Rich: A Nigerian love story

Chapter Forty

*Sophia *

The atmosphere was getting intensed now, the twins just sat there and watch us go back and forth. I've never seen Becky this petrified before, I'm definitely going to make sure that everything goes her way.

"So you," Mrs. Akindele said to Becky while spanking her arm, "You went to call her to come and beat me abi? Hmm, no problem oh, after I told you that I don't like that man, you went ahead and tell your sister in law to come and talk to me anyhow.. abi?" she said and Becky frowned,

"No oh" Becky said and her mother glared at her, "It's nothing like that mummy, I just wanted her to help me talk to you that's all... "

"By insulting me abi?" she asked and this time, Angel spoke.

"Mummy, she never insulted you in any way nau, she was only trying to convince you... "

"Shut up! Who asked you to say anything? It's like something is wrong with you" Mrs. Akindele said and Angel remained quiet. "Human beings are talking and you are talking" she added,

"I'm really sorry if all this is not coming out the right way but... " I was saying but she cut me off,

"It is not oh, it is definitely not! So just keep quiet if you have nothing else to say"

"That's why I'm apologising" I said in a cool tone as I stared down at nothing, "Love is something that just happens, and it doesn't care whether you are from a different tribe or anything like that. And sometimes we just want to be loved, and it can get so hard to find love and then when we finally do, we don't look at the flaws of the ones our hearts chooses."

I said, as I thought about my own love life, it's not perfect, but it's not bad as well. I'm happy to be married to Daniel, although we don't get along all the time but I know that we love each other so much.

" I've never seen Becky be this petrified about something before, she always appears strong, and unbreakable. But look at her now, can't you see how affected she is by your decision? We all don't know how far they've come, and now that they've decided to spend the rest of their lives together, who are we to oppose?" I said and everyone was quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

"Shouldn't you be happy that your daughter have kept her pride as a woman all these while? And now she wants to make things even better by tying the knot with the one that makes her happy, shouldn't we support her decision and guide her any way we can?"

"Thank you Mrs motivational speaker, I have heard all you have to say. And my decision still stands, no daughter of mine will marry an igbo man, unless she had decided not to have a mother again"

"I think that it's high time that we stop looking at the tribe of others and start looking at their hearts. You don't know what God has decided for her, if he has made Ben her husband who are we to say otherwise?" I asked and she hissed.

She stood up and so the did the rest of us, she took her time to glare at each of us. I refrained myself from laughing right now, just then a thought crossed my mind, she was about to go inside when I spoke again.

"Ma'am please you can't keep fighting this because she's pregnant" I said stopping her in her tracks,

"What?" Both Becky and Angel yelled, Mrs. Akindele turned to me. She looked so stunned,

"What did you say?" she asked, and I contemplated whether to go on with the lie, come on Sophie you can do this.

"She's pregnant, and that's why she came to me for help" I said while looking at Becky who looked like she was about to confess. I signaled her not to say anything, Mrs. Akindele laughed a little.