The bridegroom - Season 1 - Episode 48

4 years ago

The bridegroom - Season 1 - Episode 48

Judith came to Abuja yesterday in
preparation for Shasha’s 3rd birthday
tomorrow. She bought the children lots
of presents and also made the whole
family a delicious meal.

After they had all eaten, they sat down in
the living room watching children’s
programmes.

Mr Ambrose was lying flat on the floor
with baby Joshua comfortably sleeping
on his bare chest after being fed by
Judith.

JUDITH: that is a an excellent way of
bonding with a baby. Well Done!

MR AMBROSE: oh that’s his favourite place
in the world. When he is crying, the
minute I place him on my chest, he just
goes quiet and gently rests his head on
me. Next, he sleeps off.

TATIANA: Baby Joshua cries a lot because
he doesn’t have a mummy

MR AMBROSE: phewww! Here we go
again!

JUDITH: but he has a mummy in heaven,
darling

TATIANA: but he doesn’t have a mummy
in the world so he cries so that God will
give him his own mummy. I and Shasha
don’t cry because we have a mummy and
daddy??

KATE: Tatiana, what happened to your
new teacher?

TATIANA: she died!

JUDITH: no! You can’t say that about
someone, Tatiana!

MR AMBROSE: she actually did. They sent a
letter to all parents informing us.
Apparently, she was raped and murdered
by some…(doorbell rings)

JUDITH: I’ll see who it is

MR AMBROSE: are you sure? Or you want
me to?

JUDITH: no, you don’t want the baby to
wake up
(Opens the door and saw a man and a
woman)
Yes, how can I help?

CHARLOTTE: please, is this the residence
of one Mr Ambrose?

JUDITH: erm, yeah. Why?

CHARLOTTE: my name is Charlotte and this
is my fiance, Umar. We are here to see
him for something very important

JUDITH: does he know you were coming?

CHARLOTTE: no he doesn’t

JUDITH: erm, Mr Ambrose normally sees
people strictly on appointment as he
doesn’t want anything disturbing his
family time. But I’ll tell him, but I am not
making you any promises, alright?

CHARLOTTE: thank you but please tell him
it’s very important

JUDITH: alright, one moment (shuts the
door)
Erm, Mr Ambrose, a woman and a man
she described as her fiance are here to
see you

MR AMBROSE: did you ask them what for?

CHARLOTTE: Yes, she said it’s important.
She looks very nervous and all teary.

MR AMBROSE: for some reasons, I always
get these nutters that I haven’t met from
Adam coming to see me either in my
office or here at home. Some of them
come to beg for alms, some come to
report how rude my staff were to them
and some are just plain mad. So I am very
very reluctant to see people without
appointments. But let them in

JUDITH: alright!(opens the door) you can
come in

CHARLOTTE: good morning, Mr Ambrose

MR AMBROSE: good morning lady and
gentleman

ALAHAJI UMAR: peace be unto this house.
Good morning my brother

CHARLOTTE: we first of all went to your
office but we were told you are off today

MR AMBROSE: yes. I only go to work on
Mondays and Thursdays now since my
wife passed away. I stay home most of
the time looking after the kids

ALAHAJI UMAR: oh my brother! I hab
been there before! Bery bery hard. My
own kwondition was worsened when
the child died after 9 months of my hard
work and ebrything!

But I lib ebrything in the hands of Allah.
We cannot question him

MR AMBROSE: sorry about your
experience. Like you said, we cannot
question God

CHARLOTTE: sorry about the death of
your wife, sir and may her soul rest in
peace. Sir, I’m not sure if you remember
me.

MR AMBROSE: your face looks familiar but
I can’t place exactly where I’ve seen you.
My memory is not that great anymore. A
lot of things have happened so forgive
that.

CHARLOTTE: (kneels down) Sir, I am one
of the ladies who came to your office
claiming we are a charity organisation.
We then told you something about your
wife and also left some pictures for you.

