Visible Essence

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

But on seeing mama’s condition, she sat down to know what was wrong with her.

As mama opened up to her that was when I learnt that papa refused the baby and has ordered mama to remove the pregnancy.

With the excuse that he doesn’t want another child and there won’t be enough money to raise another child.
I panicked where I was wondering if mama would obey him as always. I wanted a younger brother and I prayed in my heart that mama would fight for him.

That night when papa came back, him and mama talked on the issue again and mama for the first time stood up to papa and refused aborting her child. Papa got furious, pushed her to the bed and just as she tried gaining her balance, he climbed on her and beat her up.

Mama tried as much as possible to cover her tummy as that was where he actually was aiming.
And if you keep that baby, be ready to cater for it, because am not bringing a dime for the upbringing of that child, he said.

Walking out of the bedroom to go sleep in the sitting room. That night none of us could sleep, Ada boiled hot water and we sneaked into their bedroom to put the hot water on mama’s wound. Scares where all over mama’s body and no one who saw her could believe a husband actually did this to his pregnant wife.

Mama couldn’t sleep all through the night and we all stayed awake with her.

The next morning was Sunday and it was around 4am that mama could finally close her eyes to sleep. She lay in our bedroom sleeping and we all watched her. I could see the pain in Ada and Obinna’s eyes as they looked at mama, like people who were ready to do anything to protect the woman they loved and who had scarified a lot for them.

I felt the same way.

Papa had left home early that morning and by the time he returned around 2pm that very day, mama has awakened.

He sat at the couch while Ada served him the food we managed to prepare ourselves in his usual special black with white flower petal plate design, since mama was indisposed. He picked up his spoon and scoped the first spoon of the jollof rice, dropped it, drank from his cup of water and called on mama.

Mama Ada!!! He called out loud.

Mama ran into the sitting room to answer him, she stood beside the dinning chair starring at him.

What is this? He asked. Seated on the dinning chair, one leg under the table and the other outside; tapping up and down, with his hand on his laps. His face paled and filled with rage.

She stood there quiet starring at the meal.

I asked you what you served me and you stand there looking at me like a zombie. Do I look to you like a television set? He asked angrily, as he lifted the cup of water and poured at mama.  She shouted out of surprise and we all rushed to the parlour.

What rubbish did you serve me to eat? He said again.

Imagine the food you served me very salty he lamented as he scooped another spoon into his mouth, and even cold. So you no longer respect me in this house right? You don’t know how hard I work to provide three square meal? That’s why you served me this rubbish meal.

As mama opened his mouth to say something he landed a dirty slap on her, before she could lift her face, he lifted the plate of rice to pour on her.

Obinna rushed to papa gave him an equally befitting slap and pushed him to the floor and as he fell, the plate of rice poured on him.

He pounced on him and gave him a thorough beating, as much as he deserved. papa  stood up, hardly knowing what was happening, he was afraid of us suddenly.

I stood by mama surprised at what obinna has done. Who would have taught Obinna could stand up to papa that much. He had turned 17 that year.

Finally someone has grown strong enough to defend mama. Mama didn’t say a word; she stared at him, and for a long time neither of them said anything.

Then she just worked out to freshen up while we followed her out of the sitting room.

For the rest of the day papa sat at the sitting room watching news on ABS station about the poor economy of our country while Panic welled up in him. Night came and mama didn’t even bother to serve him dinner and he didn’t even make noise about it.

Maybe he is scared of getting more beating from Obinna.