Behind the Mask✔

Chapter 21

After the scenario downstairs, I could still hear grandma trying to calm dad down and Aunty Ebere had joined her. I didn't hear dad's voice again only that  of grandma and Aunty Ebere but I  had a feeling that dad keeping quiet was a trick . He would still get back at mum when they were alone. Grandma simply did not know the man she gave birth to. He was going to attack mum in private.

Thinking about the entire drama brought tears to my eyes as I couldn't help but wonder if dad was a wife beater, if he responsible for mum's miscarriages. I was aware my parents were not compatible in any way but then again, everything was scary. Sometimes I wondered if mum's decision to delay in filing for a divorce was wise but deep down , I knew a part of me still hoped and prayed that they would come together and settle their differences because I wanted to know how a happy home felt like.

I remembered my early years without dad. Grandpa was my dad. I never felt like I had an absent father because grandpa was there. He also told me countless times that I was his daughter. He would pick me up and tell me I was his baby girl. I always looked forward to the evenings with him when we would sit together and talk about everything and anything. I remember crying when I learnt that after mum and dad's marriage, I would not longer stay with grandpa and grandma.  On the day mum and I moved out, I remember screaming and wailing and crying myself to sleep.

The early years of mum and dad's marriage seemed fair enough.  They got along quite well and hardly had serious quarrels. Their relationship was not full of sparks and romance but at least we were okay , we were happy until dad began to stay away from us. Then mum and dad would quarrel and the tension that hung in the air was suffocating.  They would reply themselves with monosyllabic words and hardly tolerated each other.  Mum hardly fussed about it until dad began to pour his frustration on me. It was as if mum herself wanted to see otherwise. When I would tell her how strict and hard dad was she would say he wanted the best for me. She tried so hard to keep me out of their marital issues. It was like dad's change if attitude came as a shock to her and I knew how badly she wanted to resolve the issue so I could have a father figure. Sometimes she confronted dad about the way he behaved towards me but never in my presence but dad was having none of it. Gradually, things went from bad to worse. We encountered one issue after the other and mum still tried to make it work. But now, I guess she was done trying.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening forcefully and grandma and Aunty Ebere's screams and pleas.

Mum and dad launched into another argument and the entire house was filled with their shouts and I could hear grandma and Aunty Ebere trying to put an end to the fight.

It surprised me how they prevented dad from hitting mum . Since they didn't like her they were supposed to support him.  Weren't they supposed to be happy that dad was threatening to bring down fire and brimstone on mum or were they just trying to show their hypocritical attributes?

"Michael go ahead and hit me again. Do it again " I heard mum shout

"Michael, don't try it" grandma's voice came and I could imagine the glare she gave mum as she spoke "You, shut up. We are holding him so he doesn't beat you up and you're busy running your mouth"

"I don't know o " Aunty Ebere said and surprisingly, mum laughed

"Can you both hear yourselves ? You're holding him so he doesn't beat me up.  Aren't you ashamed that you have a wife beater in your family? Is a man supposed to lift a finger on his wife?"

"Mabel, you had better stop or else " dad growled

"Or else what? You will beat me? Instead of you to go and use this money you're flaunting to get a good psychiatric hospital for yourself. You're here threatening me. Michael let me be" Mum shouted "You and I know the only reason we are still Mr and Mrs is Jasmine and even in that regard, I don't see you as someone worthy to be a father and you also know you're not worthy to be called someone's father"