03

****Solange Sonon****

I'm pouring my tears, I'm so desperate but why is this happening to me? Why can the other have it except me? He starts insulting me like a nobody, he doesn't even have the courage to look me in the eye, why so much misfortune in my life? Where have I failed?

Pierre (furious): You don't deserve this house, I want you to leave my house, you will now live in the annex.

Solange (crying): You have no right to do this to me Pierre, we built this house together and I am your legitimate wife.

Pierre: What legitimacy? An incompetent like you, you call yourself legitimate? I'm not going to repeat it to myself, I want you to leave my house, Thérèse is going to replace you here with my sons and my daughter.

I continue to beg him, but he no longer takes care of me, I see my little princess come into the house.

Judith: Hello dad.

He looks at it without even answering it, I look at my daughter and my mother's heart breaks.

My name is Solange, I'm 40 and I've been married to Pierre for 22 years, and we have a 15-year-old daughter. I spent 5 years in my household without having children. My husband and his family left with a distant cousin to be my husband's second wife, but legally I am the only one. As soon as she arrived at our house, we had put her in our second house that we had built for the guests. Not even a year she had become pregnant, she had had her first two children within a year, my husband had completely changed, he no longer even came to our house, I specify we live in Doga (a village in Benin) but afterwards, as if by a miracle, I had become pregnant, my in-laws and my co-wife had discredited me to say that the pregnancy was not my husband's and since that day, my husband had become indifferent but I don't care. I didn't care because God had heard my prayers, I was going to be a mother that's all that mattered. I had almost died during childbirth but God had given me grace and had given me this beauty, I raised my daughter on my own, her father was never present, he does not consider my daughter as the on the contrary, have children from his second wife, I can't leave this village because I don't have anyone except my brother who lives in town and anyway, my brother doesn't even consider me.

Solange: Do you want me to go live in this wooden house? That house that turns into a river while it's raining?

Pierre: It's not my problem, Thérèse deserves this house more than you and your bastard and if you don't want to, you leave my house.

Solange (crying): What went wrong Pierre? What did I do to make you treat me like this? Even your child you don't want, what went wrong? We built it all together now you want to kick me out of my house for some reason? I'm not moving from here. Do what you want.

Pierre: I'm not going to repeat myself and when I get back from the fields, I don't want to see you in the big house anymore.

Solange (crying): Why? In this case, I will replace at Thérèse over there.

Pierre: What language do you want me to speak? You go to the annex, anyway in the second house, Thérèse's brother is going to occupy it.

Solange: What? You privilege your wife's brother instead of me and your child?

Pierre: What child? I don't know where you went to pick up this pregnancy but it's not mine, you know why I didn't chase you away like a mess? Because the chief of the village forbids it to me otherwise believe me for a long time I was going to hunt you with a kick in the buttocks.

Solange: Thank you for everything Pierre God will give you back everything you do to me and your family.

He gives me a bam slap.

I touch my burning cheek and see my daughter running towards me.

Judith: Why do you hate us so much dad? What have we done to you that you treat us like dogs?

Solange: Stop it darling, it doesn't matter, we'll take our things and go live in the annex.

She stares at me like I've gone crazy, I know my daughter, she's a girl who fears nothing, who doesn't let herself be walked on so I don't want her to make the situation worse, I don't want their witchcraft falls on my daughter, the proof is that they tried to eliminate her and bewitch her but everything was zero because I protect my child, no one will touch my princess.

Pierre: I don't want to see you here when I get back.

Solange: Don't worry, we'll vacate your house right away.

I know my daughter doesn't agree, but I don't want to draw attention to her, I watch the man I loved, who was my universe, go to the field with a rage in his stomach, but I keep my rage, I feel that this rage will help me one day.

Judith: Why do you let yourself go, mom? Before the law, you have all the power to stay here, why do you accept this kind of foolishness? As soon as I have my bepc, we leave this village mom, we are not going to stay here and be mistreated

Solange: To go where my darling? You even know that my brother won't accept that we go to his house, and especially his wife who hates me, I don't even know why, he won't want us.

Judith: What we're going to do, we're going to sell the cassava with the foufou, what we find, we'll go to town, God will guide us mum believe me.

Solange: With which field to have a lot of cassava and foufou? Your father took what I had grown last year and sold it all, because this land belongs to his family, so I only have a small part, if we make cassava with it, we will even have not a lot of money.

Judith: It doesn't matter mummy, we'll do with what we can, but we can't stay here any longer, I don't know why I'm really scared, I only have two months left before the review. I'm very scared mom.

My daughter is 15, she is very intelligent and very alert, she is my best friend, we talk about everything, we have no secrets between us.

Solange: If we sell the little cassava and the money that is where you know, we could have 150,000 francs.

Judith: That'll be enough for a start, we can rent a studio for 10,000 francs, we'll do a little business, the rest God will provide for mum.

Solange: Come on, let's take our things and get out of here, maybe we'll have a little respite.

Judith: I don't think mum, when Queen Therese comes to live here with her princes and princess, we won't drink water here anymore.

We started to fix everything, you realize that over the years you accumulate sometimes worthless things, the annex is 200 meters from the big house. This is the legacy that my father-in-law had left to his three children, each his own hectares. I open the annex I want to vomit, normally we don't use this plank house anymore, it's a storage room, I open the window and the door wide so that the air can get in, it smells of dust and moldy, I look at the sheets, I can see a lot of holes, I hope there won't be any rain, otherwise it won't be good.

