THE brideGROOM Episode 34 – 35

THE brideGROOM Episode 34

Late Chioma’s family has just returned from her funera, including her very saddened friend, Judith.
Mr Ambrose had locked himself up in his bedroom and has asked to be left alone.
Chioma’s mum had slept off on the sofa, because unknown to her, she was given sleeping tablets because she was crying uncontrollably even before the funeral service began.

Judith, Kate, Mr Ambrose’s parents and the kids were seated in the living room.
Red and swollen eyes beautified all their faces. Constant sniffing was the only sound that could be heard in the room.

All of a sudden, the deafening silence was broken by Tatiana’s poem. She just started reciting the poem she had earlier on recited at her mum’s funeral service.

TATIANA: fill not your heart with pain and
Sorrow
But remember me in every tomorrow

Remember the joy, the laughter,
The smiles, I’ve only gone to rest a
while

Although my leaving causes pain and
Grief
My going has eased my hurt and given
Me relief

So dry your eyes and remember me
Not as I am now, but as I used to be

I will remember you all and look on
With a smile

Understand in your hearts
I’ve only gone to rest a while

As long as I have the love of each of
you
I can live my life in the hearts of
all ofyou

JUDITH: Tatiana, you shouldn’t be reciting that poem Okay? Recite one of the ones you are taught in school

TATIANA: but I like this one (carries on reciting it)

(Mr Ambrose’s mum knows about the letters left by Chioma and is determined to help ensure that her death wish is fulfilled. So she thought it was a good avenue to get Ambrose and Judith talking)

GRANDMA: Judith, we may not be able to get her to stop reciting that poem, please go upstairs and tell her dad. He is the only one who can do it

JUDITH: but ma’am, he asked not to be disturbed

GRANDMA: not when his children are involved. Please go get him.

(Judith got upstairs and met mr Ambrose on the floor of his bedroom with Chioma’s framed picture crying his heart out…)

JUDITH: excuse me, sir

MR AMBROSE: I left a clear and simple instruction!!!??

JUDITH: I know but…

MR AMBROSE: please shut the door and leave me alone!

JUDITH: Tatiana is…

MR AMBROSE: (quickly gets up!) Is she Okay?

JUDITH: yes but she wouldn’t stop reciting the funeral poem

MR AMBROSE: My goodness! Okay, I’ll come down and see her. Thanks for letting me know

JUDITH: no problem (goes downstairs)

(Mr Ambrose quickly wiped his tears and hurried downstairs)

MR AMBROSE: mummy, you must stop reciting that poem. It is specially for your mum in heaven. You only recite it when someone goes to heaven Okay?

TATIANA: but mummy went to heaven today so I can recite it today

MR AMBROSE: not anymore. You recited it for her before those men took her to heaven and that’s enough

TATIANA: Okay, daddy but when is she coming back to see us?

MR AMBROSE: phewww!

GRANDMA: enough, Ambrose! No answering anymore questions. You don’t answer everything they ask. She will not stop asking questions

MR AMBROSE: but mum, I owe her answers

TATIANA: but why did they put so much sand on top of her?

MR AMBROSE: Jesus will remove all the sands and give her clean clothes and she will be clean and happy, Okay?

TATIANA: will Jesus give her a shower and food and chocolates?

MR AMBROSE: Jesus will give her everything she needs

GRANDMA: (loudly) oh Chioma!!! Chioma why!!!!????

MADAM NKECHI: (wakes up and starts crying loudly too. Kate joined, then Mr Ambrose joined. Shasha joined, Tatiana joined, Judith lost it and the entire place was filled with sounds and songs of sorrow and mourning
************************************************

NINA: Charlotte, are you sure you want to go to Ghana with this man? I’m asking because I heard he is a ritualist o! Hmmmm!

CHARLOTTE: it’s all rumours, babe. I spent the weekend in his house. Such a humble man. With all his money he still knows how to treat a woman. He ran my bath, cooked me the best noodle soup I’ve heard in my life, massaged my feet until they felt like those of a baby. No girl! I’m hooked!
I don’t even remember Deric

NINA: what about his wife?

