Episode 17
Diana goes out to see Olive and Mercy seated in the parlour, they ignore her, she leaves them and goes to the kitchen, Mama Tito didnât turn when she entered..
âCan I help you Miss Diana?â
Diana cleans her eyes, clears her throat âMama Tito, where is Mamaâs food?â
âWhy?â
âI want to serve herââ
âWhy?â
âCan you please give me her food so I serve her?â she sniffs
âWhy Miss Diana, you know she wouldnât like that?â
âAnd I know you also wouldnât like that but please, let me, I have to do thisââ
âWho are you trying to impress, Oga Emeka?â
Diana sighs, too much obstacle âNo one, at this moment no oneââ
âI am sorry Miss Diana but I will serve her food, as well as Miss Oliveâs, I will also serve you your food so if you would just go back, I will do it all, thank you. â
Diana stares at her, sighing she turns away leaving the kitchen.
Mama Tito shakes her head, murmuring under her breath, after setting up the food in deep fancy plates, she pauses..
âMama Tito, Mama said I should ask you if you saw her bangle, she left it on the dinning?â a staff walks in asking her from the door
âYes, I do, it is ermâŠokay, tell her I kept it in the room, I will go get itââ
The staff nods leaving, Mama Tito leaves soon after.
Diana comes into the kitchen, she places a tray and the food in the bowls on it, she carries it out, going to the dinning and sets it there, she does the run two to three times..
She smiles when she is done.
Mama Tito pulls out the drawer and takes out the bangle, handing it to her.. as Mercy and olive comes upstairs with her.
âOh thank you Mama Tito, you know it is a very nice gift that Olive bought for me, I was sad to know i lost itâ
âHa Mama, I would have bought another one for you, more than one, different shapes and sizes..â Olive laughs
âNo, this one is precious too, thank you Mama Titoââ Mercy smiles at her
âYou are welcome Maâ
âIs the table set, I think Emeka would be home soonââ
âNo but food is ready, I was about setting the table before you asked for me⊠let me go and do itâ
âOkay, Olive lets go to the dinning while she sets the table, I am so hungryâ
âOkay Mama!!â
They leave the room going downstairs, heading to the dinning when they meet her there,
Diana looks up with a smile on her face, âMama, I have already set the table, please come and eat, everyone pleaseââ
âWelcome Sir, trust you had a good dayââ
âYes Benga, I did..â Emeka alights from the car giving the key to another who enters and drives it to the garage, the head of his security is still standing there
âYou said you wanted to speak to us, I hope there isnât any issue sir, we do our jobs well and makes sure your family is well protected.â
âĂ do know that⊠but I want to discuss another matter with you and I expect that you be discreet, you need to be on top of things when it does happenâ
âWhat will happen sir?â
âLet me explain to youââ
âI will not eat food set by her, clear the table, prepare something elseâ Mercy says
âBut Mama, I didnât cook the food I just served what was already prepared by Mama Tito, if you would just sit down and i would serve you pleaseâ
âI said No, prepare something else, we would wait Mama Titoâ
âI told you not to touch it did I not, I told you she wouldnât like it did I not? See now you are giving me extra work!!â Mama Tito snaps
âI just wanted to help around the house!!ââ Diana sniffs
âWell no one asked you toâ Olive says shaking her head âMama, if you donât want to eat it its fine, we donât have to, we can order out, I will order out, let me go my phone, I hear there is this nice Chinese restaurant around here and they deliver, I am sure Emeka would not mind eating outâ
âNo need for that, Mama Tito would prepare something elseâ she tells her
âThatâs fine Miss Olive, I can prepare something else, Sir Emeka likes homemade food either from me or his mother, I will go prepare itâ Mama Tito nods to her
âBut I just set the table, itâs not as if i poisoned the foodâ Diana blinks back
âWell you never knowâ Olive throws at her blowing her newly coated nails
Diana eyes her âPlease, I am trying to..to..â she trails off
âTo do what, kill us all really? So you can be all by yourself with Emeka?â she laughs
âOlive, I donât like you, you know that, and you donât like me, that well I know but this isnât about you nor me, this is about me and Mama so if you would please take a chill pill that would be fine, itâs just a harmless gesture, its food, food you all were going to eat anyways, I just want to do something around the house instead of sitting down and doing nothing, I want to be useful, I want to be⊠someone other than what you think I am Mama, so this is me trying to help around the house and nothing more, I want to do something moreâ
âHow about you do this really nice gesture Diana, how about you take your things and leave, that would be the nicest thing you would do for meâ Mercy spat
Diana blinks again, Olive smiles âI think that would work for me tooâ
âI canât!!â Diana shakes her head
âExactly, your desire for material things runs so deep it blinds you to sense!!â Mercy throws at her
Diana struggles to blink again, she sniffs âPlease, come sitâ she pulls out the chair, one, two, threeâŠ
âPlease the food is getting cold!â she opens the food and carries a plate, a tear slips from her eyes..
