Must Read: My Husband

7 years ago

Must Read: My Husband

Janet schooled in Ibadan,while her parents and her younger
sister lived in Lagos.Jacob also had his company headquarters
in Lagos,they had a branch in Ibadan,he visited Jane constantly
in school,took her out and showered gifts on her,he could say
with all honesty that he was in love with his girlfriend.He got
attracted to her from the first day,to hell with who ever said love
at first sight doesn’t exist.His only fear was his mother,because
she had insisted he marry from their class-the rich circle-she
had introduced many ladies to him,most of them were
beautiful,but had nothing upstairs.
But Janet captivated him,she spoke fluent english,she was
smart,intelligent and had a great body,so what else?

He had not been able to take the bold step to introduce Janet to
his mother,even though the woman had insisted he brought
home his girlfriendJacob was of mixed parentage,his father was
from Jamaica,and his mother a yoruba woman.Even his elder sis
Jackie had wanted to meet her.After so much persuassion,he
agreed to bring her over,one of the weekends.

Mrs Funmilayo Smiths was Jacobs mother,she lived with her
children in their family estate in Ikoyi,her husband John Smith
lived in Jamaica.She was a successful woman,she was a
professional Carterer,and she loved cooking.
Being Yoruba,she taught her children Yoruba language,though
they rarely speak it in Public.Jacob had informed her that his
girlfriend would be having Lunch with them in the afternoon.

It was quarter to one on the wall clock,she was reading her
favourite magazine-Every Woman,in her room.There was a
knock,it was their househelp Ruth.
”Come in”she answered
”Madam,small oga and one fine madam don come o” Ruth said.

”Serve them juice,tell Jacob,i’ll be with them soon”
Ruth was still standing by the door,
”What are you waiting for enhen”
”No o,i just wan ask you whether to serve them oga with glass”
”Okay,pour the juice on my hand and serve them,silly girl”she
snapped.
”But Madam….i……come to….”
”Just shut your mouth,serve them juice in a glass,and get
away!”she waved her away,and Ruth left.
She arranged her hair,looked in the mirror and went to the sitting
room.

Jacob and Janet did not see her come in,she coughed to indicate
her prescence.Jacob stood up and hugged his mother.
”Good afternoon mum”he drawled.
”Good afternoon dear,how are you”she said
”Am fine and you”she sat on the couch opposite theirs.
Jacob now sat beside Janet,”Mum,meet my girlfriend Janet”he
smiled at his mother.
”Good afternoon ma”Janet said curtly.
”Is she the one”she spoke straight faced.
”yes,she is,isn’t she beautiful”Jacob smiled.
Janet glanced at him,why was he always smiling,the man sure
had a thing for smiling.

”She is,i can see” looking awkwardly at Janet,she asked the
question on Jacobs mind.
”Who are your parents”
Janet wasn’t expecting that,
”Mr and Mrs Odenuga”Janet answered quickly.
”Odenuga?…. Odenuga?…Ode..nu…ga’ she repeated,strange
name,so who are they in this country,i mean what position do
they hold” she said standing up.
”Mum,you can’t ask her such questions”
”Ok,i can’t ask her that? Why? Or…do you want to answer for
her? She eyed him,’ Now,speak up,who are your roots in this
country?’ she almost shouted.
”My mum is a designer and my dad is a Lawyer”
”Good,is your dad a SAN”
”No”
”Lawyer Odenuga?never heard of that name.Son! What is this
you have brought home,i am highly disappointed in you” she
hissed and walked out.

”Mum,that’s not fair”,Jacob screamed after his mother.
”Look Janet,i’ll talk to her” he spoke calmly holding her hands.
”Jacob please take me out of this place”she was shaking and
sobbed quietly.
”I will,please calm down”
Janet gazed vaguely out of the window,her emotions were
throbbing,she had just been rejected by the mother of the man
she loved.Although Jacob had called to apologize,she still felt
sore,she wasn’t expecting the blow she received.Jacob had met
her mother so many times,Jane mother had insisted she brought
home the man who constantly showered her daughter with
gifts,she had been surprised and at the same time excited to
meet Jacob and she gave her consent to the relationship,Janet
sat on the chair by her dressing table,her mother had not
returned from work.her door was open,her younger sis came in.

”Would you like me to keep you company big sis”she was
already sitting on the bed.

”Even if i mind your company,you have already jumped the gun”
Janet said looking gloomy
”Just as i expected,since you came back this afternoon,you
haven’t spoken a simple sentence in this house”Hannah asked
”Huh….well…you know…”Jane stammered.

