CHAPTER 3

MEGA BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Everyone of Louisa's family had gathered for grandma's birthday party in the family house.

The party was a befitting one for grandma considering his status in the family.

Everyone was happy.

Grandma called Louisa to enquire from her the whereabouts of her husband, Reuben.

She needed him to clean the mess at the party.

“ Louisa, where is that wretched Reuben of yours?. Summon him here now to clean up this place” Grandma said to Louisa

“ Sorry grandma, he did not show up for the party today. He refused to attend your party despite me telling him it's compulsory for him to attend. Louisa said, faking a sad face.

“What!! ” Grandma shouted.

Grandma's shout brought everyone's attention to her. The music playing in the background was stopped immediately and everybody's gaze and focus was on grandma and Louisa.

“ Why would that stupid poor brat refuse to attend my birthday party. Who the hell does he think he is? What impudence!

Call him here now!! ” Grandma said and Louisa nodded.

“Now tell me Louisa, what was the reason his stupid self refused to show up for the party? ”

Grandma asked angrily.

By now, everybody had kept mute listening to the conversation of grandma and Louisa.

Louisa on seeing grandma angry, and the people watching them, quickly changed her mood and began crying.

Everyone around looked surprised at Louisa's sudden change in mood.

Grandma gave her a questioning look and she began speaking.

“ He told me he wanted a divorce. He asked me to sign the divorce papers by the end of today. He has packed all his belongings and left the house. He's nowhere to be found now. I don't know where he is'' Louisa said while crying

“What!!... ” Grandma screamed

“ What was the reason for that?” She asked in an angry tone.

“ I caught him cheating on me with another woman. He has done that many times now.

When I confronted him about it, he insulted me and the whole family.

He later packed his belongings and left the house after requesting for a divorce ” Louisa said in the midst of her crocodile tears.

Everybody looked puzzled after hearing Louisa speak.

Grandma was fuming with anger at Reuben.

‘ How could he? He had the guts to cheat on Louisa and insult her family ’ she thought.

Louisa was her favorite granddaughter so she believed actually everything she said about Reuben.

“ Call him to come here now!! ” She commanded while fuming with anger

Louisa took her phone and dialed his phone number. He picked on the first ring.

The phone was on loudspeaker so grandma could hear the conversation..

“ My grandmother wants to see you at the family house now!! ” Louisa said with a voice of urgency.

Immediately the words left her mouth, Reuben replied.

“ Okay, I'm on my way” He said and cut the call..

Suddenly one of Louisa's cousins burst out into laughter.

“ Some people who said they are beautiful cannot even keep their husbands in peace. She said in a mocking tone whilst laughing.

Everybody knew she was jealous of Louisa's beauty and closeness to grandma so the comment was not surprising.

Louisa got angry.

“ Who do you think you are? I know you are jealous of me and that is why you are making such comments ” Louisa retorted.

“ See who's talking, me? Jealous? Haha…, I will never be jealous of someone who claims she's beautiful yet cannot even keep her own husband. What is the essence of beauty then? ” Her cousin continued mocking her.

“ I never for once pushed him to cheat. He chose to do so because he was a bloody ingrate!. And you, do you even have a husband ” Louisa said pointing a finger at her cousin

“ At least it is better to be single than to be with a broke husband of a man who would still cheat on me with another woman. And besides, my boyfriend is very wealthy. Unlike your broke man, and I'm getting married in a few months time” Her cousin said giving her a stylish look of mockery.

“Now this is enough for you two. Why would you fight over this? You guys should come together to channel your energy at that stupid brat. Not at each other” Grandma said, breaking the quarrel.

But that made things rather worse.

This time the family was divided into two. One on the side of Louisa and one on the side of Louisa's cousin.

A heated argument broke out between the two parties.

After minutes of arguing, grandma who was pissed off at their behavior screamed on top of her voice as hard as she could.

“ Shut up everyone!!! " She shouted.

Suddenly, the whole place went quiet.

Everyone kept quiet and looked at her.

“ One more word from any of you and that person is going to face my wrath…” she said..

Then she looked at Louisa.

“ When is that ingrate of a man going to get here huh?” She asked Louisa.

Louisa looked clueless. She took her phone and called Reuben's number again.

“ Will be there in a minute” Reuben's voice could be heard the moment he picked up and the call cut right after his words left his mouth.

This time Louisa's cousin burst into a hysterical laugh again without saying anything.

Louisa flashed her a deadly look and chuckled

Grandma sat there fuming with anger.

“ Where is that Reuben for Christ's sake"

She fumed

Before anyone could speak, a voice popped out from the entrance.

“ I'm right here grandma,” the voice replied.

Everybody looked in the direction of the voice.

Reuben emerged from the entrance and entered.

He noticed how everyone was looking at him with a gaze.

“ Chill guys, I'm here. ” he said with a smile

And turning to grandma

“ I was asked to deliver a parcel to this house grandma” he said

“ Who do you think you are? How dare you keep me waiting for you” Grandma asked angrily.

“ Sorry ma, there was traffic on the road… ”

“ Shut up you fool.

Now tell me, what right do you have to cheat on Louisa? And what guy did you have to insult me and my family? What gave you the audacity to ask for a divorce after what you did? Huh? " Grandma questioned him.

Reuben's demeanor changed.

He flashed a quick look at Louisa, tthen the people and then back at grandma.