The Sword Called Divorce (Episode Finale)

Joe wasn’t sure what to do. He hesitated before opening the door.
“Who’s it?” Nike emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hand with a dishrag.
“Er…” shifted on his feet.
The door fell open to reveal Izie standing in the doorway. It was raining outside and she was dripping wet.
“May I come in?” She hugged herself.
“What for?” Nike was suddenly on the defensive, twirling the dish rag in her hands.
“Please, it’s cold out here.”
Without another word, Joe shifted to let her in. He wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but he knew he didn’t wanna be there. This was wrong timing. He’d thought Izie was outta their lives for good.
“What do you want, Izie?” Nike asked, standing with arms akimbo.
“Sister Izie! Hello!” It was Bella who broke the ice, she ran towards her and threw herself in  Izie’s arms, not minding her wet body.
“How are you, sweetheart?” Izie bent to kiss her, nervously.
“Come and see my homework.” She held on to Izie’s hand and pulled her towards the centre table.
“Bella darling. Go to your room and put on the TV.”  Nike ordered stiffly.
“But mummy…I want to…” Bella looked set to throw a tantrum.
“Bella. You heard your mummy. Let’s go and watch Dora the Explorer. You’ll see Sister Izie later.” Joe took her by the shoulders firmly and led her to her room.
The awkwardness returned to the room like the ghosts of a graveyard;   both women stared at themselves, one with disgust…the other with a plea. The nervousness that permeated the atmosphere was as thick as clothe.
“What do you want Izie? Nike was exasperated. “Why don’t you just leave us alone?”
“I came to see you. There’s nothing I have to say that you haven’t heard before but the difference is today I’m not leaving here without your forgiveness.”
The next thing Izie did stunned Nike. She dropped to her knees before her, wet clothes and all dripping all over the floor.
“I haven’t had a night of peace since this saga started. I regret what I did. I feel stupid for letting the devil use me to break a home. And I can’t live with myself if this family falls apart. Please ma, with every drop of blood in my body I’m begging you to forgive me. I am so sorry for what I did. Please find a place in your heart to forgive me.”
If Izie had looked closely, she’d have noticed that Nike was shaking almost frenziedly.
“Please ma. I’m not leaving here until you forgive me.” Izie reiterated, this time tears were running down her face.
“You…you have the guts to…do you…do you know what you…” Within the blink of an eye, Nike hit Izie right across the face, the impact sending her reeling back.
The only noise in the room was the whimpering sound coming from Izie.
“I deserve that. I deserve that and more. If it makes you feel better ma, go ahead and hit me again.” Izie snivelled.
Surprisingly, Nike sank to the floor in tears. She clutched at her chest and began sobbing softly.
Anyone walking in on the scene would be transfixed by the sight before their eyes. Two women, seemingly arch-enemies sat beside each other with tears running down their faces.
“Come here, you silly girl.” Nike whispered, and pulled Izie into her arms.
And with just one hug; the months of resentment melted away and slowly the pain began to heal. The healing balm began to do its work.
It’s called love and with it comes forgiveness.

No more words needed to be said, apologies were no longer essential…an unspoken agreement had just been made. Both women had come to terms with themselves and their mistakes.
“I’m making dinner. Coconut rice, will you eat?” Nike raised herself up, dusting her skirt.
“Er…ma, I have something to show you.”
“Again? What is it again?”
“Marie.”
At the sound of her daughter’s name, Nike pivoted sharply. “What? What did you say?”
Before she could reply the door to the sitting room flew open and Marie stood in the shadows.
“Mummy.” Her voice filtered in.
“Marie!!!” Without thinking, Nike ran forward and folded her daughter into her arms “Honey! Marie is home!!!” She announced, her voice brimming with joy.
The atmosphere at the Babalola’s residence was suddenly filled with joy, excitement and exhilaration. So many questions being asked without answers being given, lots of hugs and kisses and above the din no one noticed when Izie slipped away.

After fifteen minutes of hullabaloo, quietness returned to the atmosphere again.
“Where’s Izie?” Nike asked.
“Ah…she was here some minutes ago.” Joe responded.
“Mummy, daddy. Sister Izie is gone.” Marie said softly.
“What do you mean ‘gone’?”
“She said she’s leaving our lives for good. She came to say good bye.”
“Oh my God. She shouldn’t have left just like that. I have to call her. She’s family now. Where’s my phone?”
Joe and Marie watched Nike go off looking for her phone.

“Daddy where’s Bella?” Marie asked.
“She slept off while watching TV. Sweetheart don’t ever do that again, ok? Don’t run off to prove a point.”
“I wasn’t proving a point daddy. I wanted you and mummy back together again. I needed mummy to come back to her senses.”
“Well, let’s hope you succeeded. Come here and gimme a hug. We missed  you.”

“You planned this with Izie, right?”  Nike came back in, brandishing her phone.
“I’m sorry mummy. But I wanted you and daddy to see what it’s like to have a broken home.”
“You know what?” Nike stood with arms akimbo. “You’re too wise for your own age.”
Marie cracked a smile. “Did it work, mummy?”
“Well, let’s just say you taught me a good lesson. Now I know how much this family means to me.”
With that Nike covered the distance between her and her husband, holding out her hand to him.
“I’ve also learned the art of forgiveness. If anyone had told me some months ago that I wouldn’t hate you and Izie again…I would’ve sent that person to hell and back. But knowing what I know now…the way I felt when I let go of all the anger and pain, I feel so relieved, so light; like a burden has been taken off my shoulders. Honey, I’m sorry for being stubborn and unforgiving. I don’t know what came over me but we all make mistakes and even God forgives.”
“And I’m sorry for betraying you. It’ll never happen again.” Joe beamed and dropped to one knee. “Mrs Nike Babalola would you do me the favour of re-marrying me? Let’s renew our vows.”

Nike flushed, glancing at her daughter. “Yes, I will remarry you.”

MIMI. A

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