3 We Meant What We Said

Chapter 3

"Tunde what did you just say?'' Harry asked, suddenly losing interest in the drink he was having. So were Ayo and Desmond, they were all waiting patiently for him to repeat himself.

''I said, I have been asked to get married by my parents, my mother came over to tell me that this morning''

''guy which kind joke be that na? how will your parents ask you to get married just like that?'' Harry said clearly not buying what Tunde was saying.

''I still don't understand, why would your parents ask you to get married out of the blue?'' Ayo asked

''well apparently they want me to get married or forfeit my inheritance, I still don't understand it myself''

''so, what you are saying is that if you don't get married, you are not going to have your inheritance?'' Desmond asked.

''yes, and I only have three months to do that, can you imagine that?''

''are you sure of this? Hope this is not some sort of prank?'' Ayo asked.

''the same thing I asked my mother when she said it this morning, but I called my father after she left and he confirmed it. If I don't find a wife in three months time, he is going to hand over the chairmanship of the company to my cousin, how absurd is that?''

''this is serious, I have never heard of this, I mean why would your parents want to do such a thing to you?'' Ayo said looking so confused.

''I think you should go over to your parents' and talk to both of them, try and see if there is another way around this'' Desmond finally said after thinking for a while.

''yeah Desmond has a point, go over to the house and discuss this with them'' Ayo said.

''I think so too'' Harry concurred.

Tunde decided to immediately go see his parents. When he got there his mother was in the kitchen with his two sisters who were twins. They were preparing dinner.

''good evening mother''

''Tunde good evening, we weren't expecting you. How have you been since I last saw you?'' his mother asked as she stirred the rice she was preparing.

''I came over to talk to you and dad''

''if it's about you getting married, then I think you just wasted your time coming here, or are you here to tell us you have found a wife?'' his mother turned to look at him.

''haba mother, it's not that easy to find a wife now''

''then what are you doing here wasting precious time when you should be working on getting yourself a wife?''

''Tunde is getting married?'' his two sisters asked at the same time. Tunde was their senior with 10years. After his parents had him, his mother had difficulty in conceiving again until Tunde was 9. The twins are in their second year at the university of Lagos and most of the time they usually went for their lectures from home because his mother always insists they go from home instead of staying in the campus like their fellow students.

''yes he is, so you both better start getting ready because you have a wedding to plan'' his mother told the two girls who looked so confused.

''mother please can I talk to you and dad?''

''can't you see I'm cooking? Or should I abandon my food?''

''mother please, I'm sure Taiwo and Kehinde can continue from where you stopped''.

''mother why don't you go talk with him? We can finish the cooking'' Taiwo offered

''okay oo, since I can't even cook for my husband in peace, oya let's go''

Tunde mouthed a thank you to his sisters and followed his mother into the sitting room, where his father was seated having a glass of whiskey as he read a newspaper.

''good evening daddy'' Tunde prostrated in greeting as it's done in yoruba tradition

''Tunde, how are you? I didn't know you were coming?''

''same thing I said'' his mother sat down next to her husband on the couch.

''do I need a permission to come visit my parents?''

''oh so now you know you don't need permission? But we practically have to drag you before you come pay us a visit'' his mother said attacking him.

''mother, it's not like that and you know it, I have just been busy''

''Bisi leave the boy alone'' his father put down the newspaper he was reading and took a sip of his drink. ''what troubles you son? You don't look like your usual self, here have some drink'' he offered Tunde his glass

''I'm okay dad'' he said declining the drink. ''I'm here to talk to you and mother about this whole marriage thing''

''and what about it? Have you found a wife already?'' his father asked as he poured himself more drink

''that is my point, you and mother keep asking if I have found a wife, like it's a new car I can just walk into a car slot and buy, it's marriage we are talking about, it's not something I can just wake up and decide I want to jump into''

''I'm glad you know that you can't get a woman the same way you get a new car, because that's exactly what you do; changing women constantly like you do a pair of shoes'' his mother said.

''Tunde if you came here to have me or your mother change our minds about you getting married, then you have wasted your time because there is no going back on what we said; you are to find a wife in the next three months and get married to her, or get ready to forgo your inheritance''

''and if you don't have someone to marry, then you can go ahead and marry the girl we already found for you'' his mother offered smiling.

''you already found a wife for me? I can't believe this''

''you had better believe it and better get to work on finding yourself a wife else you would have to go with our choice. Though there will be nothing I would love more than to have Sophia as a daughter in-law, such a respectful and well trained girl'' his mother was all smiles as she spoke

''Bisi, I thought we agreed on him marrying someone of his choice?'' he father asked.

''I know, I'm just saying..''

''hello I'm still here?'' he was sick and tired of them planning his life like he was a kid. ''dad can you just give me one reason why you are doing this?''

''because I don't want you to waste your youth chasing everything in skirt''

''but it's my life remember? Don't I get to choose how I want to live it?''

''yes you do have a point, but I can't risk handing over the company to you with this your current lifestyle. You need to become more responsible''

''and you think marriage is going to make me responsible?''

''yes, if you can stay committed to being married then you stay committed to managing the company''

''and you know this because?''

''I'm your father''