Dinner was full of trouble in the Baker's home, Mr Baker's family not satisfied with Mrs Baker's cooking. The girls couldn't cook because Mrs Baker stopped them from doing so, the girls could only eat their food in silence while Mrs Baker mother in-law and sister in-laws were chattering on the dining table while having dinner, Mr Baker was frustrated. After the dinner, everyone retired to bed. The next day was Sunday so everyone had to wake up as early as 5am to prepare themselves to church else Mr Baker would drive the family to church and those who couldn't get prepared on time would either trek or take public transport.
**Time skip....**
The family stormed into the living room, looking stressed out and settled down in the living room before Mrs Baker started a conversation.
"The sermon was powerful darling. "The Power Of Wisdom", we don't get that kind of sermon many times but when we do, it brings enlightenment" She smiled, looking captivated while Audrey rolled her eyes as she wasn't the churchy type like she always told her sisters.
"Don't do that" Felicia warned Audrey and nudged her by the shoulder. May remained quiet.
"Yes, it was amazing" Mr Baker said with a smile on her face. Audrey's grandma and aunties just folded their arms, acting like they weren't part of the discussion. Mrs Baker kept talking about how church was that Audrey stood up from the couch stretching and yawning then sat back because Felicia kept rolling her eyes at her preventing Audrey from going to her room.
After 1 hour, Aunty Mabel decided to butt in the conversation.
" Yes. Ummm brother. You didn't ask me about Damien?" She fake smiled with her eyes widening a bit.
"Oh yes... I'm sorry I totally forgot" Mr Baker immediately responded. " I should have asked but I have been frustrated since you and Ifeoma visited" Mr Baker said as if to remind her of something.
"Oh right. Damien is thinking of coming to see you brother very soon, he wants us to get married as soon as possible but of course I want him and I to take it slowly....
"That's very good. Slowly but I shouldn't remind you because am sure our mother has sung it in your ears every now and then that you need not to waste any more time in getting married as long as you are sure it's him you want to spend your lifetime with. Consider your age and the fact that you are a woman and that your biological clock is ticking ( _guys i was literally rolling my head while writing that😐)" Mr Baker reminded while having a serious face on. Everyone else apart from Audrey's grandma didn't contribute.
"How soon does he want to see your brother Mabel?" Audrey's grandma asked then asked May to go to the kitchen and peel oranges for everyone. May left the living room to the kitchen immediately. Mrs Baker relaxed her back on the couch and subconsciously her right hand rubbed her abdomen.
"Like tomorrow, that's if you're ready to meet him over that issue" Aunty Mabel said and smiled sincerely. It was obvious to the family that she liked Damien so much.
"Sure. If that's what you want Mabel" Mr Baker could see that his sister's mind was already made up.
" That's what I want brother Michael" She said and giggled. Then May entered the living room with the peeled oranges and placed them on the table. Audrey's grandma picked an orange and then complained loudly as May sat down.
" What's this? Did you peel this orange at all or even the whole oranges" She said as she dropped the orange she picked before and picked another.
"Yes, grandma. It looks halfway peeled but i sure did" May answered confidently as she stood.
"See the way she opened her mouth and said nonsense confidently. You can't peel an orange properly yet you are so confident saying such, ummmm.... What's that your name again?" She asked May looking like she had forgotten something happened. Audrey rubbed her nose, happy that her grandma knew how to feel bad if she did something wrong at least for once. As for Felicia, it was amusing to see her grandma embarrassed; she would've loved to take a picture of her Grandma's face and make an enlarged frame of it and hang it on the walls of the living room but she couldn't..... Damn Manners! She shouted in her head.
"May" May told her grandma her name. And quickly Audrey's grandma regained composure and continued " How old are you? Some of your mates back in the village are married, some with kids . You just have privilege because you were brought up in the city else you would suffer with this lazy attitude of yours. Eat solid food, you would complain so much if not that my daughter in-law has been doing a great job with you, you would go worst. But still I would still blame her, it's all her fault" Audrey's grandma scolded May. After reaching a conclusion that Mrs Baker was at fault for May's attitude, the girls were confused. Felicia raised an eyebrow and folded her arms as if she was expecting such drama.
"I'm sorry Grandma. I will make amends henceforth" May apologized and promised her Grandma before the matter escalated.