âWhat would you have mama, chicken soup, stew or sauce for your rice?â
Mama walks up to her and flings the plate away, it shatters to the ground⊠Diana gasps, another tear drops âI said I do not want it, do not annoy me Diana, I donât want it, anything you touch gets broken, gets hurt⊠I donât want it so do something nice and leaveâ she points to the door
A few more tears drops, her heart constricts as Mercy continuous to shout on her and tell her what she thinks she is.
Emeka had entered the house, no one noticed, he had been standing there for a few minutes..
He watches the scene, he says nothing.
âI just want toâŠto âŠâ Diana blinks again as she cleans her eyes, she carries another plate, mercy slaps it down
âDrop it, get out!!!â she points to the door
âPlease!!â Diana chokes
âMaybe you should leave Dianaâ Olive joins in, âMaybe till Mama is less upsetâ
She turns away covering her mouth, she bursts out in tears running out, the tears blurring her eyes and she didnât see until she runs into hard chest..
âHey Dee, why are you crying?â Emeka says stiffly, clearing his throat, shushing her
Diana raises up her head seeing him, she covers her face in his chest and cries, mumbling unintelligently between hiccups as she tries to explain,
âSsshh Sshhh!!â he tells her, donât think Emeka, donât feel, donât see, donât let it get to you.., he says to himself, he had never ever liked to see her cry, whenever she was sad he felt pained, but not anymore Diana, not now, not ever. Cry, cry as much as you want, this is not even close to how you made me feel then.. So cry, it suits you well..
âMama, what is going on here?â
âEmeka, what do you think, i donât want her serving food, God knows what she has put in it, I donât know⊠I told her not to and she insistedâ
âMama, itâs just food, no harm in it, you donât have to make her cryââ
âI did nothing to her other than tell her the truth Emeka, I think she is crying out of a guilty conscience or it is just crocodile tears because she saw you!!â
Diana cries increases as he held her,
Emeka sighs, his eyes meets Olive, she smiles at him..he nods..he sighs again raising Dianaâs face away from his shoulders âHey, itâs okay, itâs okay Dee, I am here, I wonât let anyone hurt you anymore okay, okayââ
âI told her, I was sorry, I really am sorry for, everything, for everything, I just want to do something nice.. serve food, try and make amends..I just..justâ she sobs holding unto him
âSssshh shhh its okay Dee, itâs okayâ he kisses her foreheadâŠâCome, â he pulls her with him, dropping his briefcase and going to the dining table, he pulls her down to sit..
