Do not let our discussion affect your wedding plans. I am working on the situation. It is all going to work out fine.
However, on no account should you tell Emanuel about the problem, it will destroy his ego,” Mrs. Asibong warned her daughter in-law to be, Janet.
Okay mommy, but it bothers me nonetheless. How am I meant to handle such a problem in my marriage? Janet asked.
There is not going to be any problem at all. Your bedroom will be filled with fireworks, I promise you. The reason I told you about this earlier was for you to have an idea that such a problem is possible and for us to work out a solution for it. My husband had it and we found a way around it. I enjoyed my marriage with him until the day he died.
Okay, mommy. It is gladdening to know there is a way out of this problem.”
Mrs. Asibong smiled at her and removed her cheque book from her handbag. She wrote a three million naira cheque for her and handed it to her.
This is for my not being part of your wedding plans. Whatever needs to be done that you removed from your budget, I want you to add it right back, and if the money not enough, let me know and I will give you much more money, okay.
Smiling, Janet nodded like a child receiving a new toy from her mother. “But mommy we have everything we need. I am wondering if it would be wise to add this to our already excessive budget.
Then keep it for any contingencies. It is going to be a big wedding, bills could pop out from blind angles, I have been there before.
Thanks a lot mommy, you make me very welcome to your family.” “It’s my pleasure. I want the very best for my son, and you happen to be in that category.”
So you consider me a good woman?
No, I don’t. Janet was taken aback by the frank reply. Her eyes were about to moisten when Mrs. Asibong added,
You are far above the ‘good woman’ category. Janet, you are amongst the best. I and my son are in cloud nine because of you. You are a blessing to us. I am not an ordinary mother…” She paused, drew closer to Janet and whispered,
I look into things before I make my decisions. I looked into you when he brought you to see me the first time. Guess what I saw.
Janet who was blushing now, shook her head and whispered back, “I don’t have a clue.” “Okay, I will tell you. I found that you have a heart of gold. You are not a ‘good woman’, you are an exceptionally good woman.”
With beads of tears in the corners of her eyes, Janet mumbled, “Thank you mommy. Your love is overwhelming.
You are welcome. At my current age, all I can do for those around me is to love them. I want you to know also that Arit my daughter loves you just the same way I do. You will make a great daughter in-law, that much I know already, and so does Arit think.
I can’t say thank you enough. I am out of words. Thanks mommy, she said amidst tears.
Mrs. Asibong took her head in her hands and placed a kiss on her forehead. “I have to go back to work now. I have a meeting with our board of directors, we are thinking of opening new branches in Cayman Islands, Sao Tome and Principe and in Banjul Gambia. For me Gambia offers us a much better market and I have to convince the board to go there first. My meeting with the president of Gambia has a lot of positives I think we should take advantage of now.”
Mrs. Asibong liked to discuss her job with every little chance she would get. She was born for banking job. Janet regarded her happily and said, Mommy your head is full of your banking job. Go and offload your ideas on the directors.” They did a high five and Mrs. Asibong dashed out of the restaurant.
