Money Over Love Episode 10

Money Over Love Episode 10

“Hey you, you dare not come to my house or else I will personally skin you alive. Never try to make these people know about this. Don’t try me.” He said sounding like a hungry Gorilla. “Only God knows what you are up to.” I said back to him. He went into his car and sped off as if he was running away from a time bomb.

After he left, Charles then explained to his father that Vero was pregnant for another man so there was no way he as a young guy would marry a lady carrying somebody’s pregnancy. Well I know if you were in my shoes, you would’ve done same. Said Charles to his dad. He then told his father about Faustina. He explained to his father how well cultured and humble she was and added that she was an English teacher.
His father: so where is she coming from and what does she worship?
Charles: Daddy she is an Ewe and a Christian as well.
His father: my son I’ve always been warning you against Ewe girls but you are still following them.
Charles: hmm dad and that’s where you’re getting it all wrong. All humans are not created equal. The fact that an Ewe woman did something bad to you before does not mean all Ewe women or men are the same. Agbanavor is an Ewe, but he saved this family.
His father: Alright just as I told my friend that want you to marry his daughter, do what you think is best for you. You are of age but I pray you don’t come back to me telling me you should’ve listened to me.
Charles: daddy nothing will happen. I will invite her home soon for you to see her.

His father now allowed Charles to do what he thinks is right. Well, I won’t say that was disobedience because at times, our parents must allow us take decisions for ourselves. If they continue to decide for us when will we grow up to reason and also make decisions for ourselves? Better still what happens to us when they are no more? We’ve got no decision making experience so we will technically be unfit for even employment in this “life full of decision making” organizations. The certificate alone is not enough. On the side of tribe. Hmm, it’s an issue.
Most parents will not allow their children marry from some particular tribe because of probably a past experience. I wish to inform them that, we are all not the same. Despite historical backgrounds, that was yesterday. Due to civilization and modernization, things have changed. Gone were those days where a lady would only be informed that a man has come to marry her without dating. She can’t even disagree, but truly speaking those marriages even last what we see today.

Today, these two people are allowed to date for a while and through that they study each other and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Am not saying some people don’t fake when dating. Some because are too desperate to have a particular person, will do all it takes to impress the other party. Few months or years into the marriage, their true colours begin to pop up. Probably that tribe you were against will be the tribe that would bring you evaluating peace of mind and build your family. But to the youth, marriage is not as simple as you see it. That is why you don’t just need to jump into it. Some say it is a full subject to be studied. I pray God opens your eyes well to make the right choice. Yeah it is all about choice making. Not all that glitters is gold. Some are just decorated masquerades, after you unveil them, you will know who they are. Ask God for direction.
My boss started dating Faustina and brought her to the house during one of the weekends. Honestly speaking, she was beautiful and Charles’ father himself could attest to that fact.

This lady impressed everybody by her delicious and sumptuous meal prepared. Am yet to taste another food that tasted like hers. Probably my mother would’ve done best if she was around. A hallmark of a good woman. Some ladies were over pampered when they were young and were made not to even go close to fire. They were protected like crates of egg to the extent that the best they can do is to que for fast-food.
Cooking becomes their problem when they become independent. Some of them too were just lazy and will never want to help their mother’s in the kitchen to see the food is been prepared. They see cooking as a form of punishment. When they get to their matrimonial homes, cooking becomes a tag of war. It’s either the salt is too much or the rice turns into water. What a shame. Ladies no man want a woman who cannot cook so the choice is yours. Today, most of them can’t even prepare “Gorbe” let alone prepare Jollof rice or “Akple with Fetrí détsi” as they call it. They should just wait and get married before they will know the importance of cooking.

Vero’s father never made her daughter know that he saw me. He kept it a secret to himself and I equally wouldn’t want to commit myself by going to look for her.
In some few weeks time, it was planned for my boss to get married to sister Faustina. If I should tell you about Faustina’s beginning, you will be marvelled. She also started from the scratch just as I did so she understood me very well when I narrated my history to her. Because she was an English teacher, she started teaching me how to read and write. On their engagement day, the whole atmosphere was filled with joy. Invitation was sent to Vero’s father but he didn’t honour it. He felt his daughter was the right person to be doing that engagement and not Faustina. Vero’s belly was gradually gathering momentum and all sort of questions were popping from all angles. “When did your daughter get married and you didn’t tell us? Who is the owner of the pregnancy” among other questions were ringing inside his ears.

Because Charles has a lot of friends abroad, he decided to do the wedding there. I was the only person left in the house when they left to do the wedding. His mother and other siblings were also there just that his mother and father were no more together as husband and wife. That was the source of the hatred Charles’ father had for the Ewes. He claims an Ewe woman deceived him and made him leave his wife with the idea that he could marry this woman who was very rich and well educated but unfortunately, it didn’t happen as expected.

Days turn into weeks, weeks into months and gradually Vero’s date was due to give birth. My boss’ wife Faustina was now a full time member of the house just that her husband’s house was not ready for them to move in. Anytime she closes from school, she will come and organize a special class for me. I started reading and writing basic English. I also learnt how to drive and I do drive her to school every morning and brings her back after she closes.

