the Marriage of Bima

Stunned

Okay, maybe he was joking, but her dad was not a joker, not when he kept silent after she asked a rhetorical question,   Bima flung her self on to her soft bed, her dad must have been joking, . how could he have betrothed her to someone she barely knew? her marriage would be in 2 months time, she lifted her head from her pillow so that she could breathe, she wanted to return her head back on the pillow, but it was wet from her tears, fine, she would try and stop crying, Nanna could cheer her up, right, where was Nanna, she stretched her hand to her bedside cabinet and carried her phone, thank . God Nanna's number was on speed dial, all she had to do was long press 4.  in almost an instant, Nanna picked the call

     "hey, pride of Barbados" Nanna sounded enthusiastic, but when she heard Bima's choked voice, her high spirits dampened

     "where are you nanna?"    Bima choked,

   "im at Willy's house" willy was their next door neighbour and best friend.

    "have you had your bath" Bima croaked again.

    "uhhhh not yet, im finishing up my assignment with willy, the 'make a card' assignment"

    "come home now, Its urgent" Bima said quickly and quit the call, flung the phone and laid her head gently on her bed, tears were rolling down the side of her eyes , this was too much for her to take in alone, Nanna had to be there to cheer her a little or get angry on her behalf, suddenly, the door badged open and Nanna stood at the door, still in her grey pajamas

           "what happened? " she said in a breath and jumped onto the bed beside her sister, leaving the door open

    "why are you crying? did daddy disown you?"  Nanna asked with wide eyes.... well, that almost made  Bima smile but her heart was too heavy to warm up to anything nice

      " daddy wants to marry me off to his friends son" Bima blurted out and her tears flowed uncontrollably,

   "okay," Nanna said then waited for about two minutes to digest the information  then she said with squeezed brows

   "please repeat what you said"

   "this is not a joking matter Nanna, im not joking here, im getting married in 2 months time" bima screamed

    "to  Steve? he asked you to marry him? and you're crying because you  said yes and youre not ready" nanna asked,trying to understand

    "you remember dads friend BarOluloye, he is based abroad, he sends us christmas gifts every christmas"

   "yes and we have never seen him"

    "good" Bima sniffed, coughed a little and then wiped her tears then she continued,

" dad says he's dying, he came back to Nigeria last week and he's dying of cancer, his last wish is to see his son Joel married"

    "we can attend the wedding can't we?"

     "are you really this dumb Nanna, I said, they betrothed him to me, so I must marry him so dat his fathers last wish be fulfilled"

Nanna laughed heartily till tears came out of her eyes, bima began to think she made a mistake  bringing Nanna to sympathize with her

    "okay now  is the time where you tell me I was right to laugh because you are joking I mean, whi gets betrothed these days?" Nanna said, Bima quietly turned her face to the otherside,   by that single action, Nanna knew Bima wasnt joking, blood seemed to drain away from  her brain

   "are you serious?" Nanna asked . with eyes wide open with shock.Bima didnt answer her.

"but why would daddy do this to you? why didn't he ever tell you, all these years.

"ask me again Nanna, I've suddenly become a wizard"

Nanna couldnt understand the whole story so she decided to check with her parents and confirm the story but before she got there she heard her parents arguing about it already

    "you cant just expect her to accept it, she's only 22years old Burma Williams, give her a break"she heard her mother say

"22years old and you say she needs time, I should give her a break, how old were you when I married you? you were twenty years old but did you need time and a break?" her fathers voice said very harshly

   "that was a long time ago and I made the decision to accept your proposal on my own, my father didnt dictate that for me,he respected my wish, this is a different time you don't expect her to just give up her dreams and marry a stranger" her mothers voice had replied with anger

  "I dont care what you say, she is marrying that boy, Olu needs me to help fulfill his dying wish"

"how comes you're the only one who knows about this 'dying wish?,are you sure you're not rushing to sell my child off just to get your fingers soiled with a few wads of American currency"

their mum queried

     "enough woman! i'm fed up of your nagging, dress and go to work, Bima is my daughter and I will do what's best for her"

   "just know that I have washed my hands off this matter comletely... turn her into your door mat after all she's your daughter and you seem to hold her life in your hands"

   "wht is that supposed to mean?"

  "it means that her life has been dictated by you ever since she was born, you chose which school she went to, you buy her clothes, the type you want her to wear, you dictate where she goes, you dictate what she does, you tell her not to comeback to your house with friends, your daughter has been anti social all her life because of you, have you seen her lately?, her only friends are her sister and that gay boy.  have you seen her infront of her mates? she's always dresses in ancient of days clothing, she has very little self confidence, low self esteem, all because of you , you have damaged her whole life, and you have no idea I how much I hate myself for alowing you do that to her"

  " blame it all on me, are you not the one who dictates her grades in school" their father shouted

  "yes I gave her a fair enough line, I asked her never to score below a half mark in every test or exam, because i want her to do well in school, the school you chose for her and the course you chose for her" their mothers voice shook with rage and tears

  get dressed and go to work" their fathers voice dropped a notch but still creamed with anger

   " that child is loves art, have you heard her sing? have you seen her drawings? have you seen the things she writes? they are all very beautiful but laced with sadness she is an embodiment of art, but you carried her and threw her in a business school, and you know what? im very happy its not loo late to withdraw her from that school, im taking her to a school of art"

"you dare not, you . dare not, no child of mine will spend her life colouring paper and singing like a house rat"

  "well then go find another child, as for me, I will not let you ruin their lives any longer, Nanna will choose the school she will go to"

"you dare not"

  haha try me Burma, try me" their mother said, her voice filled with challenge and anger and determination,.. Nanna was still leaning on the door when it opened and she sprawled into the room. guilt written over her, she looked up at her mother who was holding the door knob with a  teary face

" you were eaves dropping?" her fathers harsh voice ran in her brain.

"no, I was just about to open the door I didnt know mummy was opening it when I fell" she lied, it was a very obvious lie, her mum bent down and picked her up. and pulled her out of the room