BEFORE YOU SAY I DO (Episode 3)
RHODA: (A knock on the door. Rhoda opens) What a pleasant surprise? Sonia? So you’re back from Germany and you couldn’t even give your friend a call? What is our friendship turning into?
SONIA: Rhoooda, won’t you even ask me in before battling me with words?
RHODA: (Laughs) Pardon my manners. Please come in. So when did you return from Germany? How was life over there? What about your husband? Is he back with you or is he still there? Wait a minute, are you pregnant? Come on, say something pleaseeeee.
SONIA: How many questions at a time? Which am I supposed to answer first?
RHODA: Anyone, anyone, anyone………,
SONIA: Hmm, Rhoda, it all went well. We arrived at Germany, visited quite a number of places and all that. You know how these things are nauw?
RHODA: I wouldn’t know since I’ve never been there before. It’ll be so kind of you to tell me.
SONIA: (Laughs) You’re funny. Well, the long and short of the matter is that we had such a nice time in Germany. If I had my way, I wouldn’t return to Nigeria.
RHODA: No oo! God forbid. You have to return o. is that how you want to forget me here. God will not allow that. Amen (They both laugh. Rhoda notices Sonia’s tommy) Sonia, your tommy is swelling. I hope it is what I’m thinking o.
SONIA: What are you thinking?
RHODA: You’re pregnant right? (Exclaims in amazement) Oh my God you’re pregnant! Aaaaaawwwwww! Guess what Sonia? I’m also pregnant.
SONIA: Seriously? What a coincidence! God should have just made us sisters instead of friends.
RHODA: Come on Sonia, you still see me as a friend? We’re sisters for crying out loud! Mr. Felix must be overly excited at this development. My husband Martins has been spoiling me with care ever since I told him I was pregnant. I believe Felix is doing same to you, if not more. (Sonia bows her face to the ground) Sonia, what’s that look on your face? Did I say something wrong?
SONIA: Not at all my dear.
RHODA: Why then did your countenance drop all of a sudden when I mentioned Felix? Are you having issues with him? Come on, you can talk to me.
SONIA: I wish it’s just issues I had with him. But no, he wants me to abort the pregnancy.
RHODA: What? Is he out of his mind?
SONIA: Same thing I’ve been thinking. He keeps telling me he’s not ready to be a father yet, and I’m like; WHY NOT? I aborted my first pregnancy for him and I’m not ready to do that again.
RHODA: What? You aborted what? Sonia, why didn’t you mention this to me? Would you rather die in the hands of a man than talk to those who truly care for you?
SONIA: I was confused Rhoda. I didn’t know what to do. You know that I pressed so hard for my marriage to him to pull through against the will of many. I was afraid they would make mockery of me if I told them.
RHODA: Sonia, you know I would never do a thing like that to you. I’m always here to support you. And so are your parents and pastor. Come on, we have to report this matter to them as soon as possible. There are the ones we can trust to help us. Something is not right with that Felix, and he needs to be called to order before he gets worse. Asking his wife to abort his baby? Who does that? Sonia, let’s go and see your parents. From there we can head to the pastor’s office. Something must be done immediately. Let’s go.
SONIA: Okay. (They both leave)
SCENE 9 – SONIA & FELIX’S APARTMENT, NIGERIA – DAYS LATER
DAD: (Sonia weeping bitterly, as her mum and Rhoda try to console her, while father blurts angry words endlessly) That young man is playing with fire! He does not know me o! If he thinks he can just walking into my family to pick my only daughter and destroy her life, he’s joking. By the time I’m done dealing with him, he will know that blood is thicker than water. Nonsense! Does he know what it takes to raise a child? How would he when he’s busy dodging the responsibility of fatherhood?
RHODA: (A knock on the door) Come in, the door is open.
PASTOR: What sort of an emergency is it that demands a halt on all my other engagements? Is somebody dead?
