After the death of her parents, Glenda Gregory was the sole breadwinner of her younger siblings, doing various odd jobs to provide the necessities for them.
Chief Naade Akande unexpectedly enters her life with a promise of a better living but at a...
"Infertility is a loss. It's the loss of a dream. It's the loss of an assumed future. And, like every loss, it will be grieved." — Anonymous
Fola glared at the red stain on her bedsheet. A sign of her failure as a woman and a wife. Her regular nightly visits to Chief Naade's room since his arrival almost a month ago proved to be all in vain. She willed herself not to cry but still, a tear slid down her face. Her legs gave way and she crumbled to the ground.
Sobs racked her body and she buried her face into the bed to muffle the sound. She stayed in that position as waves of tears overcame her. She was so lost in her misery, she didn't notice the entrance of someone.
Finally, her tears dwindled to sniffles and she wiped her face with the back of her hand. She turned to the side and was greeted by a familiar face.
Nora stared at her with pity shining in her eyes. She balled her first and looked away. The look of pity always infuriated her because she despised and never wanted to receive such a look.
"What are you doing here?" she asked in a cold voice.
"Get ready and come down. It's time for breakfast."
Fola jerked her head in acknowledgment. She knew that was the reason she was there but she wanted to hear it.
"I will be there soon," she said without looking at her.
"You better be," Nora asserted and walked out.
Fola's shoulders slumped as the door clicked shut. Tears sprang in her eyes but she forced them back. She rose on shaky legs and hobbled to the bathroom to prepare for the day. Several minutes later, she returned to the room dressed in a grey dress. For once she didn't have any problem with Nora's choice because it matched her dreary mood.
She slipped out of the room and walked downstairs with slow steps. As much as she wanted to prolong the time, she reached the dining room in barely five minutes.
Surprise washed over her as the sound of voices filled her ears as she drew closer to the dining room. She peeked into the dining room and her eyes roamed around. Chief Naade sat at the head of a table munching away on a plate of jollof rice and huge chunks of chicken.
Jollof rice is a dish that originated in a West African country, Senegal. But now it is eaten across many countries in Africa. It is usually made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, and vegetables. It can be eaten with meat. (Picture below is courtesy of Google)
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Fola's surprise doubled as her eyes drifted to the figures occupying the chairs beside Chief Naade. Her brows creased as she wondered why Nora didn't inform her about the guests. With the new development, she didn't want to enter the dining room. Her mood was already sour and she didn't think she could successfully eat with strangers in the room.
With that, she turned on her heels and headed in the direction of her study and haven. She had barely taken a few steps when a voice stopped her.
"What do you think you are doing?"
She swung to the side and came face to face with a scowling Nora. The image of the guests flashed in her mind and her face morphed into a frown.
"Why didn't you tell me we were having guests?" She narrowed her eyes.
Surprise shimmered in Nora's eyes but it disappeared faster than it appeared. Her scowl deepened and she broke eye contact. "It is not required that you know everything."
Fola arched a brow in disbelief. However, her disbelief quickly changed to amusement as she watched Nora more intently. "You were not aware, weren't you?" She remarked as laughter sparkled in her eyes.
Nora's lips thinned. "I don't know what you are talking about." She stuck up her chin.
Fola's amusement increased and she stifled a laugh. "That's another lie and we both know it."
"You don't know anything!" Nora tossed her a glare and said in a raised voice.
Fola smirked and replied, "Yes, I do. Your nose twitches when you tell a lie." An amused smile graced Fola's lips
Nora's hand immediately shot to her nose and Fola couldn't stop the chuckle that left her lips. Nora's eyes darkened and she sent her a glare.
"Shut up, girl!" Her voice rose. "You speak nonsense." Her jaw hardened.
"Really? Is that so?" Fola crossed her arms and a new glint shone in her eyes. "If I speak nonsense then why does your nose twitch when you inform the Chief about the house's monthly bills and housekeeping allowance? I know this house needs high maintenance but the amount you call is double the amount needed. So where does the excess money go?"
Fola arched a brow and sent Nora a challenging glare. However, she didn't expect what happened next. She stumbled on her feet as Nora marched to her and snatched her arm. She flinched as Nora's sharp fingers dug into her skin.
Nora sent her a menacing look. "Look here, girl. Stay out of my business. Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to withstand the punishment." She squeezed Fola's arm harder.
Fola gritted her teeth to withhold a yell. Suddenly, Bisi's words from that fateful Sunday flooded her head.
You can't keep letting her walk all over you.
Bisi's words gave her the strength to fling Nora's hand away. Her jaw hardened as she glared at her. "Look here, woman, stay away from me. I am not scared of you. Do what you want but your truth will never change."
Nora's face morphed into an angry scowl but Fola didn't give her a chance to respond. She turned around and marched off. However, she didn't walk fast enough because Nora's words trailed after her.
"Your truth will never change either. You will forever be barren."
Fola gritted her teeth and balled her feet but she didn't stop walking. Only a few minutes later did she notice she had gone back to where she came from. She found herself standing in front of the dining room. The voices of Chief Naade and the guests drifted into her ears.
Her stomach rumbled and she gently clutched it. After all the bitter events that happened that morning, she didn't feel like facing her husband and strangers who might treat her as inferior. However, her stomach and body cried for food. Somewhere within her a feeling that her battles might increase crept in and she believed sustenance would give her some energy to face them. So her feet carried her into the dining room.
Without looking at anyone, she robotically greeted Chief Naade and his guests and went to her seat. She scooped scrambled eggs onto her plate and reached out for a slice of whole wheat bread and dug in. She had barely taken three bites when Chief Naade decided to break the silence. His next words turned her whole world upside down.
★★★★★ Dun dun...
What do you think Chief Naade said? 🤔
I am curious to know your thoughts so don't hold back. XD
I also look forward to your votes. So don't ignore the little star ⭐ in the corner.