On the day Vero went into the labour room, I was seriously giving order’s to the constructors on my boss’s building project. Unfortunately for her she had some complications so they rushed her into the theater for caesarean section (CS). The baby was removed but they realized she started behaving abnormally after everything. She doesn’t want to even see her baby let alone talk of even giving her breast milk. She was seen mentioning repeatedly my name “Makafui”. They tried to figure out what her problem was but couldn’t so they invited the mental health officer incharge to asses her to see if there was any mental health disorder.
After the assessment, she was diagnosed of Perprah psychosis. A psychological disorder which normally affect women mostly after giving birth and has problem with their husbands. They will displace the anger to the babies and may even abandon them. Some of resort to throwing the baby onto the refuse bump. This is a mental health issue. The mental health nurse requested that they call the Makafui person she was mentioning so that they do further investigation into Vero’s condition. Vero’s mother said they don’t know the whereabouts of me.

The nurse insisted they should try and look for me if not the situation will go out of hand. Vero’s father initially didn’t want to show them where I was but because he saw that he was gradually going to loose his daughter, he told them that they should give him two days to fetch me out. They injected Vero some injections to calm her condition down so that she could breastfeed the baby. She even gave birth to a baby boy who resembles me very much. I guess my blood is very strong. I was at the site doing my work when they came to call me that I should report to the 37 military hospital.
The reason was not disclosed to me so I was wondering what the problem was. My boss left the country that day so I only prayed he was not the one involved in any form of accident. Lo and behold, I met Vero’s family at the out patient department (OPD). Precious was the one who called me first. I asked them what the problem was and they led me to the mental health unit. From there a nurse escorted me to the female ward to see Vero. She was in bed when I got there. Someone who was according to the nurses weak and could not do anything for herself, shouted very loud upon seeing me. She woke up from the bed and came to hug me tightly. Everybody was surprised seeing this scene. Vero’s father after seeing what was going on went to his car and left the hospital.

“Makafui where have you been and why did you leave me alone here?” She asked with tears in her face. “Where am I and why is everybody looking at me like this?” She asked. Her mother came closer and told her that she was unconscious after undergoing the CS. From all indications, her psychosis was gone. Glory be to God. At times, we don’t need medicine to control some of these psychological difficulties. She asked of her baby and shed tears upon seeing the bouncing baby boy (BBB). Because of the CS and the medications she was takingn, she needed to stay behind for additional two days before they could discharge her.

I came home and reported the case to sis Faustina. She suggested I make preparations to marry her. In the evening, I went to check on her and I told her I still love her. I didn’t want them to know that I was using a car so I didn’t go with the car. She was discharged and called her father to come and pick us. When this man came, he said I should come with a commercial car. That wasn’t a problem to me. I got myself a car and followed them to Kpone. A meeting was called and at the meeting, I requested for the marriage list so that I can go and prepare myself and return to marry their daughter. Seriously speaking, I got choked when I saw the list presented to me. They were even surprised I could read.
Among the things in the list was “the man must have his own house and car, fuel in-laws car every month and pay his in-laws every month. One cow and a car for the lady” “But in-law this list is irrational.

How on earth do you expect me to fulfill all these things on the list?” I asked “Don’t in-law me my friend, you are even not my friend. You requested for list, I’ve given it to you and you call it irrational?” He asked. “Sorry sir” I apologized.
“A beggar has no choice. If you know you can’t afford marrying my daughter, turn your back and you will see a door, walk through it, you will be outside. When out, you will see a gate, pass through it and never return to my house.” He said. “Daddy if you don’t change some of those things in that list, I will pack my things and follow him through the direction you just gave.” Vero said. “You dare not do anything like that. You are the cause of all this disgrace to this family. Do what you think is right for you.” Vero’s father said and went into his room.

Her mother took the list ,read it and smiled. She said I should go and get what I could afford and come for the ceremony. I thanked her and left. I went to give the list to my boss’ wife and she said I should wait till my boss returns so that he will go with me to see them for a cancelation of some of the things. My boss returned and I did as suggested. “Agbanavor since when did you get a lady pregnant and where the hell is this outrageous list from?” He asked. “Boss it’s a long story.” I said to him. “Look every long story can be cut short. Am listening.” He said.

“The the… I was the … Boss hmm let me tell you.” I was very confused and didn’t know where to start from. “The lady you had wanted to marry at first happens to be the lady I’ve impregnated but because I was poor, her father does not want me to marry her.” I said to him.

What!!!! “Oh Agbanavor, and you never told me from the beginning? What if I were to go ahead and marry her?” He asked. “Sorry boss.” I apologised.
Will that marriage ceremony be successful?

What are the plans of vero’s father?

What of Makafui’s boss getting to know that Makafui was the one responsible for vero’s pregnancy?

MONEY OVER LOVE by Jones Kwesi Tagbor

End of season one

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