Temptation

Episode 33

Ben and Nancy started living as newly married couples.

The love they had for each other was rekindled and was waxing stronger day by day.

One could vividly see happiness written on the couple’s face as they were grinning from ear to ear.

Ben sat on the settee, his legs were stretched out and was placed on the low coffee table.
Nancy also la!d down on the settee, her head was placed on ben’s thighs and she concealed her mouth with her palm as they were both giggling at a comedyshow by akpos, shown on the flat plasma tv screen hung on the wall which was meters away from where they sat.

Their eyes were glued to the tv screen and were throwing occasional glances at each other as they laughed at the hilarious joke.
Everywhere suddenly turned pitch black except for the illumination which came from the sun and found its way through the open louvres.

The sound emanating from the tv was also off.
Everywhere was still as silence crept into the house.

The couple chuckled as they realized the power was out.

“nonsensical people! The light can’t be stable for 24hours”
nancy lamented displeased at the power outage.

Ben gave a short raunchy laugh at the already annoyed nancy.
“thats nigeria for you.”
he said stroking her long blonde hair.
Nancy suddenly sprung up as though she remembered something.
“honeypie!”
she called out sweetly beaming with smiles.

Ben’s heart melted inwardly at the sweet tone she’d called him.
“sweetiepie!”
he replied her in the same tone smiling sheepishly.

Nancy giggled like a baby who was playing with her mother.

She decided to tease him more.
“you’re my sweetest meatpie, i ever ate”
she said and glanced at him.
Ben couldn’t help but laugh uncontrollably.
“and you’re the sweetest aka…”
ben was cut short by a resounding knock on the door.

They both glanced at each other wondering who it could be.

Nancy got up and went for the door.
She opened the door but was surprised at who she saw.

She was dumbfounded and stood transfixed. It seemed her brain had temporarily shut down its system.

The person she saw was no other person but her dreaded mother in-law.
She felt a cold shrill slid down her spine.
She felt chilly and immediately got goose bumps.

Why was she scared/afraid?
(you’ll found out later)
“won’t you let me in?”
the grey headed woman barked at her as she realized it would take her decades to do so.
“i’m sorry ma’am”
she stuttered out of fear shaken to the feet.
She stepped aside for her to come in and immediately curtisied and greeted her.
But she only got a brusque answer which she couldn’t comprehend.

The old woman walked in and hissed angrily at her.

Ben stood up immediately he saw his mother.
He walked over to her and lie down flat on the floor as a form of greeting in the yoruba lineage.

She reciprocated by murmuring some incoherent words to him.

She didn’t wait for him to stand up as she went over and sat on the couch facing him.
Ben stood up and looked back, he saw nancy standing and visibly shaken.

He couldn’t comprehend the reason behind her fears nor his mother’s cold attitude.
He motioned nancy to come and have a seat beside him as he settled down back on the settee.

The old woman which one could guess was in her late sixties was fuming with rage, as she sq££zed her already wrinkled face.
“benson!”
she called with an angry tone.

Ben was surprised as his mouth flew opened.
His mother had never call his full name and with the way she had called it, he sensed trouble looming and he also became scared himself.

He couldn’t attest to it or figure out why he was scared.
“how many times would i warn you to chase this filthy w—e away?
Ehen! Tell me!”

the grey headed woman shouted at ben who sprung up immediately as though he was being poured hot water.

Events of the last time his mother visited started replaying in his head.

He now remembered what made nancy to be afraid.

His mother had warned him to divorce her a year ago as she couldn’t bore him a son.
It now made sense to him, why her mother was hot tempered.
“haven’t i told you that i must not meet her here if i was to come visit, or rather i meet her with my grandchild, i told you times without number to get yourself a new wife who is capable of giving you a child.

Just take a look at yourself, you have no child to call you father, and moreover i’m old enough to see my grandchildren.

My back aches for one.

Ben you better wise up and get yourself a new wife!”
the old woman shouted with an angry venom.
Ben was really pained with those words he felt like walking up to her and keep slapping her over and over.

But he couldn’t, he only stood and stared into space.
“i’ll help you get one if you can’t get yourself a wife”
she added.

“but nancy is my wife for crying out loud.”
ben shouted back at her surprising himself.
She was shocked at his outburst and she walked up to him and gave him a hard deafening slap.