THE BrideGROOM Episode 41

The BrideGROOM Written By Rossy Amarachi Uju

Episode 41

Judith came to Abuja yesterday in preparation for Shasha’s 3rd birthday tomorrow. She bought the children lots of presents and also made the whole family a delicious meal.
After they had all eaten, they sat down in the living room watching children’s programmes.

Mr Ambrose was lying flat on the floor with baby Joshua comfortably sleeping on his bare chest after being fed by Judith.

JUDITH: that is a an excellent way of bonding with a baby. Well Done!

MR AMBROSE: oh that’s his favourite place in the world. When he is crying, the minute I place him on my chest, he just goes quiet and gently rests his head on me. Next, he sleeps off.

TATIANA: Baby Joshua cries a lot because he doesn’t have a mummy

MR AMBROSE: phewww! Here we go again!

JUDITH: but he has a mummy in heaven, darling

TATIANA: but he doesn’t have a mummy in the world so he cries so that God will give him his own mummy. I and Shasha don’t cry because we have a mummy and daddy??

KATE: Tatiana, what happened to your new teacher?

TATIANA: she died!

JUDITH: no! You can’t say that about someone, Tatiana!

MR AMBROSE: she actually did. They sent a letter to all parents informing us. Apparently, she was raped and murdered by some…(doorbell rings)

JUDITH: I’ll see who it is

MR AMBROSE: are you sure? Or you want me to?

JUDITH: no, you don’t want the baby to wake up
(Opens the door and saw a man and a woman)
Yes, how can I help?

CHARLOTTE: please, is this the residence of one Mr Ambrose?

JUDITH: erm, yeah. Why?

CHARLOTTE: my name is Charlotte and this is my fiance, Umar. We are here to see him for something very important

JUDITH: does he know you were coming?

CHARLOTTE: no he doesn’t

JUDITH: erm, Mr Ambrose normally sees people strictly on appointment as he doesn’t want anything disturbing his family time. But I’ll tell him, but I am not making you any promises, alright?

CHARLOTTE: thank you but please tell him it’s very important

JUDITH: alright, one moment (shuts the door)
Erm, Mr Ambrose, a woman and a man she described as her fiance are here to see you

MR AMBROSE: did you ask them what for?

CHARLOTTE: Yes, she said it’s important. She looks very nervous and all teary.

MR AMBROSE: for some reasons, I always get these nutters that I haven’t met from Adam coming to see me either in my office or here at home. Some of them come to beg for alms, some come to report how rude my staff were to them and some are just plain mad. So I am very very reluctant to see people without appointments. But let them in

JUDITH: alright!(opens the door) you can come in

CHARLOTTE: good morning, Mr Ambrose

MR AMBROSE: good morning lady and gentleman

ALAHAJI UMAR: peace be unto this house. Good morning my brother

CHARLOTTE: we first of all went to your office but we were told you are off today

MR AMBROSE: yes. I only go to work on Mondays and Thursdays now since my wife passed away. I stay home most of the time looking after the kids

ALAHAJI UMAR: oh my brother! I hab been there before! Bery bery hard. My own kwondition was worsened when the child died after 9 months of my hard work and ebrything!
But I lib ebrything in the hands of Allah. We cannot question him

MR AMBROSE: sorry about your experience. Like you said, we cannot question God

CHARLOTTE: sorry about the death of your wife, sir and may her soul rest in peace. Sir, I’m not sure if you remember me.

MR AMBROSE: your face looks familiar but I can’t place exactly where I’ve seen you. My memory is not that great anymore. A lot of things have happened so forgive that.

CHARLOTTE: (kneels down) Sir, I am one of the ladies who came to your office claiming we are a charity organisation. We then told you something about your wife and also left some pictures for you.

MR AMBROSE: a l r I G H T…. one of the ladies who sent my wife to her early grave… fantastic!! Kate! Take Joshua from me and take the kids upstairs immediately!