He turns to his mother, going to her âMama, it is just food, it is harmless, let her.ââ
âBut Emeka, I do not want it, not from her, you know my stand in this your union, why do you insist on going against me?â she flares up
He takes her hand and places it on his heart âYou see that Mama, you feel that? My heart hurts when she hurts, and when you hurt her like that you hurt meââ
She raises her hands to his face âAnd when you are left and broken and abandoned, I am also like that my son, she isnât good for you, she isnât, look..hereâ she pulls his hand going to Olive âSee herâ she takes Oliveâs hand âShe is a nice girl,. She is nice, she cares about you, she is understanding and I like her, donât you like her? You call her your special friend right? You must like her a lot somewhat. What is wrong with Olive, why go back to a girl who spat you out, what is it Emeka, did she charm you or what?â
âMamaâ he tries to pull his hand away, she doesnât let him, her eyes pulls, she takes Oliveâs hand and places it in his âMarry her, I will give my blessing, but I wonât for Diana. I have watched you break over and over again, I have watched you melt like a candle, I have seen you in your lowest and darkest hoursâŠEmeka, when no one was I have been there so is it a crime to want to protect you from the same pain you took years to come out from?â
âNo Mama, then you will understand if I also protect you from the pain that broke your heartâ he says to her looking into her eyes
âWhat do you mean Emeka?â
He collects himself, damnit âNothing Mama, I am just saying that I know you want to protect me and you mean well, but I want her, I found her again and I do not want to let go, donât you understand? She is my life Mama, Diana is, she is everything and yes she has wronged me, wounded me, casted me away and broke me into pieces when I needed her the most and you have been the one there to pick me upâ he says looking at Diana, she looks up at him, hearing him, listening to him, hearing his pain, her heart constricts, he continues to speak
âBut I love her, loved her for so long that loving another is impossibleâŠââ he stares at Diana, their eyes meet, he turns away looking at his mother âShe is the one I want to marry, the one I want to spend my life with, no one else mamaâŠâ
Olive stares at him, then at Diana, and then back at him, she has a look on her face, her smile wanes out.. was it just her or that felt like it had so much emotion in it.
Mercy sniffs, âYou wonât listen to me, how do I protect you when you do not listen to meâ
âI do, I do Mama, but do you want me to be unhappy forever?â
âI want you to be happy my son!!â she sniffs, wiping away tears
âThen accept her, accept her as my love, my life, my wife, I beg you!!â he pleads, they could hear Diana sniffing
She is silent âMama! Please!!â he repeats
She stares at Diana âAnd if she hurts you again, if she leaves you ruined again, broken, bruised?â
âShe wonât, She loves me!!â
Mercy shakes her head as tears fall, she wipes it âI cannot, I am sorry!!â she pulls away from him, Emeka sighs âOkay, at least let her serve you, if you donât like her because you donât trust her, give her a chance to proof herself, do that for me, please, that is all I ask here Mamaâ
âI donât want her to..ââ
âWhat if I serve you!!â he cleans his motherâs eyes
âYou have tons of staffs for that..â
âDoesnât mean, no matter how rich a man is, he should be able to bend his head and bow to his mother, bend his knee to knee for her and use his hands to carry her when she cannot move, and I am able, rich or not, and I will serve you, I will serve the most important women in my life, starting with you my Queen, come seat and no more tears, not while I am alive, so promise me Mama, you will give her a chance to redeem herself, whatever she wants to do to help around the house, let her, scold her if she is wrong, correct her too, but donât chase her away from me, I will go with herâ
âNo donât say that!!ââ she shakes her head
âOkay then, then allow me be happy with whomever, please, come seatâ he pulls her down.
