SHOULD SHE KEEP HER SECRET?

pregnant-early

Dear Taiwo,

Please, help me; I don’t know if I can keep this secret to myself. I also need to be careful so that I won’t be seen as not wanting to help my husband’s cousin. She came to live with my husband and I three years ago and since she joined my household, it has been one problem after the other.

I was not informed by my husband or my mother-in-law that she would be living with us. My mother-in-law came to stay with us when I had my third child; a boy who we all had prayed for, because my husband is an only son; I already had two girls, my husband practically begged me to try another, which resulted in our son.

My mother-in-law did not stay with us when I gave birth to the girls, but according to her, she had no choice because he had to help me with the boy. She, however, came with Jumoke, her late sister’s daughter who lived with her. It was easy for her because the school was on summer break.

Sincerely, I have nothing against her staying back because we were close and I took her like the sister I never had. I only questioned the fact that mama; that’s what we call my mother-in-law should have believed in me enough to tell me, instead of making it a hush-hush issue with my husband.

She was not there when I discussed this issue with my husband; neither did I speak with mama on phone in her presence, but eventually she heard and her behavior towards me changed completely.

Jumoke became rude and confrontational. Initially, I was confused; I called my mother-in-law to let her know what was happening. I never knew I only fueled the embers of their hostility. I was not comfortable with her response. I decided to tell her because I felt we were close enough to be able to train her together. I didn’t know mama had something else on her mind.

When my husband returned from the office that day, I told him what happened and what mama’s response was when I reported Jumoke to her. I didn’t know she had called my husband while at work to report me. My husband’s response shocked me.

He said, Jumoke is his relative and I cannot send her away from his home. He accused me of being insensitive to the fact that she is an orphan and we should be able to help her out. Fortunately, I do not have any relative I could ask to come to my house, probably; they would have accused me of scheming to send Jumoke away to bring my relative in.

When I saw the trend of things, I decided to keep my cool. I have a duty to feed her and make sure she is comfortable, that I did very well, even when it was not convenient for me. I don’t know why she saw me as her rival. I became extremely patient and God really helped me.

She would walk up to speak with my husband whenever we were talking without an excuse. My husband saw nothing wrong with this attitude and because it was okay with him, I kept my cool. Sometimes she would be so rude to him that I would feel like slapping her or beating her up, but since I have made up my mind to keep my cool, that I did.

She does not help me out with the household chores; I decided not to raise this at all because I didn’t want trouble. My mother-in-law became a regular visitor to our house. When she visits she saw nothing wrong with my doing the chores alone. She would even ask if I made Jumoke’s meal. At a point, I had to ask if Jumoke ever reported to her that I starved her.

She started living with us in her Senior Secondary Two (SS2). When she passed into SS3, she told her uncle that she would love to attend holiday coaching for her final examinations which he gave her money for. I however noticed that she attends seldomly in school for the coaching.

Several times, she would leave the house with dresses, return home late sometimes shortly before her uncle gets home. On a fateful day, I was so pissed off by her behaviour and I scolded her. She began to cry. She didn’t stop crying until her uncle came back from work and she told him tales. Instead of finding out the truth, my husband quarreled with me.

This really hurt me and I made up my mind to close my eyes to whatever she does. I had a cause to pick up some stuffs from the visitors’ room where she stays and I saw contraceptives and some other drugs I wasn’t comfortable with. I didn’t want to start trouble for myself, but I was so concerned that I confided in my neighbour.

She called Jumoke and talked to her. When she did; the issue almost broke my home. Jumoke claimed that I framed her up. My husband’s anger was further compounded by the fact that I had to discuss his niece’s issue with a neighbour.

I felt really bad about this. It took the intervention of our spiritual father and my uncle before I had peace in my house. After that, I made sure I minded my business. I was however surprised when she said she would like to talk to me two weeks ago. Initially, I told her I had no time, because I cannot imagine what we have to talk about.

Eventually, I had to listen to her when she wouldn’t allow me to rest. She came home on Monday last week after her UTME examination. She looked really sick and ready to drop dead. I must confess, I was actually scared. After I gave her food, which she refused to eat, all she did was cry, I calmed her down, I asked her to speak, and it took her time to tell me she was pregnant.

I smiled and told her I knew. I actually knew. The signs were written all over her. She had made her issues none of my business, so I had no reason to even raise it with her. I told her that much. She kept pleading with me to help her so that her uncle and mama will not get to know.

Although, I know what she was asking of me, I pretended. In essence, she is asking me to help her get rid of the pregnancy. I asked her when her last menstrual period was, she told me and it coincided with the time I saw the drugs with her.

I felt really bad for her. I did not mince words to tell her that I cannot help her get rid of the pregnancy. I won’t do that even for my own sibling. But I however promised not to tell anyone. But I am so confused; I don’t think I should keep something like this from my husband. What if she tries to do something silly? I have been keeping extra watch on her since that day.

And you will be surprised at the change in her towards me. I really feel sorry for her. My other concern is the fact that I want to keep my home, I don’t want to get my husband angry by meddling in Jumoke’s issue again. I wish she had not brought me in.

Please, what should I do?

Tolulope.

0 thoughts on “SHOULD SHE KEEP HER SECRET?

  1. Okay sender dis simple fe figure out
    Know she is a child first
    An yuh ah big woman suh
    Wah yuh ah keep pickney
    Secret fah.
    Ah someting ah cum nuh guh
    Suh if yuh husband an de
    Mumma find out inna de end
    Yuh did know.
    Dem ago find some way fe blame
    Yuh fe not talking
    An it will show dem seh de little girl nuh suh innocent
    An yuh did ah talk de truth

    An get back yuh respect inna yuh house from yuh husband
    Him shouldnt put dem in front
    Yuh an mi nuh si like yuh
    Ah disrespect de madda or de niece.

    Yes ah him madda but he also have to make him madda an niece
    Have respect fe yuh as well
    As mi si seh yuh have respect
    Fe dem

    Yuh cant help har dash weh nuh
    Belly yuh husband woulda left
    Yuh my girl
    An woulda have yuh up fe it
    For de fact is a child an his niece
    Suh big woman ting she is ah child
    An yuh need fe tell yuh husband
    She cant seh yuh set har up
    Like she say when yuh catch har
    Wid drug etc.
    Yuh cant implant nuh baby
    Tell yuh husband period

    If de little gal vex ah fe har
    Business ah pickney
    Dat
    Do wats right dem can’t vex
    Fe de truth

  2. You sure she’s not pregnant for your husband . Blood or no blood stranger things have happen . That would be my first question WHO ARE YOU PREGNANT FORRRR???????

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