Sharp Tongue

Episode 11

“John… ”

“Whoever doesn’t want to see my daughter
does not want to see me… or my wife.”

Eureka realized that her husband had made
up his mind. Two wrongs cannot make a right.
John was as stubborn as his father. She
hopes this doesn’t turn into another undesirable conflict between father and son.
“Since I don’t have a car, I don’t think I will
be able to come home every weekend.” Her
parents turned to look at her. “Taking a taxi
home every weekend is denting my monthly
allowance which you have refused to
inflate.”

“Is this about coming home every weekend
or the increment of your monthly allowance?”

Eureka eyed her daughter.

“You are both very smart.”
John and his wife exchanged glances and
bursted out laughing.

“Children of these days,” he shook his head.
“What is she studying?”
“Economics and Statistics.”
“No wonder.”

Sheila stared at her parents as they talked
about her as if she wasn’t there.
“Can you imagine?”
“Yes, I can. How much do we give her?”
“More than enough,’ he sipped his coffee.
She shook her head and bite into her toast
bread.

“Hello… I am right here.”
Her parents looked at her again.
“Forget it young lady.”
She eyed her mum.

“If you really want an increment, then I
want to
see a list of what you spend your allowance
on.”

She frowned at her dad. List? Yeah right.
There is no way she was writing a list. “I need
provisions too.”

“Hold your horses girl,” her mum waved a
spoon at her.

“Seriously… I am out of beverage and
cereal.”

John and his wife exchanged glances. “Your
mum will drive you down to the
supermarket on your way back to school.”

“Thanks,” she filled her mug with beverage,
“Can I get ice cream too?”
“No,” they choroused.

She buttered her toast bread, “Edidiong told
me that Boma has gone to Abuja for his
NYSC programme.”

“Good for him,” he refilled his mug with
decaf coffee.

“I wonder where I will be posted when I
graduate.”

Eureka smiled, “I was posted to Rivers state
back in those days.”
“Really?”

She nodded and drained her mug.
“Where were you posted to dad?”
“Imo state.”
“Interesting.”

“It wasn’t that interesting, that’s a story for
another day,” he got up, “Nice breakfast
honey,” he winked at her and left them.
“Was his experience that bad?”

Eureka shrugged, “Please wash the dishes
when you are done,” she yawned and refilled
her mug with hot choco.

Sheila wondered what her father’s
experience was like in Imo state.

XXXXXX
“Dad, mum, Martha and Daniel are leaving,”
Dorcas informed her parents.

“Oh! Great,” Nnese got to her feet.
“May be we should leave too,” Charles
suggested.

She nodded in agreement and they followed
their daughter out of the reception hall.
Daniel’s parents hugged the couple and
prayed for them. They stepped away and gave
Charles and Nnese room to speak with the couple.
“You look radiant,” Nnese embraced her
daughter.

“Thank you mum.”
Charles and Daniel shook hands, “Welcome
to
the family once again.”

“Thank you sir.”

The couple waved at their family members
and got into the car. The driver back out of the
parking lot and nosed into the busy street.

“Are they leaving for Paris this evening?”
“No mum, they need to rest tonight,” Dorcas
winked at her mother, “Where did your
driver park the car?”

“Over there,” she pointed to her left.
“Ok, have a good night mum, dad,” Dorcas
returned to the hall while her parents
walked to their car.

“I can’t believe that John and his wife did
not attend Martha’s wedding.”

Nnese remained quiet.

“Dorcas said she called him and he told her
that he wasn’t coming because I said I didn’t
want Sheila to attend any family functions for
now.”

She looked at him, but decided to say
nothing.

“Can you imagine? What was he thinking?”

Their driver opened the door of the car, he
and his wife got in.

“I am going to call him tonight. This is pure
nonsense,” he noticed his wife’s straight
face,

“Won’t you say something?”
“What do you want me to say Charles?”
“Something, anything.”

She met his angry gaze, “I warned you.”
He dropped his jaw and blinked several
times,

“You? You warned me? When? About what
exactly?”

She looked away, “You shouldn’t have
stopped your grand-daughter from attending family functions because of her bad attitude. It is
the same thing as saying you don’t want John
and his family to come for any family
occasions.”

He shook his head, “No… ”

“Yes,” she eyed him, ” You made a hasty
decision in a moment of anger, and John
has retaliated.”

His frown deepened, “This is not a battle of
wits.”

“John is as stubborn as his father.”

He sighed and leaned back on the car seat,
what if his wife was right? What has he
done? If John was as thick headed as he is, he
won’t listen to anyone until Sheila was allowed to grace every family event. But that can be
disastrous! What was wrong with his grand
daughter? Why does she attract trouble
everywhere she goes?

Nevertheless, they all have to settle these
issues once and for all. It is getting out of hand.