Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Meeting her parents

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Narrators pov

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Anthony walked into the large living area of the magnificent home of Elena's parents, he had mixed feelings as he made his way towards them. A servant met him at the entrance of the home and walked him halfway to where they were seated waiting for him.

Elena stood up when she saw Anthony but didn't move to meet him. He was surprised by her attitude but didn't show it.

It was her father that spoke first "Is this the boy Elena." He asked his daughter. He was a man who didn't waste his words.

Elena only nodded and still didn't look at Anthony.

"Good day sir and ma." Like a proper Nigerian boy he didn't offer his hand to them for a handshake but prostrated in respect.

Mr. Badmus asked him to get up and take a seat while his wife snorted, from the frown on her face she looked angry and disappointed. When Elena had told her about Anthony she had flared up, "I wanted you to date Mike, he is worthy of you." She had insisted.

"Mother, I have invited Anthony already please be nice to him." Elena had not told her mother about her pregnancy yet. She wanted to do it together with Anthony, her mother would possibly freak out but with her father and Anthony present, she would be better behaved.

"So how long have you been dating my daughter." Mr. Badmus asked in his usual straight to the point manner.

Though Anthony was seated on the same couch as Elena, he still felt lonely, she was supposed to support him, hold hands with him. But she left him like a sheep about to be slaughtered.

"For about a month now sir" Anthony replied, trying to be as calm as possible.

"What do you do for a living." Mrs. Badmus asked, she didn't make any attempt to sound nice, she looked at him in a condescending manner

"I'm a computer programmer ma'am."

"What part of Lagos do you live in?"

"That is not necessary, Vera." Mr. Badmus chided his wife. He knew what must be going on in her mind.

"Let me be Desmond, this is my child we are talking about. Do you want her to end up with someone who can barely feed himself?"

The silence in the room was deafening, no one moved or talked. Thankfully the maid showed up with some refreshment. Mr. Badmus poured some wine in the glasses and handed Anthony a glass. He wasn't in the mood to drink anything but the idea of holding something in his hands was calming.

Mrs. Badmus stubbornly refused to take her glass cup when her husband offered, likewise Elena, for her it was more about her pregnancy than not being in the mood for wine.

"Elena do you love this young man." Her father looked pointedly at her, he knew his daughter loved dating men in her social circle but wondered why she went for Anthony. However, he understood that there was something about Anthony that stood out, the young man had character and self-confidence, a trait difficult to dismiss.

"Yes, Daddy."

"Is there a particular reason why you insisted that we meet him because the last time I checked you were old enough to make your own decision, especially concerning your life partner?" Mr. Badmus said and took a long drink from his wine glass.

"Daddy, ermm...Anthony and I wanted to tell you and mum that we…." Elena stuttered, but before she could finish her mother interjected.

"Over my dead body." She shouted.

All eyes focused on her now, "What did you say, Vera." Her husband asked, angry but not surprised by his wife's outburst. She was a drama queen that loved throwing tantrums especially when things were not going her way.

"I said over my dead body." She stood up from where she was sitting and walked towards her husband, she seemed to have aged suddenly.

"Donald, are you serious. This man is not even capable of taking care of himself let alone take care of Elena." She stared angrily at Anthony, who was shocked and uncomfortable at the verbal abuse hauled at him. To make matters worse Elena remained silent, never confronting her mother, nor defending her man except for her father who shouted at his wife.

"Stop this Vera, the young man is seated a few feet away from us."

"I don't care, he should go for girls in his social circle"

"Enough! Not one more word from you, consider your daughter before saying nonsense."

"That's exactly…" As Mrs. Badmus tried to speak again her husband stopped her, his tone of voice reflecting shame and anger at his wife. She stopped and sat back resting at the armchair, folding her hands around her chest. She focused her eyes on the chandelier that hung above them. The reflection of the lights danced on the ceiling, she had always loved it but today she felt indifferent.

"Sorry, Anthony. My wife didn't mean it the way it sounded."

"No problem sir," Anthony replied, admiring Elena's father for being kind to him and worried that Elena had not defended him.

"I give both of you my blessings, just treat my child right, that's all I ask from you."

"Thank you sir, and I promise to love and treat her with the utmost respect," Anthony said and Elena's mother grunted.

"If that is all, I have a meeting and it's almost time." He made me stand up.

"Daddy, we have something else we wanted to tell you guys." She looked strained that her mother shifted her body weight forward and looked at her child, flashes of how sick she had been this week flashed before her.

"Please, Elena, tell me it's not what I'm thinking," Vera said to her child.

"I'm sorry mum." Elena cried

"What's going on." Her father asked, confused.

"You are a disgrace. I had good plans for you Elena." Her mother shouted.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Mr. Badmus looked at Anthony for answers since his wife and child refused to talk. But before he could answer his wife retorted.

"Elena is pregnant. This girl has finished us, she threw her life away for this nobody." She stood up and walked angrily up the steps, the loud bang of the door echoed around the house.

"Is this true Elena." Her father looked at her disappointed.

"I'm so sorry Dad."

"It's okay, don't worry about your mum. She will come around. What's your decision about the pregnancy." He looked from Elena to Anthony.

"We are keeping it."

"And?" He asked again and both of them seemed confused.

"You are getting married right?"

"We haven't talked about that," Elena replied

"You better do, no child of mine would have a baby outside wedlock." He stood and walked away, leaving Elena and Anthony alone.