MUM: You might be right sir. This is more or less a case of life and death. My daughter and her friend came visiting us two days ago with such bad news that has devastated our whole family.
DAD: (Cuts in angrily) All because of a young man who has made the mistake of thinking that gray hair is a sign of old age. I will make sure to remind him that even children grow gray hair nowadays. Nonsense!
PASTOR: What’s really going on here? And why is Sonia crying? I wasn’t even aware of her return from Germany.
MUM: Well pastor like I was saying, my daughter and her friend came to report to us that Felix, my daughter’s husband wants her to abort the baby she’s carrying in her womb right now.
PASTOR: (Pastor speaks in unsummon tongues) What are you saying?
MUM: Yes o, pastor. According to her, he had ordered her to do so with her first pregnancy, which she did in obedience to him. We came to your office to also report the matter to you but met your absence. So we decided to drop you that alarming message before coming over to my daughter’s house to see Felix himself and get some explanation from him. He’s not at home at the moment, so we are patiently awaiting his return.
PASTOR: I had my doubts about that young man from the very beginning. I couldn’t have been mistaken. The situation on ground is bad enough already; yet it would be better if this was just all about it. I see worse coming.
RHODA: (A knock on the door) Come in, the door is open. (A strange woman walks in with two kids)
WIFE: Hello everyone.
ALL: Hi.
WIFE: Please is this Mr. Felix Okon’s residence?
RHODA: Yes it is. And who are you?
WIFE: Oh, I’m his wife.
ALL: His what?
WIFE: His wife.
RHODA: You must be mistaken. Maybe it’s another Felix Okon you’re looking for and not this very one because this pregnant lady right here is Mr. Felix Okon’s lawfully wedded wife. You can try checking the next building. You might find the Felix you’re looking for there.
WIFE: But this is the address I have here in this paper as given to me by Felix. I didn’t tell him I was coming anyway. He wouldn’t have let me if I did. And we really needed to see him. You can take a look at this paper to see for yourself. (Hands paper to Rhoda)
RHODA: This is indeed the address. But how can you be his wife? For crying out loud he’s married to my friend right here.
WIFE: Married? That’s impossible. Felix is my lawfully wedded husband. How would he marry another woman while still married to me? This must be a misunderstanding.
SONIA: Yeah, you’re very right. This is a huge misunderstanding because Felix Okon is my husband. We got married two years ago in the presence of all these people you see here. So you see, you are greatly mistaken.
WIFE: I am not. I’m his wife. We got married in the United States five years back and these are his children; Anna and Tony. He came to Nigeria to oversee his ongoing project, which wasn’t supposed to take him this long. I couldn’t cope with the children alone anymore, so I decided to come over to Nigeria and stay with him until he’s done with the projects.
SONIA: I can’t take this anymore. Are you trying to say that my husband was already married to you with children? You’re a blatant liar. Leave my house this moment, you lunatic. Leave! Leave now! (Sonia moves towards Felix’s wife to push her out while everyone tries to stop her. Then a knock on the door calls them to order)
RHODA: Come in please. (Felix walks in to meet everyone staring at him with fury)
WIFE: (Rushes to hug Felix the moment she sees him) Oh, honey. I and the kids have really missed you.
SONIA: Felix!
FELIX: (Answers with a shaky voice) Yes.
SONIA: What’s happening here? Who is this lady? And why is she calling you honey?
FELIX: Ehm, ehm, she’s ehm….,
DAD: What is Ehm, ehm, ehm? Answer the question. And it better be good!
WIFE: Sweetheart, come on, tell them, and save me this embarrassment. It’s been like this ever since I and the kids got here. They all think I’m crazy or something. Please redeem my image.
FELIX: Ehm, everyone calm down. We will sort this out. Just calm down.
ALL: We are not calming down. Answer the question!
FELIX: It is true. (Everyone screams in utter amazement)
To be continued…….
Click below to read any PARTS you missed...
EPISODE 1
EPISODE 2
EPISODE 3
EPISODE 4
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