. It's better to avoid taking wrong steps, willam warned.

She still raised up her face pleadingly. 'Every decision of yours I'll respect, but that I insist on ways to solve my problem shouldn't be viewed as dominance. Thanks willam! I love you!" she submitted.

Ava clifford was Amelia's elder sister just as Henry was Willam's senior brother. The pursuit of education beyond the village level and the drive to seek the golden flee abroad had served the end of separation from the root for an abysmally too long a period. William lived in the anonymity of Lagos life and took on urban culture and values. Similarly Amelia who was in the academic had imbibed the high tower culture of the University of Lagos. Willam and Amelie looking at life across the sea while Ava and Henry stood facing the forest, the hills and the land, close to nature to be precise.

Mrs Alice Edward , Amelia's mother had lost her husband in the mid-thirties when her two children (Amelia and Ava) were in their early teens. She did not seek remarriage thereafter preferring to keep the house built by her husband for the sake of the children.

In deference to Amelia's wish, willam followed her home to Mrs Alice at llesa. That day at mid-afternoon, Mrs Alice, sat under an orange tree behind the house at Okesha Street, removing melon seed coat. Her mind was not vacant at all, but occupied by the oppressive thoughts that ProfessorJohnson's report about Amelia might be true. He had merely hinted about development in their relationship caused by Amelie's childlessness. With a swollen right leg, she couldn't immediately react

Amelie bent over to examine her swollen leg wondering what could be done immediately for treatment. "I've come at a good-time mum, I've to take you to hospital for treatment"

Mrs Alice, was hearing those comments half-heartedly. Her eyes still sharp, was concentrated on the man behind her. She had a cold suspicion Amelia had broken away from ProfessorJohnson. She turned her back before the man could come forward to greet her. Then she said "Amelia, he complained bitterly about you....neglecting him," and she pre-emptively asked, "is it in fact the case?"

"Who's he mum?"

"Then, may I ask who is this man in your company?"

"You're right mum! I can't just tell you who is he but now that you ask, mum please meet my fiancé," Amelia said tightening her look.

"Your what Amelia? A fiancé, when you're in a legal marriage that's strange odd in the least." She poured out her mind regardless of the presence of the fiancé.

"Mum, I've not had an issue in nine years of marriage, must I just stick on to ProfessorJohnson, obeying your wish?"

"You're sticking onto him on account of the vow of matrimony You can't cling to another man when you in that. No chance for that, it doesn't hold in ljesaland never heard of. Your father' shiver in his grave to hear it. He wouldn't permit such a gross misdemeanour and I the eye of his family'll not abide with that

There was a long purse and willam could only watch the scenic drama. Mrs Alice broke the silence again. "Amelia, have you also forgotten that your marriage is a deal for your training up to the university? Now you want to break a bond you willingly entered into? I'm a witness to it at least. Now you want to hop into another man's house? God forbid that I'll support it. What's more," she argued, "ProfessorJohnson's old now and you want to leave him bare and abandon him when he needs your care most

"Without a child, the vow is dead, has no relevance anymore," Amelia countered, losing temper now.

"What about the bond? I told you from the onset. He financed your education, attended to your personal care.... but you accepted all that."

"I didn't renege, I married him. I fulfilled the bond. It's just that a new situation arose to frustrate the contract. He can't help it and neither can I. Well, if he still insists on his bond, I might have the obligation to repay...that's left for the court to decide. She looked back at willam and her confidence soared when she found him shrugging and nodding to her defence.

"Hey Jesun!" Mrs Alice screamed in frustration, "better I send for Ava and her husband. They have to hear this. I need their help. She decided.

Amelia had never met Mr. HenryClifford, Ava's husband and willam too hadn't ever known the woman his brother married more than a decade ago. Amelia would be happy to have a third party intervention, it could help sanity, she thought continuing her defence and persuasion at the same time, she broke in again, my mother, she said to re-enact mother-child cordiality accord, "it bodes on nothing but share stupidity on my part to stick on to a childless marriage when the other party is not worried or show much concern. ProfessorJohnson cannot be least worried, why? He has enough children already. Old Mrs Alice was hit but she won't decide it alone.

Willamclifford, the unintroduced fiance, took to heart every bit of the trend of argument. He became better inform to unravel the underlying reasons for Amelia's disposition. The opposition's stiff enough it must be tempered, or confronted squarely, he thought. Amelia wants freedom out of her bondage, not much of a demand. That was Willam's resolve.

Mrs Alice stood up the third time and limped. She'd not allow Amelia to help her walk. She surprisingly moved up to willam, closer enough, she said, "young man, what on earth d'you want in a legally married woman? Why won't you look for a woman not yet married? You want to face a litigation. a Professor's litigation? Johnson will fight it out with you, he has the knowledge and the connections, I trust him... of course he'd get my support," she grinned her teeth, frustrated.

