Tears Of A Crying Mother
“I don't think you are worthy of being with my son, you infertile woman”, Daniel's mum said, yelling at me bitterly. My husband and I were fine together, not until his mum came between us. I'm fed up and don't know what else to do or to say just to curb this habit of my mother-in-law calling me these sorts of names. I have gone to see the doctor, and he said I have no issue bearing a child. Then I kept asking myself where this problem of childlessness is coming from.
“Barren woman, infertile woman, barren witch”, these are the names she kept calling me. Even the outsiders now knew me as a barren witch. Chiamaka, my husband's younger sister, got married years ago and has two children, a boy, and a girl, but I'm still here without a child for 10 years now. My mother-in-law has every right to scold me, but calling me those names kept hurting me, killing me softly. She only called me those names when my husband, David, had gone out. She pretends anytime his son is at home.
Daniel loves me so much and does not want to lose me, even though I'm yet to give him a child. We have agreed to adopt a child anytime soon, but with the mother's talk, I'm confused about what to do. I don't know whether to let my mouth loose to my husband about his mother's deed towards me or to swallow it hook line and sinker.
“Mama, I'm heading to work. Make sure to extend my regards to Dad and Uncle Nat. Don't forget to take the shoes and his favorite clothes I bought for him”, Daniel said while preparing for work.
“I will not forget, but you need to take good care of yourself and prepare for my next coming”, my mother-in-law said. Her twinkling eyes remind me of what I'm going to face when my husband has gone to work. She was also smiling at home, pretending to be nice to me in the presence of his son.
Now, my husband had zoomed off to work, “Come here, barren witch”, oh… not again, I said silently to myself after pouring out annoying words to myself.
“I'm here, Mother”, I was not done answering her, instead she cut me short “Who is your mother? Do you think I can give birth to a barren and infertile witch like you? God forbid. Don't ever call me mother because you are leaving my son's house on my next visit. I'm coming with a girl that can bear my son's battalion of children”, she slips those rubbish words out of her lips.
She drew my ears so hard and to the extent of wanting to pull off. I was happy she was leaving and now bringing a fresh topic that would pierce deep into my heart. Can I just sit and watch pour out those insulting words on me without letting David know about it? What about if I woke up one night and met a strange girl in my house, what would be left of me? Already my ears are aching as a result of those rubbish names people have tagged me with. I have to use my wisdom to tackle this problem on the ground, David's reaction would show me the truth.
“Honey, your food is ready”, I said, putting up a wrinkling face without the usual smile.
“Is anything the problem?” David asked, drawing me closer to his arm. Tears ran over my face. He placed my head on his chest as he consoled me. “Please, we have talked over this issue yoke without number, don't cry because of childlessness. We will sort it out by adopting a child, OK?”
“My husband, my hero, my love, please, I need to ask you a question”, I said soberly. Go ahead, my love”, he replied.
“If your friends or relatives brought a girl or advised you to get a second wife, would you buy the idea? “. Deep inside his eyes, I could see what he was thinking.
“What kind of question is this? I have told you time without number that you are the only one for me and nothing and not even my parents can separate us except death”, David cautioned me not to repeat that ever again.
Hearing him mention his parents, got me relieved. “OK, I'm satisfied, my love, I just wanted to test your love for me”, I said smiling. We were still having a good time when we heard a thunderous knock on the door. “Who is that”, I said but with no reply. I was ready to leave the person knocked, but immediately David answered, and my mother-in-law, answered. What!!! Not again… someone who just left two days ago came back knocking? I'm back to hearing those rubbish words. My face went pale with an unhappy look. My husband could see how sad I was, but could not figure out what was happening.
I rushed to open the door, I was shocked by what I saw at the doorstep. “Mama, good evening and who is this?” I asked, gazing at the stranger she brought along with her. She ignored me. I repeated myself several times and finally, she replied with a sad word “Heyyy…. Hold your greetings, you barren witch”, David pretended not to have heard but heard all that his mum said.
“Mother, bu…”, before I completed my statement, she interrupted, raising her hands trying to stop me from talking, and said “shot up you barren witch”, this time David stood up and reacted, “Mum what did you just call my wife?” “I have no time to answer you rudely, this is Grace, the girl that will give you my grandchildren '', my mother-in-law said plainly.
“Do you think I can allow you to bring this dirty stinking thing into my house? Mum, it's better you allow her to leave, or you leave together. I cannot condone this attitude of yours”, he replied, fuming in anger.
Meanwhile, there was a knock on the door once again. I rushed to get the door opened. For the past six months, my doctor had not visited, but behold she showed up at the doorstep. As she wanted to step in, my mother-in-law immediately stopped her from entering. “Your plans will not work”, she said, having the thought that I have called in the doctor to say an apologetic word to her.
“Please, doc, come on in”, David ordered. I brought good news for you. The results of your test came out yesterday evening, but I was not ready to give you a call to bring it personally to you.
I was having a different thought about the result but heard something that pits tears of joy into my face and a bigger smile on my husband's face.
“You are three weeks pregnant”, the doctor said with a sign of happiness. She gave my husband the test result and behold it was the fact. David ran and carried me tightly like an egg, smiling heavily. Her mum, on the other hand, had no choice other than to celebrate with us.
Without wasting time, she sent the girl she brought back as she was ready to take care of me.
“Mum, thank you, I got to discover myself through your actions. If not for your scolding, I wouldn't have seen the doctor for anything, but you made me do, and now I'm going to be a mother, and you are a grandmother.