KATE: Tatiana, Shasha! Upstairs!(takes Baby Joshua from him and they all went to the living room upstairs)

MR AMBROSE: give me a minute? (goes into his room, loads his brand new registered AK47, comes downstairs and points it right into Charlotte’s right ear)
give me one reason why I should not send you to the hottest part of hell right now where you rightly belong!??

ALAHAJI UMAR: ah! Alahu akubah! Dan Allah! Don’t shoot please. Please I beg you in the name of Allah! Don’t shoot???

JUDITH: (stands between him and Charlotte so that the gun is now pointed at her) remember who Chioma was when she was alive. Peaceful, loving, and forgiving! That is who is was. She lived a higher life never hurt a fly in her lifetime.
If she was standing here right now, guess what she would say? “Oh come on sweetie! Stand up, I forgave you a long time ago”! That’s who she was. Let’s keep that up for her.
If you shoot and kill this lowlife right now, you will go to jail for murder, your children will miss having you here with them.
Please, put down the gun. I can literally hear my girlfriend saying these exact words, put down the gun.

MR AMBROSE: (Hands shaking profusely and face flooded with tears) you killed my wife! And you had the temerity to present your ugly face to me! ???You want me to forgive you for causing me pain and guilt that will accompany me to my grave???
Because of you, that wee boy you saw here will never know a mother’s love! Day in day out, her two little girls ask me questions too heavy for me to answer.
You sent my wife six feet under and you stand in front of me asking for forgiveness! That amount of gut!!!! Oh that amount of gut! ????
Why didn’t you come here yesterday when Judith wasn’t here!!!
Nothing, and I mean nothing would have stopped me from separating your wicked head from the rest of your evil body! ????(Breaks down in tears!????)
Oh how you hurt me, young lady! How you hurt me!
I would have given you money, if you wanted money! Why did you go for Chioma!!! Why???
She didn’t deserve to die? She was only 28. Full of life and love.
She would never do a thing like this to anyone! Never ever! She wouldn’t even think of it.
You want forgiveness? Head to st Mark’s Anglican church graveyard. There lies the remains of Chioma. Go there and obtain her forgiveness.
I have no forgiveness to give you!

CHARLOTTE: (crying really loudly) pleaseeeeeee!! Pleaseeeee I beg you in the name of God in heaven. I already have HIV and my other friend whom I came with to your office was raped and murdered last week.?????

JUDITH: wait, was she a teacher??

CHARLOTTE: yes she was. Pleaseeeeee my sister beg him to forgive me ooo??????

JUDITH: Jesus! So that was Tatiana’s teacher! Lilly and Birds nursery and Primary school?

CHARLOTTE: yes. Pleaseeeeee I beg of you!

MR AMBROSE: imagine! If I had known earlier, I would have killed her myself! No wonder I never liked her neither did the kids! She got what she deserved! Why do you think you deserve forgiveness! You deserve to be blown up! And I want to have the honour of doing it????

CHARLOTTE: Sir, I will not leave your house today unless you forgive me. I can’t sleep at night. I keep having nightmares????

MR AMBROSE: My wife sleeps in the graveyard every effing night!!!! Because of you! Bastard!

JUDITH: remember what Chioma told us. She said even if her killer presents himself, that we should not press any charges. This is probably who she was referring to and not the truck driver who knocked her down. This ugly woman right here is her killer

CHARLOTTE: (holds judith on her ankles) please dear beg him

JUDITH: will you get your bloodstained hands off me!!!! That lady you killed was the only friend I had in the world!
If not for the gift of salvation, I would insert a very hot metal down your throat!
(Turns to Ambrose)
Please, darling, forgive. Vengeance is mine says the Lord. Let’s not play God. The bible says avenge not yourselves. Please forgive

MR AMBROSE: I forgive you. Leave my house now!
I forgive you and I hope you have a good life but always remember that your actions cut short the life of a young mum. Goodbye.

ALAHAJI UMAR: thank you, my brother. Come on stand up you evil girl! Allah have mercy on your soul. You hurt this man so much walahi. If this was me, I would have slit your throat walahi! Move!
Allah bless you, my brother

(They left and Judith hugged Ambrose so tight and somehow, their lips managed to locate each other and for the very first time he kissed her passionately…?)

