Consequences

Chapter 43

"Mum, I'm not sure I'll have dinner with you and dad." My mother stared at me without saying a word. I knew perhaps she was thinking of what to tell me. My intention was to start a conversation with her in the hope of getting some answers from her.

"I mean, I don't seem to have a very good appetite these days."  She still didn't say any thing, frustrating my efforts. I decided to get up, but just as I was about to do so, she sighed and then asked me a question.

"Tola last night you left the dinner table. Now you say you will not eat. Are we irritating you?" My eyes widened as she asked me that question. I knew with her a quarrel was imminent.

"Mum, I only said I don't have an appetite."

"Is that why you came to sit down beside me?"

"But mum what is wrong if I sit down next to you. Are you not my mum?"

"Is that why you, Tola, came to sit down beside me. Say the truth?" I sighed my frustration in that moment. My one thought was to abandon the idea of wanting to hear from her. But I was surprised when she asked me why I was asking my dad questions.

"Your father called to say you were asking questions. Tola, why do you want to destroy your life over what happened?" My life had no sense and no direction. It was already destroyed and I had no way of understanding how to fix it.

"Mum, my life is already destroyed." I replied

"Do you know what you are saying?"

"Mum, how do I live with a loss I know nothing about? What do I tell people when they ask me?"

"Tola, a lot of people have gone through similar situations. You are not the first."

"I know, but at least I have a right to know what really happened and why I was chosen to go through this?"

"Who told you you were chosen?"

"Then why was my wedding fixed so quickly?"

"That should be the least of your problems now."
"And why?" I asked

"Because it's what you wanted, Tola. And even if your father and I decided against it, you wouldn't have agreed."

"Mum you haven't answered my question."

"Tola, what else do I have to say?"

"Mum! I am asking you a question!" I shouted. The next thing I knew, she slapped me hard.

"Tola, how dare you insult me! Who do you think you are to shout at me like that?!" I tried to apologize but I had set her on fire. She kept shouting and shouting.

"What is the matter with you?! You are told to forget these things and you keep asking questions, why?!

"Mum, I have a right to ask questions." I tried to explain.

"And what right do you have, let me know?" I kept quiet still rubbing my jaws from the slap she gave me.

"Tola, answer my question because any how you want am, naim I go give you, today!" She got up and the next thing I knew she took her phone and had started dialing a number.

"Let me call your father and tell him that before he comes back, maybe one of us will end up in the hospital."  She was angry  and her breathing intensified. This meant she had taken her anger to the next level, like she was being propelled to challenge something-perhaps something she couldn't do in the past.

If there was a story behind her anger, I had to believe it was a sad and painful one. I looked at her as she struggled to dial the number.  Minutes passed and she was still struggling to dial the number. I sighed and got up and went over to her and took her hand.