Adaobi Episode 16

 Episode 16

"What is wrong with this girl? " Ada's father asked to
no one in particular as we stood and faced him,
everyone watched.
"I won't marry someone i don't love, you can't force
me". Ada retorted.
The whole village must have been a witness to this
scene of self determination played by Ada, she had
clutched me by my hand and standing besides me,
declared me the love of her life whom she wouldn't
leave for any one else, not even the United states
president. Everyone watched in awe as we stood there, i
wasn't ashamed, i wasn't scared, i was just in love and
stupid about it.
The convoy sent to pick and deliver her to the palace
had arrived and waiting for her. My father too arrived in
the middle of the whole drama. Whatever little doubt i
had faded with his presence, i knew that no matter
what, my father would always be for me and never
against me, his only son.
A security man that had come with the convoy
approached us, he had intentions, bad intentions
obviously.
"Hey, mr man, if you lay a hand on any of them, i am
going to make your life miserable for you".
That was my father, he had that intimidating voice and
aura. Everyone's eyes focused on him as he walked to
us. The security man was cowed.
"What is happening here Quincy?" he said looking at
everyone.
I had no immediate explanation to give, i just stared at
him.
"Are you not Ada?" he asked facing Ada.
"Yes sir"
"And what is happening here, why all this people? "
" I don't want to marry the governor which is what my
father wants to force me to"
"Marry the governor? , who the hell is the governor and
what has that got to do with my son"
"Ehe, the governor is the governor of our state, he is the
one at the Palace waiting for my daughter, to marry her
and this your son here, has deceived her, i don't know
what he said to her to turn her mind upside down but i
know it won't work for him" her father said almost
shouting.
My father looked at him in surprise and then at Ada.
"Please let's go inside, this is not a matter for the
streets"
My father had found it utterly appalling and amusing
that the sole reason he was in the village, the marriage
he was there for was going to be between an executive
governor and a little village girl who is in love with an
ss3 boy. Though Ada was growing into a woman, one
could easily tell she was still a small girl, probably too
young to marry such a man, but it was none of my
father's concern, his concern was me and me alone but
Ada was a big concern to me and so she was his own
concern too.
"Ada, you are going to go and meet the governor, alone,
at least you ought to respect him with your presence
and then when he makes his proposal, you can then
politely decline, maybe in private but for you to drag
Quincy behind you like that, that would be very silly of
the two of you" my father explained.
"Decline gini, she won't decline anything, she must
marry him o, don't mind this shakara you are doing, it
is small girl that is worrying you, the two of you" her
father scolded.
"I am a small girl and yet you raped me and now want
to sell me off" Ada said, everyone turned in his seat to
look at her and then her father whose eyes had
widened.
"Eh?" my father exclaimed
"This girl what are you saying? " her father said
" Don't even try to deny it, you are evil and i'm going to
tell it to everyone today"
"Papa Adaobi is she telling the truth" her mother spoke
for the first time clutching her wrapper to her chest and
facing her husband.
"What do you mean is it true?, how can i sleep with my
own daughter?, so i will leave all the beautiful women in
this village and come be sleeping with this small child"
he stammered.
By this time, my father was too dumbstruck to speak,
he just sat there, looking. I was shocked too but i was
also consoling Ada who had started crying again.
"Oh you can't sleep with her because she is a small girl,
but you will marry her out to someone who is probably
2 hours younger than you all because he is a governor"
my father was obviously bitter about everything.
"In fact, that wedding won't hold and i will make sure of
it, this is pure child abuse, i'm going to the palace right
now" my father said and stood up.
My father left for the palace but not without making
sure i went home, i was able to leave with Ada because
her parents were so engaged with each other that they
didn't know when we left


To Be Continued