"Mum, it's more than that, Prof. Johnson might win in court and I'll pay him the fine...may be the bond also if pleaded, but that'll never retrieve the marriage for him. It's all over mama mi he won't win my heart back"

"Mr man, please excuse me! You're not welcomed in this house"

"Mum," Amelia shouted losing patience. "I think you're going too far. Can I also be excused out of this house? You don't have to embarrass him, he hasn't any hand in my travail and neither is he a party to my decision...to live a new life. You put me in bondage, but I've the right to break away from it and choose my life," she said bubbling with an emotion that had risen up her face poignantly. In the way of woman, she began to cry, whooping and coughing.

Without still spilling a word, willam moved closer to Amelia and dabbed her face with a handkerchief. "Take it easy Amelia, "he whispered into her ears, "you have a right to get out of bondage, I'm equal to the task...the bond'll be paid, he assured. Let me warn you however....remember the foetus, put no stress on yourself."

Mrs Alice would not admit or surrender to emotions. She turned to Amelia and said"Let me assure you Amelia, you'll soon begin to shed blood unless you retrace your steps and go back to ProfessorJohnson your benefactor. the man who broke the gate... and married you with a vow of matrimony."

"Mama, all that is gone...the bond'll be paid. I'll have a child Amelia insisted in breaking sentences.

Then temper beat back and the row slowed down Just then, Ava walked in with Henry her husband in tow. "Mum, we're here, what's happening?" They weren't able to immediately recognise the visitors who they looked at casually. The SOS call was of greater essence.

"Mum, what's happening?" Ava asked in a more formal tone again.

Mrs Alice's face was gloomy and voice rancorous. That's your sister Amelia, will you fail to recognize her?"

"Amelia! Ooh my God, if somewhere else I might have taken you for somebody else. So ten years can make a big difference," she wondered. Then she stretched out her hands for a hug and pecks. Amelia managed to hide a sickly pale face for a warm reception to share the bubble and excitement of the moment called for.

Willam recognized his brother instantly but he pretended. Henry Clifford was debating the personality of the man in his mind as he glanced occasionally at him in a dark corner of the room. While Ava was suspecting what looked like an estranged atmosphere in the room, it was Henry's turn to express bewilderment. He walk to the dark corner and called the name he gave to his brother, willam! "Can I make the mistake?"

Willam stood up to meet his brother face-to-face. "Goodness! He exclaimed," I never expect this meeting...I'm home bound....my real destination. I've the plan to call at home today. They greeted warmly.

"Ah, a decade and more years... we can't look the same any longer, Henry remarked. While he wondered about william's mission in his in-laws' house, willam too was battling with an abdurd situation in his mind.

Amelia, two chairs away sought William's eyes and they exchanged an uneasy glance. They both had an inling for, to the volatile situation on hand. They were disturbed beyond speech. What was about to unfold would render any other matter a mere piffle.....just a tip of the ice-berg." William foresaw.

"Ava," Mrs Alice said, "your younger sister is here with a fiancé."

"A fiancé? Has Prof. Johnson divorced her or what?"

"Oh no, they are still legally married. I understand she's still in his house."

"Then that's a sacrilege," Ava dubbed.

"Yes sacrilege!" Mrs Alice affirmed.

Ava growled as an idea struck in her mind. "You said, she's here with a fiancé, where's the man?"

"That's he hibernating in a corner with your husband."

"Hey! Henry, have you heard it?"

Alarmed, Henry craved for indulgence. "What really is the matter?" Have you met willam my brother....he comes before anything, come and meet him.

"Amelie's here with a fiancé? I suspect your brother willam is the fiancé."

it can't be.

"What mum said now."

"William! My brother, that can't be?" He denied it to william's face.

Your brother! Good God!" Ava exclaimed

Mrs Alice raised a wild eyebrow, "your brother or what?"

"My brother, mum. This willam who live in Lagos. He's been away for so long before I married Ava."

"Incredible! She howled, "Ava, Amelia is here with your brother-in-law as fiancée (trouble of the highest order).

The stage was thus set for a new dimension. Ava and willam were meeting for the first time and similarly Henry and Amelia.

"Ooh my God! This is on a bad omen," Ava cried.

"It's on a note of oddity, Henry dubbed.

For long moments they were in grill from the shock of a paradox. The future turned gloomier and the future turned cloudier. The thinking faculty dulled as the couple walked away but apart in different directions. They stood alone facing the sky and the universe obviously in disarray. The universe as they saw through the window was gathering thicker and darker clouds.

It was the first time Mrs Alice saw her children not milling around their loved mother but dispersed. At last the moment of stunned reality had come for willam and Amelia. Also the couples assessing the situation on hand, had to face a shift in model of problem. It was no longer the oddity of bring a fiancé while still legally married. The issue was the absurdity of a brother-in-law marrying a sister-in-law.

