The Turbulence?? (#1 in the Our Side of The Dice series)

Yemisi

"You have to divorce your wife. I hope you have not forgotten that you are betrothed to someone else."

The only thing that stops me from opening the door to the living room is the words that my ears caught. In response to those hurtful words, my ears tingle.

Gently, I place the tray containing the jug of milkshake on the side table. I tiptoe towards the door and put my ear against the wooden door. It's the only thing stopping me from watching my mother-in-law speak to my husband, Christopher.

Eavesdropping is a wiser idea because obviously, my mother-in-law would never have said those abusive words in my presence. She'd only waited for me to leave for the kitchen before spilling out all of her heart's content to my husband. Hence, opening the door and expecting her to ramble on would be silly.

I know I will have my heart splintered if I continue to eavesdrop on their dialogue, but I can't act like I'm not inquisitive, especially after those words I had just heard. Nosiness is wrenching at my gut now, and I will sap every information that I can.

I lean closer, pressing my ear painfully to the door until my ear is almost as flat as the door itself, but it is worth it because her voice is more audible now— due to rage.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY NO?!"

"Mum, my NO is NO! Why the hell will you come to my house to force a wedding on me when I'm blissfully married to my wife? What answer are you expecting me to give you?"

"Why are you talking like you know about your betrothal for the first time? You have always known that you belong to someone else, yet you went ahead to marry Yemisi."

I'm on the brink of losing it. I am done letting the old wench hurl jabs and throw malicious looks that made me feel flyspecks of poison all the time. I am done allowing that woman to disrespect me. Her mere presence gives me sleepless nights—ever since she became my mother-in-law.

I was already apprehensive when Christopher and I walked in from the hospital to meet his mother waiting for us in the living room. The friction was threatening enough but listening to her say these vile words when all I've done is try to be a great daughter-in-law to her is distasteful, and I swear I'm going to—

Christopher speaks at the right time. His voice is thunderous with rage, but more importantly, he does the speaking for me, so I refrain from opening the door to pour out the frigid anger I am feeling towards my mother-in-law.

"Mum, shut up! I don't get why you hate my wife when she has done nothing to you, but that's fine. You don't need to like her. The love I have for her is already enough, but insulting her is something I won't take from you, and I won't leave my wife for some unknown lady simply because I'm betrothed to her. Now, leave my house if you've got nothing sensible to say!"

"Christopher...did you just ask me, your mother, to leave your house?"

"Yes!"

There was silence for a moment, then:

"Okay, I will leave but just know that the next time I come, I'll be coming along with your betrothed wife, and you know better than to think I'm joking."

After the threat, the silence resumes—a searing silence that chomps on my heart like the claws of a hungry bear. Then, the sound of the door slamming close.

I stand still next to the door for a moment after eavesdropping. Afterward, I walk towards the sofa next to the side table, and I slump onto it, my derriere bouncing back up only slightly.

Twenty years of my life had passed. Two decades comprised losing my first husband to the cold snares of death and then meeting Christopher years later, who was willing to love me fiercely. I never thought a day like this would come because I thought the days of misery and tears were over—especially a misery that had to do with bad in-laws.