MR AMBROSE: just give me a second

JUDITH: Take two

(Mr Ambrose went into his bedroom and brought the ring she bought to engage Judith but he had planned to do it tomorrow at Shasha’s birthday party. But he couldn’t wait anymore. So he quickly grabbed it and ran downstairs where Judy was)

MR AMBROSE: (on one knee) Judy, for me, you are not just another woman. To me, you are love covering yourself in the bodies of two beautiful women just to get to me.
You found me first through my Chioma and now, hidden inside the beautiful Judith, you came looking for me again.
I recognised you when I saw you. You are love and you have found me again. And again, I want to keep you in my heart and home forever.
So love, will You marry me?

JUDITH: oh my goodness! I can’t believe this is happening! Yes I will!

MR AMBROSE: Kate! Tatiana! Shasha! Joshua!!! Daddy is engaged!!!!!!!
********************************************

MADAM NNENA: ah! See who we have here!

XANDRA: mama, how are you?

MADAM NNENA: I am not good. You brought me to London and abandoned me! Eh! My daughter you know I like seeing you around. Don’t break my heart oh! Come in my love

XANDRA: wow! This place is very nice and cosy! Where is Deric?

MADAM NNENA: my dear, I believe he is broken. You know they called him from Nigeria and told him that his adulterous wife is getting married to onye awusa. But even before then, he has been staying in that his room, playing all the sad songs in the world. Doesn’t eat from day to day. Manages to drink a cup of coffee or two that’s it.
I’m tired of trying to get him to talk to me my dear

XANDRA: he’ll be fine. I know what’s wrong with him.

MADAM NNENA: you do?

XANDRA: yeah. I’ll go see him now.

MADAM NNENA: alright, my daughter

( Xandra got inside and saw Deric in bed wrapped in blanket and facing the wall)

XANDRA: (taking off the blankets to reveal his face) come on! It’s not that cold?

DERIC: Xandra, why are you here?

XANDRA: to see you, of course!

DERIC: leave. You have seen me

XANDRA: I’m not leaving. Call the police

DERIC: when is your wedding?

XANDRA: you tell me

DERIC: stop being stupid. It’s not funny. Xandra! Have some sympathy! I am human. Does it give you this much joy hurting me?

XANDRA: Hehehe I wanted you to feel a little of what I felt those days I was falling head over heels in love with you. I would take extra shifts just to see your face and you were doing shakara and forming married. Mtchewww!

DERIC: (Quickly sits up) Xandra! Are you not seeing anyone?

XANDRA: no, I’ve always wanted you and only you. I love you Deric and I couldn’t even hide it no matter how hard I tried

DERIC: (jumps out of bed, reaches for the ring in his bedside drawer and kneels before Xandra)
Xandra, please will you marry me?

Xandra: yes, I will marry you?

(Deric hugged her and they started kissing, for about 10 minutes, I looked on as they passionately kissed each other. And then their hands started wandering to places I would describe as dangerous. So I knew it was time to take myself out of that dangerous zone. So I walked away.
I am unable to give an account of what happened afterwards but whatever happened, it must have been intense.
I’ll see you all tomorrow???

Mr Ambrose has just married Judith in a private wedding in an undisclosed location in the Federal Capital Territory.
It was a lovely ceremony but not without the occasional moments of tears and sadness
During the exchange of vows, Mr Ambrose could hardly say out the words as he read them out amidst tears.
Generally, It was a sweet and sad day for the family.

The attendees of the wedding were:

Mr Ambrose’s parents
Late Chioma’s mother
Judith’s immediate family
Kate( bridesmaid)
Tatiana(flower girl)
Shasha(little bride)
Joshua
The priest

The family already knew that they were all leaving for Canada at 6pm today, but they were not aware of Mr Ambrose’s big surprise for them.
To the best of Kate’s knowledge, she was going to look after the house while they are away.