For willam and Amelia mad with love and advanced foetus at staked, there seemed to be no hiding hole for them and anything to the contrary would be a set back and a disaster enough for the

well oiled two years of courtship. Ava and Henry felt nothing but paranoia. "Eh! Hal" she growled as the foetus kicked about in her belly, holding her stomach. Mrs Alice was watchful and experienced enough, she scampered as if her swollen leg had healed and grabbed Ava leading her to a chair. She was sweating profusely. Everyone ran helter-skelter. Cold water, milk, glocuse and herb extracts were brought for treatment. Amelia, set apart her own ordeal and began to fan her.

"Henry," Mrs Alice shouted," "take Ava out of this trouble, she's just five months pregnant Being the first in her life, this trouble mustn't be allowed to rob her of the child. She had waited too long."

Not too soon, Ava had recovered sufficiently to walk back home. On the threshold before closing the door, Henry looked back at willam, "forget about it willam, it's a social absurdity... better not to commit such," he warned.

Bracing up, Ava opened up in an unmistakable terms "Amelia, quit the idea.....and your plan...or get lost." She warned fuming and sniffy, "it won't happen that you marry my brother-in-law."

"I won't be a party to a senseless plan...an aberration. I won't approve of it that you marry your brother-in-law and share destiny with your senior sister. Never! Mrs Alice too vowed. That conclusion represented the decision of the family.

Still shouting and vowing after the departure of Ava and her husband, Mrs Alice stood before Amelia "how do I defend this in the village. Amelia, listen to me, is it right to put Edward family in opprobrium in the eyes of the public. Can't you realize it's a stigma...a bad label? Damn you if you insist! Damn you if you ignore my instruction!" she clamped down on her with vehemence.

The unfolding event had moved from a row to a severe embarrassment for willam and Amelie. Holding hands, Amelia and willam stalked into a more private room. As they stepped into the room and closed the door. Amelia burst into sobs which she had resisted all along.

"Better stop that Amelia," William said, you're applying a wrong medicine now. We've been judged as evil and incorrigible

should we fail to pipe down. That's the issue for us to resolve," William explained.

"Pipe down! Rubbish, never!" Amelia reacted sharply. At the same time, the tears just dreid off

"Then we face the stiffest challenge of our life."

"I won't buy an excuse that robs me of the desire of my heart. There's always a solution to a problem, no matter how terrible. Willam we have an alternative, let's live our own separate life out of llesa and away from Henry and Ava. What about that?"

"I believe so too but can we really forsake our families on this excuse?"

"It is that we can't allow the indiscretion they want to push down our throat. We're already at stake with a child on the way.... arriving pretty soon... in less than two months. That alternative is inevitable. She pleaded.

"Before we decide that, the last resort I hope, let's press our case to a logical point. We should plead the reason why we can no longer back out. Let's sue for a truce for the matter for the good health of the families even if we have to stay clear of them and live our own separate life. I'll go home to Henry, make a truce and then we find an amicable solution. Can't you try that also with Ava?"

Amelia shrugged, "it's hopeless engaging Ava and my mother, I fear their rigidity. Well willam, I'll try even if it ends fruitless, she agreed.

"Better that we reserve further discussion till tomorrow morning, a good time when the nerves are catred to some extent Discussion should take place contemporaneously... you here, you there."

They returned later to the big common room posing sober and solemn faces before Mrs Alice. They sat quietly on opposite chairs watching every action of the old mother. Amealia rested her head on her left palm while willam raised his eyes to the ceiling of the house made of bamboo sticks, covered with thick black spider's net. Since he arrived, not a single word had he said to Mrs Alice. He had decided not to complicate the already volatile situation by being forthcoming on the matter and by now he was in a more hopless situation frilled as well by guilt

It was time for personal muses as Mrs Alice wasn't even prepared to give them attention, retuning to her normal routine duties. In their separate thinking, they both believed a path of peace was for them to seek rather than engaging in arguments and rows. They, also believed that they held a riddle in hand wrapped up in a Pandora box on which the matter will be judged. It'd put down the hands of all of them and call for discretion, the better part of valour Amelia hummed to clear her throat breaking the self contracted silence. She heaved a breath in frustration when the issue came to that of this foetus, she behaved, it'd require a steel heart to throw away reason and reality and embrace subjectivity.

The hum brought william's face down and he made a glance at Amelie's face and in an attempt to steal a glimpse at Mrs Alice's, both eyes jamped. She limping in her walk, up and down. I'm sure when we open up on the true position, it'll be a rider and a joker as well....a master stroke to be exact. Willam quipped, adding, it'll knock off the bottom of their much canvassed theory of social nonsense which they called absurdity With that conclusion he threw back another glance at Amelia who rose suddenly at the same time from her seat. She returned a cold reply, and walked across the sitting room to stand at the window. She drew apart the maroon flimsy cotton blinds to let in more fresh air. It was clear she prepared to be alone yet more.

The main highway was within an eye-shot. At late afternoon, traffic had begun to build up and now it was full with pedestrians filling up the foot path on both sides of the road. At intervals, horns blared and the sound cut through constantly. The scene, some chaotic drew her mind off the problem for the long moment as she took fancy of the phenomenon she thought peculiar to Lagos only.