Conquered!

 

I sat down at the kitchen watching the hot water boil but really my eyes weren’t on it. My gaze was focused on the kettle but my thoughts…were complicated. Since Dr. Gerald or Segun as his family knew him, came into this house, I hadn’t had peace. I stopped sleeping well and even started moping around as one who was not willing to live. Deep down I knew I loved Segun but had it not been for his father, I wouldn’t have found myself a roof after Solo kicked me out. I snapped out of my reverie when the gas was turned off instantly and I looked up to see Iya Segun glaring down at me in anger.

“Abi you wan burn house? Dis water don boil teh teh!” She says as she snaps her fingers to show me how long it had boiled.

“Mtcheew….” I hiss and proceed to remove the kettle from the burner.

“So…na my tank you be dat abi?”

“Abeg comot for my front…” I say rudely as I try to reach oga landlord’s water flask which stood on the counter behind Iya Segun.

“Come carry am na…since you nor fit talk ‘tank u’”

“Comot for my front ooo…if I use hand beat you ehn…pesin no go fit hold me ooo.” I warn.

“Ehhh…see dis small gial wey I fit born…I don die ooo.” Screamed Iya Segun as she fell to the ground screaming hysterically.

The house woke up to her screams and immediately, I realized what she was doing. She was trying to rouse her son Segun. I knew I was in a fix, if I had threatened her when Segun was not in the house, it would have been a different ball game, but now that Segun was around…
Segun burst into the kitchen in confusion,. He had heard his mother’s screams and wanted to know what was wrong. I stood at the kitchen innocently staring at Iya Segun, she was rolling on the ground and moaning.

“Mum is everything alright?” Segun asked his mother.

“Na dis gial ooo…Senorita!” Iya Segun exclaimed as she pointed at me.

Segun turned to me questioningly and I shrugged.

“What happened here? Senorita!” Segun demanded.

“I nor do am anything.” I reply.

“She push me for ground ooo.” Iya Segun screamed.

“I can’t take this nonsense anymore…I am fully aware that I’m from a polygamous home but I wouldn’t tolerate a mad house. I have to speak to my dad about this.” Segun said exasperated and walked out of the kitchen.

As soon as he walked out, Iya Segun gets up from the ground, wipes away the crocodile tears from her eyes with the edge of her wrapper and laughs hysterically.

“Ya own don finish …my son go carry you comot from dis house today.” Iya Segun laughed.

I hurriedly brush past her and stormed out of the kitchen as I headed to my future husband’s room. From the door I could hear the rapid exchange of words between oga landlord and Segun. Segun kept saying repeatedly;

 

“Senorita has to leave! You could pick any other woman but not that girl… I’m not supposed to say this but… I was her doctor and I'm privy to her medical record and she’s a home wrecker! Do you know how many homes she’s been to apart from this house?”

Oga landlord mumbled some incorrigible words that I couldn’t hear. I tried opening the door to the room but it was locked.

“Oga landlord…sugar…” I call out.

“Stay out of this Senorita!” Segun shouted.

I sniff back the tears that had begun falling from my eyes and wait paitently at the door. After a while, the two men emerge. Segun had a smug look of satisfaction on his face while oga landlord looked like he had just been dealt a heavy blow.

“Senorita…you have to go!” Oga landlord said without emotion.

I opened my mouth in shock.

“Yes…you have to go but we won’t be sending you into the streets, I would get you an accommodation somewhere far from here and you’ll also be given some money to start up a business for yourself.”

“Noooo…oga landlord…you talk say you go marry me…” I cry.

“Senorita…abeg comot for my house. Go pack ya load…” Oga landlord said, unsure of himself.

Iya Segun and Mama Jibunoh came to the scene and stood behind me, smirking all the way. I turned back and looked at them, they hiss and chuckle.

“Abeg…no send me comot… I nor get family, I nor get anybody.” I cry louder.

“Senorita please go and pack your stuff.” Segun ordered.

“Okay…if you nor want make I marry ya papa, I fit marry you abi?” I ask Segun in tears.

I feel a heavy slap at my back and cringe as Iya Segun heaps a heavy curse on me.

“Oloshi…oloriburuku ni…Aje…you wan marry my Segun. Which qualification you get? You go school? Who you be? Abeg make you know am say, dis Segun no go marry you lai lai... infact e nor fit marry any gial wey nor get qualification.” Iya Segun says.

I look at the hostile eyes which bear down on me and shake my head in self pity, looking each of them in the eye I say tearfully;

“Today na de first and last wey pesin go thruway Senorita comot for house again. I go get qualification, I must to go school and when una see me again, una nor go believe say na dat girl wey una pursue comot from house. I be Senorita the Lagos chick, and I nor leave village come Lagos for nothing.” I say silently as I walk away from them and enter my room.

There I packed up my meagre belongings and not waiting for anyone’s to show me out, I walk out through the door. I stopped when I heard my name.

“Senorita”

It was Segun, he walked up to me and handed me a bundle of naira notes.

“I am really sorry that this had to happen but I want you to know that I’m not a terrible person. Please have this for yourself, at least it would help you out till you find something meaningful to do.”

I eye him from head to toe, hiss and walk out of the house.

“If you wan do something for Senorita…you for propose marriage!” I mutter under my breath.