âMama Tito, please ask them to clear off that mess on the groundâ he tells her as he folds his shirt and rolls it up, he takes off his tie and drops it across the chair, he takes out an handkerchief and wipes his motherâs face, I am sorry Mama, I hope when all this is done you will forgive me, understand why I did this and I let this happen. I am sorry mama, seeing you cry almost made me to quit it, I am so so sorry Mama , he tells himself, he bends and kisses her forehead and her cheeks and places his forehead against hers âI love you Mamaââ
âI love you too my son, but you donât need to serve, you just got back from work. Mama Tito go and..â
He shakes his head smiling âMama Tito, you to seat down, everyone sit, oya!!â he tells Mama Tito pulling out a seat for her, then he goes to Olive,
âYou are playing with fire Emekaâ she whispers looking into his eyes âI pray you donât get burnt, this⊠feels too.. tooââ she lets it trail off
âI wonât, I promise â whispering back
âWhat you said, just now..I felt, no it felt realâ
âAre you jealous?â
She smiles âNo, you know why?â she touches his shirt, touching his face, smiling into his eyes âBecause I know the truth at least a few measure of it, if I didnât know better I would have believed this whole thing was realâŠ, you would make a very good actor Emeka, I would put money on you any day, I only wish..ââ she steps closer, lowering her voice more âI only wish that⊠you could tell me those things too, even if itâs a lie⊠sometimes, a girl wants to feel special, even for a moment, and trust me, you just scored a few points in her book, look at her, look at the way her eyes glowed when you said that, a man who defends his woman is gold in her eyes, maybe it made me a little jealous and it is understandable, why? Because I have the hots for you babe and you know that, but like I said, I know the truth..â she kisses his jaw and walks away..
He smiles cynically, turning.. âOkay so, I am your waiter for this eveningâ he goes to the table and begin to dish and serve âOkay Mama, this is for you, you better finish your food, I am watching you, and you too Olive, you too Mama Titoâ done with them, he dishes a plate for Dee who was sniffing, he seats down beside her, he wipes her tears with his hands, shaking his head âHey Dee, you know I hate to see you cry, here, come hereâ he says pulling her up, he lets her seat on his legs, he takes the spoon, scoops food and takes it to her mouth âEat!ââ
She shakes her head âNo, I am no longer hungryâ she says,
âPlease, see I had to stand up to my mother for you, wonât you eat for me?â
She stares at him âDid you really mean that, all that you said?â
âI will never lieâ he lied
âI didnât realise, what your mother said to me, I didnât realise that was how much I hurt you, I am sorry Emeka, I really am,..all this realizations is weighing me down, Ifeel shame and I am guilty, I am sorry, but you forgave me, without a momentâs thought, you forgave me, what manner of man are you. I am so sorry!!â
The man that would give you t-t for tat âthe man that didnât stop loving you. So enough of that, eat, I have a surprise for youââ
âWhatâ
âEat first!!â
He feeds her, and then he eats.
âI know you must have had a stressful day, let me let youâ Diana says getting up, she begins to clear the plates
âNo, I will do it!!â Mama Tito gets up
âPlease let meââ
âLet her, if she wants to be the maid for us, let her â Olive says smiling
Diana looks up at her, Emeka follows her eyes ââOlive, pleaseââ
âHey, I was just stating the obvious sweetheartââ
âMama Tito, allow her, just help her with itââ
As they leave, His mother turns to him âthis is hard for me to acceptâ
He turns to her, âI know, but accept itâ
Diana walks back to the dinning to gather more used plates, he sees her âAnd pleaseâ he adds, âStop trying to pull me towards Olive, she is my friend, Diana is the one I want to marry, please Mamaââ
Mercy and Olive turn as she carries another plate and leaves, Olive smiles, Mercy turns to him âYou see her but you donât see Olive, you donât give her a chance, you never know what you feel for her if you donât give her a chance, all I am just saying is that before you jump finally to the boat that Diana is paddling, how about letting yourself bask in the bliss of what Olive isââ
He turn to Olive âShe doesnât even like me Mama, she is my friendâ
âThen you are blind!!â
âYes i Ithink he is mamaâ Olive tells his mother, when Emeka and her eyes meets, they smile, a message passing between them.
âWell, whenever that happens, I would be glad to bless it, until then, you say give Diana a chance, fine, but I do not have to be nice to herâ
âFine Mama, thatâs okay, as long as you have agreed, that is great.â
Diana walks back into the parlour âOkay, it is late, I just want to say goodnight to everyone before I go to bedâ
Mercy looks at her, now she isnât fighting to go sleep in Emekaâs room now huh? Wanda!!
