I spoke to mama later in the day. She apologized. She said she was upset. I agree she must have been upset. Anyone in her position would be a victim of high blood pressure but she managed to keep her mind and acts together without fatal health issues.
I still wasn’t happy that she took out her frustration on me but it gave me a peek into her mind. I just couldn’t blame her. Life had played her an unfair card.
***
“You all are wasting my time. I want to leave here now,” daddy called from the entrance door.
“We are done sweet,” mama responded.
We were seated in the car 10 minutes later – I, mama, Ola (my cousin who lived with us), and Nma (my cousin who was visiting for a couple of weeks) – everyone but daddy who emerged from the house 10 minutes after we were all seated.
“You had something to do in the house but you kept hurrying us as if we were the only ones keeping this movement,” mama said.
“I’m sorry I had to use the toilet,” daddy answered.
We observed the highway was almost deserted. It appeared there was a travel restriction that only us and a few others didn’t hear about.
“Even the trailer drivers heard. None has passed us today,” Ola observed.
“We’ll probably get to the toll-gate and we all will be impounded for illegal traveling,” mama said and we all laughed.
“You still have toll-gate in this state?” Nma asked looking surprised.
“Oh! My bad. I forgot there are no more toll-gates in Nigeria,” mama said.
“Yeah. You’re probably thinking of the crayfish you left in the kitchen at home,” I said.
“Where did you put our room’s key?” Daddy interjected.
Mama began to search her bag frantically. Daddy noticed her fussy search and began to slow down. I was praying and shaking.
“Not today, Lord, not today,” I prayed.
But my prayers seemed late. The fun and freedom in the car had disappeared.
“Keep driving, sweet, I’ll find the keys,” mama said to daddy.
“Stupid woman!” daddy flared. “You’re so careless, I don’t even know why I married you. What if you left that key outside? What if someone finds it and takes it?”
“Sweet, if you saw the keys and picked them just let me know. There’s no need for all these insults.”
“Better find that bunch before I descend on you.”
“That’s enough daddy,” I cut in. “There’s no need for all these abusive words.”
“I knew you’d support her. You never see wrong. You’re just like your mother – Stupid!”
“I’m not stupid. There’s just no need for all these things you’re saying. If you have the key just get it out and ask her to be more careful.”
“If you don’t stop talking back at me, Adaora, I’ll drop you here.”
“That’s enough Ada m,” mama said.
“No mama! Stay out of this. He either stops insulting you or he drops me here. I’d rather walk back than listen to all these crap from him.”
Daddy stopped the car and asked me to come down from the car. I came down without hesitating and went for my bag in the trunk. I’m not sure he believed that I meant it but I was going to head back to where we were coming from. I reasoned that I’d stay in our neighbour’s house and that the road will be safe for me.
My cousins were terrified. Mama cried silently. But my mind was made up.
Nma came down from the car to intercede for me. While she pleaded, she asked me to apologize but I refused. I figured that he was the wrong person embarrassing his wife before his child and his nieces so he was the one who needed to cut his arrogance and apologize.
“Daddy, imagine a member of the church stops by and wants to find out why we are here?” Nma asked.
I don’t know if it was the question or a change of heart but we were on our way shortly after and daddy was trying to buy everything he could afford to appease mama.
Transforming Word Series 