SEE FINISH BY TREASURE EZURUIKE EPISODE 22

SEE FINISH BY TREASURE EZURUIKE EPISODE 22

Our trip back was rather cold but a little better than it has been. I seemed relieved on that ride and happier but I couldn’t tell why I hadn’t said yes to him yet.

So what do you think Richard said breaking the silence. What do I think about what? 

My parents, my family? Do they look like a family you’d like to relate to? I’ll be honest, you’ve got a nice family, I said. They are really fun to be with.

And that isn’t convincing enough? Convincing enough for what? For you to give me a chance, Richard said.

Why are you like this? I asked him. How exactly am I? You are so persistent? That should be a good thing, is it? I tried so hard not to roll my eyes. I like you Richard said. I’m trying so hard not to use the word love so you don’t get offended.

I care about you. I wish you did give me a chance to prove it. It’s unfair to turn me down because of your father.

Imagine that girl who works for dad, calling me to talk me into checking on Dad. She advised me to have a relationship with Dad. Who gave her such rights? His sister Maya said first of all who are you calling a girl? Is she your mate? Is she wrong by giving you some advice? Do you have a relationship with Dad? Have you ever cared to check on him? Micheal said whatever she should avoid me. She just works for Dad, she’s not my mother. She can never replace Mum. 

READ-: SEE FINISH EPISODE 19

I assure you that my children would respect you. Including Michael? I asked.  You shouldn’t deny my happiness because of Micheal. It’s just unfair.

He is your son, your only son and I don’t want any problems. We don’t get along. He doesn’t even get along with you.

My saying yes to you all things being equal depends on your relationship with your son and his relationship with me.

Wow, Richard exclaimed. So if Micheal doesn’t get along with me and you, I don’t stand a chance?

I’m sorry but that’s the truth. What you are asking for is difficult but Micheal makes it more difficult.

I don’t want to be scared for my life. You are a nice man I’ll admit. You’ve been so nice to me since I began to work for you.

It’s only fair that you consider my concerns as well. Fine, he said, thank you for keeping me company today, I appreciate it. It’s my pleasure, I said.

We got back home, I thanked him for the ride and headed up the stairs. I freshened up and wanted to get some rest when my phone rang.

Michael’s eldest sister called me and said “my brother called me and was very upset at you calling him to talk to him about our father in the hospital. 

He seemed upset. We fell out and I told him he is selfish. He says you are a gold digger after dad’s money. 

He is so selfish, blaming Dad for mum’s death as if he killed her. He can’t stay without women but he expects Dad to do the same. 

Dad has been single for 15 years, that’s just too much. As long as Dad is single we can’t go very far. He deserves to be happy.

Calm down, I said to her. She sent me an audio recording of the call. 

I listened to it and Micheal said ” I’m so upset. Imagine that girl who works for dad, calling me to talk me into checking on Dad.

She advised me to have a relationship with Dad. Who gave her such rights? His sister Maya said first of all who are you calling a girl?

Is she your mate? Is she wrong by giving you some advice? Do you have a relationship with Dad? Have you ever cared to check on him?

Micheal said whatever she should avoid me. She just works for Dad, she’s not my mother. She can never replace Mum. 

I wonder what she wants with Dad anyway. I’ve noticed a certain closeness between both of them that’s beyond just work.

Maya said the right question should be what Dad wants with her. Excuse me! Micheal exclaimed. 

Excuse you what? Maya said. Dad loves her and wants to get married to her if she says Yes.

I beg your pardon! Micheal said in shock. What! Maya responded. Dad won’t get married again? Right? He’ll remain single because of you.

He couldn’t find another woman Micheal asked. If not that gold digger, as young as us?

Hahahahahaha Maya laughed. So funny indeed she said. Gold digger as young as us you say, at least she’s older than all of us.

What matters is that Dad loves her. Are you saying Dad should marry a woman as old as him? 

Who can’t take care of him? He wants someone younger and he’ll get someone younger.

And she’s the only one? So she’d get married to Dad and give birth to sons that would drag Dad’s properties with me?

You are so unbelievable, Maya said, that’s your problem? Really? More sons? So if mum had another son you would have killed yourself?

Property? Do you mean you have no hands to earn your own money? 

I pity you, you are so selfish. You have blamed Dad for mum’s death as he killed her.

NICOLE’S POV

I just wanted to surprise you, she said. Hope you have seen how my wife has been treating me so badly like I’m the worst man in the world. 

About that, his mum said I asked her everything you said about denying you your rights and she told me that you both agreed to switch roles.

You told her that she does not do anything in the house other than eat sleep and watch television.

So you both agreed to switch your roles so you can do her roles as she will do yours. 

She told me that since you’ve begun this role switching she has been the only one keeping her side of the bargain.

You have not cooked, washed, mopped, or cleaned as you agreed. Those are the things she usually does and you were supposed to come in and do them. 

The idea of role switching is for you to do what the other person usually does and the other person will do what you usually do.

From what she has told me you have not lifted a finger and not done a thing as regards switching of roles is that true? 

Mum, do you honestly expect me to do house chores like cook for the family, do laundry, go to the market to shop?

You expect me to do that? What is wrong if you do that, are you not a human being? 

Do you not benefit from the chores? Don’t those clothes she washes belong to you? don’t you wear them? 

The food she cooks, don’t you eat it? The floor that she mops, don’t you match on it?

Your clothes she irons, don’t you wear them? The food she buys in the market, don’t you eat them? 

What do you mean by do I expect you to do those chores? You’re a human being, the only chores that are assigned by God are biological. 

I’ve told you this before, you can’t get pregnant and you cannot breastfeed a baby but your wife can.

