Must Read: Razor Tongue - Season 1 - Episode 15

7 years ago

Must Read: Razor Tongue - Season 1 - Episode 15

Charles and Nnese walked into the sitting room
and took a seat on the brown leather three
seatee. John led the opening prayer and sat down
beside his wife when he was through.

“I called this family meeting because we need to
talk, air our views on issues, reconcile and seek a
way forward,” he watched his children and their
spouses closely. “We will begin with Martha and
Daniel.”
Martha cleared her throat, “One, I want to know
why my only brother and his wife refused to
attend my wedding,” she glanced at John, then
Eureka, and turned to face their daughter, “Two,
I want Sheila to apologize to my husband and I
for the prank she played on my 40th birthday.”

Charles faced his son, “John, what do you have to
say?”
John smiled and looked at no one in particular, “I
stopped attending family functions after the day
dad banned my daughter from showing up at
family gatherings,” he glanced at Martha who
glared back at him, “Banning Sheila is indirectly
suspending me and my wife from coming for
family events.”
Martha shook her head in disagreement,
“Regardless of the ban or suspension, that isn’t
enough reason for you and your wife to decide
not to attend my wedding.”
“Exactly,” her father added, “She is your sister for
heaven’s sake.”

“Really?” John faced his father, “Sheila is also my
daughter.”
Nnese sighed, she wondered if they would get to
the point of reconciliation. The meeting was
turning sour and they had just started.
“I do not regret what I did on your birthday. I was
simply retaliating. You slapped me, do you think I
would let that go?”

Martha got to her feet, “Look at this incorrigible
thing… ”
“My daughter is not a ‘thing'” Eureka corrected
her sister-in-law.
Martha clapped her hands, “Look at them, like
mother like daughter.”
“Darling please sit down,” Daniel pulled his wife
back to her seat.
“What kind of a mother are you? Your only
daughter s£duced a man… Who knows what else
she has been doing behind your back? Little
LovePeddler.”
Nnese covered her mouth with one of her hands,
shock was written all over her face. She couldn’t
believe that her eldest daughter nursed so much
bitterness for her grand-daughter. She noticed
Charles’s sad countenance. He was equally
astounded.
“I will not sit here, while you call my daughter
names,” Eureka’s voice rose a notch.
“Martha, that was uncalled for. I cannot believe
that you actually said that,” his angry eyes drilled
into hers.

She waved a hand at them, “Irresponsible
parents, why won’t your daughter turn out this
way. Shameless father, dormant mother,
wayward daughter,” she hissed and eyed them.

“It is okay darling,” he sq££zed her palm and
she fell silent. Dorcas cleared her throat and her
husband coughed.
“My husband and his partner are at the point of a
break up. Our multi-million naira wedding
contract is almost non-existent. But, it can be
retified. All Sheila needs to do is to apologize to
our client, simple.”
“Exactly, it doesn’t matter whose fault it was. But
in good faith, in order for peace to reign, Sheila
needs to apologize to our client.”

“I don’t understand how my so called family will
take sides with their client, all because of a few
naira notes,” she addressed her aunt and uncle.
Dorcas cleared her throat again, “It is not a few
naira notes dear. Do you know how much this
contract is worth?”
“I don’t want to know and I am not going to
apologize to those silly girls. For the love of God,
they are beneath our social status.”
Imabong coughed again, “Look here young lady,
there comes a time in life when you need to
disregard your social status and do the
necessary.”

“My daughter will not apologize to a couple of
girls who almost got her dragged out of the
restaurant and beaten up,” Eureka eyed her
brother-in-law, “And that is our final stance.”
“You cannot be serious… John… ” Dorcas turned
to her brother.
“You heard her,” he responded.
“That is unacceptable!” Her voice rose.
“Then deal with it!”
Nnese covered her face with her hands. This
wasn’t how they had planned it. Her children
were making things worse by throwing insults at
one another. Would they ever reconcile?
Bitterness and bottled up resentment was eating
away at her family and she was helpless. God!
God! They needed Him more than they could
imagine.
“I have a question to ask dad,” he faced his
father, “Why in the world would you turn your
back on your grand-daughter when she needed
you most?”

Charles opened his mouth but nothing came out.
He could barely remember the last time his son
had spoken to him in this manner.
“Stopping her from seeing her own family does
not solve anything, it only worsen it.”
He nodded, “I can see that now,” he swallowed.
“You are the head of this family, if you cannot
make good decisions in the time of crisis,” he
shook his head, “What will become of this family?”
Charle’s mouth moved, but no words came out.
Why was John angry at him? What did he do?
“That is enough John! He is your father for Peter’s
sake,” his elder sister berated him. “Coming from
you, someone in God’s ministry,” she eyed him, “I
am highly disappointed.”
“What did the good book say? Honour your father
and your mother… ” Dorcas sized her brother up.
John relaxed. Why was he upset?

Nnese held her husband’s hand, she could sense
his hurt. The meeting had been a total waste of
time. But at least, it had opened their eyes. They
needed to do something fast before their family
disintegrated and dissolved into oblivion.
“Where is Sheila?” Eureka looked at John.
Everyone turned to look at where she sat for the
past twenty minutes, the seat was empty.