”Now you see,just cut it big sis,whats troubling you,when did
you become a stammerer”
Janet stood up,”I dnt know what to say,i just dont know how to
start it”
”Just say it anyhow,am all ears”
”Fine,Jacob asked me to Lunch with his mother this
afternoon,pause,hmmm and she said she was dissappointed in
his choice of woman,that i was classless”she broke into tears.

Hannah stood up to calm her sister ”You and i know that you are
not classless,so why are you hurting yourself over this”
”I felt humilated this noon”
”Its ok,dinner is ready,stop crying,its all a matter of time,i
believe she’ll come around soon.

”Thanks Hannah”.

Things had been rosy between Jacob and Janet except for the
other day,when his mother had walked out on them in the sitting
room,He still remembered the ugly conversation they had that
night.
”Jacob wo,omo to mu wa losan,is not someone who you should
be seen with” His mum rarely spoke Yoruba this days.
”But why”
”Thats a good question and i’ll explain” she sat upright on her
bed.

”CLASS is an important thing to people in our circle,a man of
authority and class like you,should not stoop low to date
classless ladies,money and class go paripasu,you’re a man of
status,see yourself as one.And again,who are her parents in this
country?what power can they yield?what influence do they have?
what connections do they have? Son,tell me” she sat down
”Janets parents are well to do,her father is a lawyer and her
mum is a designer,as long as they can afford the food they
eat,they are okay mum” Jacob countered
”As far as i am concerned,omo Janet abi ki lo ti pe,ko si ni level
e,and you can’t date her,infact i want you to stop seeing her”
Jacob laughed”Well,thats impossible,i love her and she loves me
too”
”You love her looks,she loves your money,simple! All she wants
is your money,get that into your head boy”she snapped
”Janet is a beautiful lady,she’s smart,and she loves me not my
money”
”Senator Franks daughter is a good girl,i have introduced you to
Sholange,Chief Mrs Kuti’s daughter,and so many more that i
cannot even remember,ki ni mo nba e fa gan,temi lo ma se,you
can’t date that silly and classless girl”
They had argued on and on,until Ruth came in to inform them
that dinner was ready.They had a quiet dinner that night,Jackie
kept looking at both,mother and son during dinner,wondering
what was happening.

After dinner,Jacob had a cool shower and went straight to
bed,though he couldn’t sleep,it was some minutes past
nine,when his phone rang,he checked the caller Id,it was
Janet,he picked the call and placed the phone to his ears…he
wasn’t expecting what he heard.’

‘Whaaattttttt?” he screamed and jumped up.

Janet had called to inform Jacob that her dad just had an
accident on his way back from work,he had been rushed to the
hospital where he was declared clinically dead.Janet wept her
eyes out,her mum and Hannah cried uncontrollably,Jacob was
there to console her,he stood by her all through,he assisted them
in making the burial arrangement,Janet and her mother were
grateful to him.

Two weeks after the death and burial of her beloveth father,well
wishers still trooped in numbers to their house.

Mother and Children were beginning to get hold of their life
again,Jane was planning to go back to school for the last stretch
of her final semester,when their wall came crashing.

It was a bright Monday afternoon,Mrs Odenuga was relaxing in
the sitting room,when two dark men carrying suitcase came
in,she asked them in and offered them water which they turned
down politely,they sat on the couch in the sitting room.

”Good afternoon gentlemen,what can i do for you”she asked
them,
One of them spoke up,
”Good afternoon madam,you’re Mrs Odenuga i believe,we are
from CBT Bank Nigeria,/they brought out their ID card\,Ikoyi
branch.

We share our condolence with you on the demise of your
husband,he paused,we are here to inform you that Lawyer
Odenuga obtained loan from our bank,and is yet to pay back,the
payment date expired three weeks ago,we would have come
earlier,but for the demise of your husband,our customer,we
decided to shift it to this date”
Mrs Odenuga who was relaxed on the couch before,now sat
straight on the edge of her seat.She was surprised,her husband
never informed of any loan,and they didn’t hid things from each
other.

”My husband is not a business man,he is a Lawyer and he didn’t
inform me about this” Her head was throbbing hard.

The man who spoke the other time nodded to his partner to
continue.The other man placed his suitcase on his lap and
opened it,he brought out some papers,he cleared his throat and
started.
”Here Madam,are the documents of the loan which your husband
signed,the loan was obtained for his friend,using your husbands
property-this very house and his car- as collaterals to be
confiscated upon failure to pay,these papers were duly signed by
Lawyer Odenuga.he paused
”The bank has been considerate enough to give you a week
notice to vacate this building with your belongings only,as two
security men have been placed outside to ensure adherence to
this”
The two men stood up at the same time,”Once again,we are
sorry about your husband,we share in your grief,Goodday ma”
they left.
Unknown to them that the woman looking relaxed in her seat had
just fainted………