Your wife cannot get you pregnant it is the other way around but as far as these chores go cooking and cleaning are subject to our homes. 

There are homes where the man cooks, cleans, and irons. That is what he wants to do. It is not stamped anywhere that a woman must cook your food.

Even if she has a baby today and is discharged from the hospital she will come straight home and cook for you.

 if you cook you will not die. Won’t it be lovely if you can tell your wife this weekend to rest and you cook for the family just this weekend? 

She cooks other times but you could at least do something to show that you care and you love your wife.

You can’t expect her to do all the work. What do you mean by do I expect you to do it?

I don’t. I should not expect you to do it but I should expect your wife to keep doing it for you. While you do nothing?

This is exactly the problem I had with you growing up. You refused to lift a finger just like your father. 

Expecting everything to be done for you. You even extended your expectations to me, your mother. 

You felt I came to the world to serve you because I’m your mother and I’m female. 

Even your older siblings had to step in to assist me but you are expecting me to be serving you as a servant. 

When your father refused to discipline you, then you grew up with that same entitlement mentality that your wife is coming to come and serve you. 

You don’t owe anything other than to bring money, well let your money go to market for you and cook. Let it develop legs and wings and fly to the market.

Make purchases, fly back home, go to the kitchen, cook the food and serve you. 

Can your money do what a human being will do? Your money is not just the most important thing. It takes human effort too. 

You may think I’m harsh but I’m not. This is tough love. I’m telling you the truth as your mother. 

I warned you that this thing was going to backfire especially in this generation now.

You can’t expect a woman to keep doing all these things at a time when women now work to earn money. and support.

They are also expected to do all the chores. It’s not fair. You would complain tomorrow that your wife is looking old. 

If we subject men to the same stress we subject women they will look older than your age.

Why do you think that all those men who do hard labour, carrying loads look very old even while young?

It is because they are under an enormous amount of stress. It’s the same thing that happens to women.

when they are thinking about how to earn money and then on top of that you will refer to them as liabilities if they’re not earning money.

They do their chores at home and rush outside to find a means of livelihood.

So they can at least earn money and bring something to the table when they are already bringing something to the table. 

Some of you are all blind that you cannot see it. 

I remember when I used to do the same thing for a father who never valued me.

He felt it was nothing until one time I fell sick and I had to go stay with my parents to take care of me because he couldn’t take care of me. 

Then he began to complain about everything I used to do.

KIRA’S POV

I wept as Dad patted my back. You’ve done very well sweetie, you’d be fine. At least your husband knows what’s going on now.

After crying my heart out. I wiped my eyes. Got down from the hospital bed. Where are you going?

I’m headed to my Mother-in-law’s private ward. To do what? I need to talk to her about Kenny.

I headed to her private ward and Dad was right behind me. Mum was in her room when I arrived. Is everything okay Kenny’s mum sat up once she saw me with Dad.

Did something happen to Kenny please tell me. Calm down mum I said. Kenny is not dead, I just came to talk to you.

About what? About my call with Kenny. I just spoke to him and I recorded the call. I played it to her and she sobbed.

My son is hurting and I can’t help him. What do we do? I asked. What do you suggest we do? She asked.

Can we talk to his therapist? I don’t know if it’s unethical but can we give her a hint about what we just found out?

Everyone looked at me. What! I asked them. I’m desperate for a solution and I want my husband back.

Probably she can ask him questions along that line and get him to open up. I’ll suggest we talk to Dr. Ike as well.

He treated Kenny when he got out. I’m sure he’d know something.

If Kenny’s therapist knows, then what? She may get him to name his abuser. I’d like to know who the person who messed up my marriage is.

I don’t like this idea mum and dad said. I think I agree with her, Kenny’s mum said. His therapist needs to know this new piece of information.

I need to know Kenny’s abuser. All my life I protected my son from abusers as a child. Only for him to become an adult and be abused. I feel like I failed him.

Don’t talk like that mum said to Kenny’s mum. I pray for who that person is because the world won’t be enough to contain us.

You are taking this the wrong way mum said to Kenny’s mum. Leave her alone, Dad said she’s right.

If someone did this to any of my children, I won’t wait for the law to take its course if I know their abuser.

Because you are in charge of a prison or correctional facility doesn’t mean you can abuse inmates, especially innocent ones you can’t touch if you meet them elsewhere.

I’m very upset right now. I’m imagining as a grown man a fellow man would abuse me.

Consider the ethics of what you are thinking about doing, mum said

Ethics is for you as a health personnel, now I’m a parent to a damaged son, I’m not listening to you.

Where can I find this therapist? Dad asked. I’ve got her number, Kenny’s mum said.

Please can I have it? We need to talk. I’ll forward it to you right now. The doctor came to check on Kenny’s Mum and informed her she could go home.

“I don’t know what made you pass out but you need to take things easy”

Her son went missing for 4 years just when he got married to my daughter here.

She found out later he was in prison, wrongfully arrested, Dad said.

He must be traumatized, the doctor said. Did anything new come to light? Yes, something we are not allowed to share because it’s a ticking time bomb.

I wish you all well but I hope you all take things easy. If you need me to talk to your son, I’m always available.

He turned to me and smiled and said you’d be fine. Here’s my number in case you need to talk.

I wondered why he kept smiling at me. He told me I could go home but cut myself some slack. 

You seem so stressed and hurt but I don’t blame you, just know you’d be fine.

We all left the hospital. Dad insisted Kenny’s mum spend the night with us because her husband was out of town.

How do I tell my husband that our son was abused in prison? Kenny’s mum said before breaking down in tears

To be continued

© Treasure Ezuruike.

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