MR AMBROSE: a l r I G H T…. one of the
ladies who sent my wife to her early
grave… fantastic!! Kate! Take Joshua
from me and take the kids upstairs
immediately!

KATE: Tatiana, Shasha! Upstairs!(takes
Baby Joshua from him and they all went
to the living room upstairs)

MR AMBROSE: give me a minute? (goes
into his room, loads his brand new
registered AK47, comes downstairs and
points it right into Charlotte’s right ear)
give me one reason why I should not
send you to the hottest part of hell right
now where you rightly belong!??

ALAHAJI UMAR: ah! Alahu akubah! Dan
Allah! Don’t shoot please. Please I beg
you in the name of Allah! Don’t shoot???

JUDITH: (stands between him and
Charlotte so that the gun is now pointed
at her) remember who Chioma was
when she was alive. Peaceful, loving, and
forgiving! That is who is was. She lived a
higher life never hurt a fly in her lifetime.
If she was standing here right now,
guess what she would say? “Oh come on
sweetie! Stand up, I forgave you a long
time ago”! That’s who she was. Let’s
keep that up for her.

If you shoot and kill this lowlife right
now, you will go to jail for murder, your
children will miss having you here with
them.

Please, put down the gun. I can literally
hear my girlfriend saying these exact
words, put down the gun.

MR AMBROSE: (Hands shaking profusely
and face flooded with tears) you killed
my wife! And you had the temerity to
present your ugly face to me! ???You
want me to forgive you for causing me
pain and guilt that will accompany me to
my grave???

Because of you, that wee boy you saw
here will never know a mother’s love!
Day in day out, her two little girls ask me
questions too heavy for me to answer.
You sent my wife six feet under and you
stand in front of me asking for
forgiveness! That amount of gut!!!! Oh
that amount of gut! ????

Why didn’t you come here yesterday
when Judith wasn’t here!!!
Nothing, and I mean nothing would have
stopped me from separating your
wicked head from the rest of your evil
body! ????(Breaks down in tears!????)
Oh how you hurt me, young lady! How
you hurt me!

I would have given you money, if you
wanted money! Why did you go for
Chioma!!! Why???

She didn’t deserve to die? She was only
28. Full of life and love.

She would never do a thing like this to
anyone! Never ever! She wouldn’t even
think of it.

You want forgiveness? Head to st Mark’s
Anglican church graveyard. There lies the
remains of Chioma. Go there and obtain
her forgiveness.

I have no forgiveness to give you!

CHARLOTTE: (crying really loudly)
pleaseeeeeee!! Pleaseeeee I beg you in
the name of God in heaven. I already
have HIV and my other friend whom I
came with to your office was raped and
murdered last week.?????

JUDITH: wait, was she a teacher??

CHARLOTTE: yes she was. Pleaseeeeee my
sister beg him to forgive me ooo??????

JUDITH: Jesus! So that was Tatiana’s
teacher! Lilly and Birds nursery and
Primary school?

CHARLOTTE: yes. Pleaseeeeee I beg of
you!

MR AMBROSE: imagine! If I had known
earlier, I would have killed her myself! No
wonder I never liked her neither did the
kids! She got what she deserved! Why do
you think you deserve forgiveness! You
deserve to be blown up! And I want to
have the honour of doing it????

CHARLOTTE: Sir, I will not leave your
house today unless you forgive me. I
can’t sleep at night. I keep having
nightmares????

MR AMBROSE: My wife sleeps in the
graveyard every effing night!!!! Because
of you! Bastard!

JUDITH: remember what Chioma told us.
She said even if her killer presents
himself, that we should not press any
charges. This is probably who she was
referring to and not the truck driver who
knocked her down. This ugly woman
right here is her killer

CHARLOTTE: (holds judith on her ankles)
please dear beg him

JUDITH: will you get your bloodstained
hands off me!!!! That lady you killed was
the only friend I had in the world!
If not for the gift of salvation, I would
insert a very hot metal down your throat!
(Turns to Ambrose)
Please, darling, forgive. Vengeance is
mine says the Lord. Let’s not play God.
The bible says avenge not yourselves.
Please forgive

MR AMBROSE: I forgive you. Leave my
house now!

