Sacrilege - Season 1 - Episode 5

Episode 4 years ago

Sacrilege - Season 1 - Episode 5

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Clicks of cutlery against plate rang out in the moderate sized dining room. Mr Johnson dug into his food with vigor, oblivious to the moody state of his wife.

Gloria moved her rice and stew around the plate, with no appetite at all. “Darling”
“Huh” Mr Johnson grumbled as he chewed on the food in his mouth.
Gloria took a deep breath. “Today is our daughter’s wedding anniversary. We should call to greet.” She said, staring at her food.
Frank Johnson paused fractionally. “Margaret?”
“You know who I’m talking about”
Frank’ mouth tightened slightly as he continued his meal. “I have no other married daughter”

Gloria dropped her spoon noisily. “How long would you keep up this fausse charade? Laura is your first daughter; you can’t continue to shy away from that fact.”
Mr Johnson raised his eyes, glaring at his wife. “I thought I told you I don’t want to hear that name mentioned in this house again” he ground out through clenched teeth.

“But-”
“But nothing” he cut in sharply. “I have said it before and I would say it again; no one in my house is allowed to associate with that girl”

“She is my daughter Frank, she might not be my biological daughter but she is like a daughter to me, I am her step-mom. You can’t forbid me from seeing her, or at least, talking to her” she said fiercely, then lowered her voice in a pleading tone. “Darling… Today is her wedding anniversary. You should at least call if you can’t visit.”

“If she could get married without me, she can also celebrate the anniversary without me. She can get all her wishes from Mark”.
“For how long will your twin brother carry out your responsibilities?”
Mr Johnson continued eating his food, paying her no heed. “Frank” Mrs Johnson tried again. “Don’t make people give me names that are not mine. They would say I turned you against your children. At least call her, today is really special for her. We can’t just detach ourselves from her. You are a pastor” she said softly, “When would you forgive her?”

“I have forgiven her but I am also following the precepts of the Bible. If one daughter causes me to sin, I cut her off” he stood up, dropping his spoon noisily. “And if you decide to go against my wishes, get ready to be cut off as well” he dropped and walked away.

Gloria blinked back tears as she let out a frustrated sigh.


**^**

Chris let out a deep frustrated sigh as he listened to his father repeat the same sermon he always gave times without number as they sat at the dinning of his parents’ house. It had pretty been the only thing his father had been reciting for the past three years. The scent of hot edikaikong soup drifted from the kitchen, making the voice of his dad a bit more bearable. Chris stared hungrily at the wraps of pounded yam already seated on the dining table, just waiting to be swallowed. Living alone made him miss his mother’s cooking and he looked forward to eating his fill tonight. But, considering the awkward conversation he was having now, he really wished he wasn’t here at all. It wasn’t unlike his parents to give him a mandatory call, only to repeat what they had probably said a million times already.

“Are you even listening to me?”
Chris breathed deeply, welcoming his father’s glare. “I have told you countlessly, dad; when I meet the right woman, you’ll know. I can’t get married if I haven’t even met my potential wife yet”

“I have been hearing that for more than three years.” His father’s voice rose a notch. “You are not getting any younger, Chris, you need to put aside bachelorhood and start a family like a mature adult would” his voice boomed. “When I met your mother-”

“There we go again” Chris sighed heavily. This meeting couldn’t get any worse!
“Of course, I won’t have to repeat it over and over again if you took the story seriously. Like I was saying, I was only twenty three when I met your mother, and by twenty five, we were already married with you brewing in her tummy”

“Brewing” Chris muttered.