CHARLOTTE: she is late

NINA: any children?

CHARLOTTE: No. He said his wife passed away one month after they got married

NINA: sad. But if you love him that much, why did you infect him?

CHARLOTTE: He has the money so he can look after himself. Abeg don’t start! No be person give am to me!
By the way, did I tell you! Jaykob claims to be born again now. I went into his office after everyone had left yesterday and sat on his laps. Dude pushed me away saying he is now born again???

NINA: no wonder! I heard him inviting Amanda to their renewal of marriage vows.

CHARLOTTE: that had better be true?

NINA: God don save am. Anyway, how’s Deric and his mum? And when is he coming back? I really want him to get this virus because he pushed you into cheating.
If he was working as hard as other men out there, fulfilling his conjugal obligations, I don’t think you would have had anything to do with Mr Adrian

CHARLOTTE: He called me about two days ago asking what I think about him trying to get a job over there and then coming to bring me over as soon as he settles.

NINA: and what did you say?? don’t tell me you agreed

CHARLOTTE: I told him I will think about it. I was rushing anyway. I wanted him to get off the phone because I was at my old guy’s house ?

NINA: perfect! I’m glad you didn’t agree yet. Call him, tell him you miss him a lot and that you have been very lonely and Ill without him around. Tell him to come back and see you one more time before he starts any move towards residing there.
As soon as he comes back, baptise him and let him go back to London!

CHARLOTTE: girl, you bad!??I’ll call him today

NINA: no! Call him now! Once you go out with your man you’ll forget

CHARLOTTE: I don’t have enough airtime.

NINA: use my phone! Tell him you are so Ill so I came to see you and cook for you. Thunder fire am fire London!
************************************************

XANDRA: Why do you look all gloomy!

DERIC: good morning, Xandra.

XANDRA: I’ve got good news for you!!!

DERIC: what good news??

XANDRA: my brother in law has agreed to assist you get a permit. He also promised to get mama a permit on the basis that you are her sole carer!

DERIC: I sincerely appreciate that and your efforts as well, but I’m going to be turning that down. I need to be home latest Friday. And that is the day by which I must be in Nigeria

XANDRA: what happened, Deric?

DERIC: my wife is seriously ill and she has no one with her except her best friend.

XANDRA: did she stop taking her pills?

DERIC: what pills? My wife is not on any pills

XANDRA: oh no! Sorry, I was mistaking her for someone else?
What if we send her money so she could go to the hospital? Must you go??

DERIC: I must go, Xandra. See, because you haven’t been married before and I don’t mean to be rude , you probably do not understand the importance of emotional and physical support between couples. I need to go home and be with her!

XANDRA: ?oh! Okay. I need to take my leave now. Bye mama. ?‍️?‍️?‍️?‍️?‍️

MADAM NNENA: Deric! The way you spoke to her was very rude! Must you remind her that she needs to be married!

DERIC: she doesn’t need a reminder. She knows age is no longer on her side. I need to go see my wife.

MADAM NNENA: so rude!

DERIC: mama, stay out of this, please!

THE brideGROOM Episode 35

MADAM NKECHI: Kate, please take the kids upstairs I want to have a word with Judy.

KATE: yes, ma’am. Tatiana, Shasha, let’s go up?‍?‍?

MADAM NKECHI: once again I want to say a very big thank you to you for how you treated my late daughter. Since her death, I’ve always had this hope that somehow, she would wake up and come back to me. But yesterday, that hope was buried together with Chioma. It has become real to me that I will never see my daughter again.

JUDITH : you will see her again on the resurrection morning.

MADAM NKECHI: so help me God. Erm, I called you Here for an important and somewhat sensitive issue. I know I probably shouldn’t be saying it. No mother should have to do this. It feels like betraying your own daughter and believe me, it is the hardest thing in the world. But fate has left me with no other option.
I’ll be leaving this evening.

JUDITH: oh really! Why so soon?