I forgive you and I hope you have a good
life but always remember that your
actions cut short the life of a young
mum. Goodbye.

ALAHAJI UMAR: thank you, my brother.
Come on stand up you evil girl! Allah have
mercy on your soul. You hurt this man so
much walahi. If this was me, I would
have slit your throat walahi! Move!
Allah bless you, my brother
(They left and Judith hugged Ambrose so
tight and somehow, their lips managed
to locate each other and for the very first
time he kissed her passionately…?)

MR AMBROSE: just give me a second

JUDITH: Take two
(Mr Ambrose went into his bedroom and
brought the ring she bought to engage
Judith but he had planned to do it
tomorrow at Shasha’s birthday party. But
he couldn’t wait anymore. So he quickly
grabbed it and ran downstairs where
Judy was)

MR AMBROSE: (on one knee) Judy, for me,
you are not just another woman. To me,
you are love covering yourself in the
bodies of two beautiful women just to
get to me.

You found me first through my Chioma
and now, hidden inside the beautiful
Judith, you came looking for me again.
I recognised you when I saw you. You
are love and you have found me again.
And again, I want to keep you in my
heart and home forever.

So love, will You marry me?

JUDITH: oh my goodness! I can’t believe
this is happening! Yes I will!

MR AMBROSE: Kate! Tatiana! Shasha!
Joshua!!! Daddy is engaged!!!!!!!

***********************************
*********

MADAM NNENA: ah! See who we have
here!

XANDRA: mama, how are you?

MADAM NNENA: I am not good. You
brought me to London and abandoned
me! Eh! My daughter you know I like
seeing you around. Don’t break my heart
oh! Come in my love

XANDRA: wow! This place is very nice and
cosy! Where is Deric?

MADAM NNENA: my dear, I believe he is
broken. You know they called him from
Nigeria and told him that his adulterous
wife is getting married to onye awusa.

But even before then, he has been
staying in that his room, playing all the
sad songs in the world. Doesn’t eat from
day to day. Manages to drink a cup of
coffee or two that’s it.

I’m tired of trying to get him to talk to me
my dear

XANDRA: he’ll be fine. I know what’s
wrong with him.

MADAM NNENA: you do?

XANDRA: yeah. I’ll go see him now.

MADAM NNENA: alright, my daughter
( Xandra got inside and saw Deric in bed
wrapped in blanket and facing the wall)

XANDRA: (taking off the blankets to reveal
his face) come on! It’s not that cold?

DERIC: Xandra, why are you here?

XANDRA: to see you, of course!

DERIC: leave. You have seen me

XANDRA: I’m not leaving. Call the police

DERIC: when is your wedding?

XANDRA: you tell me

DERIC: stop being stupid. It’s not funny.
Xandra! Have some sympathy! I am
human. Does it give you this much joy
hurting me?

XANDRA: Hehehe I wanted you to feel a
little of what I felt those days I was falling
head over heels in love with you. I would
take extra shifts just to see your face and
you were doing shakara and forming
married. Mtchewww!

DERIC: (Quickly sits up) Xandra! Are you
not seeing anyone?

XANDRA: no, I’ve always wanted you and
only you. I love you Deric and I couldn’t
even hide it no matter how hard I tried

DERIC: (jumps out of bed, reaches for the
ring in his bedside drawer and kneels
before Xandra)
Xandra, please will you marry me?

Xandra: yes, I will marry you?
(Deric hugged her and they started
kissing, for about 10 minutes, I looked
on as they passionately kissed each
other. And then their hands started
wandering to places I would describe as
dangerous. So I knew it was time to take
myself out of that dangerous zone. So I
walked away.

I am unable to give an account of what
happened afterwards but whatever
happened, it must have been intense.
I’ll see you all tomorrow???