It was already dusk, Mr Ikupaye embarked on a trip to the village leaving his families behind. Meanwhile, Zoe, the second daughter was still at home as her school vacation was not yet over. She happened to be the only child around since Zelda was attending a boarding school in another town. By the way, Zoe screamed out of excitement upon seeing her eldest sister engagement video
"Mommy"she screamed
" They are engaged, finally" Panting heavily
Her mother ran out of her living room as she was curious about what literally the screaming and the over excitement was about
"Zoe, what's wrong with you" She asked with a worrying face
"They are engaged mommy. Zuri is engaged"She responded with excitement all over her face too
Her mother felt a bit relieved but with a ridiculous facial expression, she hissed furiously for a couple of minute and suddenly they heard a knock from the entrance door, Zoe ran downstairs to ushered whosever it was in.
"Take it easy oversabi younger sister" Her mother said to Zoe sarcastically as she was approaching the door. Expectedly, it was Zuri who had been knocking. Out of excitement, Zoe jumped on her hugging her neck so firmly like she wouldn't ever let go, She whispered into her ears
"I'm gonna be your chief bridesmaid" with excitement written all over her face
"Of course,it's gonna be a no one else but you" Zuri replied her affirmatively, whispering into her ears too
Their mom who had been watching all their unnecessary drama's coughed intentionally for awareness, on sighting her, Zuri instantly left her sister and rushed to hug her mom but shockingly to everyone her mother pushed her off her body resulting Zuri to fell and got herself injured, zoe on the other hand was dumbfolded and astonished with her mother's reaction, she intended to uttered a statement and for some minute she thought of it and chose to swallow her saliva in order to avoid some African mother's early morning drama.
Their mother walked away from the staircase down to the sitting room to have her seat, While Zuri dusted herself up and went to met her mother for a quick conversation with tears rolling down her cheeks
"Get out, you ungrateful imbecile"Mrs Ikupaye yelled
"Mommy, I'm sorry even though I still don't have an iota idea of what I have done wrong"Zuri said with her both knees on the tile(knelt down)
"Do you know what,first of all, before I could say anything to you right now remove that devilish stone you are calling a ring from that disfigured finger of yours"Mrs Ikupaye demanded with no remorse
"(Soaking her scarf with tears already)Mommy I'm sorry I hadn't told you earlier on, My boyfriend finally proposed and I said yes to....."
"You said yes to who?Green's son. Answer me, you fool, who exactly did you said yes to?"She yelled repeatedly
"Mommy he's a changed person now, he isn't that wayward and notorious any longer"Zuri trying to convince her mother
" Exactly what the testimony the entire universe gave about him" Mrs Ikupaye said sarcastically
She continued
"Zuri!Zuri!!Zuri!! I have called you thrice so I don't wanna hear that you lost your ears, I was born before you, I have acquired everything life had to offer before you does, you see that Andrew boy, that politician brat. ( She stopped for a moment and then nodded her head in disappointment) He isn't gonna become my son in law, whether you admit it or not" she preceded to walked out of them
The entire room went silent as if it was a graveyard, neither Zoe nor Zuri could even move an inch from their initial position till their mom disappeared from their presence. Pitifully, Zoe knelt to pacified her sister
Zuri questioned with her stuttering voice" Do you know why mom is always doing this?"
"(Astonished) Always you said. When have you brought a man home that she rejected?"Zoe was seemingly lost as she questioned her sister back.
There was a moment of silence again
"Zuri can you talk?" Zoe asked again
Zuri exclaimed and sighed heavily
"Mom have made me rejected three men hand in marriage, Initially she said she wanted me to become a graduate, secondly, she said I oughted to finish my service year and when I met Andrew during NYSC camping there was another man too, he's actually from the south west"
"That implies he's a Yoruba man"Zoe cuts in
"Yes" Zuri confirmed
She continued
"My mom said as the first daughter and the first child of the family, it wouldn't be right enough to get married to another tribe entirely, so she disapproved that with no remorse, even though that guy Akimyemi was financially endowed, my mom disapproved to the core"
"Interesting!!" Zoe exclaimed nodding her head in amusement.
" So you have been practically going through all of this without thinking of feeding me some info" Said Zoe
"And what are you gonna do about it, are you going to change her mind or disown her as our mother?"Zuri questioned
"Girl, BFFR we are In the 21st century yet you are still sulking because of a parents approval, you know what? Thank God I am here now, you see this Andrew whether mom admit it or not he is going to be her son in law and I won't give a damn fuck if she freaking approved it. You have been a tarcitunist all your life and growing up even the entire household are aware but this time you would speak up for yourself, promise me?" Zoe got furious
"I promise. But I don't need you fighting for me okay everything is gonna be alright" said Zuri
Several hourse later, it was time for dinner. Mrs Ikupaye banged on zuris door countlessly but she never uttered a word but Zoe was seen outside on a phone conversation perhaps with her father or ZENON. Nonetheless, their mother didn't even bothered,instead she served their food and left for a church service.
That night, their father arrived. Unknown, to everyone Zoe had called him to narrated every scenario that took place at his absence to him on the phone so he had to come around that night to played his part as the father. On getting home, he called upon Zuri for clarification and also about what happened in the past that he was never aware of until Zoe told him. Pragmatically, that happened to be some secret between Zuri and her mom.