MADAM NKECHI: Yes, as soon as Ambrose comes back, he’ll take me home. I think I am finding it more difficult to mourn Chioma here the way I want.
I wouldn’t want the kids seeing me crying. I’m going to go back home and take my time to mourn my daughter.
Now to the main reason why I called you. I am aware of the letter my daughter left. Ermmm, she wants you to marry her husband.
Marriage is a thing of choice and nobody should be coarced or unduly influenced into it. But I want to tell you this, hoping it helps you make the right choice.
I am sure you know what transpired between Ambrose and Chioma before her death.
It is easy to judge Ambrose by that single act and being Chioma’s mum, people would expect me to see Ambrose as the devil’s advocate but he is not.
The situation that led to their separation which I’m sure you are aware of, came with very convincing evidence. Ninety percent of men would have reacted the same way Ambrose reacted or worse.
Before Chioma passed away, Ambrose was already searching for her and I made him go all the way to the United kingdom. Which I do not regret anyway.
Long story short, Ambrose is not a bad man. In fact, he is the best husband any woman can be married to and a doting father.
Should you decide to marry him, please do so without any fears. Of course he is not perfect, but I tell you, you would have gotten yourself a great man and future.
Please treat these kids as yours and whatever you decide to do, it shall be well with you in the morning, at noon and at night. As you were kind to the dead, In the same manner, may the Lord be gracious to you from this day onwards. Amen.

JUDITH: mama!!!?????? it’s hard. Very hard!???????

MADAM NKECHI: I know…(hugs her) it’s difficult. Wipe those tears okay? And remember, I am always here for you when you need me. I know you have no mum, but you can count on me for any motherly advice.
I will also do my best to come see the kids once in a while. I wouldn’t like to come often to allow you space to build your home. But you can always call me

MR AMBROSE

walks in) what’s going on here? So you people tell me not to cry and when I leave the house, you get on with It, right?

MADAM NKECHI: no, we are fine. I’m ready to go now.

MR AMBROSE: Erm, Judy, I will be taking my mother in law home now and I will spend two days with her just so she is not very lonely. Not sure if you will be here before I come back. If not, thank you so much for all you did for my family and I.
We are so grateful and pray that the good Lord grants all your heart desires.

JUDITH: Amen.

MADAM NKECHI: no, she will be here until you come back. Who will look after the kids?

MR AMBROSE: no my dear, you don’t have to, if you don’t want to. My mum will be back tomorrow and Kate is here too. I don’t want you to get into trouble at your work place.

JUDITH: no, I won’t. They gave me one week off so I’ll stay more.

MR AMBROSE: alright then, see you when I come back. Mama, let’s go.
**********************************************

DERIC: Xandra, I just want to apologise for the way I spoke to you the other day. I am only a frustrated man. My beloved wife is dying at home. All of you must bear with me this time around. I’m really sorry and my mum sends her love to you.

XANDRA: it’s okay. Say hi to your mum when you get back to the hospital. So why did you ask me to come here?

DERIC:like I told you, I must go home to see my wife and i have been searching for the cheapest flight possible. I didn’t realise that Arik no longer flies. The cheapest flight right now is KLM and it is for seven hundred and fifty pounds.
I have four hundred and fifty pounds. So I was wondering if you can lend me another five hundred pounds.
I promise to pay you back as soon as possible.

XANDRA: Deric, I don’t have such amount of money, sorry.

DERIC: Alexandra! Please don’t do this to me! Please I know you have the money. Remember you told me about your UK savings account.
Please don’t let me be miserable or do something silly. If I do not see Charlotte by Friday, I’ll kill myself!
Please I have to. You have to do this for me if my life means anything to you.

XANDRA: hmmmm! Well, as you know, I cannot withdraw money from the cash point from my savings account. I’ll bring you the money tomorrow because banks have closed now.

DERIC: oh! Thank you, Xandra! You are a life saver! What would I have done without you!!! God bless you!

XANDRA: it’s okay. I’ll be on my way now

DERIC: do you want me to see you off to the station?

XANDRA: no. I’ll be alright. See you tomorrow?‍️?‍️

DERIC: thanks a lot. Bye bye.

To be continued

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