Chioma returned from work with her children but discovered the door was unlocked.
"Who could be at home if not Stanley" She thought.
He had returned a week after leaving the house. Dropping her hand bag in the sitting room, she entered the bedroom to discover a woman sleeping on the bed.
"What!?" She screamed.
Chioma rushed to the kitchen and toilet to look for her husband but he wasn't there. She rushed back to the bedroom. Rosa was already awake. She sat up and looked at the angry Chioma.
"Leave my house this minute" Chioma screamed at Rosa.
"This is my husband's house" Rosa told her.
"Alright!, But this house certainly won't contain both of us"
She sighted Rosa's travelling box and rushed to it and began to drag the box. Fight ensued between them.
Stanley returned and met both Chioma and Rosa screaming at the top of their voices. Their clothes shredded. The kids were wailing. Chioma sighting Stanley rushed to him and strikes him with blows he never knew were coming.
"You took me for a fool Stanley. You could have had the decency to rent a house for her rather than bringing her here, to our matrimonial bed"
"I am his wife too madam. Next time you touch me, I will have you beaten" Rosa threatened Chioma. She was visibly shaken.
Chioma's children moved towards her and held her legs crying silently. They could not understand why there is another woman fighting with their mother.
"I told you Rosa is my wife, and let me make it plain to you Chioma, she has come to stay"
"No way!"
"Then you can move out. You can leave, but not with my kids. Let me warm you for the first and the last time, never you raise your hand against my wife again. If I hear complains from her about you, I will definitely deal with you."
Stunned, Chioma opened her mouth to say something, but no word came out. Her mouth betrayed her and also her eyes. The tears kept rolling out of her eyes.
"You are no longer needed in the bedroom. Move your things to the kids room" He said to her.
Chioma held the chair beside her and sat there. She watched as Stanley placed his hands around Rosa's waist and both of them entered into the bed room smiling. It was already dark before it dawned on her that her children had not eaten. She struggled out of the chair to the kitchen to cook. While food was on fire, she bath the children and dressed them for the bed While carrying out these activities, tears didn't stop and this made the kids sob. Chioma served them food and watched them eat. Before she settled for the night, she moved all her properties from the bedroom to the kids room. It was late into the night before she could arrange every thing properly. She stretched on the bed beside her kids with heavy heart.
———————————–
The months rolled by and Charles dimmed it fit to introduce Karen to his parents. He gave her some money to purchase a gown for herself, but Karen would not hear that.
"We should wear the same material. It could be lace or ankara"
"We are not married yet. We can wear same material after marriage"
Karen would not hear. She became angry and would not talk to him until he succumbed. The day he planned to introduce her, she spent so much time making her face. She sat in front of the mirror adding finishing touches to the make-up, but when he stood behind her, he disapproved.
"I don't like your face. The make-up is too heavy. Make it light please"
"I like my face like this"
"I don't like it"
"Leave it like that"
Charles began to wonder if Karen was the woman he fell in love with. She was strong headed. It's only her decision that must hold water. His own decision doesn't count.
"All these will change when I eventually marry her" He told himself
Mr and Mrs Anayo were surprised to see Charles come with a lady. They were excited though, but surprised he didn't tell them he was coming with a friend. After the greetings and pleasantries, Charles introduced Karen to his parents. They received her so well. They asked her questions pertaining to her family and her response pleased the Anayo's. Being Sunday, Charles mum rushed to the kitchen to check her stew. She wasn't expecting visitors, so what she cooked could only serve her and her husband. Notwithstanding, she served the food for four of them and ushered them to the dining table. They ate silently and Charles complimented his mums culinary skills. Karen ate a little and said she was satisfied.
"Eat more dear. The food is delicious" Charles said smiling
"I can't eat more than this. The food is not tasty like you are saying"
Stunned by her insensitivity, Charles lowered his voice.
"What is wrong with you"
"Nothing is wrong with me Charles. I should be able to express myself even if your parents are around" She blurted
Mr Anayo looked at his embarrassed son.
"Its okay, there is no need to argue over this. If she doesn't want to eat, fine"
Meanwhile, Mrs Anayo, stunned by Karen's audacious behaviour said nothing but concentrated on her food.
"I am sorry, I didn't mean it" Karen said.
"It's alright" Mr Anayo told her.
They concentrated on their food except Karen, who thanked them and went to the sitting room to sit without clearing her plate. When all were through, Mrs Anayo stood up to clear the plates, but Charles would not accept. He quickly took the plates and spent few minutes washing them, while Charles parents sat with Karen in the sitting room. Charles and Karen spent some time with them before taking their leave.
At home, Karen threw her purse on the bed and faced Charles squarely.
"It seems your parents don't like me. I am just meeting them for the first time Charles. Your mum didn't say much to me. I think I like your father more. I am not going to have problem with him. Where I envisage problem is your mum. She looked menacingly at me"
Charles lowered himself on the bed and listened to her talk.
"Chai! The food is not tasty and everybody wants me to shut up. Na wa oo!. Your mum cannot cook and you keep praising her…"
"Will you shut up?. Be sensitive Karen. True you are meeting my parents for the first time, but you created a poor impression about yourself. The food was tasty Karen and even if it wasn't, you would have been discrete about it. You would have thanked her and leave the dining. But saying, the food wasn't tasty, and saying it to her face. That is insensitive of you and you hurt her feelings. Grow up Karen!"
"But…"
"Shut up!, You left the table without the decency to remove your plate. Are you not from a home?"
As Charles spoke, she began to sob. He stopped talking and softened by her tears, he went to her andd kissed her tears.
"It's right Karen. My parents don't hate you. Next time we will visit them, just behave well" He said softly
He wiped her tears with his palm and placed her head on his chest.
"I love you Karen. You're my first love and I hate it when we argue and…"
"I love you so much Charles" She whispered back to him. I am sorry for everything" she said.