The Teaching Child...

Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

"Hem..." Chief Agbaje Williams cleared his throat "...probably you've forgotten that you remain my only son now. And, if you think it's not a thing of extreme sadness, you are mistaken; I mean, seriously." The eighty year old man spoke gently as his countenance radiated through the goggle he wore "I want to see my lineage continue, my son. And your so-called wife has not gotten you any. Do you want me to die without seeing a grandchild? You know yourself that we are all looking up to you." 

"Daddy; if I say I don't understand all you've been saying, then, I will be a hypocrite. I do, and by God's grace, you will see my child before you die"  

"Shola!!!" A voice called from behind "God's grace all the time? Don't you know time is not waiting for you? Neither is it waiting for us too? I am seventy years already, your daddy is eighty, and you're still talking this way...?" His aged mother complained as she stood resting on her walking stick. "Well, personally, my patience is up concerning that your barren wife." 

"Ahn, ahn...mummy, don't call her 'barren'! she is not. She had been pregnant; not once, not twice. She has just been unfortunate." Shola demurred. 

"Shut up! You'd better be quiet there. Don't worry, I have told my friend to get you a girl from our village here who will produce children for you. She won't be having miscarriages. She won't be sucking her own pregnancy." 

"Mummy? What do you mean? What are you implying? That my wife is responsible for her own predicament? That's really unfair." 

Shola's mother added "when the girl comes, you better use the opportunity well. Get what you want from her and save yourself from the mess your wife is already putting you." 

While Chief Agbaje looked on, Shola rejected the offer "no! I am not taking anybody into my house. Lola is my wife and my wife forever." "hey! Look here...there's an adage that says ori omo ni npe ori omo waye-it's a child's head that calls for another. If you will follow our advice, get that girl...or get another lady if it's because you don't want a village girl, impregnate her and try your wife, especially if she accepts that child, she will give birth to hers." 

"Daddy, please, this is impossible. I can't! and I won't." Shola replied angrily. 

"Leave him, he's still kidding. He has forgotten that he's the only one that can keep the family name alive now." Mrs. Abeke told her husband. "By the time I visit you with the girl, you will tell me whether you will send us away." 

"Please mummy, don't try that. I won't like what I might do." Shola quickly replied. Mrs. Abeke just smiled and shuffled back to her room. Chief Agbaje kept quiet and the large sitting room was left alone for Shola to ruminate on the little discussion. After an hour, Shola felt it was time to leave; he was uneasy seeing the troubled looks on his aged parents. He felt for them, he appeared like he had failed his parents. "I am going home sir." he said, prostrating. "Why this time? It will be late before you get back to Lagos...stay here till tomorrow." "I did not tell my wife I was coming. She will be scared if I fail to be at home and I won't want her to know I came here without informing her; I would have just called."

"What kept you so late?"  

"I'm sorry; I had an emergency call from home." 

"Oh...so, what happened? Or is it as regards your younger brother?" Lola curiously asked. 

Shola concreted the lie "Yah. They were feeding about how the events would go."  

"Sorry..." Lola whispered as she cuddled him, stroking his neatly brushed hair. 

"It is really painful. My parents are finding it hard to get over it." Shola added. "Let me go get a cool shower." 

Within the night, Shola couldn't sleep. His parent's words kept rumbling like the waves of the sea. He sat upright on the massive water bed thinking of possible solutions. "How will I offend Lola and do such a thing." He shrugged, wondering. "...remember you are our only hope now." The words resonated in his memory, tears fell. "what's wrong?!!!" he moaned "what's wrong with me...what's wrong with Lola? Why?!!!" He hit his head. At this point, Lola woke up. "What's wrong with you?" "Just in thoughts..." Shola replied.