Chapter 11: Vanessa Files Case In Court
1604 Words
After Margaret came from America and stayed with us in Uyo, our flat became small but happy.
Margaret did not like our small flat in Itam.
She said Adrian, how can Knight heir wife live in this small flat with one bedroom?
Adrian said Mama, I am managing small shop in Itam market, I cannot afford big house.
Margaret said I will give you money to rent big house in Ewet Housing Estate, but not now, after twins come.
She bought many things for me.
She bought maternity gowns, fine shoes, and baby things.
My belly was now five months big.
Twins were kicking inside me day and night.
Doctor said Elena you must rest, you are carrying twins, twins need rest.
Adrian stopped me from going to market to sell tomatoes.
He said Elena, from today, you will not go to market again, stay at home and rest.
My mother came from village and stayed with us to help me.
She was cooking afang soup and edikang ikong for me.
She was praying every morning.
Margaret was also praying with rosary.
One afternoon, by 2pm, we heard knock on gate.
Security man said madam, one fine woman with big car is here, she says she is from court.
Adrian said which court?
Woman came inside compound wearing black gown like lawyer gown.
She gave us brown envelope.
She said I am from High Court in Uyo, this is court summons.
Adrian opened envelope and read.
He shouted what? My sister Vanessa filed case against Elena?
My mother collected paper and said what case?
Paper said Vanessa Knight has filed case at High Court Uyo.
Case says Elena Usen is poor market girl and cannot take care of Knight twins.
Case says Elena is not married properly to Adrian Knight, so she has no right to keep twins alone.
Case says court should give custody of one twin, the boy twin, to Vanessa Knight to take to America for proper care and good school.
I started crying immediately.
I said they want to take my boy twin when I have not even born him?
How can they take baby inside belly?
Adrian tore paper small and said Vanessa is mad, she wants to take my son.
Margaret collected paper and read and said Vanessa, what have you done?
She called Vanessa on phone immediately.
Vanessa picked and said mother, yes I filed case, boy twin must come to America, he is Knight heir, market girl cannot train heir.
Margaret shouted Vanessa you are wicked, you want to take baby from mother womb?
Vanessa said mother, I have money, I have house in America, Elena has nothing, she sells tomatoes in Itam, how will she train Knight heir?
Margaret said Elena is wife of your brother, she is your sister-in-law, you should support her, not take her child.
Vanessa said I will not support market girl, boy twin must come to me.
She cut phone.
Margaret cried and said my daughter has shamed me.
That night, we did not sleep.
My mother was crying and praying.
She said God will not allow them to take my grandson.
Adrian said Elena do not fear, we will go to court and fight.
He called Barrister Emeka that night.
Barrister Emeka is young lawyer in Uyo who helps poor people.
He came to our flat by 8pm and read court paper.
He said this case has no head, how can somebody file custody of unborn baby?
He said under Nigerian law, unborn baby cannot be taken from mother.
He said we will go to court and win.
Next morning, we went to High Court in Uyo.
Court was full of many people.
Vanessa came with big lawyer from Lagos wearing fine suit and carrying big bag.
Jessica also came from America and followed Vanessa.
Jessica was wearing fine gown and high heel.
Vanessa was wearing red gown and fine sunglasses.
Market women heard about case and came to court with placards.
More than fifty market women from Itam market came.
They wrote on placard, leave Elena and her twins alone, Vanessa is wicked sister.
Judge entered and everybody stood up.
Judge said what is this case?
Vanessa lawyer said my lord, my client Vanessa Knight is sister to Adrian Knight and aunt to unborn twins.
He said mother Elena Usen is poor market girl with no money, no house, no education.
He said she cannot train Knight heirs properly.
He said boy twin is heir to Knight company worth millions of dollars in America, he must be given to my client who is rich and lives in America.
Barrister Emeka stood up and said my lord, this case is laughable.
He said my client Elena Usen is legally married to Adrian Knight under native law and court.
He showed marriage certificate.
He said Elena is five months pregnant with twins, twins are inside womb, you cannot take baby inside womb from mother, it is against nature and against Nigerian law.
He said Vanessa Knight is not mother, she is only aunt, aunt has no right to take child from mother and father who are alive and together.
He said poor woman can train child, rich woman is not automatically better mother, money is not everything.
Market women outside court shouted yes, poor woman can train child, we are poor but we train our children well.
Judge said order, order in court.
Judge asked Vanessa, why do you want to take one twin and leave one twin?
Vanessa said my lord, Knight family needs one heir, boy is heir, girl can stay with mother.
Judge said so you want to separate twins from birth? You want to separate boy from his twin sister and from his mother?
Vanessa said yes my lord, for better future.
Judge said this is wickedness, twins should not be separated, mother should not be separated from children.
He said I have never seen case where aunt wants to take unborn baby from mother womb because mother is poor.
He said this court will not allow it.
He adjourned case to next week for judgment.
Outside court, market women surrounded Vanessa and shouted thief, you want to steal Elena baby, you are wicked.
Vanessa entered car and drove away with police escort.
Jessica shouted you market women are poor, you cannot stop rich people.
Market women shouted we are poor but we have God, God will fight for Elena.
That week, we were scared.
I could not eat, I was thinking about court case.
What if judge gives my boy twin to Vanessa because she is rich and has American passport?
Adrian held me and said Elena, God will not allow it, you are mother, mother has right.
Margaret also said I will testify in court that Vanessa is not fit to take child, she has no husband, she lives alone and drinks.
My mother prayed every night till morning.
She was kneeling and crying and shouting in Ibibio language.
She said God, you gave me daughter after many years, do not let them take her twins.
She poured anointing oil on my belly every night.
Adrian was holding my hand every night and saying Elena do not fear.
On judgment day, court was full again.
More than one hundred market women came.
Some women came with babies on back.
Some women came with drums.
Judge entered and said I have read this case well.
He said under Nigerian law and under God law, mother has right to her children, especially unborn children.
He said aunt has no right to take child from living mother and father.
He said being poor is not crime, many great people in world were born by poor market women.
He said I hereby dismiss this case filed by Vanessa Knight.
He said custody of twins remains with Elena Usen and Adrian Knight, their parents.
He said Vanessa Knight should pay fifty thousand naira fine to court for wasting court time.
Everybody shouted inside court, market women shouted God don do am.
I cried with joy and held my belly and said my twins, you will stay with mama, nobody will take you.
Adrian carried me and said Elena we won, we won.
Margaret hugged me and said my daughter, you won.
My mother fell down and was rolling on floor thanking God.
Barrister Emeka said thank you my lord, justice has been done.
Vanessa shouted judge you are biased, you collected bribe from market women.
Judge said madam, if you talk again, I will send you to prison for contempt.
Vanessa kept quiet and walked out with Jessica.
Outside court, market women danced and sang and sprayed money on me.
They said Elena don win case, twins will stay with mama.
They carried me on shoulder small because my belly was big.
We went home and did small thanksgiving with rice and chicken.
Pastor came and prayed for twins.
He said no weapon formed against twins shall prosper.
But that night, Vanessa called Margaret and said mother, you supported Elena against me in court, I will not forgive you, I will come back with bigger case from Lagos High Court with Federal power.
Margaret said Vanessa, you will lose again, because God is with Elena.
Vanessa cut phone and booked flight to Lagos that night to file new case in Lagos with fake papers, but we did not know that night.
We just slept happy that we won first case, not knowing bigger trouble was coming from Lagos next week with fake court order and police. today. today. today.
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