Immediately Eric’s mum came in, she noticed that Itohan was crying. She demanded to know what the matter was but Itohan could not say anything. She has to turn to his son.

” Eric, what is the matter?” She asked.

“Mummy, she is pregnant, ” Eric answered.

“Who is she pregnant for?”

“It’s for me.” Eric answered.

“It’s that why you are crying? Didn’t you plan to give birth for my son?” She asked Itohan with smiles.

“Iye, the challenge is my bride price
Eric said that she is not performing any marriage rite now,” Itohan explained with tears.

“Is it to have a happy marriage that is important to you or payment of bride price?” Iye asked Itohan.

Itohan could not believe what she heard.. But she managed to say, ” Iye, both are important. Please try and talk to Eric.”

“What exactly do you want me to tell him,” Iye asked.

“I want him to pay my bride price so that we
can plan for our traditional wedding.”

“My daughter, let me advise you. You can’t be searching for two things at the same time. You have gotten marriage, concentrate on it and leave frivolities,” Iye advised.

“Iye, are you saying that payment of my bride price is a frivolity?” Itohan asked in wonder.

” With your condition, the answer is yes. If you know that payment of your bride price is important, why did you get pregnant?” Iye snapped.

Itohan bent her head and tears poured down like rain.

“There is no need crying over spilt milk. You should be happy that Eric accepted the pregnancy. Though, I would not allow him to deny the pregnancy even if he doesn’t want to marry you. I need my grandchild. He accepted the pregnancy and accepted to marry you too. You have to celebrate, ” Iye told Itohan.

“Ha! I have suffered” Itohan murmured to herself.

“But Iye, I didn’t force myself on Eric. He was the one that indicated his interest to marry me.,” Itohan explained in tears.

“See this girl. Forget about that thing. I am a woman like you. I understand everything. You quickly got pregnant so that you can use it to trap him. You were thinking that he will disappoint you.” Iye said with laughter.

“Iye it’s not like that. I can’t do such thing. I am a child of God.” Itohan trued to defend herself

” Is there anybody that is a child of Satan? You are child of God and you got pregnant before marriage. Don’t worry yourself. The most important thing is that we have accepted you into the family. Eric will get motor to pack your load so that you will come to my house.”

“Iye, did you say that I am coming to your house?” Itohan asked because she was not sure of what she heard.

“Yes. You will live with me until you give birth.”

Itohan looked at Eric, expecting him to counter what his mum said but he looked away.

“Let me go and greet my daughter. I will be back,” Iye told them as she rose to leave.

As soon as Iye was out of view, Itohan turned and faced Eric in anger

“Eric what exactly is going on?”

“I don’t understand your question,” Eric answered in a non challant manner.

“You heard your mum saying that I am coming to stay in her house, but you didn’t say anything.”

“It that why you are shouting? What is wrong with living with your mother in law?” Eric asked in an angry tone.

“Eric you are unbelievable. You want your new bride to go and live with your mother. Who will live with you?”

“You are not a new bride. You are a pregnant woman,” Eric snapped.

” My dear please. Don’t do this to me. I need to live with you. Remember that we love each other,” Itohan begged in tears.

“It’s a lie. You don’t love me. If you do, you will also love my family members. If you love me, you will also love my mother. Many wives are begging their husband to allow them live with their mother inlaw. That is what is called true love.”

When Itohan saw the way things were going, she turned to prayer mood.

Any power that want to scatter my marriage, I bind it in the name of Jesus!” Itohan prayed.

Eric busted out in laughter

“This lady you are very funny. You are not even married yet , you are saying that powers want to scatter your marriage. Be a wise woman and build your home. Don’t scatter it with your hands.”

Itohan became confused momentarily. Tears kept flowing from her eyes.

“I.T stop this tears. I don’t like it. Stop playing victim. Cheer up so that we can talk of when to move your things to mum’s house.”

“You are the one that I am getting married to, not your mum. I am moving into your house.” Itohan said firmly.

“Really! You want to dare me. Let’s see how it goes.

Itohan left Eric’s house and decided to go and meet her elder sister. She felt that she might be able to make Eric do the right thing.

Ese was surprised to see Itohan enter his shop with tears. She consoled her and tried to find out what the matter was.

“Aunty, I am pregnant for Eric but he doesn’t want to pay my bride Price. Another is that he is saying that I will live in Iye’s house not his own” Itohan narrated.

Ese shook her head sadly,” my dear, I understand how you feel. The greatest challenge is that you are already pregnant. If you are still playing hard to get, Eric will do your bidding. But at this point, he may not mind you. I will advise that you move in first. When you are already in, you can start fighting for your right. If you try to prove sturbbon now, he might abandon you and this pregnancy.”

“Aunty Eric has changed. I don’t know what is going on,” Itohan lamented.

“Who told you that Eric changed? What do you know about him before now?” Aunty Ese asked.

“But he was so nice to me.”

” No matter how he pretended, you might have seen done red flags. May be you chose to ignore it. Many men try to pretend in courtship. Eric is just welcoming you to marriage.”

“Aunty what do you advise that I should do? I don’t want to live with Iye.”

“My dear, I will advise that you should not dare Eric. He can spring up negative surprises at any time. If you really want to marry him, then move in as soon as possible” Aunty Ese advised.

“God! This is not what I wished for,” Itohan cried.

Watch out for the next episode.