Well letâs see how this all plays out, pretence written all over her, Mercy sighs.
Mama Tito answers the telecom and goes to open the door, she comes back baring a small box and a bouquet of flowers âSir?â
Emeka jumps up smiling, he takes it from her âI got you a surprise Dee, seeâ he gives her the box and then the flowers..
âA surprise? What is in it?â
âOpen it and seeââ
She does so, itâs a diamond ring, and she gasps.
âSo that you donât have any doubt. Diana Nkenchiorââ he takes the ring and goes on his knees âWill you marry me?â
Mercyâs mouth drops to the floor, Olive is indifferent.
Diana stares at him, and then at them, speechless, a moment ago she would have jumped at this, but now, something was different, she looks at his mother.
âIf Mama would accept me I will, if she wouldnât then I wonâtâ
Emeka turns to his mother âMama, donât let your son remain on his knee forever, see what you have caused? So please give your blessings Mamaâ
Mercy shakes her head [leading with her eyes âEmeka?â
âMama!â
âOlive?â she points to her
âMama please donât ruin this mama, donât ruin this, give you consentââ
She blinks back tears. if she says no, Diana, will she really back away? That is all that she wants, for her to back away from her son, but then again, would her son ever forgive her if truly he loves her?
Torn, she stares at him.. God, please, help my son, change his heart if she is all wrong for him, please, ..
âMama, whatever you decision is, I will stand by it, I promise!!â Diana states, Emeka looks at her, okay, he didnât expect this at all.
âI do not give me consent Diana.., but, if this is what my son wants, I will only do what a mother would do, let him, but like a watch dog I will protect him.â She pauses and continuous painfully ââmy son has asked you a questionââ she turns away
Diana looks at him, a smile breaking out âYes I will marry you!!â
With a the most fake smile he could muster he slips the ring into her finger and gets up hugging her, avoiding the kiss she wanted to give him⊠he kisses her forehead instead.
âMama, I think we have an engagement to plan, yes?â he laughs.
Diana is looking at her diamond ring, she is smilingâŠ
Now, she was even stupid to think she would leave Emeka, look at those diamonds..
He was thinking really hard, staring away when she calls his name..
âGoodnight Emeka, goodnight Mama,â she says walking a way.
Does he ask her to come to the room or let her, would it matter?
Mercy watches her walk away, she looks at Emeka and wondering why he isnât stopping her⊠she says nothing, she turns to Olive, who is watching Emeka too. She gets up..
âGoodnight my son!!â she kisses his face and leaves, tomorrow, she would makes sense of what is going on, something didnât seem right.
When she was out of ear reach, Olive comes to him âAre you okay?â
âYes!!â he says breaking away from his thoughts
âWhat happened in there, in your room, before you left this morning?â
âNothing!!ââ
âYou are lying!!â
âYou know me wellââ
âNot enough but a bit,. You donât want to talk to me?â
âI do, I just, it was a momentary guards down, I wonât let it happen again, â
She nods âYou really donât have any feelings for her right?â
âI donât!!â
âCust making sure! Come, letâs go sleep!!â she pulls him up and they go to the room
âYou want me to help you relax?â she says touching him, he shakes his head âNo!!â
âYou not pushing me away are you?â
He stares at her ââNo!! I just want to⊠sleep thatâs allâ
âOkay!!â she pulls away.. he grabs her, pulls her back âThank you Olive, you didnât have to help but you did, thank youâ
âFor you, any timeââ she leans in on tiptoe and kisses him full on his lips, he kisses her back, but his mind wasnât in it, she notices
âMaybe when you are well rested, I am just a arm stretch away, get into bed champ, you have to rest your mind for whatâs to comeââ
She pulls him to the bed, and climbs in beside him; he lies there, with her in his arms.
Soon she drifts to sleep; he doesnât, not for a very long time.
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