ENDLESS TEARS

THE FORCED MARRIAGE 🤧

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The silence in the massive sitting room was worse than a graveyard. The only sounds were the occasional clicking of the Senator‟s shoes against the tiles, as he paced the sitting room in nervous anticipation. The news of my pregnancy has been delivered and after various bouts of arguments, the Senator had called his son on phone. I glanced at the door endlessly in anticipation, wanting to see Corper Bello and have him reassure me that everything would be fine. I have really missed him, I want to see his tall, handsome
features again; those dark eyes, that curled hair which never failed to gain my attention, those perfectly formed full lips which could
awaken all the nerves in my body with just one kiss; yes, I have really missed him.

Then, the door swung open. The person I saw was definitely Corper Bello but he looked totally different. He was obviously not in his Corp uniform since he had already finished service. Even though
it was only two months ago that he left, he seemed to have changed
completely. Maybe because I never saw him in anything but his
Corper‟s uniform. Corper Bello stood at the entrance, staring at me in
complete surprise. I squirmed a little from
the intensity of his intimidating gaze. He looked completely handsome and all I wanted to do was fling myself into his arms. I bit
my lips, as his presence enveloped my senses. Why was he staring at
me like that, with that frown on his face?
“Alex, what are you doing there? Come inside” the Senator‟s
wife said softly.

Corper Bello turned to gaze at his mum before silently
proceeding into the sitting room fully. The atmosphere in the large room seemed to change as his presence seemed to dominate the entire place. He always had this effect everywhere he got to, I acknowledged and my heart skipped with love and pride. He kissed
his mum‟s cheeks and she blushed slightly. He merely greeted his father before turning to stare at us where we were seated.
“Son” his dad began. “Do you know that girl over there?”
His eyes held no expression at all. I swallowed hard as he
stared impassively at me.
“Corper Bello” I breathed. Why is he looking at me like that? I
wondered. He merely glanced at my parents before turning back to
face his dad.
“She was one of the students I met during service” he stated
calmly. Despite his calm appearance, his jaw seemed really tense.
“What is going on dad?”
“What is going on?” My dad interrupted, jumping to his feet.
“So you are the shameless boy that had the audacity to break my
daughter‟s virginity and leave her pregnant ehn?” he roared.
The shock that Corper Bello experienced was palpable. His eyes
flew to me instantly and I suddenly wished I could vanish. As his
eyes darted to my stomach, I had the incredible urge to protect my
unborn child. His reaction was really beginning to scare me.
“Why blame my son” the Senator‟s wife interjected. “Why not
blame the slut of a daughter you have. Did my son rape her? She
willingly gave herself to him, right?”
“How could you do this son?” The Senator interjected, facing
his son, who still had his eyes on my stomach. “How could you do
this? Do you know the kind of scandal this can create? I am running
for second term in the Senate and this could be a disaster if it gets to
the press. How could you be so senseless?” he roared.
Alex swallowed. “I can‟t be responsible for her pregnancy, did
she say I am?”
“What?” I gasped in horror. “Corper Bello”. This is the very last
thing I expected. My heart dropped to the chair as his words hit me.
“For God‟s sake girl, shut up. I am no longer a Corp member,
my name is Alex Bello” he almost yelled as he ran his hand through
his hair in frustration.
My mouth felt dry and my heart raced wildly. “How can you
say something like that? Have you forgotten that afternoon? That
afternoon at the corper‟s lounge?” I swallowed heavily, not wanting
to discuss something I considered sacred and special in the presence
of so many people. “You took my innocence Corper Bello, you said
you loved me, how could you deny paternity of my child now when
you were the only man in my life?” Tears burned in my eyes.
Alex Bello hissed. “And you were stupid enough to believe that
I love you?” he laughed strangely. “Those words were said in a fit of
passion and sexual satisfaction, surely you are not dumb enough to
believe that I could love you” he said with intense irritation that I
instantly felt like a piece of trash. Tears slipped down my eyes. “Look
at you” his eyes roamed my body. “You are not even fit to be a maid
in my house” he declared. "You came all the way from your little
village to the Federal Capital of Nigeria in wrappers and slippers,
and you still think that I love you? Are you crazy? I have never loved
you. I only needed a willing body and you volunteered. That is all"
Stunned silence fell and cold gripped me. I think I am going to
be sick. Tears trickled down my cheeks. No! It can't be happening to
me. Everyone can't turn their backs on me, especially not the
originator of this turmoil. There must be a mistake. I never wanted to
lose my virginity so soon, but he persuaded me. How can he turn his
back on me when I am desperately in need of his support? I stood on
shaky legs, allowing my legs take me a bit closer to him. "Corp, it is
me, your Ama." I said shakily. "You told me you love me, have you
forgotten? You told me you loved village girls like me because we are
well cultured. You promised to marry me and make my dreams come
true. You said-"
"Please spare me all that bullshit" Alex retorted sharply. "You are a fool if you believed all that crap. All I wanted was to have a good time while I was in service. Lisa is the woman I love; it would never change, got it? As for that thing in your tummy, you are not so
dumb; you should know what you can do about it. What you need is
money right? I would give you money to take care of it and a little
compensation to lead a good life. Is that OK?"
I froze and I think my face is as white as the pages of my secondary school books. Could he be talking about abortion? How could he suggest such a thing? Better still, how could I have been so stupid? Staring at him, the person who was supposed to make me
smile became a monster.
"Amadioha strike that mouth of yours" My mother flared up.
"How dare you ask my daughter to abort her child? My daughter
would never do that. Over my dead body"
Dad stood up. "Did you think we came here to play? You have
only one option open to you, and that is to marry her, if not, I would
create enough scandal to last you and your family a lifetime. Imagine,
you used my daughter to relieve your sexual urges. It is not your
fault, if not for the senseless daughter I have, would I be here, receiving all these insults?"
"Never! I would never marry her" he declared.
"Of course you won't" his mum declared, glaring at my parents and I. I swallowed. The pain I was feeling in my chest was burning.
“My son…” she drawled, “… would never marry this filthy piece of
trash you call a daughter”
"You will" the Senator declared and everyone turned to him. I
didn't give a damn what he said.
"What are you saying dad? I am supposed to marry Lisa and I
will. I love her. No one would dissuade me from marrying her" he
said with finality.
"You should have thought of your love for her before sleeping with another woman. You have played the music, so you must dance
to it. How dare you suggest abortion in my presence?” The Senator
boomed in outrage. “You must face the consequences of your actions;
you won't make me lose my upcoming election because of your
foolishness." He said sternly. "Come with me" he stormed out of the
sitting room. Corper and his mum followed instantly and copper
Bello looked like someone going to war.
Tears flowed freely and dad did not waste the opportunity to
rain insults on me for bringing shame to him. Mum tried to console
me but I was totally shattered. I couldn't believe my ears and eyes.
How could my life suddenly turn to a horror movie within the
twinkling of an eye?
I don't know how long we waited, probably minutes or hours
but suddenly, they all came in. Corper Bello looked strained and
terribly angry but I was past caring.
"Get all the preparations ready, they would get married next week" the Senator declared.
"Better" my dad declared.
"Well, there is no need for any preparation because I would not marry Corper Bello" I declared.

