Commit or Quit

‘Get out of my son’s house, girl!’ Aunty Abey wailed.

It happened too fast. Aunty Abey was cursing from the other end of the phone. She had asked to speak with Temilade but Temilade was not interested. Pastor Tade seized Temilade’s phone because he said she was not paying attention to Aunty Abey. ‘Disrespectful idiot!’ That was what he called her and snatched the phone from her. The phone dropped to the ground.

‘My love, you would get me a new phone if that one gets bad!’ standing up to get back her phone from him in a rush. In anger, Pastor Tade smashed the phone twice against the wall of the bedroom.

‘You think I don’t know what you’re doing?’ he asked as he picked the dismantled black Nokia 6208 classic. He pulled out the sim and memory card from the phone and chewed both of them to Temilade’s amazement. ‘Go and ask people about me, I was a dada!’ he announced with anger in his eyes. Temilade could only laugh. You sure know when someone laughs out of frustration but pretends they know what to do when in reality they have no clue, right? That was the case here. She could not hold back herself when she thought of her family and friends who would try to reach out to her.

‘Tade, you really need help,’ she called out and walked back to the bed. She laid down, pretending to be asleep. She wanted to end it all. The fights were becoming a daily occurrence, getting under her skin and she was beginning to consider fighting back. Her heart raced as she laid mute on the bed, praying that she could sleep off immediately and not hear all the very hurtful things he was saying.

A call came through for him. At least, that got him quiet for a few seconds. ‘She dey tell me say I need help o!’ he told the caller and Temilade knew it was Aunty Abey. She lived in the United Kingdom but was in charge of their every move in West Africa. He put the phone on hands-free and Temilade could hear her.

‘E dey pain me say she still get mouth, motherfucker!’ she cursed. She spoke about how shameless she thought Temilade was and what a mistake Tade made to have married her. ‘Give her the phone make I talk to her’, she asked but Pastor Tade would not. He told her Temilade could hear and that she was not going to take the phone. However, the reality was that he was worried over what Temilade could do to his phone given the circumstances at hand. ‘Temilade, I regret allowing Tade get married to you. It is so sad because I warned him about women from your place. You have given us no child but trouble…’ To her surprise, Temilade was not quiet as usual.

‘It is your son that has the problem not me and…’

‘Shut up!’ Pastor Tade and Aunty Abey roared simultaneously.

‘My aunt is talking and you are talking, shameless thing!’ he interjected.

‘That’s how she was trained! E mother no train am well!’ She said hurting things and Temilade could only listen in silence. Pastor Tade spoke about how he caught Temilade recording their conversation.

‘I was not record…’ they would not let her speak and soon, Pastor Tade was holding Temilade by the mouth to keep quiet. She fought to be free from his grip but he was stronger. He held her too tightly as she tried to break free. The harder she tried, the firmer his grip became. Now he was holding her hands with one hand and his other hand covered her mouth and nostril. Temilade struggled for air. She bit his hand and immediately, he let her go and let out a loud moan.

‘Tade, wetin?’ Aunty Abey called.

‘Aunty, she bite me o!’

‘Oti di aja!‘ That is, ‘she has become a dog’ in Yoruba. ‘It’s okay, please leave my son! Tade, drive her commot for that house, abeg. E don do!’ she commanded and Pastor Tade walked to Temilade. She ran to the corner of the room where she could defend herself, holding on to anything she could lay hold on as he dragged her. ‘Drag her out like the dog she is!’ Aunty Abey yelled.

Pastor Tade didn’t believe Temilade could fight back that fierce. She screamed, cried, used her fingernails, feet and teeth. ‘I built this house, Tade. What you’re doing is wrong, Jesus!’ She fought like a mad woman. Aunty Abey was still talking, asking Pastor Tade to kick her out. ‘So because you have no husband Aunty Abey, you want to make him like you, abi? My love, wake up!’ He dragged her down the stairs. This time, she followed carefully for she feared what might happen if she fought down the stairs and she saw Kunle, the teenager, looking at her.

