Mama and Sam stare at each other. For the first time in his life, Sam looks and holds his mother’s gaze. He is a man and should be able to say what he wants and he wants Kim! “Samson,” mama called, not removing her eyes from his face. “Mama,” he replied, shifting uncomfortably. “Samson.” This time, it’s almost a whisper.
“Ma,” he said, wearily. He is tired. He had thought that after the long drive in the inclement weather, he would be welcomed with a delicious, hot meal and a warm bed.
Well, he got the meal, as delicious and hot as it could be. But though a warm bed is waiting for him, mama is making his head throb. The stress is just too much. He yawns.
“Mama, I drove all the way from Lagos in very bad weather. It rained more than half of the journey. I thought I’d rest once I got to the village.
As it is now, I’m very tired and would like to go to bed and sleep,” he said with a yawn. “Oh my son. Sorry my son. You should be sleeping now. But wait, did you say that that girl is pregnant?
For who? Does she have a womb? I know you’re wise enough to remember that it’s a taboo in our land for a woman to be pregnant out of wedlock.
It’s a big shame on the family of the girl,” mama said, shaking her head.
“It’s no shame on anybody. Kim is not from this town…” Sam said wearily. “Yes, she’s not from here. She couldn’t have been.
She should be from a shameless town where their women go about naked. I will have none of such nonsense. My well brought up child will not mingle with irresponsible women,” mama said angrily.
“Your well brought up son has mingled with this irresponsible woman and right now, my child is growing in her womb.
Mama, I love Kim. She’s a good girl. She accepted me when other girls took my money and went away because they felt I was less of a man. Kim stood by me! Mama, how else does a woman prove her love? She accepted me, warts and all, mama…” Sam said. Mama cut in, “She accepted you.
So I should rub white powder on my face and dance to the market because that girl accepted you?” “Mama, I love Kim and she loves me. I will marry her,” he said, stubbornly.
He is grown now and his mother will not flog him. He is ready to stand up to his mother for once. On this issue of marrying Kim, he will have his way, even if it means earning his mother’s wrath.
He’s not ready to go through the pains of denial from girls who clearly love him but are put off by the size of his manhood.
He is therefore ready to tell his mother his mind. He’s so engrossed in his thoughts that he doesn’t see the transformation of his mother’s face. Mama feels as if cold water has been thrown on her face.
Wait!
What have I been saying? What is wrong with me? My son brought a ‘problem solved’ to me and I’m kicking up dust?
Haaaaaaaa! Who did this to me? I would have been battling with my blood pressure if I had to get a wife for another inadequately endowed son.
He brings a girl, who not only is ready to settle down with him, but is already pregnant for him, and I’m talking customs and tradition?
Martha! After what I went through with Ojie’s wife? Haaaaaaaaaa! I must accept this young woman who accepted my son.
I must woo her. Her face creases into a smile. “Samson…Samson,” she called him. “Mama,” he responded. “Now listen to me carefully.
You must marry that girl. Em…em…what do you call her name again…you must marry her,” she said.
The wind leaves Sam. The storm had been building in him, he was choosing the words to say to his mother in order to convince her that Kim is a good girl!
“Mama, is there any problem? I can’t seem to understand you anymore,” he said. “There is no problem Sammy. But there will be a big one if you fail to convince your wife that I love her,” mama said without looking up.
Hmmmmmmmm! Sam stares at his mother for a long time.
He remembers that he read somewhere that when people get old, their mind and brain sometimes turn to that of babies.
Could that be what is happening to his mother now? But she’s not so old and has been talking with presence of mind till a few moments ago!
Fear clutches at his heart. Is this how people age within a twinkle of an eye?
“Mama, I don’t seem to understand you anymore. What is happening? Is there any problem?” He asked.
“No my son. There’s no problem. What an old man sees sitting down, a young man will not see it even if he climbs the highest tree. Go in to your wife. Let her know that she’s my daughter.
We will talk about your marriage in the morning. I will talk to your uncles tomorrow,” mama said endearingly.
****
Kim has packed her bag. She lies on the bed seething with anger. If this is what marriage is all about, she’ll rather remain single.
How can a woman who knows her not from Eve hate her on sight? Is that the reason her mother never talked about the man who impregnated her -her father?
Is that the reason she never married her father? She turns on the bed. Is she going to end up like her mother and have a child of no known father?
No! It won’t happen to her. She’s not going to let it turn into a generational curse.
She’ll abort the pregnancy and wait for her own husband. She has no mother that will take care of a fatherless baby and even if she has, she rejects single motherhood.
She’ll leave first thing in the morning and try sort herself out. Enough of this rubbish.
As she tries to close her eyes, the door creaks and she turns to see Sam coming into the room. He looks so tired! “Baby, are you still awake? I thought you’d be sleeping by now,” he said, sliding on the bed beside her.
“How could I be asleep after the bile your saintly mother vomited? What did I do to her to earn such hatred from her? Did I run after you?
Was it not you that came after me? Anyway, it’s going to end tomorrow. I’m leaving in the morning. I’m going back to the city.
Let your mother get you the well brought up girl that befits you.
As for this pregnancy, it will be in past tense after tomorrow,” she said angrily, turning on her side of the bed. Sam freezes!
How is he going to handle this fire of a woman? “Baby, you ain’t leaving. You ain’t aborting that pregnancy.
We are getting married,” he said. “Getting married? Who are the ‘we’ here?
Definite not you and I. In fact, I’m getting rid of this baby immediately I get into the city tomorrow.
Let your mother get you a secondary virgin for all I care!” she threw the words at him. Sam sits up immediately. Abortion?
Oh no! “Baby please, mama doesn’t mean anything she said. Please baby.
Mama actually loves you. She’s talking to my uncles about our marriage tomorrow. Baby, please talk to me,” Sam said.
His heart is breaking. How’s he going to talk Kim out of this abortion? She can be extremely difficult.
“Baby, please talk to me,” he said, shaking her shoulder gently.
“Sam, I want to sleep.
Maybe, we will talk about this in the morning,” she said. “”Promise?” Sam asked. “Yes,” Kim replied. Sam is not convinced.
Once Kim is like this, you expect trouble. He tries not to sleep till morning.
He actually kept awake till around 4am. By the time he wakes around 6.30am, Kim has disappeared. Her bag too.
*******
Oh My Gosh! What’s happening here?
Where has Kim disappeared to? Did she make good her threat of aborting the pregnancy?
Let’s find out on Sunday.
