Mama Why? Episode 17 by Ngozi Lovelyn O.

After Ndubuisi laid on the Sofa, Ogechi then lost the opportunity to confess her sin because he was sad.
“I can’t tell him such kind of thing in this his present state, he will misunderstand me. I should wait for when he is calm. Yes, that’s perfect, let me remove the dishes then” she said and then walked towards the dinning table to remove the plates.
Ndubuisi who ate to his fullest dozed off right there on the sofa.
“Oh, he is sleeping? When do I get to tell him? I think I should wake him up for him to enter the room and lay down. With that, sleep will clear from his eyes and I will tell him what I want to tell him. Yes, I think that’s a perfect idea” she thought and then began tapping him.

“Wake up my husband… Come on dear, wake up. Go and sleep in the bedroom. Wake up my husband” she urged, continued tapping him.

Ndubuisi who was feeling sleepy then managed to wake up and staggered towards the bedroom.

As he was entering the room, Ogechi followed him.
“My husband, can you hear me?” She asked

And Ndubuisi nodded, looking sleepy.

“See, there is something I would like to tell you. You see, I kind of took some money from your wallet. Please don’t feel mad. I am sure you have known my reasons. I knew that you won’t allow me cook the food, that was why I stole the money for you to see my true nature, that I’m a wonderful cook and not a terrible one as you labelled me” She continued explaining her reasons, justifying her actions.

Just then, Ndubuisi whose face was facing towards the other direction snored heavily..

“What? He is sleeping? Which means I have been talking to myself? Maybe he heard me somehow… Let me ask him” She thought and then touched Ndubuisi and asked him if he heard all she said.
And Ndubuisi who was in deep sleep answered “yes”, without knowing what he was asked.
“Oh, thank God! You mean you heard me, but you did not say anything?”

“Honey, let’s talk in the morning… I am too weak now.” He murmured audibly

“OK my husband, thank you for understanding me. I promise you, I won’t repeat such mistake again…” She said and then said her night prayers and slept.

The next morning, Ndubuisi woke up and saw her sleeping peacefully. He began looking at her.
“What a beauty! Thank you mother for choosing her for me, I’m happy she is my wife.” He then left the bed and began getting ready for work.

Ogechi who heard some sound then woke up.
“Ow, it’s morning already.” She blurted, looking around searching for her husband.

She then stepped out to the corridor and saw Ndubuisi polishing his shoes.
“My husband, you are polishing your shoe? You should have woke me up to do it for you…. Now, bring if here, let me do it”

“No Honey, you don’t have to stress yourself, just go to the kitchen and get me breakfast… OK”

“OK my husband” she said and began heading towards the kitchen.

Ndubuisi then remembered Ogechi trying to tell him something last night but couldn’t recollect what it was.
“Honey, were you trying to tell me something last night?”

And Ogechi freezed immediately..
“Does it mean he did not hear me? Oh my God! I’m not prepared for this right now, what am I going to do? I thought he heard me? This is morning and according to my mother, it’s not good for one’s husband to leave the house while angry, otherwise, the entire day will be bad for him. I better lie to him than telling him the truth. But let me ask him what he heard to know exactly what to tell him” she said and then asked him.: “But what and what did you hear, my husband?”

“Hmm, nothing in particular, I only remembered you asking me if I heard all you said”

“Ow, it’s nothing my dear, I was only asking you if you wanted to drink water”

“Water?” He asked

“Yes, water?”

“Are you sure, because it doesn’t sound like it? You were sounding stressed then”

“Yes my husband, it was just water”

“OK Darling, just go and prepare my breakfast, I don’t want to run late for work”

“OK my husband” she said, leaving… When she entered the kitchen, she began biting her lips on why she did not tell him the truth.
“What have I done, I should have told him… Lord, I am in your hands now, save me, my heavenly father”

Okwuchi had already gotten ready to meet the Native doctor who would tell her the future of her daughter in-law.

“I am ready now, let me wait for Nkechi at the spot she instructed me to wait for her.” She then left the house

After 45 minutes, she became worried on why Nkechi had not met her there.

“What’s keeping her naa, and her number is switched off. Hmm, I don’t have any other option than to continue waiting.”

So finally, Nkechi arrived.
“Oh my goodness, what kept you so long? I have been here for over an hour”

“But I’m finally here now? So let’s go” Nkechi replied, showing her some attitude..

“And what’s up with the attitude? You are not looking happy.” Okwuchi asked.

“Why all these questions, can we go now please?”

“Hmm, OK oo…let’s go” Okwuchi replied.

One hour later, they landed at the herbalist’s place.
Immediately they entered, the man already knew why they came and then said it to their faces.

Okwuchi was shocked.
“What? You told him?” She asked Nkechi

“No, I did not tell him anything, I told you he is very powerful.” Nkechi replied.

After they sat down, the man began chanting some incantations.

“I see your son been stolen from you completely. I am in his mind right now, the only person there is his new wife and no one else. In a gradual process, he will forget everything about you”

“What? Okwuchi feared, standing up.

“Sit down woman and remain quiet. You are at the great one’s place”

And Okwuchi sat, began panicking.
“The great one, what am I going to do? Pease tell me. He is my only son, my only child, my everything. I have nothing to live for if he ever leavesi me. I chose that wicked girl for him thinking that she won’t come between me and my son, but seems I was mistaken. The great one, I can’t stand anyone coming in between me and my only son. Before he got married to that girl, he used to love, adore and respect me, but now, the reverse is the case. He doesn’t care about my feelings anymore. The great one, I can’t stand her coming in between me and my child, even if it means eliminating her.”

“Elimination? You mean by killing her?” Nkechi whispered.

“Yes, exactly” she replied in a low tone

“If you are going to kill her, then count me off. I will cease from being your friend. I don’t want to stain my hand with blood. Please.” Nkechi said..

“Keep quiet women! No whispering and murmuring here. Don’t make me complain again, otherwise you won’t like my actions” The native doctor warned and then faced Okwuchi and began asking her exactly what she wanted.

She then cleared her throat, as she was about to speak, she glanced through Nkechi’s face to know her facial reactions.
“I don’t know why she is not feeling happy today. I should have discussed this with her first before coming here. If it is left for me, I would have loved for Ogechi to die at this instant, and now Nkechi warned me not to kill her, what am I going to say now? How do I solve this problem?” She continued thinking, searching for the best way to remove Ogechi out of her son’s life and just then, the native doctor barked at her, urging her to say something…

And she turned, began opening her mouth to say something..

To be continued… May God save us from mother in-laws like Okwuchi… Say Amen!