HOME ANGEL 🌺

EPISODE FOUR :ARROGANCE

"you should have seen the way she acted when I came back home to meet her"Clara explains to kat as they had lunch in a restaurant.
   "She was so mean, she even humiliated me infront of my husband"
Kat sighed,"I knew she was angry, what is wrong with her? why is she bothering you like this?"clara frowned

"Seriously I don't know, it's becoming too much every single day."clara said.

"That woman is getting over your neck clara,at least show her small,that you are the wife of that house!"kat said angrily .

"Wife?hmm,I don't blame her, anyway after all I have been barren for years if you were her,you would have hated me too"clara said feeling inferior.

"Hate you for what?is it your fault,are you the one that created yourself? please stop saying that! ignore her,she is the only one that knows what is eating her up."kat suggested and clara smiled.

"Alright anyways,I will be going to see my doctor tomorrow".

"Mind if I accompany you?"kat asked.

"Oh don't worry, I will go alone,I will be fine"kat replied. The ladies changed the conversation into a better one , they had lunch before going back to work.

The next day,clara prepared to see the doctor at a nearby clinic. She dressed up in a nice shirt and blouse. Clara was a bit plump, average in height and fair in complexion. Her humble appearance made people think she was younger than her age. After dressing up, she made sure breakfast was ready for dozie since she was leaving before him... sure he was in the gym, his usual morning stuff. Mama on the other hand........... what ever she did, the point was that breakfast was ready. With those two individuals not disturbing her life that morning,clara took her handbag and left for the hospital..
........................................................................
"Ever smoked?."
"No."
"You drink alcohol?."
"No."
"Surgery?."
"No sir."
"Fracture or any of a kind?."
"Not at all sir."

Doctor kelvin was Clara's newest doctor since other doctors had failed her times without number. For years she had seeked for cures which no doctor could find for her. When she met doctor kelvin,he assured her that nothing is hidden under the sun, that one day he shall find out what's going on with her.

"Alright," doctor kelvin said writing down every question Clara answered in a file. He stood up and told clara to follow him for a test. After the test, clara went back to her seat.

"Mrs Nnamani, according to the test I had on you, there is actually nothing wrong with you. Your womb is healthy and you are perfect and strong." the doctor explained to clara.
   
"Are you sure doctor?"clara asked even though she had heard that same statement countless times from different specialist.

"Yes Mrs, you are fine. Childbearing is a matter of time."

"Time doctor, time? Is seven years time, is it when I am old that the time will come?"Clara asked annoyingly.

"It's not like that Mrs,you are not being patient............

"Patient you say? Please doctor if there is anyway you can help me, please help me I need a child!"  Clara cried while doctor kelvin stared at her in pity.

"How old are you Mrs?" He asked.

"Twenty seven"Clara replied.

"You see Mrs  Nnamani,you have all the time in the world to have your own children,why can't you be patient?"

"I am patient!.... it's just that.....my husband and my mother-in-law......they will kill me one day if I don't conceive."Clara explained,tears gathering in her eyes . Doctor kelvin stood up and moved over to her. Resting a hand on her shoulder, he said..

"Young lady,I know what you are passing through now and how you feel about it, but you can't kill yourself because it's not your fault. God has ever reason for every single thing that happens so stop crying over a spilt milk because you don't know tomorrow. No matter how your mother-in-law and husband try to humiliate you, ignore them, don't cry for them, believe in God because there is nothing the Almighty cannot do. Be strong and have faith in him trust him and don't loose hope. Be strong and everything will be alright."

Clara was surprised by the doctor's words.it surprised her that her own husband cannot console her like this.

"Thank you doctor"Clara whispered wiping her tears.

"I pray that God will do his wonders in your life young lady"  Doctor kelvin prayed.

"Amen"clara replied eyes closed.

    Clara went home feeling new after the doctor spoke words of encouragement to her. Despite being a doctor,he spoke more like a pastor and clara felt relieved of all the burden she felt in her heart. But the moment she stepped into the house and the sight of mama standing akimbo, chewing gum violently and tapping her feet continuously. Fear returned again. Why was she afraid of this woman?she wasn't her God, she was just another woman who won't stop torturing her life.

"Were are you coming from?"she asked eyeing clara angrily.

"I went somewhere" clara replied abcent mindedly.

"You went somewhere? Leaving the kitchen for who to cook for you?"mama asked

"Mama what is it na? Why are you bothering me?I thought I made enough food before leaving?.......

"Which food?you are very stupid, in fact you  are mad!. This is 12:28, my son will be back any time soon. What is rice? he doesn't like rice so carry your two stupid legs to the kitchen and make egusi soup and well pounded yam for my son before he comes back!" Mama blurted out.
Seriously? Another food?clara thought.

"See mama,I am dozie's wife and I know what he likes and dislikes, he likes rice and that is why I made enough before I left. So if he doesn't want what else should I do......

"Well I am his mother!"Mama cut in "And I am telling you that you should make something else for him! By the way how will you know what to do, when you go about hanging around with men?" Clara thought mama was purposely saying all that to provoke her so she made her way upstairs.

"Mama please I am tired, I need to rest.", Clara said behind her.

"Come back here I am not done......clara!....ca...... this girl doesn't have any atom of respect oo look at this little witch my son picked from the pit!...........

Mama kept shouting and ranting and cursing while clara closed the bedroom door safely and rested on the bed.

        An hour later, dozie comes back from a meeting and requested for food which clara obediently served him. Dozie ate the fried rice garlished with veggies, cabbage and chicken so peacefully clara was happy he did not complain. Just then, clara saw someone coming down the stairs, it was mama!the beautiful moment was shattered within few minutes. But clara saw the surprise on her face. Mama watched dozie scooped  a spoonful of rice continuously in his mouth and chewing peacefully. The rice she just condemned few hours ago was what dozie ate hungrily. She couldn't help but pace about the house like a confused person. Clara laughed in her mind,she saw how mama was boiling like water up to a hundred celsius. As if she read clara's mind, she walked up to dozie where he was eating and started to shout.

"So dozie, you are not ashamed of yourself? You don't have any atom of shame in you?" Dozie was confused.

"Mama what did I do?".

"You are asking me what you have done?that you are eating rice, a weightless cereal, children's food, in this hot afternoon is not bad? I thought you are a man? Dozie real mean do not eat weightless food in a hot day grab that! Your fellow men eat egusi soup,bitter leaf soup,or even vegetable soup with confirm fufu and chilld glass of water. You are here eating rice!."

Clara thought the way mama said the word"rice" was like it was some feaces.

"Mama you didn't even welcome me home eh? give your son a hug." Dozie said spreading his arms but mama pushed him.

"Hug yourself!" Mama said and turned to clara. "And you, if you like continue bewitching my son with your poison, One day your cup will fill" Mama said and stormed out of the sitting room. Dozie sighed and still continued eating.