Maraa

Episode 1

You are ten weeks pregnant!
I fixed my eyes at the newly transferred gynecologist in our local clinic- Nasarawa General Hospital and my eyes dilated the more at the words that had just fallen off her mouth.
“Pregnant?” I asked again and she smiled, her well-arranged set of teeth shining at me gladly.
What was so funny about the news?
Exactly what was the cause of her smile?
“Pregnant?” I asked again, my lips shivering in naked disbelief and fear
The doctor’s smile vanished as she stood up and sat on the table before me.
“Is anything the problem madam?” she asked gently and I could only gaze at her
Everything was the problem!
Everything as a whole!

I stood up abruptly thus causing the doctor’s hands to fall off my shoulders.
“Bye” I whispered as I pulled the door handle
“Hey…Mrs…mrs…” the doctor tried to call me back.

I heard her footsteps, then the flipping of the case note I presumed and the call of my name confirmed my guesses.
“Mrs. Olowo!” she called but I had b@nged the door behind me.

That was my name!
Olowo!

In Yoruba, Olowo means a very affluent and well-to-do person but I was the opposite!
Totally opposite!

Affluence?…that was far from reality!
Well to do? …that was a no go area!
›››››

I got married to Adejare sixteen years ago amidst very great opposition.

I had met him in the University of Ibadan where we both attended and while he was the Class representative of our class, I was the assistant class rep.

I was popular for my really high IQ, beauty and humility and many guys really wanted my hand in marriage by the time we were graduating.
Adejare was my best friend so I notified him of the many advances from different guys and he had proven to be a good friend that had seasoned words to offer me when necessary.
Adejare knew everything about me except my family background…I told him nothing about it!
I didn’t tell him about the fact that my parents separated few months after I was born into the world;

I didn’t tell him that eventually at age five, both of my parents while on their way to the house of a pastor who sought their reconciliation were involved in a fatal accident and I became an orphan;

I didn’t tell him that I grew up in an orphanage home;

I didn’t tell him that getting into the university was due to the fact that I passed the WAEC examination with distinction and emerged in the third position in Oyo State thereby winning a scholarship which covered my tuition only;
I didn’t tell him that while in school, my feeding formula was always 0-1-0 and the only 1 there would be the rich dish of “Garrium sulphate’’ as we did call Garri in school. The addition of Kulikuli, sugar, milk, and groundnut or eja dindin- fried fish always made the difference though!

I didn’t tell him anything about my past.
I loved Adejare as my friend and never did I wanted him to know this about me.
I feared that he might forsake me when he realized that the beautiful shirts and skirts I wore to classes were the donations of churches, individuals and missionaries to the orphanage home where I was raised!

He was nothing but the son of a well to do man…even his physique said so much!
His shoes were majorly Italian!
His watches were always real gold-laced!
He even got me a very beautiful pair of YXL shoes and purse for my 2

But how long could I hold the secret back when eventually while serving in the same state- Nasarawa, he proposed to me!
And I could not say no…
…’cos I loved him too!

But it was a real tug of war when after researching about me; his parents said it was not going to be possible!
“You can never marry someone unfortunate!” Mummy Adejare blurted out immediately I finished my sad tale
“She isn’t unfortunate!” Adejare retorted, his eyes turning red
“You said she isn’t unfortunate son? How can someone’s parents be separated barely few months after the person’s birth? How?” Daddy Adejare asked, mockingly
“Oh oh! And I wonder why both parents would die same day when they had both determined to reconcile. I mean on the way to reconciliation fa!” Mummy Adejare exclaimed
“Things really do happen folks!” Adejare spat out again, obviously infuriated
“Not so spontaneously like that son!” Dad Adejare shouted too, banging the table loudly that my heart shattered into smaller pieces
“Did she kill her parents? Did she cause their separation? What is her fault?” Adejare shouted back, banging the table too in annoyance.

“This is the first time you are looking your dad up in the face. Isn’t that an indication that this girl isn’t any ordinary?” Mummy Adejare said and my already inflated heart burst out suddenly and as much as I tried to hold in my tears, they flowed as I shook with much violence.

“Daddy, I really don’t believe you could also be against love. You taught me about love. You told me that love is real and that you would support whoever I love. Is this the support dad? Is this…” Adejare cried on, his chest rising and falling as he spoke.

“Definitely, it can’t be someone this ill-fated! It can’t be someone without future, without bearing!” he almost screamed and my already shattered heart was grounded into powder!

I let out a painful shriek and ran to the door.
Adejare followed me
“If you follow that girl out of that door, I will disown you!” I heard Daddy Adejare say and I sprawled out of the room.

“You can do your worst dad! Do it!” He shouted back as he b@nged the door behind him.

I turned back to look at him but he was not approachable- he looked really fierce!
“Please, go inside” I said in a shaky voice
“No” he replied as he pulled my hands and we walked towards the car.

“Please don’t let’s do this. I will never be a party to enmity between a father and his son. Please go inside.” I repeated when he suddenly threw my hands away
“Who are you for exactly? Tell me. Who do you love? My dad or me?” he screamed at me and I shuddered.

What had happened to him?
He had always told me that he was the father’s pet but what happened today?

Was he disappointed that his dad could disgrace him that way?
“I love you but…” I was saying when he covered my mouth tightly.

“No but! Leave it that way. We can do it without them. Okay?” he asked in a raised voice and I could only nod

As he opened the door for me to enter, the front door of the duplex mansion opened and the dad, walking in a fast motion walked out of it.
“You are not taking that car out of this house. That is my property” he said firmly and my heart dropped.

I looked at Adejare and he blinked so hard as he fought his tears.

“I will leave everything for you” he said, retorting and the father collected the car key from him.

As he walked towards the gate, he kept on pressing his phone as if sending a message and he signaled that I followed him.

I genuflected before the parents as they gazed at me like s–t!

I was confused as to what to do?

Was I supposed to support Adejare for standing by me in times like this?

Was I to stay with the parents and tell them not to mind Adejare for being egoistic, telling them that that was his personality?
Exactly what should I do?

As he flagged down a taxi, he let out a very bloodcurdling shriek which made me to run towards him with so much speed that my shoes fell off.

He fell to the ground.
Oluwa o!

The devil is a liar!
I started panting heavily
“Ade mi, what happened? Please talk to me” I asked as I supported his back with my hands