Dysfunctional - Episode 3

 

Sommy's POV

My secretary Filda called me up in the evening to remind me of the appointment I had with a client the next day.
 "Remember he's the CEO of the Bishop law firm?" She sounded off and I rolled my eyes. When have I ever cared about a client's title?
"Please don't forget"
"When have I ever forgotten?" 
"Do you want me to remind you of Mr. Alabi or Dr . Gabriel" she added. Filda has always been so clingy and persistent. I hated it, in a good way. 
"Okay you've made your point. You know very well that I have a lot on my mind lately"
"I do but he's John Bosco Bishop, we don't want him suing our ass for inefficiency"
"Now I'm scared" I answered sarcastically then she hung up.
I try not to live my life In fear of anybody. After watching the classic movie 'Pretty woman' for the millionth time, I took my phone surfing the web to know more about this John Bosco. I hated the name though.

The next morning I got a got from my best friend/ cousin, Juliet. She called to remind me of the meeting I had. Filda put her up to it. "I'm awake already" I replied, "I know you so well Sommy, you're still In bed and I woke you up" she was right but I wasn't going to make her win.
"I wasn't even sleeping"
"And I didn't have s*x last night" she snapped and I sat up

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/dysfunctional

. "Who did you have s*x with? The last time I checked Jules, you're single"
"Bright and I finally broke away from the friend zone curse" she announced and I squeaked in joy.
 I felt so happy for her. There's no prison as bad as the friend-zone. "How good is he on bed?" I asked then saw an incoming call from mom. "I'll call you back" I added then ended Juliet's call.
"Good morning Mom" I began expecting her to nag as usual. "Are you coming?" She asked and i creased my brow relentlessly to remember what I might have forgotten but I had nothing. 
"You forgot" she assumed.
"Mom I have better things to think of"
"We're reading your father's will today and he requested that you turn up for it." "Mom I have something to do" "Don't be inconsiderate Chisom"
"Have I ever been inconsiderate? The only inconsiderate person has been dad and thank God he's six feet under"
"Chisom!" Mom yelled and I moved the phone away from my ears. "God forgive you for such utterances" she added and I withheld myself from crying. 
"Is his sweet Amanda not around to grace the meeting i asked referring to my fraternal twin. "It was his dying wish that you be present during the reading of the will. It's going to start in thirty minutes from now"
"I have an appointment by 9"
"The reading with commence by 8, you can get here In fifteen minutes" "With Lagos traffic?" I scoffed. "If you stay back Chisom, if you stay back, consider that you no longer have a mother" she threatened then ended the call. 
I laid back in bed letting out a frustrated sigh. I didn't want to go for the reading of the will. Part of me still holds grugdes against my old man even though he's six feet under. 
Growing up, I loved him. I was his favourite until the day I registered for Jamb and I chose the course I had passion for; psychology. 
Dad wanted me to study medicine and surgery so I could one day take over his hospital. Chiamanda my twin sister was a commercial student  who had accounting in mind.
 Dad wore his glasses then he took a  close look at the registration print out. "Chisom, I think there's a mistake, this people registered the wrong course for you"
"Daddy it's not a mistake that's what I told the man to do" 
Daddy raised his head at me then removed his glasses. "What happened to the medicine we agreed upon" he asked and I raised my brow rudely at him. "Daddy you and who agreed on medicine?" I asked then scoffed.
 "Daddy I was just listening to you like every good daughter would" i confessed to him. I wasn't ready to pursue medicine as a course. I've lived my life pleasing him.
 I just needed to take a breather and for the first time do something I love.
I loved psychology, my late uncle, Juliet's dad studied the course. The way he talked about it made me grew interest in it. 
"Chisom, I thought we discussed"
"Daddy, you were just talking your own oh. I had my mind made up long ago!"
"How dare you talk to me that way?" He asked then slapped me on my face. It was his first time laying hands on me. He then called out to mom who was cooking in the kitchen.
 I knew I was being rude and I, it broke my heart but if I wanted to break free from Dad's shackles, I would need all the attitude I can conjure. 
"Did you know that your daughter registered Psychology instead of Medicine and surgery?" 
"I didn't" she replied now turning towards me. "Dad slapped me" I reported rubbing my burning cheek. "And I will do it again and again! You better tell your daughter that she's not sitting for jamb this year, she'll wait next year to register medicine"
"You and who would wait till next year?" I snapped and dad charged towards me to beat  me and Mom blocked him. 
"What would you study psychology to become Chisom? You want to be as wretched as my brother"
"Chisom you have to do as your father wishes" mom advised and I felt even more angry.
"You two are just talking your own oh. Do you guys have any idea how i feel about medicine? Do you two even care about my passion"
"What's passion when you'll be as wretched as Uche" he snapped referring to his brother, my mentor. "I'd rather be wretched as you call it than  study a course I don't like" I retorted back.
 Dad wiped his face with his palm. There were veins all over his forehead. He was so close to crying. "You won't be studying that course under my roof and I won't pay a cent" he declared. 
This was the part I didn't expect. I never saw it coming but I didn't let it shake me. Mom begged dad but it all fell on deaf ears.
The next day I moved in with my Uncle Uche. He wasn't as wretched as dad assumed, just that he didn't own properties as dad did. Her daughter became a sister to me. Juliet and her mother welcomed me with arms wide opened. 
There were times things were so tough we could barely eat twice, we still lived happily. My uncle and Mom paid my fees all through my academic years. Dad kept to his promise not to pay a dime on my education.
If there was something I learnt from Uncle Uche before he died, it was to live life cherishing every good moment rather than lingering on the bad ones. 

