Trials Of Teenhood

Who's The Bad Guy?

                       ** SOPHIA **

The room went silent after Sophia's expressive announcement.
Mrs Sharon balanced on the sofa and tried speaking but her husband took the lead.

"Look here, young lady." He spoke calmly but sternly.

"Now you stop all this charade and go to your room. You'd be traveling to the US in a few months and that's final."

Sophia eyes were teary, her voice shaky as she  expressed her disapproval.
"You don't own me, I can decide for myself. For goodness sake I'm 19!"
She screamed out furiously.

Mrs Sharon stood up  and walked to her daughter.
She said softly, trying to ease the tension.

"Sweety, enough okay, you aren't going anywhere. Your dad and I were just tossing around ideas. So don't you worry."
She placed both hands on her daughters cheek but Sophia pulled away from her in anger.

"His mind sounds pretty made up." She snorted.

"Oh, you right it is." Mr Maurice said harshly.
Nodding his head gently, he walked closer to her and continued.

"Young lady, you are going. Whether you agree or not. I don't care, even if I have to drag you there myself."

"Dele that's enough!!" Mrs Sharon screamed out angrily, shooting her husband a mean stare.

"Now, let me set one thing straight.  No one's forcing any one to do anything. If Sophia says she isn't going, then she isn't."
She shot her husband a look that made him return to the chair.

Mrs Sharon made another attempt to approach her daughter and this time she was able to. 

"So there. You heard me right. You don't have to go if you don't want to." She smiled softly as she explained.

Corey stood near the staircase and watched as their little family drama winded down.

"Go to your room okay." Mrs Sharon said as she walked with her daughter towards the stairs then watched her climb up the stairs with Corey following behind.

After both children returned to their rooms, she turned back to her husband with a glare.

She hissed softly as he avoided eye contact with her.

If there was one thing Mr Maurice feared, it was his wife. He tried as much as possible to avoid getting her upset.

He turned, facing her, realizing he had to quench his wife's temper.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean to -"

"To what Dele?" She asked.

He tried replying but couldn't find the right words.

His wife sighed in frustration and concluded in a sad tone.

"Dele, if you really want to do your best as a father, you need to start loving this children the way they are Instead of forcing them to be something else."

She raised a hand to her forehead  and the other rested on her waist. Stressed out by her husband display of immaturity, she hissed and withdrew to their room leaving Mr Maurice all alone in the sitting room.

He sat there, silent for a long while as he thought about what his wife had said then suddenly threw his hands on his laps dramatically thinking out loud.

"I said you'd be moving to the US and you are complaining? Opportunities that millions are praying for!" 

He grimaced as he slid his palms on his laps.
"Haa Sharon ti ba awon omo yi je."