Hola, a rich man with all it takes to buy his town and make it look like whatever he likes.
He was very rich that nothing was expensive before his sight.
At the age of 27, he got married to his long time lover, Kate who is so beautiful and endowed. She has all it takes to keep a man ever wanting to be with her, but mother nature denied her of one thing, a male child.
As the Igbo culture demanded of her to have at least a male child for his wealthy husband, she and her husband continued to give birth to kids till the ninth female child called Olaedo (Gold).
This made the family unbalanced and incomplete since a male child is needed to completely inherit his father's wealth and also extend the lineage to many generations.
Kate thought that it was wise to have another wife who'll do what she has been unable to do.
After 3 years above menopause, Ima from Ibibio kingdom was married and named Love (Ihunanya in Igbo).
She was loved and cherished so much by Kate. She did nothing other than getting sexed by Hola every night and day while Kate stayed in another room hoped for the best.
After 4 years of Ima being with Hola and Kate in the same large bed, she got tired of the whole drama and eagerness to have a male child. She felt like the whole fault is from Hola who wasn't able to make a male child from Kate.
One faithful morning, her cup ran over to the extent that she had to confront Hola concerning the issue of her not being able to have her own child.
Hola got so upset about it and took it up to Kate who was already at work. Kate on the other hand fumed the whole aggression in her, left the office and headed straight to the war front.
On getting to the house, Ima had already fought with Kate's first daughter for abusively insulting her father.
The whole thing spoilt Kate's mind which caused her to descend her powerful heavy hand on Ima's face.
"Oh! They have killed me!"
Ima shouted, calling the attention of whoever that was around their house to dig their noses into the family's quarrel.
While the reckoning was ongoing, Ima simultaneously insulted the whole family, continued to call them abusive names while leaving the house through the help of Hola's neighbors who came for her rescue.
This happened on a Saturday evening after Hola must have had his way on Friday's night.
Few days after the quarrel, Hola went to Ima's paternal home to dialogue with the parents on their daughter's attitude towards the continuation of the married, but that mightily failed because Ima fought him with his brothers, counted before him, the number of male kids she that had before getting married to him.
Hola got well broken into fragments, staggered so much on his way back home.
After 3 months of pregnancy, Hola went again with his kingsmen to bring home their pregnant wife. Instead of Ima's parents to peacefully settle the matter at hand amidst the high rate of poverty and abject hunger savaging their household, they went ahead to sign a deal which was written as follows;
If my daughter gives birth to a male child, you'll reconcile with 100 million naira before you set you eyes on the child and another 50 million naira before you can call him your own and if it be a girl, take her with you because our house doesn't need any female child from another tribe
Hola who was excessively rich quickly signed the deal without bargaining.
After 9 successful months of pregnancy, I'ma gave birth to her first female child who looks exactly like Hola. She couldn't believe it because, all her calculations just got thorn into pieces.
Hola, who's less considerate when it comes to a repetition of what he doesn't want to own again looked the other way, ignoring the fraudulent inlaws and their ignorant daughter to bear the consequences of their actions.
While Ima's shameless people were attempting to bargain their daughter's marriage, Kate on the other hand requested for her husband's daughter, mucked Ima in the process and reminded them of the agreement saying;
Rules are rules, remember?
This is my story for the #inkwell short story challenge.
I hope you enjoyed it?
This is made in Nigeria 🇳🇬.