Chibugo who deciphered that problem was looming for her daughter rushed to where she was dressing up
“Nana, you are still dressing up, while your in-laws are already here?”
“Mummy, I never knew that they will be arriving so soon. But what’s with the hastiness in your voice, and you are looking so worried, what’s the matter?”
“Nana, I thought I asked you to stop seeing Efe until this marriage is finally actualised?”
“Yes, you said it. But tell me, is anything going on?”
“Nana, there might be a problem. Did you know that Patience and your Fiancé knew each other before. In fact, I think its more than friendship, because the joy that radiated through Oluba’s face when he saw her was enough to decode the height of the relationship that existed between them” Chibugo, who was scared of her daughter’s fate if Patience in anyway opened her mouth was seen by her daughter rushing her words.
“Calm down mummy, I can’t even understand anything you are saying. Just calm down, OK… You were saying that Mama Grace and Oluba knew each other?”
And Chibugo, said “yes”
“OK, so?” Nana asked, giving her a questioning look.
“Don’t you think that she will tell him about you? You know how that woman had been badmouthing you, and I am sure she is not happy you are getting married before her first daughter, don’t you think it will be an avenue to thwart the marriage from taking place?”
“Mummy, you worry too much. I know Patience, she is not the kind of person you think she is. And I don’t think she is jealous of anything”
“Nana, I don’t know why you trust that woman so much. She even said it herself that she won’t be able to resist herself if Oluba asks her anything about you. That he took her as a mother.”
“She said that?” Nana asked
“Yes, and you know Patience. She hardly lies. Her words are always straight, she don’t mince them.”
“Now mummy, I am beginning to worry. I need to see her right away.” Nana said
“See her for what?”
“To warn her not to say anything that would hurl obstruction to my wedding from taking place”
“No Nana, confronting her will send a negative signal, and she might use our fear to her own advantage. All you need to do is to make sure he doesn’t met with her”
“But how am I going to do that? You know I have not gotten full control over him yet”
“OK, don’t worry, I know what to do, just leave everything to me. And as for Efe, you should forget everything about him for now. I don’t know what you are still doing with that boy. Don’t use because of him and lose this wonderful man. He is everything every woman desire in a man, so I don’t know why you want to miss this wonderful opportunity because of him. And I am being serious here”
“Mummy, you know that I don’t love this Oluba, my reason for marrying him is just to change my name and be answering somebody’s wife. And his wealth is also an added advantage. I want a marriage where I can be comfortable, so that’s why I agreed to marry him”
“I know, but allow the marriage to take place first. I also like the choice you made. I’m proud of my son In-law, but please, allow him to settle with you first before any other thing, so that even if Patience opens her mouth, there won’t be any evidence to portray her facts”
“OK mummy, I will try.”
Few hours later, everything was finalized. Oluba’s family was presented with the list of items to buy for the traditional marriage rites and a date was fixed for the wine carrying and the bride price.
And Chibugo was glaring in joy.
So after Oluba and his family members who accompanied him to Nana’s place were entertained, he then requested for her.
“Nana, your husband is calling you.” Chibugo called….
And when she approached him… He looked at her in the face smiling….
“Pretty, I have a little gift for you.”
“Gift” She asked, looking at him
“Yes, a warm gift from my heart. Since your family has already accepted me as their son in-law, so I think its now fit for me to give you something that will help ease your stress.”
“Really and what’s that?”
“Its not here, let’s step outside” Oluba said, leading her by the hand as they stepped outside.
He went in front of a red Lexus Car and handed her a car.
“Here Pretty, for accepting to marry me, please accept this car as a little token of my appreciation”
Nana, stood agape, with her eyes wide open, covering her mouth in surprise…
She was short of words and then jumped on Oluba….thanking him with deep gratitude.
Chibugo was shouting in joy and pride… Calling the neighbors to come and see the car her daughter’s husband gave to her.
She ran to the place she was standing and asked her to step away, that she was a bad luck, and wouldn’t want her to infect her daughter with her ill-fate.
Patience who was also coming out after hearing the wild noise felt bad watching the way Chibugo treated her daughter in front of the villagers who came to see what was happening.
“Mummy, what are you doing? You shouldn’t have treated her that way, what if Oluba had seen you?”
Grace who never expected such humiliation from Chibugo wanted to react, but her mother signaled her not to. And she sighed, shaking her head in dejection and began approaching her mother.
“I really hate that girl, don’t you think that she is a bad luck. She might transfer her bad luck to you by touching that car. And you have to be extremely careful now. With this car Oluba gifted you, her mother might decide to plan evil against you… I am sensing her jealousy increasing.. Just look at her face” Chibugo requested in a low tone, urging her daughter to look at Patience
And when she turned, she found anger burning all over her face. Patience was mad at the way Chibugo mistreated her daughter in the public, but Chibugo and her daughter misinterpreted her look.
When all these things where happening, Oluba was at a corner answering an important call.
As he turned to join Nana, his eyes caught Grace, walking like a person who had lost all hope in life.
“Grace!” Oluba called in a very loud cheerful voice.
And the loud call made everybody to turn towards his direction.
For some moment, Grace couldn’t believe who she saw.
She cleared her eyes again to be sure it wasn’t just a mere imagination.
Oluba who was smiling cheerfully approached to greet her.
And they embraced casually.
Chibugo’s eyes widened in shock looking at them.
“Nana, are you also seeing what I’m seeing here?”
“Yes Mummy”
“Hope you have seen what I have been trying to tell you. This woman and her daughter are upto to something. I should go there and drag my son in-law from that place before she succeeds in charming him” Chibugo said, fuming, making a step to stop Oluba from interacting with Patience and her daughter.
But her daughter stopped her.
“No mummy, not now and not here. Just keep watching, don’t create a scene. Don’t make people think we are insecure.”
“But Na…..”
“Relax mother, just relax. Its not yet time to react. Pretend to be smiling and don’t give the neighbours something to gossip about. They only came to see the car and nothing more.”
And Chibugo pretended to be smiling, watching what was happening but burning in her heart.
“Oluba! Oh my God! I can’t believe my eyes! What are you doing in our house?” Grace asked
“Really, are you asking me that? I was also surprised to see your mother at….”
“Grace” Patience interrupted Oluba who was about explaining what he was doing at their compound. So she continued: “Grace, Oluba is the Nana’s husband. He is the one who has come to marry her”
“What?” Grace exclaimed, giving Oluba a very shock and pitiful look…
Grace’s voice echoed throughout the entire compound, making Nana to sensed that situation was about to change.
“Nana, are you still here? Better go and drag your husband away from that place before its too late” Chibugo requested
“I think its what I should do now” Nana said, stylishly approaching to drag him out.
Oluba looked at Grace, trying to fathom why she reacted that way. He then stared at Patience, and also saw the same pitiful look on hers.
When he opened his mouth to ask them why they reacted that way, Nana approached.
“Sweetheart, please permit me to steal you away from my beautiful Aunty and my sweet cousin, you can still chat with them some other time” Nana requested
“Pretty, just give me few more minutes, I will join you soon” Oluba requested, trying to buy more time in order to ask Grace why she reacted the way she did.
But Patience did not approve his request. She asked him to follow his wife, that they will talk some other time.
Their reactions gave Oluba mixed feelings.
Noticing that Patience supported him to follow Nana, he concluded within him to still return and inquire more about Nana.
To be continued..
The author of Dare the Truth is Ngozi Lovelyn O.
Strict Warning: No part of this work should be copied, use, redistribute, reproduce either electronically or manually without prior permission from the author….
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