I HAVE DRUNK STRANGE WATERS - EPISODE 45

 EPISODE 45

Yeeeeeee! You'll kill me today!"

Before I could get to where she was another slap landed on her face and she screamed. A murderous rage took over me as I ran towards the woman assaulting Mama, I saw a group of ladies holding her hands. 

Mama was on the floor wailing, I turned to look at her assailant and my body stiffened in shock as I stared at Cynthia's angry face.

I reached for her and a group of boys surrounded me before I could grab her. 

"My brother, don't allow the devil use you," One of the older boys said pleadingly as he held on to my hands.

"This one nah women talk and fight, make dem settle am," Another boy said 

Three of the boys followed me back to my car to pacify me, I was still boiling with rage.

"How dare she lay hands on my mother?" I shouted.

"Your Mama sef get wahala, nah she first slap the woman. Oga nah woman talk, Dem go settle am" the youngest of them spoke up for the first time.

The rage I was feeling receded a little but I wasn't entirely pacified.

"Cynthia should have understood that she's an elderly woman," I said in a calm voice.

One of the boys said something in their language and they all laughed.

"Oga nah man you be, make you use sense of a man settle this matter. Nah the two of them get bad temper, person no fit match snake tail and go Scot free" the youngest boy said.

At that moment I knew there was little I could do, I have to look for a way to salvage the situation so that I won't lose face and Mama will not feel wrong.

"Can you please help me call my mother?" I said to one of the boys.

Mama joined me in the car a few minutes later, she was looking disheveled and her clothes are dirty. She must have misplaced her gele because her head was bare, her eyes were red and she was looking old.

"Femi, your wife laid her hands on me? That dirty smelly girl you brought from the gutter slapped me thrice and pushed me to the ground" I saw an errant tear escape from the corner of her eyes, I knew what would have added to the pain was the fact that Iya Tawa and others were present when the incident happened.

"Calm down and tell me what happened Maami," I said gently.

"Are you not the one that told me to collect food from her? And I told you o! I told you I didn't want trouble, see what has happened now"

"I'm sorry Mama, I should have gone to request the food myself" I was both sober and sorry, I knew I had to find a way to pacify Mama.

"You can't imagine what that unfortunate girl did Femi, she told me to go and meet one boy like that, and that one too gave me a basket of eko and moi moi. With all the millions she collected with her family, she gave us food meant for beggars" Mama said angrily.

"Eko and Moi Moi? You can't be serious, I gave her going to 3M for food because she said her family wanted to slaughter two cows"

"3 Million? Yeeeeeh! See my life outside! Femi this one is not a wife o! She's all these shaku shaku girls that do Ashawo, if you see how long her lashes are..."

"Maami there must be an explanation for what happened, I want to see her now!" I said getting angry again.

"I told her we can't eat the food, she should give it to her family because we are not beggars. She told me I look like Almajiri with my illiterate friends. That mad girl has the gut to abuse me. Just because I gave her one small slap to correct her she slapped me thrice and pushed me down" Another tear found its way down from the corner of Mama's right eye and I felt pity for her.

"I can't just explain what is happening since we got here Maami, don't you think Kike's witchcraft is..."

"Don't mention Kike's name o! That girl was born and raised in a good home. She had never talked back at me despite all the provocations I have been giving her, I don't know where you see this mad girl that has no break" Mama shouted.

"Maami, I can assure you that Cynthia is not like that, I suspect foul play and manipulation. I know how much you love Cynthia, you even said she's better than Kike..."

"When did I say that? Kike is better than this mad dog. I have been watching this unfortunate girl, she treats me as if I am feces. Me? Me that can scatter a whole village without backup, One mad girl is now beating me like small girl. You cannot marry this crazy girl Femi, Kike may be a witch but she's ten times better..."

"Is this not too late Mama? We are already married. I suggest you continue to tolerate her till she gives birth. Come to think of it Mama, maybe she's like that because of the baby..."

"Does pregnancy make one go crazy? Hen? Answer me! I am only restraining myself because we are in her hometown, when we get to Lagos I'll show her craziness. I'll let her know her madness is small. You better go and beg Kike, she's better than this dog"

"Maami, don't you see what is happening? I'm sure Kike is behind what is happening. Please forgive Cynthia, I promise to give you an extra one million so that you can restock your shop"

I watched as Mama's anger dissipated at the mention of money, She wiped her face with her hands and looked at me.

"Don't we all sin against God? Yet He forgives us and calls us His children, if she can go on her knees to apologize before everyone I'll forgive her and embrace her again"

I hugged Mama happily and decided to add to the compensation money I promised her, she told me she wanted to change her clothes inside the bus and came down from my car. I dialed Cynthia's line and it connected immediately.

"Meet me inside the car," I said and disconnected the call immediately. I waited for several minutes but she didn't show up, I began to think that maybe she wasn't the one that picked up the phone. What if she gave the phone to a friend to hold for her?

I signaled to one of the local boys and he moved toward the car.

"See fine car," He said as his eyes devoured my car hungrily. I noticed I have not seen him around since I arrived.

"Can you please help me signal to one of the bride's friends? If you can reach the bride you can tell her that her husband wishes to see her.

"You be the groom? No wonder you fine like this. Twale Baba! Oya make you help your boy find something too. I hear say dem dey share free food and money here nah him I say make I come too" He was grinning from ear to ear as he speaks.

"What do you mean by Food and money?" I said looking puzzled.

"One fine woman come our village yesterday and start to dey share money to all the boys. She say make we come party today say she go settle us. I no dey house when she came, I come say make I come collect my own settlement..."

I was both shocked and angry at the same time "What game are you playing Cynthia?" I gave the boy some change and asked him to go. I went back to the car and dialed Cynthia's line again.

"Yes? Why are you disturbing me?" She snapped.

"Get down here right now! If I have to come over to get you I'll give you a public disgrace you'll never recover from. Why did you pay people to attend our wedding?"

To be continued...

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