MD turned to his wife. “Darling, calm down and let me handle this, please…let’s not make things get any worse…”
“So, am I the one that is making things get worse now?” she shot back at him, the tears still coursing down her face. To be honest, I felt bad that I caused her so much pain. But it was necessary, they had to know I was no longer a child…..
From the way his eyes suddenly turned red, I could tell he was very angry with me. This whole family get–to-together idea was no longer looking like a good idea. But at least, I have been able to achieve something, which is to tell them that this young lady is no longer a small girl. It was important that I did what I did otherwise, my place in MD’s family will not guaranteed.
“I am very angry with you right now, Anita, I didn’t expect this kind of attitude from you to say the least….” MD turned to me, seething inside with rage.
“But, MD, tell me, what am I supposed to do when she called me rude and mannerless? Am I suppossed to simply stand and watch?” I retorted, but with restrained anger this time.
“But still, she is still older, you should’ve accorded her that respect. And besides, this may be your home too, but she is the woman of the house,” he explained. “Now, please, do the right thing and apologise to her,” he demanded of me. I knew it would come to that and I was ready for it.
“No problem, MD, I will apologise to her only if she takes back all of the nasty things she said about me,” I said to him as a matter of factly.
“Oh, my God!” Aunty Lizzy exclaimed. “MD, can you hear her? Where did you bring this useless and arrogant girl from? Somebody that does not even respect you how much more me? Is this what we will be tolerating from her simply because she has given you a child? Is this what we will go suffer from her?”
“MD, can you see now what I am talking about? Useless and arrogant, did you hear?” I said to MD, ignoring his wife’s ranting.
“Keep your mouth shut for a minute, Anita, and behave yourself!” MD barked angrily at me.
“I asked you to do something and you are giving me condition before you can do what I asked you to do, I won’t take that from you, Anita! Do what I asked you to do right now!” he barked further.
I smiled wryly. “Okay, MD, I have heard you,” I said to him, a contemptuous smile on my face. “If that is what you want, then I will oblige you. But note that if she does not take back all the names that she called me, I will take my son and leave this house tonight, no matter how too late in the night it is for me to do so! So, what is it going to be, should I go ahead and offer my apology as instructed and pick up my son and leave here this very minute?”
MD was speechless. Not only that, he was confused. I could see it in his eyes. He was like a man in absolute distress. He didn’t bargain for what had erupted in his house. None of us did. But now that it had happened, he just had to find a way to quell the situation otherwise he could have a really big problem on his hands. And to be honest, I didn’t pity him at all.
“Anita,” MD finally found his voice, “Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to make things much more difficult than they already are? Why would you even think of leaving here at this time of the night, with my son?”
“That is what she is using to blackmail you, dear, can’t you see?” his wife cut in, fuming like a bull on rampage. “She knows the only way she can get you to do her bidding is to dangle your son at you and she has just succeeded in doing that again! Why don’t you dare her to leave and lets see if she has the guts to do so!”
I turned to MD. “Did you hear that? I’m sure you heard her, right?” I shot at him. And without waiting a moment more, I headed to the room to pack my things.
“Come here, Anita, where do you think you’re going?” MD ran after me, pulling back my hand to stop me from proceeding further.
“To pack my things, of course, where else?” I shot back at him.”I think it was a big mistake asking me to come here in the first place. Your wife, obviously does not want me here. She is not happy I brought your son, our son, to his rightful place, the place where he should call home. So, if that is the case, it is only sensible that we take our leave before things get really bad.”
MD turned to his wife. He wanted to say something but decided against it. He was obviously displeased with her conduct as well but apparently didn’t want to scold her in my presence.
“Elizabeth, please, let me handle this matter, I will appreciate it if you do not say a word more!”
“And you, Anita,” he returned his attention to me, “forget about leaving here tonight, it won’t happen. Not with my son. I suggest you calm down and let’s talk this over between us like the adults that we are. No more exchanging of words, no more abuses, let us sit down and talk like one family!”
…to be continued
