THE PREGNANCY THAT BROKE US
933 Words
Saturday finally came. That was the day Sandra officially entered our lives. And from the very first night, blood almost spilled
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The introduction was held in Sandra’s village in Owerri.
The moment I saw her, I understood immediately why my father lost his senses.
Sandra was beautiful, very beautiful.
Light skinned, long hair. She was young enough to be my father’s last born.
As she greeted people, she kept smiling proudly like someone who had won a competition.
But my mother looked empty. She wore a simple lace and forced herself to smile while villagers whispered around her.
Poor woman. So the Chief finally married another wife. After all Ngozi suffered? Men are wicked.
Some women shook their heads in pity while others secretly enjoyed the drama.
I saw my mother pretending not to hear them.
But I knew every word was entering her heart like a knife.
That night, Sandra followed us home as my father’s new wife. And from the very first hour she entered our compound, problem started.
Because Sandra refused to stay in the boys’ quarters my father prepared for her.
Instead, she stood in the compound and said boldly, I cannot live there. I want the main building.
My mother looked shocked. That is my home,” she said calmly.
Sandra crossed her arms. I am now Chief’s wife too.
My father, instead of calming the situation, said the words that scattered everything.
Ngozi, let Sandra use the upstairs master bedroom for now.
For a second, nobody spoke.
My mother stared at him slowly like she did not recognize him anymore.
That room? she whispered.
“Yes,” my father replied impatiently. Stop behaving childish.
The next thing shocked everybody.
My mother removed her headtie slowly.
Then she threw it on the floor. You want to push me out of my own bedroom after twenty years? Her voice shook with pain.
But Sandra suddenly laughed, a small mocking laugh..And that was the moment hell opened in our house. Because before anybody could react, my mother grabbed Sandra’s hair violently. YOU WANT TO TAKE MY PLACE? she screamed.
Sandra screamed too and held her wrapper.
The two women fell on the ground fighting brutally. Hair flying, slaps everywhere.
Neighbors rushed inside our compound, workers gathered.
Meanwhile, my father kept shouting,
STOP! STOP THIS NONSENSE. But nobody listened to him. Because war had finally entered our house. And sadly…that fight was only the beginning
After the fight between my mother and Sandra, our compound became the main discussion in the village.
Everybody heard about it. Even people that were not invited to the introduction somehow knew every detail. Some blamed my mother.
Some blamed Sandra. But most people blamed my father.
From that day, peace disappeared completely.
Every morning started with a quarrel, every afternoon ended with insults. Every night became war.
At first, my father tried settling things peacefully. He called both women into the sitting room one evening. I will not tolerate nonsense in this house, he warned seriously.
My mother sat quietly without looking at Sandra. But Sandra kept pressing her phone like she did not care.
You are both my wives, my father continued. So respect yourselves.
Sandra suddenly laughed. A dry mocking laugh. With due respect, Chief, your first wife hates me already.
My mother looked up sharply. Hate you? she asked quietly. You entered another woman’s home and collected her husband. What did you expect?
Friendship?
Sandra rolled her eyes immediately. At least I did not force him to marry me.
My mother stood up instantly. Are you insulting me?
I am telling the truth.
Enough! my father shouted angrily. But the damage was already done.
Sandra stood up too. Chief, I cannot continue living in this toxic environment.
My mother laughed bitterly. Toxic? You have not even seen anything yet.
Sandra faced my father dramatically.
You see? This is exactly what I mean..Then she walked out like a queen.
My father sighed heavily and followed her.
My mother remained standing there. Quietly,
broken.
That night, I entered her room and saw her staring at old photo albums. Pictures from when they were still poor, pictures of their wedding, pictures from the old one-room apartment.
She touched one photo gently and smiled painfully. Your father used to love me, she whispered, like someone mourning a dead person.
I did not know what to say, because honestly…
even I no longer recognized my father.
Things got worse after Sandra became pregnant two months later.
The moment she announced it, my father nearly carried her on his head.
My son is coming, my father shouted proudly like he had just won the election.
Meanwhile, my mother sat quietly during the celebration..Because after giving birth to four children for him, my father never celebrated her like that.
From that day, Sandra became unbearable.
She started behaving like the owner of the house. She ordered the maids around.
She insulted workers. She even changed the sitting room curtains without asking my mother.
One afternoon, serious trouble started because of ordinary stew.
- Writer