‘Kunle, open the door for this girl!’ he called. Kunle ran and unlocked the door.

She put both hands on the different sides of the door. ‘My love, please allow me say something,’ she was shaking violently and she began to cry. But Pastor Tade’s mind was made up and Aunty Abey was still encouraging him to kick her out.

‘Temilade, I’m done!’ She could see bitterness in his eyes. He pushed her out of the house and secured the locks immediately.

‘No! Tade, open this door,’ she screamed hitting the door hard but there was no response. Bathed in pain and frustration, she raised her eyes to the heavens and muttered, ‘God, why me? I cannot end like this!’ She thought about her family, the church and the women who looked up to her for counsel. A mosquito bit her on her left arm and then she realized she was almost naked. Her pink net nightie was torn and her upper body was exposed. ‘God, Kunle saw my nakedness!’ she sat down on the rocky floor and wept. This tears were not for the physical pain she felt. They were for the humiliation he took her through.

Who would come to save her now? She couldn’t make a phone call for she had no phone. She couldn’t go anywhere for she was naked and it was already dead in the night. Her bare feet reminded her that she was confined to the entrance of her home. The place she called home in the last 5 years. Soon, she heard arguments. Pastor Tade was in a heated argument with somebody. Maybe he had come to his senses and disagrees with Aunty Abey that they should leave her outside. She stood up.

‘He would open the door soon and apologize for all the wrong and all would be well. He would go on his knees and beg for my forgiveness. God heard my cry and touched him. We would start all over without the interference of Aunty Abey. She would no longer have any power over him. Yes, I knew Tade was not a bad man. It must be the way I cried. He cannot imagine me, the wife of his youth, outside the house we built together, almost naked in the dead of the night. He would soon open up. I can hear him say something like, don’t call me again! Good, she should not call him again! He is coming. I hear footsteps…’ A voice called from behind.

‘Nwanyi Oma, wetin dey happen?’ It was Rev. Ebuka.

***

‘Man of God, please let her go with you tonight until she is willing to go back to her parents, period!’ Bishop Tade gave his final submission. ‘I have spoken to her parents and they are expecting her. Abeg, marriage no be by force!’ he stood up, walked upstairs with Kunle and came back with her bags.

‘Mama, please just follow me,’ Rev Ebuka persuaded Temilade who was not willing to leave.

‘Abeg, beg her for me. Marriage no be by force oooo! I no dey do again,’ laughing, Pastor Tade carefully moved the last box down. Rev. Ebuka’s phone rang. It was Elder Bamiloye, Temilade’s father. He wanted Rev. Ebuka to take Temilade with him until she could travel home. He said that Pastor Tade had called and said he wanted Temilade out of his house. He was so hurt he was stuttering. He told Temilade that he still loved her and that he was not disappointed in her anymore. Rev. Ebuka pulled a cloth, hanging out of the bags Pastor Tade brought down and wrapped it around Temilade.

The emotions were so powerful they choked Temilade. Gasping for air, she muttered, ‘I’d go with you, sir.’

As they drove to Rev Ebuka’s residence, the silence in the car spoke of so many uncertainties. For Rev. Ebuka, he wondered what Mama Can Do’s reaction was going to be when she sees Temilade in her house at 2am, how much time he was going to spend trying to make her understand and if she ever would. For Temilade, it was obvious; what was going to become of her. Was this the end to her life’s greatest misfortune or the beginning of an unending emptiness?

To be continued…

 

Commit or Quit

Sometimes, you have to give up to go up! Valorie Burton

As we bring Temilade Series – Friday Night Season 1 to an end, I would like to encourage you with just a few words.

Make your dream a priority and be intentional about putting in ALL it takes to get it! Commit to it. Don’t be afraid to quit from whatever frustrates the commitment required to reach your dreams.

Let the Holy Spirit guide you.

If you ever feel like anything threatens your existence and you need help, please reach out to me. I’m sure God can use me to be of help.

Love

Jace