Valiant

He's going afterall

.....
The evening was a cool one and the family just finished having a good meal of eba and bitter leaf soup, one Nicholas' favorite soups.. The way he washed his hand as he praised his wife in words like "odoziaku (keeper of my wealth)... Asanpitim (the beautiful one)  was a sign that the meal was great... Infact Dianne never cooked a bad meal, even with the little money available to prepare meals, the little one she prepared was very tasty and Nicholas will end up praising her expecially when he starts washing his hands after meals

"you know eeeh.. " He continued after drinking his usual cup of Palm wine after each meal." before I married you,  I prayed for my God to give me a wife who knows the door to my stomach... And you know what?? " Nicholas asked his wife who he thought was enjoying his praises all these while.
Dianne didn't even answer him like usual, she gathered his plates and walked away with her face not bright
Nicholas shone his eyes wide as he watched his wife walk out on her... This had never happened before,  and whatever gave this woman the guts to do so must have the guts to explain why........

"odinma (it's alright),  you will still come back here " He said as he brought out his snuff box ready to sniff.. Just then, Dianne walked in back and took the washing hand basin ready to throw away the dirty water...
Nicholas held her hand and smiled gently....

" Asa'm. (beautiful one)... Why are you behaving like this?. Why are you keeping a stone face?.. What's wrong, tell me" Nicholas tried to pull her into an embrace.
Dianne, without smiling or looking at him, looked across the room and made eye contact with Pharoah was just staring at the ceiling, laying on the cold cemented floor.... His momhad refused to disclose his results to him since she returned the previous day...  He had asked severally
"you want to know why I'm not happy? " she asked

" yes darling... Tell me, I'm your husband " Nicolas rubbed her hand
Dianne breathed out....

" well I'm not happy that your plan failed... I wished it worked.. I mean, you spent every minute of the day wishing it would work... But it didn't,  so that's why I'm not happy" Dianne looked into her husband face with disappointment
Nicholas was totally confused here.. He scratched his forehead

"what do you mean you are not happy because my plan failed,  which plan are you talking about?? " He asked
She brought out a sealed brown envelope from were she hid it under her box... She threw the envelope at Nicholas
" and what's this? " Nicholas asked as he examined the body of the envelope without opening it...

" He passed " Dianne said in short..

" who passed? " Nicolas asked as if he didn't know what she was talking about.. His thick brows raised up high....

" your son Pharoah " she answered, now wearing a 'matter-of-fact' smile on her face

As soon as Pharoah heard this, he slowly got up like someone who was being controlled.
" mom.. what did you just say?" Pharoah asked without smiling.
Dianne pulled Pharoah towards her and hugged him tightly as tears began to roll down her cheeks

"you made me so proud my son... You made mom proud " she praised him 

" mom, it's a lie.... I made it!!!..... Oh my God! " Pharoah pulled away from her, looked at the envelope in his father's hands and began jumping up and down the house scattering plastic chairs and whatever blocked his way

" I am so sad that your plans did not work Nicholas... maybe if they worked then we wouldn't have to worry about the boys training, but let me tell you. The God who wrote this exams with his is the very same God that will train him" she laughed "You underrated your own son... Your son Nicholas.. Because of his poor grades. You wished he failed huh.. Now this is it..... He is the 13th best student of the 15 selected by a famous oil company in town... And they promised to award free education to the best 15 students to study in their prestigious secondary school... Free education and free hostel accommodation... (laughs again).. Are you surprised Nicholas?? " Dianne asked while laughing at Nicholas who was short of words
Pharaoh suddenly stopped his merriment... He heard something..  "Say it again "

Dianne smiled... " it's true my son... A scholarship "

And he fell to the ground
******
Mrs Betty sat on the floor in the palor as she cried helplessly.. Catarrh was seen coming out from her nose as Sandra held her and tried to console her...  Austin sat down on the sofa with his fingers slamming against the side stool... His eyes up high the roof.. He looked lean already.... Damaris didn't know how the tears kept on rolling. It ran freely down her face as she remembered the last moment with grandma, her smiles and warm gestures
"food poisoning???..... How,???????!!! " Austin shouted with his face still faced up..." I mean... How??????.... In this house????.... I poisoned my mother in law???.. What will people out there say??... What will her son's and daughter's say??.. That it was in my house that my mother in law got poisoned... But how????... Everyone ate the same food??... No one ate diffently... And no one entered the kitchen except for my wife, Sandra and Damaris ...... No... it's a wrong diagnosis. How for God sake!!!!!!!!!! " He slammed his hand hard against the stool.....
He stood up and went towards his wife
" it's okay darling .. Come let's go upstairs... Stop crying.. It's okay...  "  He tried pulling her up.

" You don't understand Austin " she cried bitterly..." I cooked the meal... I will be accused of killing my own mother Austin.. Hey I'm finished.. Believe me honey, I don't know how" she cried even more
"I thought it was Sandra who cooked " Austin said in surprise

" no sir" Sandra answered even as the question was in Austin's mouth. "it was madam!"

"So it's my mom that poisoned it na " Damaris looked at Sandra with disgust. She couldn't control how cold she sounded

" no.. I meant to say I wasn't the one who cooked " Sandra said as she looked back at Damaris

"hey will you stop that nonsense before I decent on you. Both of you"  Austin shouted from the stairs while holding Betty...
Damaris and Sandra kept staring at each other. They were almost same height but Sandra, being 19 was much a little taller than Damaris of 14 years