CHAPTER 10- THIS FAMILY CALLED MINE: COLOUR US UP

© Opeyemi Akintunde
As Inspired by the LIVING WORD .

Setemi and Pamilerin burst into the studio like a storm, their eyes wild with urgency. The rest of the half-drunken family members stumbled in behind them, curiosity and confusion etched on their faces.

“Mololuwa… What’s wrong? What did he do to you?” Setemi asked breathlessly, her voice trembling with concern.

The shock of me slapping Tobe had left him dumbstruck, his face red and jaw clenched in disbelief. The imprint of my hand was evident on his cheek, but his eyes held so much disbelief.

I seized the moment, my tears streaming uncontrollably. I had held it in for too long.

“He… he tried to molest me… AGAIN!” I screamed, the weight of the words tearing through the silence.

The emphasis on the ‘AGAIN’ struck everyone like a blow.

“What do you mean AGAIN?” Setemi’s voice was sharp, cutting through the chaos.

And then, I lost it.

Everything poured out like the first rain after a dry season. The pain. The shame. The anger.

I screamed and wailed, recounting how Tobe had molested me repeatedly back in the days…how he had threatened me into silence, how his sickening touch had left me scarred for life. Setemi was bewildered when she heard the main reason why I was childless.. I told them of my vaginismus…I wailed like never before… Pamilerin moved close hugging me.

Everyone stood dazed including Setemi. My words hung in the air like a terrible curse. Even Chizzy, who had barely acknowledged me when she arrived, looked devastated. Her eyes glistened with tears, her lips parted in disbelief.

Uche stared at Tobe, his own brother, with a mixture of confusion and disgust. The disappointment on his face was clear.

“Did you…?” Uche’s voice trembled. “Tobe, did you really…?”

Tobe laughed. Not the laugh of amusement, but of a man cornered by his own filth who was trying to cover up.

“She’s lying. This is a scheme…” He said to my Step brothers and his siblings trying to win them over…”She and her sisters have planned this…You know how desperate they are to get us out of this inheritance. They will do anything!”

“She’s not lying!” Setemi roared, her eyes ablaze. Without warning, she grabbed a wooden artifact from the shelf and flung it at Tobe.

Tobe dodged it just in time, but Setemi was far from done. She charged at him, fists clenched.

“You disgusting beast!” she screamed. “I remember you tried it with me when we were younger, but I fought you off! So, since you couldn’t succeed with me, you went after my sister? I will kill you today!”

“Setemi, calm down,” Uche pleaded, his voice breaking. “Please, just… just calm down.”

My two step-brothers stood like weaklings that they were…

“Calm down?” Pamilerin screamed, her face twisted with pain and rage. “ Didn’t you hear her…He destroyed her! He destroyed our sister!”
Pamilerin also picked up broken artefacts and frames and threw it at him…

Tobe, overwhelmed by the sudden attack, tried to defend himself, raising his hands as shields.

“Stop this madness!” he yelled, his voice cracking. “I didn’t touch her! You’re all crazy!”

“Why would she lie?” Chizzy spoke, her voice shaking. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She took it personal. At the time, I didn’t know why. “You really did that, Tobe? You…?” Chizzy asked

Tobe’s rage turned to desperation.

“I did nothing! She’s making it all up to get sympathy!” he shouted. “If you all believe her over me, then to hell with you!”

He pushed past Uche and charged towards the door. His anger and shame mixed in a terrifying frenzy.

“Tobe, let’s just settle this matter amicably. Please,” Uche tried to reason, his voice pleading.

“Amicably?” Tobe laughed hysterically. “You think you’re getting anything from my father’s Will? You’ll end up with NOTHING!”

He motioned for my step brothers and his siblings to follow him.

” Let’s go, all of you! ” he barked. ” If you choose to stay with them , count yourself out of the Will. I am the one who has access to the Will …the LAWYER is my father in law, remember that ” he threatened…

Uche hesitated, his eyes showing his dilemma. He looked at me…he saw the pain in my eyes, the years of torment I had hidden away. But loyalty to his brother overruled him. He turned away from me, his shoulders slumped with guilt.

Chizzy wiped her tears, her gaze bouncing between Tobe and me. She wanted to stay. I could feel it. But she chose to leave. Loyalty to her blood and definitely the inheritance won over her conscience.

“I’m sorry, Mololuwa,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears. “But I can’t…”

The weaklings called my step brothers looked away from me.

” Sorry!” One of them managed to say.

They all trudged out after Tobe like sheep following a mad shepherd.

Setemi couldn’t bear it. She charged after them, her voice cracking with rage.

“I’ll fight you! You hear me? I will get the best lawyers to bring you down! You won’t get away with this!”

Tobe climbed into his car, slamming the door shut. His siblings and my brothers scrambled to their own vehicles, engines roaring to life.

“Fight me all you want!” Tobe shouted from his window. “You’ll never win! You’ll all end up with NOTHING!”

He sped off, dust flying in his wake.

Pamilerin and Setemi broke down. Their screams tore through the air like wounded animals.

Setemi, overcome by anger and pain, began throwing stones at the retreating cars. Pamilerin joined her, their frustration and rage spilling out in a violent display of desperation.

I stood there, my legs trembling, my throat tight with sorrow. Tears ran down my face as I watched them…as I watched the life our father had given us…the cruelty, the bitterness, the hatred…all of it playing out before my eyes.

Uche’s face was the last one I saw through the back window of Chizzy’s car. His eyes held guilt…regret…but he still left. They all left.

“Why? Why is it always us?” Setemi screamed, her fists beating the air. “Why are we always the ones abandoned? The ones despised? Why, God?”

She fell to her knees, sobbing. Pamilerin knelt beside her joining the sobbing party.

I walked towards them and collapsed beside them, my tears merging with theirs.

We were alone again. Broken. Bruised. And completely stripped.

It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.

Our father had left us with nothing but wounds.

And now, the man who had once preyed on my innocence was walking away with everything.

The ground beneath me felt hot. Burning me.

“God, please…if You are there…don’t let them win.”

But the silence was deafening.
To be continued…

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