Itohan was thrown into another round of mourning as she discovered that her hopes has crumbled. She locked herself inside the room all evening

She tried to call Zina on phone but she refused to take her call. The next day, she still tried to do her morning chores and other things she was doing for her mother in law. But she was moody all day. On the 3rd day she became fed up with everything that was happening around her.

In the morning, her mother in law expected her to give her water to birth and also cook for her but she was not forthcoming.
She went to knock on the door. Itohan opened the door slowly and greeted her.

“Good morning ma.”

“So you know that it is morning? I thought it is still evening for you.Why did you not come out to do your chores?” her mother in law queried her in anger.

“I am not feeling too well ma. I’m having headache,” she lied.

“So because of ordinary headache, you cannot prepare breakfast. Even to give me water to have my bathe has become a problem. Are you sure that this journey will work?”

” But Iye, I just told you that I am having headache. You also know my condition,” Itohan told her.

“What nonsense condition are you talking about? Are you the first pregnant woman in the world. When I was pregnant, I used to wake up by 4am to cook for mother inlaw. Why would your case be different?”

“Iye did you say your mother in law?”

“Yes. Is there any problem with that?”

“But you told me that your mother in law died before you got married to your husband,” Itohan reminded her.

“Are you calling me a liar,?” She asked in anger and started weeping.

Itohan was wondering what happened that warranted the weeping. Almost immediately, She picked phone and called Eric. He was surprised to hear her mother crying.

“Mummy what is the matter. How is Itohan?” He asked in agitation.

“Instead of you to ask of your mother, you are asking of that wicked girl,” She blasted Eric

“Mummy what is the matter?”

“Itohan want to kill me o,” She cried.

“Iye, what is the matter?”

“What do you mean by what is the matter? Have I not answered you?” She retorted in anger.

“Iye please allow Itohan to breathe. It is too early for drama, ” Eric cautioned

“Eric, is this what you are telling your mother? I that carried you in my womb. Normal pregnancies last for 9 months but I carried you for 10 months. Now you are supporting Itohan to beat me. Itohan has charmed my son,” she accused.

“Iye, it is okay,” Eric pleaded

“It is not okay. You and Itohan want to kill me o.”

Eric angrily ended the phone call.

Itohan was shaking in fear as she overhead everything her mother inlaw was saying.

“So Eric has ended this phone call. Let me call my daughter,” Mama said aloud.

Itohan ran to her to beg her.

“Iye please forgive me. It’s too early for us to quarell. I will do the things that you want me to do.”

“Don’t beg me. You want to show me that you are wise. You are growing wings in my house. I will cut it.”

“But Iye, I told you that I was having headache. I cannot disobey you.”

“Is headache enough reason not to do morning chores?”

“No ma. I have learnt my lessons. I won’t allow that to happen again” she knelt down and was shedding tears.

“It’s okay. I will forgive you. I don’t want you to feel that I hate you. Go to the kitchen and prepare pounded yam for me. Yam is in the kitchen. At the back of the door, you will see the big morter and pestle.”

As Itohan was pounding the yam, Eric came in. He was angry when he met Itohan pounding yam. He collected the pestle from her and start the pounding.

His mother came out from her room and saw him and become very angry.

“Eric what are you doing? You are pounding yam and a woman is watching. Abormination!”

Eric continued doing what he was doing without minding her.
Eric’s action made her so angry. She went to drag the pestle from him.

“Iye remove your hand from this pestle. Allow me to pound the yam,” Eric said in anger.

“No you will not pound it. Pounding of yam is the work of a wife. If truly she want to be a wife in this family, she has to do it,” Mama said firmly.

“Mummy but you have a yam pounder. Why did you tell her to be pounding with morter?”

“The one pounded with morter is the best. I don’t like yam that is prepared with the yam pounder”

” Really! Even when you know that she is pregnant. Iye this is wickedness and you know it. You just want to punish Itohan. I don’t know your reason.”

“Oh , so I am the one punishing her? You that abandoned her here did not punish her. I don’t blame you.” Iye retorted angrily.

“Iye, is that what you are saying? Okay, she is leaving your house at this moment.”

His mother laughed.” No problem you want to carry her so that you can prove that you did not abandon her. She will soon run back to me but I will not accept her,” She threatened.

Eric dropped his phone beside Itohan as he was trying to arrange Itohan’s bag for them to go. A What’sApp message from Zina popped up and Itohan read it.

“Eric You don’t want to pay me. If you keep dribbling me, I will tell Itohan everything that I know about you . Don’t dare me.”

Itohan’s body shook involuntarily as she thought about what Zina could be talking about.