To me, she is simply over-reacting. In the first place, I have not even accepted her father's proposal. I still remember how surprised I was when he had unexpectedly popped the question.
It was one evening after I had finished my lessons with Joy. As I was heading out towards the gate of the large compound, someone had called my name. It was Uncle Luke, Joy's father.
"I see you are through with my daughter for today. Where are you off to now?" he asked when he came up to me. I told him I was heading home. I had another lesson at a house not too far away but it had been cancelled as the boy was indisposed.
Uncle Luke offered to drive me home as he said he was free. On getting to my house, I thanked him for the ride and made to get down. But he stopped me and said he had something important he wanted to discuss with me.
It was then he opened up, that he loved me and wanted me in his life as his wife.
"As you know, my wife died about ten years ago and I have been all alone with the children. I have not remarried, for one main reason- I have not seen any woman that I feel can replace my late wife in my life.
That was until you came. You might not have noticed it, but I have been watching you all this while you've been coming to the house to teach Joy.
The truth is I love you Sonia and I want us to be close. I know the age difference might be a turn off but don't let it be a hindrance as I want you to be my wife," he said.
His words came as a real surprise. I had known that he liked me as he always loved to stay and chat with me any time I was at the house.
But I never suspected it was deeper than that! Anyway, that day, he told me not to give him an answer straight away, but to take my time and think carefully about his proposal.
I don't know how Thelma heard about the proposal as I definitely did not tell her about it. Perhaps it was the Dad or from another source. Anyway, some days later, I had gone to the house as usual to give Joy her lessons for the day.
We were working when Thelma came in. I was happy to see her as she had been out of town on work related matters but as I greeted her, I noticed her countenance.
She did not respond to my greetings. Instead, she started shouting at me, calling me all sorts of names such as prostitute, gold digger who wants to use charms and 'love portion' to marry her father.
My explanation that it was nothing like that, that it was her Dad who was pleading with me to marry him fell on deaf ears.
"Go and look for your own man! My Dad is not for you! Prostitute! Thief!" she had ranted. For good measure, she had said I should never show my face again in the house or she would do something terrible to me.
***
Of course I ignored her threat. Who was she to tell me to stop teaching Joy when she was not the one that employed me in the first place, I reasoned.
Besides Uncle Luke, on hearing about the quarrel between his daughter and I, was very apologetic the next time we saw.
"I don't understand that girl! What's her business with whom I want to settle down with or not. And to think both of you are friends! Dear, just ignore her, ok? She's just being childish and maybe jealous. With time, she will come round," he stated.
We were at a 'pepper soup' joint close to my house. He had invited me over so we could chat and 'get to know each other better' as he stated.
We had a nice time that day and I accepted when he said we should see over the weekend.
I did not see Thelma for some time until about two weeks after our encounter. I had gone to the house as usual and Joy and I were almost finishing for the day when she arrived home from work.
She immediately began attacking me.
"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay away from my house!" she stated furiously.
"As you can see, I'm here for Joy's lessons," I stated calmly.
"Lessons my foot! Sneaky bitch! I know what you are up to and it won't work! My Dad will never marry you!
As from today, you are fired so stop coming to teach my little sister. It's just an excuse for you to attach yourself to my father," Thelma said, her voice dripping with scorn.
"Fired?" I rejoined, adding, "Who are you to fire me? The last time I checked, your Dad who employed me has not told me to stop coming. Until he does, I'll keep coming!" I informed her.
"Do that and see what I will do to you," she threatened angrily. "After all the atrocities you committed back in school, you now want to come here and pollute this family with your evil ways? Witch!" she shouted at me.
I simply laughed at her, picked up my bag and walked out. Look at who is talking about atrocities, I thought, fuming.
'A girl who was so notorious in school, her story is still being talked about many years after we graduated,' I grumbled as I stood outside the gate of their house, waiting for a cab.
Truth was when her Dad initially proposed, I had had no interest in marrying him. I liked the man for his kindness and sense of humor but were those enough attributes for marriage?
Besides, he was rather too old for me. But from the way Thelma was taking the whole thing, I might change my mind, go ahead and marry him and let's see if the heavens will fall!
So what if I had a past. Who does not have one, including that Thelma threatening fire and brimstone if I married her Dad. Pot calling kettle black, I thought grimly...
A tainted past
Thelma and I became friends in my second year at the Uni. She was one of the most popular girls in school and always had a group of friends hanging around her wherever she went.
They called themselves 'The Pink Panthers' and it showed in their dressing, which always had some element of pink in it.
They were all very attractive girls and they always drew attention wherever they went on campus. While I admired them, I stayed clear of them as I wanted to focus on my studies instead of cat walking all over the campus.
I became close to the Pink Panthers through one of my roommates Elo. Her cousin was Thelma's second in command and she often came to our room to see her.
Soon, I started moving with them and became a Pink Panther myself a short while later. It was after I joined that my eyes were opened to what the members of the group were really up to...
To be continued
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