chapter two

Shirley took a big bite out of the large drumstick in her plate. She sincerely enjoyed her meal of amala, ewedu, and bean stew(gbegiri), the typical food of the Yoruba people of Nigeria. She licked her lips and proceeded to wash her hands in the wash bowl. The water was dirty. Furious, she screamed her maid's name.

"Bisi!" she demanded

"yes ma, I'm coming" replied the maid.

The maid arrived shaking all over, what was her crime this time around?

"You called me ma" she said fearfully.

Shirley eyed the little sixteen year old maid that stood in front of her. This girl was not thinking straight at all.

" what's this?" Shirley demanded holding up the bowl of water to her. Bisi looked into the bowl seeming uncertain of what her mistress demanded of inside it.

" I said what is this?" she inquired again in a more furious tone.

" ma….."

" can't you see the water in it is dirty? Can't you see with your eyes? I mean, what is wrong with you?"

Bisi began scratching her head making her mistress more annoyed.

" And what is that supposed to mean? How stupid you are! Can you not see yourself? This is why your life is meaningless. This is why you won't prosper in anything you do. You are a good for nothing. You are a failure, a nobody, a..."

" Would you keep quiet!" Shirley was interrupted by an elderly woman's voice. She turned immediately to see her mother-in-law. Her face was twisted in a frown as she eyed Shirley with disgust.

" mummy good morning" she greeted embarrassed.

" do I look like I need your greeting? I shouldn't be accepting such from a witch like you. You eat to your heart's content, but you show no results. You are here insulting a poor child when you cannot bring forth your own. Just how long have you been married to my son?"

"seven years ma."

" seven years of being a shameless woman. Seven years of fruitlessness! Yet she has the mouth to correct another woman's child" the woman eyes Shirley once more. She walks towards the maid and gestures at her to follow her to the kitchen.

Shirley sits down as she let herself weep bitterly.

The hospital glowed in the hot sun. Just how many times did she have to come here? She was tired of her life but her husband found no fault in her; It just had to be his mother. She was tired and sick of that woman, she was sick of the African culture and belief system. She would not have to be pestered like this if she was in the western world. In fact, having kids there was not compulsory in any marriage. She just had to be the most envied and pestered wife of Mr. Daniel Adeogun, a very successful business man in Nigeria. Well known and wealthy. He owned many factories in and outside Nigeria and Africa at large that manufactured different products such as butter, sugar, flour and many more. She didn't have much growing up so she decided she must marry a wealthy man; She achieved that, didn't she? she is now living a life of luxury, right? She glances at the hospital from the wind screen of her car. She withdrew her key and alighted her car.

"please, I am here to see Doctor Johnson " she says to the hospital receptionist.

"do you have an appointment ma'am?" the receptionist ask.

" yes I do" she replied.

"please hold on a bit" she says as she dials a number on office line.

The best facilities in Nigeria are the private ones , Shirley thought to herself as she admired the structure and interior design of the hospital.

"you may proceed to his office ma" the receptionist said bringing her back to reality.

"thank you"

Doctor Johnson seemed busy as always. He was so engrossed in a book he was reading unconscious of the world around him. Doctors are always busy, aren't they? She clears her throat alerting him of her presence and he immediately looks up and smiles at her.

" Mrs. Adeogun. "

" my doctor"

" please sit, how are you doing today?" he asked

" I am doing quite well sir. And you?" she sat

" I am very fine, thank you" he replied

"what of your family? Your kids?"

"we are all doing well. And your husband?"

"he is fine sir. He is currently on a business trip in London."

" that's great." He smiles

" how may I be of help?"

Shirley sighs, " we are still on the same case"

Doctor Johnson frowned, a very rare happening. She looked worriedly at this doctor, He had become her confidant and a friend for five years and counting.

" is there a problem" she asked

He shook his head, " none at all"

"it just seems strange. We have run series of test on you and you are perfectly okay and capable of child bearing. I am really baffled"

Shirley sighs. It was also very strange to her. She had made sure she took good care of herself as she was growing up. Her mother had said they were very fertile women in her family. She definitely had everything it takes to have a child then why didn't she? She did not and was not ready to believe in karma or nemesis or the Nigerian mentality of having a past sin haunting her present. Even if that was true, she knew she had not committed any sin to warrant her being barren now.

She returns from her thoughts suspecting the doctor has been trying to talk to her.

" your husband?"

"yes, what about him?"

"you have not brought him in for any test yet"

" he is always busy and he comes home not too often. In fact, my mother-in-law would get wild like a storm if she heard that I invited my husband over for a check up; she strongly believes that I am the fault not her son."

" I see. I wish we could actually test him"

" is there not anything we can do?"

"to you, no. there is nothing more I can do as all test prove you fertile and I have prescribed all the drugs I know"

"so there is nothing more to be done?"

"I am so sorry"

"it is okay" she started to say as she got up to leave.

"thank you so much, God bless you" she said

She pounded her fists on the steering wheel of her car. What was she going to do now? How would she survive another year in her husband's house without being insulted or abused by his mother. She was sick of the embarrassment and insults she gave her. She cried and could not bring herself to start the engine of her car. She did not want to return without a solution-a lasting solution to her misery. Suddenly, she stopped crying and thought a while, she then picked her phone and dialed a number of an old friend.

"hello" came the response from the other side.

"hello, I need your help"

" Shirley, what is the problem?"

She told him all about her inability to give birth, the hospital results and her mother-in-law. Her friend listened attentively to everything she had to say. When she was done, there was a dead silence at the other end.

"hello, are you still there?" she inquired.

"I am here" his voice was quiet.

"what would you have me do?"