Mmesoma's Dilemma - Episode 4

 

It had been 5 minutes since my revelation and he was so quiet. I had already given up on my HIV line working out when he screamed.

"What?!" he looked so shocked and horrified as he stood up and began to pace, running his palm through his hair. I wanted to laugh at him but I did not, instead, I sat there looking really sad and scared

"I knew you were not keeping yourself until marriage, I mean you dated my brother, but I did not think you would be so fucking dumb to actually get AIDS, you might as well have become pregnant!" he screamed.

Wawuu! So he knew about Tobe and I and he still agreed to marry me? This guy was seriously mad. Thank God, I had not used Tobe as an excuse to back out of the marriage o, he would have just laughed at me because whatever Tobe and I had would not matter to him; I was his wife after all.

His loud voice brought everyone out of the house . I stood up, maintaining my sad face. I wondered what could happen next; I prayed that the Chibueze's would storm off insisting that their son could not marry me and then end the marriage plans quietly to prevent embarrassing both families.

Dear God, please let this work, let them get their wife elsewhere.

"Afam! What is the matter?" his mother asked when they all reached us, only the parents had come to the gazebo, I could see our siblings watching us from the front of the house, they were wise to maintain a respectable distance because the drama was about to start.

"She is HIV positive", he blurted out in response.

"What?!" our mothers screamed in unison.

Our fathers stood in shock, looking pale and refusing to believe that this was happening.

"Obim, my son, that is not true, people just want to prevent good things from happening between our families, my daughter Mmesoma cannot be HIV positive, I mean, look at her", my mother said as she grabbed my arm and waved it in his face.

I cringed when I saw the disgusted look he gave me. I looked at my father again and his mouth was moving but no words were coming out.

"Aunty! I wish this were a rumor but she told me this herself.

Read " Coming of Age " by the same author ( Eboseremen )

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/mmesoma-s-dilemma

. Ask her na?" he said, automatically making me the center of attention.

I looked at my feet while trying to detach arm from my mother's arm.

"Meso, is what he is saying true? Did you say you are HIV positive?" my mother asked.

I did not know how to answer since my foolish self did not plan ahead, now my brain was not giving me any answers. Which kind wahala be this one na?

“Look at me!” she yelled.

I looked up to find myself looking straight into her eyes.

"Mmesoma! You better answer me before I give you a destiny resetting slap!" she threatened.

Ahh! I am dead!

Things are really flying out of hand o. What will I do now? If my mother says she will slap you, she definitely will, except of course you can dodge her in time. Right now, it was looking as if I would chop hot slap very soon.

Meso think na, think.

Suddenly my mother let go of me and began clapping and laughing.

Ahhh! I hope this woman has not run mad o.

"You think you are smart ehn! You are not serious o! I know you are not HIV positive. How? When? Where will HIV come from and enter your body?" she was screaming at me and I was walking backwards, looking for an exit route.

"Uju, we would call you later, we all need to go home and you need to take your daughter for an HIV test, I believe she is lying", Mrs Chibueze said to my mom.

Then turning to me she added "Mmesoma, my generation perfected the art of evading marriage, I am sure that this is just a plan to not marry Afam, but I am telling you that it will not work", then she walked away.

I watched in silence and slight shock as the Chibueze's piled into their car and left the premises. Immediately our gateman locked our gate, I immediately began running to my room as fast as I could, I knew that my mother was seriously chasing me and I did not want to die today.

I entered my room and locked the door immediately.

"Mmesoma! Open this door now! Because if I have to break it, I will kill you!" she screamed as she banged on my door.

"This girl, you want to disgrace me in this life ba! Shebi you want to kill me before my time? See ehn, the child that says his mother will not sleep, he too will not sleep! Mmesoma, you will not sleep!" she said and I listened as she stopped banging the door and walked away, insulting me in a loud voice.

The house was dead silent in the minutes that followed, then I heard the gate open and someone drove in. My phone buzzed. It was a text from Ezinne.

Ezinne: I texted Dara about the stunt you pulled and she told her parents, they are taking dad and mom out now. It would be safe to come out soon.

I smiled in relief, my sister is definitely the best!

Dara Shittu is one of my best friends. The Shittu's are close family friends and if there is anyone who can calm my parents down right now, it is definitely her parents. I needed my parents out of the house to effectively plan the next step, and with Dara and Ezinne on my planning committee, I know things will be interesting.