"Sure, sit down before your sisters blind me with their eyes. Later they will say I am being too much. Felicia dear, go bring a plate of fruit for your mother because I am taking this oranges to my room" Audrey's grandma said while Felicia left to the kitchen. Everyone else were wondering what was going on in Audrey's grandma mind and why she said she was taking the fruit to her room when she clearly said for everyone.
"Girls, go to your rooms and take a shower. Felicia will come upstairs soon" Mrs Baker said to May and Audrey. They both did as their Mom said while Felicia came ten minutes later and handed her Mom the plate but Mr Baker took it from his wife and fed his wife with the fork on the plate, Mabel and Ifeoma including their Mom looked at the couple weirdly while Felicia ran up the stairs, smiling concluding in her heart that parents were too sweet for their own good.
Soon, Mr Baker fed his wife all the fruits on the plate and then stood up to go drop the plate at the kitchen. Mrs Baker kept mute till her husband came back, her husband's family members were doing a lot of harm just by staring at her- She suddenly remembered those times when she hadn't married her husband, they were against her because they thought she was going to be steal their son and brother from them. At that time, she thought she was just paranoid about it and that it was normal for them to be a little bit selfish about him but of course it wasn't paranoia. Her fears were real and confirmed,she concluded few years into the marriage, the last time her husband's mother called her "daughter in-law" has been since Felicia's birth.
Of course, she wasn't someone to be glad over such because she knew her husband's mother so much in the sense that she says **black** and later pleads **white** desperately. She didn't want to send them packing away from her husband's home but their endless taunting were tiring. Such memories just reminded her of her mother always said about such toxic in-laws that it wasn't ideal for a newly married couple, the warnings that came with her marriage now recalling those past years, she would regret if not for the love shared between her and her husband and their children that love bore.. remembering so much made tears fall down her cheeks..... Just then Mr Baker entered the living room from the kitchen and met with the scene of tears falling down his wife cheeks and he yelled immediately bringing his wife from her thoughts to reality.
"What's wrong with my wife?" He asked his mother and sisters while they flinched knowing how much he reacts when it comes to issues concerning his wife and children
"Baby, I'm fine. I just got carried away with my thoughts, probably mood swings" Mrs Baker assured her husband quickly, he was still shaking from the fear that his family hurt her in his absence and hugging his wife tightly and kissing her forehead twice.
"Let's go upstairs" He told her then held her hands to take her to their bedroom.
"Umm. Bye Mother" Mrs Baker said then smiled while her sister in-laws kept looking at her awkwardly.
"Yes my child. Go take a lot of rest" Audrey's grandma advised.
"Thanks Mother" Mrs Baker said. The couple walked up the stairs while the trio in the living room kept looking at them until they could see them no more before Mabel and Ifeoma jumped in their seat.
"Mother, that woman still controls him." They said in unison.
"You both will leave to your rooms and I don't want to talk about this. That daughter in-law of mine is pregnant with another of my grandchild so don't talk evil about her" Mr Baker's mother ordered them and they both rushed upstairs to their rooms while Mr Baker mother thinks for a while before taking the bowl of oranges up the stairs to her room.
@Mr & Mrs Baker bedroom
" Darling, are you fine?" Mr Baker still concerned while they both sat on the bed facing each other.
"Yes, I'm fine" His wife replied. "Darling, you yelled so much downstairs. please apologize to Mother and your sisters, I don't want to bring any sort of rift between you all" She pleads with him
"Nope baby, they always do this. If they hurt you, they've hurt me so I don't think I should apologize to them if they've never apologized for all those wrongs towards you since we got married" Mr Baker was adamant.
"Baby, you know I don't care about that and don't need any apology. You said once that you'd do what I ask and I want you to apologize okay. They didn't do anything to me directly hmm" Mrs Baker persuaded her husband.
" Okay. I will do that later when I leave for the pharmacy. What about the boutique?" Mr Baker asked.
" My sales assistants will open the boutique later hmm. Go shower first" Mrs Baker told her husband
"And baby, you need to take a blood test to know how old our baby is and register for antenatal care please" Mr Baker asked his wife
"Sure. Now go to the bathroom or you will be late" Mrs Baker said and giggled.
A/N Well readers, I can't believe it myself - this chapter is over 1500 words, Unusual, is it??
Do let me know in the comment section what your thoughts are about this chapter...
Should I send Mr Baker Mom and sisters packing? Or you still like them being cruel?
Till we meet in the next chapter....
Bye my Sunshine 😘