They got home, undressed and Mr Ambrose summoned them in the living room.

MR AMBROSE: first of all, I just want to congratulate all of us. It’s our day; not just that of I and Judith. It’s our day!
I know you all know that we are all going to Canada for a month this night.
But actually, we are not just going for a month. We are relocating to Canada.

JUDITH: wow!

MR AMBROSE: Kate?

KATE: sir?

MR AMBROSE: you’ve been with us since you were 17 and now you are 25. You are like a daughter to me and saying Goodbye to you is the hardest thing in the world for me. But I have to do it.
But what would you like me to do for You?

KATE: sir, I just want to thank you for picking up a poor orphan like me and giving me a great life. I never thought I would live in a house like this.
When my mother died, you single handedly paid for her funeral. You sent me to school and you always ensured I have whatever I need.

Madam, wherever you Are, may your soul find rest. Sir, I don’t want anything from you just don’t forget to call me so I can speak with my Tatiana, Shasha and Joshua when he starts talking.??
I …I ..I will miss them so much. Sister Judith I will miss you. Sir, i will miss you too.
May God grant you favor wherever you go in Jesus name amen.
I will go back to my auntie in the village.

MR AMBROSE: Kate?

KATE: sir

MR AMBROSE: you are coming with us to Canada.

KATE: oh my God!!??

MR AMBROSE: yes. I can’t leave you behind. You are my daughter and Chioma asked me never to send you away

KATE: (Hugs him and breaks down in tears) thank you so much, sir. I can’t believe my ears???

JUDITH: awwwww!

MR AMBROSE: erm, one more thing, we must go to Chioma’s resting place and say goodbye to her. From There, we will make our way to the airport. Terry will take us there, and then to the airport.

(The family made their way to the graveyard. And on their way, Mr Ambrose bought a bunch of flower and gave them one each. When they got to the graveyard, they went to Chioma’s final resting place and stood around her grave..)

MR AMBROSE: exactly, this day twelve years ago, I got married to you. And on this same day, I just got married to your friend.
I have found love in her arms just like I did in your arms. But moving on in this same environment looks impossible to me. I know you want me to be happy. Therefore, In search of happiness, I am leaving to start all over again.
But I cannot do so without coming to say goodbye once again.
Goodbye my love?
Goodbye my baby?
Goodbye! for I must now let you rest in peace?( kisses the flower and lays it on the grave⚘)

Tatiana, say goodbye to mummy

TATIANA: I love you mummy. I hope Jesus and the angels are giving you lots of ice cream and chocolates. Goodbye, mummy (kisses the flower and lays it on the grave ⚘)

MR AMBROSE: Shasha, say goodbye to mummy

SHASHA: I lof you mummy. Bye bye (kisses the flower and lays it on the grave ⚘)

MR AMBROSE: Kate, say goodbye to your auntie

KATE: even in death, you are still kind. Whatever I become tomorrow, you made me. Thanks for everything. Good night, ma. Rest in peace??? (kisses the flower and lays it on the grave ⚘)

MR AMBROSE: Judy, it’s your turn

JUDITH: (starts crying )?????

MR AMBROSE: Come On, babe! You can’t do this. The kids are here!

JUDITH: (amidst tears) babe, this is it! This is goodbye… this is goodbye? I did it, girl I did it for You! I will continue to do it. I know how much you love them, I will never love them less. They are the you I see everyday.
Thanks for giving me a great home. Ah! Bye babe.
Unbehalf of baby Joshua, this is goodbye!
(Kisses the flower and lays it on the grave ⚘)

(The family walked back to the car and as they were about to enter into the car, Mr Ambrose slightly pulled Judith back)

MR AMBROSE: I know I have caused you pain. Yes, through my carelessness, you lost a dear friend but thank you for accepting to be my bride.
I am not worthy to be called your bridegroom.

For now, let me be your BRIDEGROOM, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to merit the title “Bridegroom”

THE END

THE BrideGROOM

This story is written by Rossy Amarachi Uju ([email protected])

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