I gave my father a penetrating painful gaze that could melt a rock, hoping to discomfit him. I couldn’t take in the confession he just blatantly blurted out. How could he! Of course, he had just confessed the gory and disgustful chapters and the verses of the act. Please forgive my use of language. After all there is no other name for a spade but a spade, neither is there another name for a rose but a rose. After a resounding silence, still staring hard at him, all the while trying without success to control the trembling his words enacted in my bones; I could only mutter a whimpering response though I wanted to yell. ‘Why did you do it dad? Mum loves you. You are her pride and joy. She waits on you hand and foot.’ ‘Was your marriage vow just a whistle in the wind?’, I yelled at last. ‘No, no!’, he gasped breathlessly. I couldn’t muffle my disappointment; I was as sick as a parrot, more in sorrow that in anger. His denial was however so categorical that I had to take a second look at him, and then I saw his pain; he had become a shadow of his usual cheerful self. It was now evident that he was suffering from the kiss of death in silence until he couldn’t take it anymore. At that time, I realized that it was high time I simmered down. Gently, with pityingly prodding eyes and gesture, I asked again, ‘Dad why did you do it?’ barely audible, ‘I wanted a male child,’ he responded. It’s your chromosome that is the determining factor of the child’s sex.’ I informed him with a faint trace of the disgust I felt.
In my mum’s view, my father was second to none in love and faithfulness. They have been married for thirty-five good years, yet my mum never once smelt a rat. Anyway the situation now was past cure and care, I thought. What was the use of shutting the stable door after the horse had bolted? The fact that my father had illicit extramarital affair which culminated into two teenage girls was just the tip of the iceberg. The wheels within the wheels now that the woman wanted my dad to openly acknowledge her and her children, threatening to introduce herself to my mum as the second wife if he failed to carry out her bidding. Hence my father like a drowning man clutches at straws had to confide in me, hoping that I would speak to my mother on his behalf. I promised my father that I would come the following Sunday.
As usual my mother was glad to see me, though with a questioning look as to the purpose of my visit, just after visiting three days earlier. Since my father knew the purpose of my visit, he wasted no time before leaving us on the pretense that he was going to spend a penny. Taking the bull by the horns, I told my mum everything dad said. The silence that followed my words was so intense that I would have heard the sound of a pin if somebody had dropped one on the ground. I stole a shocking glance at her; did she know the import of dad’s action? Where I expected barrage of hurtful, resenting and cutting remarks, I was faced with quietness, a calmness that was beyond my sixth sense. Nevertheless, I would never forget the acute pain in my mother’s eyes. Her beautiful face was contorted with crushing pain. Then she gave me her beautiful smile and it dawned on me that she knew all along; she nodded her head in affirmation, confirming my realization.
‘Omoyemi, two wrongs can never make a right; moreover to err is human, to forgive is divine. I forgave your father a long time ago. I am going to stand staunchly behind my husband. I will not lose him to a strange woman. Let her come! I am waiting! What strength! Oh, what grace!, I thought. ‘My sweet daughter,’ she continued, ‘don’t ever forget that two are better than one and a threefold cord is not easily broken (Eccl 4:9-12). Every wise woman builds her house with tolerance and patience, only a foolish one will bring it down through anger, impatience and unforgiveness (Proverbs 14:1; Galatians 5:19-22; Matthew 6:12). Maybe if I had asked God to deliver your father from every temptation (Matthew 6:13), he would not have fallen into that temptation, and a resultant adultery (Galatians 5:19).
Unknowing to either of us, my father was right behind the door and had heard every word mum said. The look on his face revealed the peace and remorse laced with the gratitude he felt. He held my mum tightly, sobbing with remorse and exultant ecstasy.
I looked at both of them, thinking that love takes no cognizance of faults, because it has innate ability to conquer them all. True love will always find a way to still love in spite of every gory and disgustful chapters and verses of life because love is kind and patient, besides it keeps no record of being wronged, neither does it give up nor loses faith. Love is ever hopeful and endures every situation (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). Indeed, Love will always find a way; hence God is LOVE.
Author: TM Odion
