CHAPTER FOUR.

STUCK

ARINOLA.

I got back home around ten at night, I've never felt so alone in my entire life.

There was absolutely no one to confide in, Anita would root for Akinwale.

She'll call me names, say I'm ungrateful, or worse.

Oluchi would offer alcohol and nothing more, she's the last person to talk to when you have serious issues.

I can't even confide in Osaze, because well, what could I tell him and what would I expect him to say, as for my parents. Well, need I say more?

They will skin me alive if I dare tell them I want to leave Wale, their golden boy, their potential son-in-law.

It was mummy who opened the door, she was very furious.

She didn't even give me time to breathe or say a word. She pulled me by the hair into the living room, I winced in pain.

My dad was in the living room sitting on a rattan chair, I guess they've sold the rest of the furniture since his favourite was absent and the living room was somewhat empty.

"Mummy stop," I said pulling away, I'd barely balanced on my feet when she slapped me.

The slap caught me off-guard and threw me off my balance.

"You're a witch, I'll beat the evil spirit out of you, wicked girl" she screamed.

"Abike calm down, let's handle this situation calmly," Daddy said calmly.

My teeth rattled and my vision blurred with tears.

"This useless girl, this very useless girl that I carried for nine months, that I fed, clothed, and trained with my hard-earned money. You want to spoil the goodness of the Lord in my life. Aaah, Arinola, daughter of Ajisafe it shall not be well with you if you dare ruin my good luck!" she screamed beating her chest.

I sobbed my hand still on my face.
"If you jeopardize my good luck, I will tear my clothes and curse you. Arinola if you ruin my good luck I will curse you, you will run mad!" she continued.

Did she even care about my own feelings?

"Abike calm down. If you spoil her face, the rich boy won't like her so much again. That face is important, that's the source of our wealth, don't hit her like that next time " My father said.

"Are you mad, abi are you possessed? What is the matter with you foolish girl?" she shouted at me.

"Leave me alone! If you want to kill me, kill me. I'm not interested in Akinwale again" I said stubbornly.

"Aah, my enemies ooo! it will not be well with any of them. You want to use my own child to pour sand into my food. Arinola tell them that you're blind, tell them that you're blind, you did not see me. I will not allow you to ruin my life" she screamed hysterically.

"Ehn Ehn, Abike. No one is going blind, no one is blind. Arinola, my love. My jewel, the source of my happiness, source of my wealth. What is the matter?" my dad asked.

I shook my head and mummy glared at me. "Your madness has made you dumb right, talk before I slap you!" she said.

"I don't love him, I don't love Akinwale. I can't keep deceiving him, it's not right" I said.

"So? love is meaningless my child. What is love? Wale will take care of you, he will provide for you, you will not lack. What kind of love are you looking for? What love is greater than marrying into wealth, marrying into a legacy" daddy asked.

My love for Osaze apparently.

"It's that boy, that Osaze. Benin people have killed me, he has given her a love potion to drink. Your daughter's sense has been sold, Kunle this is not your daughter ooo. Osaze has tied her and kept her in a bottle, your daughter is gone" mummy wailed.

It took every strength I had not to laugh.

"Abike, she's not possessed. She just needs to be advised. She's still a child you know" My father chided.

"How can she tell wale that we don't need a new house, do you know how I suffer to pay rent? Arinola, you're a useless child. You're a wicked girl" mummy said eyeing me.

My daddy cleared his throat, "Abike, please go to bed. I will handle it from here. I trust my daughter she's a good girl, she'll listen to me" daddy said standing up.

He walked to me and lifted me to my feet, he embraced me lovingly.

"All will be well now my love, don't worry" he smiled.

Mummy made a face and hissed

"See, you're like a matchstick. If you don't listen to your father, I will break you. You know me, I'll beat sense into you and reset your brain to fall in love with Akinwale. Foolish, useless child" she hissed walking away.

As I watched her retreating form, I realized that I was tangled in a web. A web I had woven with my own hands.

There are two ways of escaping it, accept and be defeated without fighting or be beaten into accepting defeat. There really was no winning for me.