As much as I didn't want to go for the reading of the will, I also didn't want  to make mom angry. The keke Napeb driver stopped by the gate. The last time I stopped by at the h iuse was after dad's burial. 
I walked into the compound, Cars were parked almost everywhere. I sighed preparing myself for whatever might happen. I didn't understand why dad would request my presence in the reading of his will.
The maid opened the door after I may have pressed the door bell twice. I walked into the sitting room and all eyes fell on me. 
"Madam late comer" Susan, one of my cousins jeered to spite me, but she had no idea she just made a wrong move.
 "Yeah I'd rather be a late comer than be like your husband who comes early. One minute he's in and the next  he's out" I retorted turning towards her husband. 
"Chisom" he called out in shame, and I laughed. "What? Tell your wife to put her mouth where her ass is" I replied looking around to observe if there were kids around. There were none.
 I heard Amanda scoff. "Barely one minute and you're making trouble already"
"Don't blame me o, blame her" I pointed to Susan taking my seat close to mom. "You're late"
"At least it's better to be late  than be the late" I replied laughing at my own humour. "Why are you laughing?" She asked, "Cause I'm late and dad is late." "And you think that's funny" she added. "Cheer up Amanda, you're like the widow here, mom is not even as grumpy as you are" I pointed out and Mom pinched me.
I saw Amanda's husband shake his stupid head. They've been married for three years without kids and I have no idea how to initiate a topic with my own twin to find out why.
We grew up apart, she doesn't seem to like me, she has been feeding off from Dad's bad energy. 
I never like her husband, there was something about Bob that I didn't like and I couldn't place a finger on it. For starters I hate the fact he had a square head, I nick-named him Sponge Bob square head.

"No more interruption" An elderly man announced. He was dad's attorney and I respected his request, if not for anything, for the grey hair on his hair.
"Now we begin" he cleared his throat. My eyes widened In surprise. Apparently, they were waiting for me before commencement because dad requested my presence.  I almost rolled my eyes. Such hypocrisy! The man hated me!
I tried not to dose off as the lawyer read all the preambles. Dad willed the house over to mom and another house he owned In Abia  State and some money. To Chiamanda he willed the hospital so Bob could manage it. I saw him grin like a goat. What did my sister see in that idiot? I kept on asking myself. 
For a while I was lost in thought until I heard the lawyer call my name. "To Chisom Kalu, I hand over these notes to her" The lawyer stopped bringing out about six or seven envelopes then he resumed reading. "I beseech that you read it carefully and intently." He paused and i waited for the other part of the will that stated that I hereby will blah blah blah blah to Chisom Kalu. 
There was a brief silence. "Is that all?" I asked and the lawyer nodded. 
Every enemy I had in the room broke into laughter except mom and Chiamanda. Susan's annoying cackle filled the whole room.

Read " Palm lines 2 " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. I could fill my anger building up. I stood up walking out of the house.
"Chisom!" Mom followed me and I turned to her withholding my tears. "Mom I'm late for my appointment with my client. I can't believe I just wasted my precious time"
"I never expected your father to leave you notes"
"That's cause you've been married to a monster for thirty good years. You didn't even know who he was. Dr. Kalu was a hypocrite" "Don't say bad things about your father Chi Chi, he loved you"
 "What a nice way to show his love mom, he gave me notes"
"I think you should read it, hear him out." "If I get that note, the first thing I'll do is set fire on each of them" i restrained myself from crying.
 "How can a father hate her daughter so much even in death" I cried out cleaning my tears with my fingers.
Mom raised a car key up, this is her fourth time offering to give me the car but i didn't need it. My pride would not let me collect it. "I don't need it mom" I answered and she hissed.
"Pride goes before fall Chisom. You said it yourself, you'll be late"
"I don't need dad's properties to survive. I'm going to make money from my God damn profession and I'll buy myself a car, even if it's second hand" I retorted then I walked towards the gate. 
I signalled for the gateman to open the gate for me and he did.