Above whispers

chapter 129

'Dad?'
He walks past me and heads straight to our little picnic gathering with menacing steps and blazing eyes.

'What are you doing here?'
He growls at Jay in obvious anger and disgust, seizing the fellow up

'I asked him to come with me James, and that's no way to address people'
Mom answers, getting up to defend her man from dad while I came to stand next to my father out of guilt.

'I will address him anyhow I like and he clearly has a mouth of his own so let him answer by himself'

He replies still keeping his unwaving gaze on Jay

'James all this is not necessary. Today is Amsie's graduation so please don't start causing a scene here, we can iron all this out much later'
Mum tries to plead with him in a soft tone.

'We would talk about this right here and right now, Amsie is my daughter so I see no reason why he has to be present here. You've disrespected me enough and I've always let it slide each time but for the sake of God keep your lover away from my kids'
He insist and I saw mom's stance go rigid at his offensive word.
I agree he shouldn't have use the word "lover" it really degrading and insultive, he was indirectly reminding her of her infidelity.

'Fiancee... he's my finacee and not just a lover, it won't hurt for you to use the right word Mr Adichie, or would it?'

She challenges him, loosing her little patience. Jay kept hand on her shoulder to calm her down

'We're engaged to be married so the kids are bound to make contact with him from time to time, it inevitable'
She continues.
At this point Jay held her back and decided to address dad himself, it he left her to it then it would only blow things out of proportion.

There is no more hiding as the news of their marriage is now public, somehow my class mates got to know about it and suprisingly I didn't get besieged by the gossip team for it though it would have made a juicy scandalous piece for the wolves to feed on

I've seen Grace and her team look at me as of itching to ask or comment on something and I wonder what must be holding them back cause I know they are unstoppable when it comes to this sort of things so I decided to attribute it to divine intervention

Mom's family had gone to return the dowry in complete back to dad's kinsmen last weekend as required by the tradition to finalize their divorce( according to our custom, the dowry would have to be returned since it mom who instigated the divorce and not dad), Grandpa had to acceed to the new happening against his will since their was nothing he could do about it and that severed the last existing tie between them.

'I mean no offence James and I don't think there is anything wrong with me being here, I mean you've always been their for every of Ikenna's function in the past and I don't see anyone sueing you for that'

'That is adifferent...'
Dad pronounce inches closer to him but mom once again blocks his path, standing in the middle of both tall imposing men.
Everyone is now on their feet in the blink of an eye, Ikenna is on alert and ready to step in just in case they started getting physical

'...there is a big difference, I did that as his father and not a stranger'

'Exactly, that brings us to my point that parenting mustn't be biological and I'm sure you'll agree with me on that James .....'
Dad clench his fist, Jay is absolutely right cause even dad still considers Ikenna is son.