“You must be out of your mind”, my father said with
unconcealed disbelieve and rage.
“Oh no, I am not mad papa, in fact, I am very normal. There is
no way I would marry this man” I said forcefully, with silent finality,
expecting everyone to accept my resignation. My face was as hard as granite.
Alex hooted in mock laughter which was soon replaced with a frightening snarl but I was past feeling intimidated.
“You would pass for a talented drama queen, only that I doubt if your looks is good enough for a royalty position. Stop pretending as though the prospect of marrying me does not sound tantalizing to your ears. Is that not your ultimate goal in the first place? I know that marrying me is the dream of poor wretched village local champions like you who are seeking to change the weight of their purse with my money”
he hissed through clenched teeth.

I swallowed and smiled bitterly. “You can insult me Corper but it would not change what I have just said. I have no interest in marrying someone who thinks of me as nothing but a prostitute to be used for sexual satisfaction”
“He called you what you called yourself” The senator‟s wife said in anger.
“Don‟t you dare insult my daughter, you witch” my mum retorted.
“Perfect” Alex yelled suddenly. “Since it is evident that none of
us is ready for the bondage of being married, and she obviously
won‟t flush the thing out, the best thing is to give you money. I
would write you a cheque enough to change the status of your family
and give your child a good life”
I smiled painfully as the pain I felt increased several degrees.
“Now you want to pay me. That certainly makes me a slut, doesn't‟t it?
I don‟t want your money Corper” I said forcefully and turn to walk
out of the choking room before I suffocate.
“And where do you think you are going?” My dad boomed,
stopping me in my track. “I think that pregnancy is beginning to
affect your brain. Come back here this minute” he roared. His voice
stopped me in my tracks. He faced Alex.
“And you! Do we look like beggars to you? As I said before, the
only option is marriage. No one in my lineage has had a child out of
wedlock and it would not start with me. She is pregnant now but
must definitely give birth to the child in her husband‟s house”. Dad
faced me with a stern glare that had me squirming a little. “If you
won‟t agree to this marriage, you can very well forget about being
my daughter because I would disown you” he roared.
I gasped as his words registered. “Papa”
“I mean it Amara” he said sternly and if I still knew my dad
well, he was not kidding. Mum did not even have a say because dad
silenced her protests before it even left her mouth.
“Don‟t bother saying anything woman” he said to her. “When I
disown her, you would follow her.”
Real pain and feelings of betrayal bubbled up and tears rolled
down my hot cheeks.
“You either marry this boy or pack your things out of my house
along with your mother. I won‟t have a disgrace in my family”.
I was sobbing now. If it were up to me alone, I could let it all go
to hell but I definitely would not let anyone suffer for the mistake I
foolishly made with my eyes open. I was vaguely aware of Corper
Bello pacing the length of the extremely large sitting room. The
Senator and his wife seemed to have gone mute. Corper Bello's eyes
caught mine and he stopped pacing, glaring at me with more anger
than I have ever seen in anyone in my nineteen years of existence.
His hands were squeezed very tight and all I could see were veins
scattered all over his still too handsome features. I vaguely thought
that he would march towards me and punch the child out of my
tummy and my hands instantly went to my tummy, trying to protect
my baby; if anything, he looked angrier. Instead of feeling fear which
would be expected, my anger matched his and I thought I would fly
into pieces due to excess bottled up anger. Well, anger was definitely
better than the feelings of hurt and betrayal, I told myself.
I swallowed hard, wishing I could swallow my tongue as well.
My mother wasn‟t even coming to my aid. No one was on my side. I
was all alone. “When is the marriage taking place?” I finally murmured.

T.b.c
Hmmm she will be get married to Alex is that the best thing for her...... Comments ur thought........