LIFE IS NOT A BED OF ROSES

Chapter Three_ Rose got pregnant.

Chief Dan took the bull by the horn when Rose informed him that she was pregnant. What can he do? Under the harsh and unpleasant condition, his wife got pregnant. As if that was not enough, Godwin his only son started misbehaving. He started stealing peoples belongings in the village.

As report was coming to Chief Dan from all nooks and crannies, he felt tired and wished that he never came to this wicked world.

"Ah this is unbearable, God why me, w-h-y me?" Chief Dan cried loudly, his heavily pregnant wife heard his loud voice from where she was cooking in the kitchen and quickly rushed to cheer him up.

"Ah my husband, what's all this, can't you see the condition am into, as if that's not enough you choose to cry like a baby, do you want to die before your time?"

"GOD FORBID" Chief Dan sobbingly rejected it.

"Then you stop being pessimistic and put your trust in the Lord almighty" Rose consoled her husband.

"Thank you for your consolation my love, take a look at this house, this house is made of woods and planks, a once rich Chief Ben is now living in this wooden house... and I don't really like how people mock and laugh at us, look at me, just take a look at me, Chief Dan of all people is now eating from hand to mouth, ah this is unbearable for me" Chief Dan laments sobbingly. Rose was short of words, she left her husband and went back to the kitchen to continue her cooking.

That same afternoon,Chief Dan saw Mr Johnson dragging his son by the ear, when he saw them he was in agony, and he quickly wiped his tears so that nobody would notice that he had been crying.

"Mr Dan, what sort of insult is this, can you imagine this riffraff you could your son stealing my hard earned motorcycle I packed at the front of my house, I caught him red handed, is this how you trained him , if he dare repeats this action again, I will bury him alive.....nonsense"Mr Johnson angrily barked at Chief Dan, he was speechless that very moment.

"Ah, Mr Johnson, don't be offended, It's just that....." He has not finished speaking, as Mr Johnson took words from him.

"Will you shot that smelling thing you called mouth and listen and listen very good, next time he repeats this action again, I personally will put him in jail, its better you caution him now........ rubbish" Mr Johnson warned, pointing a warning finger at him and left angrily.

Chief Dan was full of regrets, not knowing what to do again, he looked at his son who was shivering, not knowing the next action his father would take that moment. He pretended not to beat him as he told him to come closer to him, Godwin out of fear came nearer to his father and he angrily gave him a big knock on his head.

"Hey my head ooh, my head, dad please am sorry" Godwin cried bitterly as he quickly ran inside the house. He went to his room, closed the door and started crying, his father gave him a painful knock he will never forget in his life.

Chief Dan was outside scolding at Godwin.

"What sort of insult is this, because of you Godwin, I received insults from this i***t this afternoon, a whole Chief like me. Look at how you are roaming round the village causing trouble here and there, next time this will repeat itself again, I will skin you alive that day.

Rose rushed out from the kitchen, she ran outside and saw her angry husband scolding and shouting, she calmed him down.

"My husband its okay, calm down, Godwin is just a child, I believe his attitudes will change one day.

" Woman don't tell me that, how old is he, is he not old enough to impregnate a girl and you are telling me he's just a child. A seventeen year old boy is no more a child" he said to his wife with a low voice.

"Its okay my husband, I his mum will talk sense into him okay, lets forget about this matter for now, your food is ready" Rose said smiling at her husband.

"Woman am not in the mood to eat now, just go let me cool my head, because as am talking to you now, my head is full, I need to calm my self down" Chief Dan retorted.

"I know its not easy for you, but am always by your side to help you, am your wife and I don't want any thing to happen to you, you can see that am heavily pregnant for you" Rose assures him

Immediately his anger cooled a bit and smiled at his wife saying;

"My lovely wife, nothing will happen to me, just that am tired of this insults am receiving from people because of Godwin and my condition" he said holding his wife.

"Don't worry my husband, every thing will surely be fine, just come inside let's eat, I prepared your favorite today, and I know you will like it" Rose said as she patted her husband at his back.

"Ah Rose my lovely wife, that's why I love being with you" Chief Dan said as they moved inside the house to eat their lunch. Rose prepared jello of rice and fried fish that afternoon.

Later in the evening, Rose went to Godwin's room to talk to him as a mother. She saw her son in tears and she came nearer to him to console him.

She advised him on the dangers of stealing and also the consequences.

"My son, Godwin what your father did to you this afternoon was did out of anger, do you know how he has been suffering in this village, going to the farm to work and doing other things in other to make ends meet, and you are here causing trouble here and there. What is your problem my son, talk to me" she said, wiping his tears.

"Honestly Mum, am tired of staying in this village, I mean, there's no job. Since I dropped out from school, I have been wandering round the village, searching for job but I can't find any reasonable job, I need money to buy my personal belongings like my clothes, my shoes and also to get a phone, I need a phone, am of age to have a phone, so what do you expect me to do, staying inside the house, doing nothing while my mates are out their doing one thing or the other, to make ends meet? ....mum am not in a good mood now just leave alone, l have to carry my cross" he sobbingly laments.

"What's that the reason you choose, stealing, bringing shame and disgrace to the family? the mockery we are receiving from people is getting too much, yet you choose stealing adding more salt to injury, do you know the consequences of what you are doing to yourself? If the youths of this village dare caught you red handed, you will be set ablaze, and you being the only son, should be careful...Be careful" his mum warned him.

"Thank you Mum for the advice, just that am not comfortable staying in this village, I will think about it later and I need a job, I need to start doing something" He remarked seriously

"Don't worry my son, I will talk to your dad about that okay....stop this your nonchalant attitudes, you will see the difference" Rose assured him

"Thanks Mum I need to go and freshen up and eat and also rest, l need to cool my head" Godwin said as he stood up .

"You can go and freshen up while I dish out your food, after freshen up you can take your food in the kitchen.......okay" Rose said as she dashed into the kitchen to dish out food for Godwin.

"Okay Mum, I have heard you....." he said entering the bathroom to freshen up.