That day, she went to help my mother in the kitchen and when my younger sister said she wasn’t going to touch anything, Antonia still insisted in doing the cooking. She washed all the plates and cooked us a very delicious meal.
My mother and younger sister were quite impressed with her modesty. She was not a proud person. They said.
“Brother Jude,” my sister said. “You have indeed found a good wife. You had better hurried up with the wedding plans before all those hawks will snatch her away from you.”
My mother also encouraged me to hurry up with the wedding arrangement. “I wished your father were still alive to witness this.” Mother said.
My people loved Antonia and received her with open hands. I was quite elated and proud that everyone sang her praise.
We went to her village and also got the same reception. Her people were quite happy to see us both. Her father told me some beautiful stories about the war and how he’d fought gallantly as a soldier. It was from him that I heard for the first time about the Asaba genocide.
Theirs was a humble and happy family. Antonia was the first out of six children. The three girls born after her were already married. The last two boys were both still in secondary school. It conformed to the story she’d earlier told me about her family.
It was the day that I was to leave that her mother gave me a clue of the stuff Antonia was made of. Although she was not very explicit with the details, I was supposed to have grasped but I was blindfolded by love to decode or decipher anything.
“This one that you are not a graduate, how did you manage to convince her to marry you?” she threw at me. Of course I laughed it off and told her that when it came to love affair, status didn’t matter at all.
“Mummy, what your daughter and I have is beyond status,” I responded. But I was quite shocked when she shook her head and asked how I managed to cope with her hot temper. That one was a surprise to me because since we both met, I hadn’t seen her display any of such acts before.
I responded that I could manage whatever it was that was her odd side because no mortal was born perfect. She thanked me and prayed for our union.
I drove off alone to Benin that day leaving her behind in Awka. She came to Benin days later and we continued to make plans. Business was booming for me so money wasn’t an issue.
Three months later, we did our traditional marriage and everything went smoothly. It was well attended by my friends and family members. Everybody was happy.
But things took a nose dive the moment we returned to Benin. Gradually, everything began to hurry down from the sublime to the ridiculous.
One morning as I got ready to go to the shop, Antonia walked into my bedroom looking like she had just had an encounter with Lucifer in hell and back.
“I need a hundred thousand naira,” she threw casually without the usual greeting. I sensed at once that she wanted trouble that morning and I was not prepared for any.
“What do you need a hundred thousand naira for?” I echoed turning to look at her. She chattered about wanting to register her business and all that nonsense. I remembered that I had given her a hundred thousand naira only weeks before for the same purpose.
“You may have to give me some time to get the money,” I mumbled trying not to sound too authoritative.
“I don’t know why you will never understand how urgent a matter is.” She groaned. “This is my grouse with men who did not go to school. Illiteracy will always flow out of them no matter how much you try to refine them!”
I was shocked to my bone marrow to hear her mutter such words. I wondered why she referred to me as an illiterate when in the real sense of it I wasn’t. I had an OND from the Benue state polytechnic. I would have gone farther than that if not for my father’s untimely demise.
So because she already had her Masters, every other person was now considered an illiterate! I could not believe my ears. Anger seeped through my bones like an inferno.
“Wait a minute; what has your classy education fetched you?” I thundered in anger. “Where has it taken you to? What have you done with the certificate? Nothing! The only thing you possess is your drum-size mouth which is only loud enough to spew rubbish. How much have you brought into this house since you got married to me? If your certificate was that juicy, why are you still jobless?”
While she continued to rant and puke her venom, I ignored her and took my bag out of the wardrobe. I dipped my hand in the bag and brought out a wrap of one thousand naira notes and flung it at her. And with that, I flounced out of the house.
It was not until I returned that evening that I got the shocker of my life. Guys i really hope you're moving with me in this train. WATCH OUT TOMORROW FOR THE NEXT EPISODE, I hope you enjoy the suspense.
Yes , i didn't forget to keep my planet clean, below are pictures of my cleaning exercise.
Thank you