The Valentine day divorce (Part 6)

By Chinyere Obi-Obasi

The Respondent and his counsel were surprised to find seats arranged in a semi-circle fashion.

Already seated was the judge and this beautiful happy-faced middle aged woman.

The Petitioner and her counsel also came in and were surprised to also see her.

The judge without wasting time began, ‘since we are all here, we can now commence the meeting. I want to start this meeting by introducing my beloved wife of 23 years. Her Royal Highness and the reason why I can concentrate in this job, Lady Amaka. She is here on my request because she is going to play a very important role in this meeting.’

They were all smiles as the woman who is proving to be a lively personality said, ‘as the court pleases!’ That provoked more laughs.

‘Please everything we will say here is off records and will not form part of the proceedings in the matter in court. This is the first time since I began to sit on this bench that I am doing such a thing. I hereby invite my wife to tell you our story after which I will speak.’

‘At the mention of ‘my wife has something to tell you,’ she stretched out her hand and he took it, squeezed it and winked at her. It was impossible to miss the romantic gesture. It looked so good that the Respondent swallowed a lump while the Petitioner looked away and pressed her lips in this notorious, ‘na today’ fashion.

Sweetheart it will be nice for you to introduce them to me,’ she said with this smooth, sultry voice.

’Darling, I completely forgot. I just assumed you would have …. Never mind. This is the Petitioner Madam Rita Agba. She brought a divorce against her husband who she gave evidence has not been treating her well. He didn’t counter anything she said even though in my opinion there is no one perfect person in any marriage. Counsel am I wrong?’

The two of them nodded their heads.

It is just that in each case one party hurts the other more and that is the case here. Because in his admission the Respondent said he abandoned the Petitioner and her children sorry their children for 5 years; though I must confess he did better than most men in abandonment cases before me in court. He was financially responsible for them throughout. And these are their counsel who have cooperated with me so far so that we can see if we can yet see just one restored marriage in our country.’

‘Thank you very much for the introductions I can now proceed. My dear sister, from all my husband told me about this case it seems your husband is repentant. However as a woman I told my husband that it is not that you don’t know he is repentant but you are worried if you once again give him your heart if, he will not mess it up again am I right?’

For the first time the Petitioner sat up and looked at the judge’s wife in a ‘how do you know? fashion.

‘Yes,’ she said and nodded tears filling her eyes and right before them she broke down in tears. The judge’s wife moved towards her, lifted her up and held her. The Respondent wanted to stand up but all the men in the room simultaneously gestured to him to sit down. The judge’s wife reached out and took some serviettes from the table and gave her. When the sobs subsided, she gently lowered her to her seat and went back to hers.

‘Madam I think I prefer to call you Rita if you don’t mind.’ She nodded her head an indication she agreed with her.

‘Rita I think you are justified in your thoughts because sorry to say my sweetheart, most men don’t change but a few change; my husband is one of those. You will never find out until you give him a chance. I am intervening in this situation because if my husband who left us when we were even younger than you and your husband came back and has not changed, chances are, your husband who is in his 60s will not change.’

’Yes. Yes. Yes. I will not change,’ the Respondent shouted. Stood up and like a little child placed his index finger and lifted it up. ‘I swear to God Almighty I will not change.’

Lady Amaka ignored his outburst and faced Rita who had softened a lot more than at the beginning. She was no longer weeping and looked on with interest at Lady Amaka. ‘You are a Christian right?’

Yes I am,’ Rita the Petitioner answered.

‘So you must be familiar with the Bible verse that says there is no temptation in this world that comes to you that is not common to man. That means there is no situation that is strange.’

She nodded her head.

’Good. You will not be the first that a husband has abandoned and traced his way back and you will not be the last. But first with the kind permission of my husband, I will tell you my story. I met my dear husband at a function. In those days I was slimmer and hot….’

’You are still hot,’ the judge interjected.

’Well not as hot as then before this man here made me deliver 7 children; two sets of twins.’

‘7?’ every one shouted.

‘Yes 7 of them. At that function, he walked up to me and said he wanted to see my parents that he has found his wife. He was already a lawyer while I was in final year in the university studying business administration. I looked at him and laughed really hard. Of course I didn’t take him serious.’