JUST AFTER I SAID I DO Episode 5

JUST AFTER I SAID I DO Episode 5

I gently opened the door leading to the bedroom and I walked in so calmly with a piece of napkin in my hands, I stood few miles from where Raph was standing and I watched him as he knots his tie in front of the dressing mirror…. ” Honey, I made toast bread and tea for breakfast “….
Yeah, it’s Monday morning and I know that jolof rice and chicken has been the normal routine breakfast in my house every Monday morning, not because I planned it that way, but because Raph loves taking jolof rice and chicken on Mondays. Today’s Monday Was quiet different because I had been battling with serious fever ever since we came back from church yesterday and my darling husband didn’t even notice that. I had slept in severe pain last night and I woke up so very late and cooking jolof rice and chicken will not even meet up with the time at all, and my darling husband will not even take “No breakfast” for answer on Monday morning.
Still trying to adjust his tie with keen concentration….. “And why toast bread and tea.. Is there no normal food in the house again”….
I moved closer to him and tried to put on a sobber look…. “There’s food at home honey, I woke up very late and so I couldn’t prepare your jolof rice so you won’t be late for work, and so I felt I should just quickly make toast bread and tea for you this morning”…. I quickly put mutter few words of prayers in my head for him to accept what I have said without any complaints. He walked towards the wardrobe and reached out for his suit and I stood still while he sort that out himself…. ” so you mean, I’m not going to take something reasonable as food very early on Monday morning due to your laziness”… I quickly rushed to help him get his shoes and socks from the socks corner and shoe rack…. “I’m sorry honey, I had fever all night and the pain was just too much for me”…. I said softly as I hand over his shoes and socks to him…. I just hope he won’t press further and just accept this toast bread offer and I’ll make sure his jolof rice and chicken is ready before he comes back from work. He gently reached out for his briefcase and walked straight to the door and I also followed him hopping he’ll just stop at the dining room and at least take a bite of the bread and just a sip of the tea.

As we got into the dinning room, he paused for a moment and looked at the dinning table, the sight of the neatly arranged jug and tea cups alongside with the nice toast bread changed his countenance and my joy knew no bounds as I watched him drew one of the chairs backward and he sat down. I quickly rushed to help him with the tea while he bites the bread carefully.
Waoh!
This is unbelievable, I never even believe Raph could listen to my excuse not to talk of taking the bread and tea. I carefully watched him as he gently consume the four pieces of toast bread without even saying a word until he took the last drop of tea…. “okomi, Olowo orimi, Ayomi, adun Ayemi, ifemi I’m so sorry for not preparing your meal this morning, it won’t happen again” I said so softly expecting him to tell me few nice words in return, I have actually missed those times we call each other pet names and tell each other nice words… He looked at me and he’s look gave me the answer already, and I know he wasn’t even moved with all I’ve said. He stood up, picked up his briefcase and I rushed to help him carry it.. “let me help you with that”….. He tried to block me from touching the brief case and he walked straight to the main entrance while I also followed him. On getting to the door, he stopped and I could sense it that he remembered something… “That reminds me, mama will be coming from the village today”… I froze as though I just heard the news of the death of someone I love and I don’t even know when I exclaimed… ” mama again!!!… But she was here few months ago”…. He responded with this I don’t care look… “And so, what’s your stress with that,.. Prepare the guest room for her ” and he walked out without even listening to any other word from me.
…”oh Jesus, this woman again. What the hell is she looking for again, I have not even recovered from the troubles she created the last time she visited”….. This announcement weakens every part of my body and I couldn’t even follow my husband to the car as I normally do.

Hhhmm…
Mama is my mother inlaw and that woman has been a pain in my neck ever since I got married to Raph. My husband is not her only child neither is he the only son, but I can’t even count the number of times she has visited us ever since we got married two years ago, and the most painful part is that the least time she’ll spend with us is a month, some times she goes for two three months…. No single day with my mother inlaw has been peaceful even though I try my best to avoid her troubles. I have heard and seen mother in-laws who take their son’s wife as their very own daughter, but my own is damn different. If my mother in-law doesn’t complain about my barrenness, she’ll talk about my meals and eating habits, if she doesn’t talk about my sitting down at home all day doing nothing, she’ll talk about my dressing and makeups. And the most amazing part of my mother in-laws visit is that, she takes up the cooking immediately she comes around. And Raph will never even try to support me for a single moment, despite the fact that he’s actually the main author of everything.
….”Hhhmm, mama again”… I sighed and breath deeply as I walked back to the dinning room to clear the table…. ” And Raph could not even tell me long before now that his mum is coming over”…. I gently packed the cups and found my way back to the kitchen to do some cleaning and house chores before I visit the hospital for treatment.

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While I drove into the compound, I sighted a woman pacing up and down at the main entrance and I am so very sure it’s my mother inlaw. This is just past three in the afternoon, and she has never entered Lagos this early,…” oluwa oooo, this woman no sleep for house before she enter road ni” I said to myself as I parked the car at the garage. I quickly rushed down without even picking up my handbag from the car and I ran towards her. Immediately I approached where she was, her looks alone has spoken well enough for me to know that I am in trouble on mama’s first day in Lagos.
…”Good afternoon mama” I knelt down and stood up almost immediately to open the door… ” I am so sorry ma, I was delayed at the hospital and I never knew you’ll be in Lagos very early like this ma”
She stood with her two arms crossed and watched me with this scornful look while I was talking …. “Mmmtttccheww, iranu, radarada. And if anyone should listen to her now, they’ll think she has visited the hospital for anti natal”… She then picked up her bag and made her way into the sitting room trying to push me away from the entrance…. ” dakun yago Lona funmi, let me enter my son’s house” ….. I managed to hide my tears and stretched out my hands to help her carry her Luggage … “let me help you with the bags ma”…..

The sound of her voice became more intensified and it was as if she’s going to collapse if I touch the bags…. “Ahh, no no no, thank you, I carried the bags all by myself all the way from village”… And I gently watched her as she lifted the bags one after the other and made her way into her usual room (the visitors room)

TBC