Light in the Dark

Chapter 7: Against All Odds

The first rays of the morning light were just beginning to peek through the window blinds, casting a hazy glow across the room.

Vanessa stirred in her bed, half awake, and her gaze fell on the clock on the nightstand.

The hour hand had just turned 90 degrees, pointing at 4:30, a sign that the new day was just beginning.

As she lay there, contemplating whether to go back to sleep or start her day, a loud, persistent knocking echoed throughout the house.

The "boom, boom, boom" sound grew louder and more insistent, jolting her out of her drowsiness.

Vanessa rubbed her bleary eyes and wondered who could be knocking at her door at this ungodly hour of the dawn.

Vanessa rubbed her bleary eyes and wondered who could be knocking at her door at this ungodly hour of the dawn.

With a sigh, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, feeling the cold floor beneath her feet.

She yawned and stretched, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, and made her way towards the door.

The knocking continued, unabated, and Vanessa couldn't help but feel a sense of annoyance at the interruption to her peaceful morning.

Vanessa was jolted awake by a loud banging on her door. As she groggily made her way to the door, she wondered who could be visiting her at such an ungodly hour.

When she opened the door, she was surprised to see her mother-in-law, Chioma, standing outside.

"Mom, what are you doing here at this time of the dawn?" Vanessa asked, her voice betraying her irritation.

"You call this dawn? You better wake up and come to the living room for me to show you all the chores in this house and put you on duty.

You have just 5 minutes!" Chioma barked, her tone leaving no room for argument. With that, she turned around and slammed the door shut, leaving Vanessa standing there in shock.

After a few moments, Vanessa regained her composure and sat down on her bed. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

She knew that her mother-in-law was a stickler for cleanliness and orderliness, but she didn't expect her to be so strict.

Realizing that she had no choice, Vanessa got up and went to the washroom. She brushed her teeth, took a quick shower, and put on a fresh white outfit.

As she made her way to the living room, she couldn't help but wonder what other surprises her mother-in-law had in store for her.

Vanessa put on a fake smile as she approached her mother, who was standing in the front yard.

"Mom, I'm here," she said, trying her best to sound cheerful. Her mother, Chioma, looked her up and down before chuckling and gesturing towards a girl in a white outfit. "See this girl here," she said.

"Do you even know why I called you here?"

Vanessa shook her head, still smiling despite feeling uneasy. "No, that's why I'm here," she said.

"Well then, listen carefully," Chioma began. "Firstly, I need you to clean the entire house. Then sweep the compound and fill the drums with water from the stream. Do you know where that is?"

Vanessa's smile faded as she responded in an angry tone. "No."

"Alright, I'll show you," Chioma said, ignoring her daughter's tone. "You need to be fast so that you can prepare breakfast for the family. I mean fufu with groundnut soup."

Vanessa couldn't help but comment. "But I can't prepare that food, and I don't even like it."

Chioma didn't seem to care. "I don't care if you like it or not. Just go and do what I've assigned you," she said sternly.

Vanessa went outside to get a bucket of water for cleaning. She added some detergent to the water but realized that she couldn't find the morb stick, which is used for scrubbing floors.

She went to her mother-in-law, Chioma to ask for its whereabouts. "Mom, I couldn't find the morb stick," Vanessa said.

"You couldn't find what? Go and pick up some rags from the kitchen to clean the house," Chioma responded assertively.

Vanessa hesitated, "But I can't use a rag, I've never used it before. How could you expect me to use it?" she said harshly.

Her mother-in-law's tone changed instantly, "You better shut your mouth before I slap you on your cheek," she warned.

"I think your son didn't tell you who I am. That's why you are treating me that way" Vanessa said disrespectfully.

"Excuse me, who do you think you are?" Chioma asked, her tone assertive and unwavering.

In response, Vanessa, who was standing in front of her stood tall and confidently declared, "Oh, you want to know who I am? Well, listen carefully then.

I'm a highly successful businesswoman with a long list of achievements in this state.

I own and operate my own company, which provides employment and pays salaries to over 500 workers.

People like you, who dress in rags and show no respect, have no right to speak to me in such a manner." Her words were spoken with an air of superiority and disdain.

The commotion woke up the entire household. Chioma was crying and shouting, "Hey! Everybody body come out o! She said I wear rags! Hey, she said I wear rags."

Her son, Jacob, rushed to her side, concerned and confused. The other relatives soon followed suit. They found Chioma in a state of distress, tears streaming down her face.

"What has happened, Mom? Why are you crying? And why this time of the dawn?" Jacob asked, eager to understand the cause of his mother's emotional outburst.

The rest of the family gathered around, waiting for an explanation. The atmosphere was tense as Chioma, Jacob's mother, cried and shouted at him.

"My son, I will never let you marry that i***t. I will never let you marry that i***t," she repeated, her voice rising with each word.

Jacob could feel the weight of her words bearing down on him, and he knew that something serious had happened.

He spoke gently, trying to calm her down. "Mom, just tell me what has happened." His concern was clear in his voice.

He wanted to understand why his mother was so upset, and he hoped that he could help her somehow.

But Chioma was inconsolable. She continued to cry and shout, her anger and frustration pouring out in waves.

"If you want to marry her, don't you dare step your foot on my funeral grounds."Mom, what's wrong?" Jacob asked, noticing the distress on his mother's face.

"This so-called fiancée of yours said I wear rags. She said I don't know who she is and that she don't talk to people who cover themselves with rags," Chioma said, her voice trembling with anger as she accused Vanessa, her fiancé's daughter.

Chioma had always been proud of her African heritage and loved to wear traditional African clothing.

However, Vanessa, who came from a different cultural background, seemed to have a problem with Chioma's clothing choices and had insulted her in the most hurtful way possible

Jacob's face turned red with anger as he spoke, "How dare you insult my mother?

Take your luggage and get out of my house." His voice was filled with seriousness and there was no room for negotiation.

Vanessa, equally angry, didn't back down. "I'll go! I can't stay with such a family," she screamed, her voice bold and unwavering.

Jacob's sister, Majorie, who had been standing nearby, couldn't resist getting involved.

"You don't even have to go inside to take your luggage, they're already here," she said as she threw Vanessa's bags to the ground in a fit of rage.

Vanessa, picking up her luggage with shaky hands, turned and stormed out of the house.

She knew she had to find a cab quickly and get away from this toxic environment to a hotel near the airport so that she could go back to the state tomorrow.

Vanessa hailed a yellow cab on the busy street corner, her heart pounding with anticipation. She gave the driver the name of the hotel near the airport where she would be staying for the night.

The driver, a middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed mustache, nodded and pulled away from the curb.

The car was a spacious sedan, with plush leather seats and a smooth, quiet engine that hummed beneath them as they glided through the city streets.

Vanessa gazed out the window, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling metropolis, but her mind was elsewhere.

She was lost in thought, mentally rehearsing the speech she would be giving the next day to her friends.

The driver, sensing her preoccupation, didn't say a word, allowing her to focus on her thoughts.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally arrived at the hotel.

After arriving at her destination, Vanessa thanked the driver and attempted to pay him with US dollars.

However, the driver informed her that he only accepted Nigerian naira.

Despite this, Vanessa pleaded with the driver to accept her dollars as it was all she had on her at the time.

After some persuasion, the driver agreed to accept the payment, acknowledging that Vanessa was not from the area.

Grateful for his understanding, Vanessa expressed her thanks and proceeded to enter the hotel.

You won't believe the amazing experience she had spending the night in the hotel! It was absolutely worth it, trust me.

Is there more to the story than meets the eye? Join me as we unravel these mysteries and discover the twists and turns on Light in the Dark.