So Not Love

Episode 25

VICTORIA’S POV
Well, I was surprised when Chris had proposed to me. I found myself screaming yes several times just the way I had imagined that I would want to react when a man whom I loved and also felt the same for me finally popped the big question. His plan was to relocate to the U.S. with me and start a new family after our wedding but when he mentioned going to see my parents, the joy in me slowly desipitated. I wasn’t ready to meet them after all they had done to me, at least not yet. After much talking, pleading and compelling, I finally decided to take him to my parents whom I hadn’t seen for months. We picked a Saturday afternoon and when we drove into my parents’ compound, we found my mum at the side of the house, watering her ugu (vegetable) which had a very large seed at the center of the mass of leaves.

In confusion, she turned to look at us, wondering whom the owner of the car was. When I stepped out of the car and her eyes settled on me. Her mouth dropped open and the bowl of water fell from her hand as she gaped at me in disbelief.
“Mama…” I called, a little feebly. I felt so guilty seeing how she had lost some weight and I knew that Daniel has disengaged all ties with them.

“Adanna…” She uttered. “Is that you?” She gave me a look, as if unsure if her eyes were playing tricks on her.
“It’s me, Mama.” I said.
She carefully came towards me then felt around my body and face in awe. “Adanna, is this really you?!”
“Mama, I’m the one.” I yet again answered and she suddenly wailed, throwing her hands up to the sky. She began to sob and thank God as she sank down to her knees, rubbing her palms together at intervals as she spewed thanks to God for my return. Tears streamed down her face and I felt so much empathy towards her. This woman might have made a lot of bad decisions concerning my life, but she was still my mother. When she had given enough thanks, she rose to her feet and ushered us to sit on the bench in front of the house.
My brother who was just walking into the compound, slowed down when he saw the car but when his eyes settled on us, he immediately smiled and broke into a run to meet me. He was so happy to see me that I rose to receive his tight hug. When we finally separated, I asked my mother, “Mama, where’s papa?”

“He went to play lotto. He has been gambling ever since Daniel left us, hoping that he would win a big sum of money. Bia,” she beckoned to my brother. “Drop that keg of kerosene on the ground and go and call your father!”

My brother eagerly obeyed and hurried off to fetch my father when I noticed that I hadn’t seen my sister, I asked, “Mama, is Linda not at home?”
My mother heaved a sigh and said forlornly. “We haven’t seen your sister for the past seven months now ever since she ran away from Daniel’s house.”

I gave a confused frown. “Daniel’s house? Why was she at Daniel’s house, Mama?”
My mother sighed again and lowered her head in what I perceived to be shame and regret. Soon, she began to cry again, unable to tell me why my sister had been at my ex husband’s house in the first place. My father arrived and was surprised to see me. I rose to greet him and he welcome me better than I had expected. He asked us all to go in and there, my parents apologized to me about everything they had caused and how they had turned a blind eye to my plight. When I finally Introduced Chris to them as my fiance, they were glad, especially my mother. She quickly went to the kitchen to prepare some food for us. While my father discussed with Chris, I drew my brother aside and asked him to tell me what had happened to Linda. He narrated the whole ordeal to me and told me that he was actually communicating with Linda and that she was only hiding out in school, scared of my parents’ wrath and also scared of being arrested by Daniel and I put it to myself to give her a call and assured her to come back home.

Anyway, as the months flew by, Chris and I made preparations for our wedding. I moved my parents out of the old house and bought them a new one where they could live comfortably and have their personal cars for their own use. Chris and I eventually got married eight months later. We relocated to the U.S. almost immediately to continue our honeymoon. Finally, I knew how it felt to be in a happy marriage and I looked forward to seeing my husband everyday after work unlike Daniel whose return for work I always dreaded. I enjoyed my sex life and Chris never asked me to do anything out of the ordinary. I had my orgasms anytime we had sex and the thought of it always made me anticipate our next sex. I was happy, I earned my own money, my husband was great and finally, I got pregnant just a few months after our wedding. I wouldn’t have asked for more.