I slept in Smith’s house but nothing spectacular happened. In the morning, I went back to our house.

On a Sunday Morning I left our house and ran to Smith’s house. Smith was surprised to see me in tears when he opened the door. He quickly ushered me in and demanded to know why I was crying.

” My father chased me out of our house,” I spluttered in tears.

“Why would your father do such thing?” Smith asked.

“Olaedo told my father that she met me in your bedroom. From last night till this morning, my father was torturing me, asking me to tell him the truth.

I had to run away this morning because he was pursuing me with cutlass. I didn’t offend Olaedo in any way but she has decided to tarnish my image.”

“It’s okay. You have to calm down,” he pleaded.

“Please I want to beg you. If it is possible, settle your differences with Olaedo so that I will have peace. If things continue like this, she might kill me.”

“Never! I will not have anything to do with Olaedo again in life. You will not go back to your house for now, your father may hurt you. I am so sorry that you are experiencing all these persecutions because of me.”

“But I don’t have any place to go apart from our house.”

“My house is your home too. Please stay with me, we will be fine,” Smith pleaded.

“It’s okay, if you insist.”

“Yes, I insist.”

I later went back to our house and packed some of my clothes. I tried to convince my mum that I want to spend some time with one of my friends to reduce my transportation fare to work. It was easier for me because my father has travelled back to his base. I permanently started living with Smith, within a month, pregnancy set in. Smith was so happy.

“I knew it that there is something special about you. A woman with double grace. I have to start processing your Visa at once. You must be delivered off this baby abroad.” He said with a broad smile.

“No. the expenses will be much. I am not going anywhere,” I protested mildly.

“Listen to me. I don’t care how much it will cost. If not for you, would I be alive today? That evil woman would have finished me. My job is to make you happy. Do you understand?”

“I understand my husband. God will keep you for me,” I told him with smiles.

“Another important thing is the payment of your bride price. You have to inform your parents so that we will start making preparations for it. Our wedding must be a big one.”

“Another Wedding? How many wedding do you want to do?” I teased him.

“I have never wedded before? The other one was a deceitful wedding. Your friend wanted to use my head for pepper soup.” Smith laughed loudly as he spoke.

“Don’t mind her; she will use her own head.”

My challenge was how to convince my parents to allow Smith marry me. I decided to talk to my mum first. I went to the market and bought lots of gifts for my mum. On arrival I gave her the gifts. She started singing and dancing.

“Ma obughi ma nwa, onye ga enyem. Meaning, ‘if not for my child, who would have given me all these gifts’.”

I was delighted that she was so happy. I decided to tell her my reason for coming.

“Mummy someone is asking for my hand in marriage,”

My mother started smiling.

” Please say it again. No wonder, you are glowing and shining. I know that you will make me proud. Which tribe is the person from?”

“He is from our tribe. He is even someone you know.”

“Really, so who is the person?” mother asked. She was full of smiles.

“He is Smith. Olaedo’s former husband.”

The smiles on my mother’s face disappeared immediately.

“God forbid bad thing! Abomination! It will not happen in my house,” my mother said firmly.

“Mummy it has to happen o. I am already pregnant for him,” I announced.

“Linda what did you just say? You are already what?”

“Mummy I said that I’m already pregnant for him.” I repeated, waiting for my mother to do her worst. She never disappointed me though.

She lifted a Plastic chair she was sitting on and broke it on my head. That marked the beginning of beating that left several wounds on my body. She threw all the gifts I bought on me and told me that she had disowned me.
I managed to drag myself back Smith’s house. I was not bothered by all the persecutions. What mattered to me was that Smith was mine.

In the evening of the next day, there was a knock on the door. Since I received that beating from Nelly, I hardly open door when someone knocks. I used to lock the door with key so that Smith can open with his own key. The person was knocking persistently but I didn’t mind. Later she called my name. That was when I realized that it was Lucy my friend.

“Immediately, she came in, I knew that all was not well.”

“Lucy I hope all is well?”

“She kept looking at me without uttering any word.”

“Lucy what is the matter?” I asked again.

“Linda, I never knew you as a wicked person. I used to know you as a loving and caring friend. When did you change? Why would you treat your friend Olaedo in this wicked manner?”

“Lucy it is not my fault. Smith loved me and decided to marry me. Everything was Olaedo’s fault. Why did she want to kill her husband?”

“Linda, you are telling lies and you know it. Since the beginning of this challenge, Olaedo has been consistently saying the same thing. But you have been saying lots of things that do not join. Anyway, I want to inform you that Olaedo is dead.”

“It’s a lie.” I exclaimed in shock.

“She died this morning. She had been weeping and torturing herself. The worst was that she was not eating food. That was what caused her death. But you need to know that even as she was dying, she was cursing you. She said her death will mark the beginning of your pain.”

I developed goose bumps all over my body. Sudden fear enveloped me.

About thirty minutes later, Smith came back. Smell of alcohol was oozing from his body. I went near to welcome him but I received a huge shock.