Solange: Honey, I know you're tired, I'll manage to clean up.

I know she's mad at her father and all his family, I watch how her stitches are closed and I'm sad because it's all because of me. hope we'll leave soon me too I can't stand them anymore, even if we won't have a lot of money, but money takes work and I'll do it so that my daughter doesn't miss anything.

Judith: No mom, I'm not tired, we started together, we'll finish together.

We start to work, singing the canteens of the church, I see the scum coming to taunt us.

Solange: Judith?

Judith: Mom?

Solange: You're not saying anything understood?

Judith: But mom...

Solange (cutting her off): You're not saying anything, I know why I'm asking you.

Thérèse: Hahaha, are things going well here?

Solange: What do you want, Thérèse?

Thérèse: I just wanted to see how you were doing in your new house! Oops did I say house? Slums yes.

She bursts out laughing.

Solange: As you can see, my slum is fine, my dear.

Thérèse: Woman who has no dignity if I were you, I was already going to leave this village but since you have nowhere to go. This dump looks like you with your bastard.

Solange: Are you finished? By what I have to do.

Thérèse: Do you think that your attitude as a queen is going to give you something? You really make me laugh, you're nothing, but it's you who plays the princess pfff anything, now I'm the queen of your castle and you my slave.

Judith: Mom, I'm tired of listening to the kids, so we're going home

Thérèse (furious): You think I'm your equal? Tchrrrr bastard there.

She raised her hand to slap her, I block her hand

Solange (in rage): I allowed you everything, except to touch my child. If you want to see my savagery touch my child now you can go to your castle, we're not keeping you here.

Thérèse (in rage): You're going to pay me Solange, I swear on the heads of my children you're going to pay me.

She turns on her heels and leaves.

Solange: I told you not to say anything Judith, we have a lot of time so bear with me darling.

Judith: But I've had enough mum, why not leave now, I don't think I can bear them for another two months.

Solange: You must have your BEPC first my darling, it's important. For now, grit your teeth and bear in silence.

We didn't get through the night well, the attacks all night long, they want to take my child away from me, I don't sleep, I just pray. In this village almost the majority are initiates, that's why almost everyone hates me because I'm a believer, but I don't think I can last long I really have to leave here before it's too late. Concerning Pierre, I hate him now as they say the closest feeling to love is hate, that's the case for me. A man I had loved with all my strength and now he's the one doing this to me, I'm not going to do anything to him but him with his God. I wake up all out of breath, sweating, waking up my daughter to get ready for school.

Solange: Hello my darling, get ready otherwise you will be late, and above all don't forget, always be in a group never alone my darling.

Judith: Don't worry mum, I already know the instructions.

**** Therese Tchedji ****

This jug thinks it's over, I'm going to strip her all, mystically, it doesn't work but I know sooner or later she's gonna let go. Now that I have got the house back for my children, there is only civil marriage left, I have been considered the toad for 19 years, that is to say the illegitimate woman but not for very long. There I have an appointment with my gang, that is to say my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law, normally my mother-in-law is a distant aunt, which means that I am from the same village as my husband, but the another is a, foreign, it is me who makes my husband happy I gave him 4 children, 3 boys and a girl, who is everyone's princess, but when I look at my co-wife's daughter, he there's a little thing that bothers me, I don't know what but this insolent little girl bothers me, every time I have to compare her with my princess and I find that this girl has something more than my daughter but I don't know not what is it. When I heard that Solange was pregnant, I almost had a heart attack, I spent a week sulking at my husband, because I thought he no longer touched her and that he was going to love this child. more than mine but fortunately my accomplices and I had discredited this woman. Now there is only the final bouquet, I see Pierre returning from the fields, I have already put the water on the fire for his bath.

Me: Welcome my love.

Pierre: Thank you darling, where are the children?

Me: At your mother's, but Gabin (first son) is at his friends' house to say goodbye.

Pierre: I hope he's not going to shame me over there, that's a lot of money I'm going to spend.

My son had the baccalaureate, so he will continue his studies in Senegal, I did everything for his father to finance. Daniel my second son is in second. Emy will do the bepc in two months with the other's child and my last is in CM1. I am confident my daughter is the smartest so it will be in her pocket, she will go to high school in the capital with my sister who is a civil servant. I put his water in the shower.

Me: I'm going to your mother's I won't take the time, just 30 minutes I'll be back with the children.

Pierre: Ok see you later honey.

I arrive at my mother-in-law's, there is a nice atmosphere.

Me: Hello family, I don't have time, I came to pick up the children.

Mother-in-law: Which child? Émy is already a big one and so are the others so they can go home alone, can't they?

Me: That's the excuse I gave your son for me to come, you even know he doesn't like me coming around when he's there.

Sidonie (sister-in-law): So how was your day?

Me (smile): Well, since I've been in the big house, everything's been fine. I have sweet dreams and my children are comfortable.

Sidonie: And the other one there?

Me: Oh this one! You know she's in her cabin with her child, that's what I'm here for, now what do we do like everything we've done hasn't worked? His weak point is his daughter and as this little one disrespected me, I want to finish with her.

Mother-in-law: That, I said no. I don't want my little girl to be touched, oh no!

When she said that forcefully my heart bled.

Me: What little girl in law? I thought Emy was your only granddaughter?

Mother-in-law: You and I know that Judith is my son's daughter, if you want to go after his mother, I'm for it but not my blood, okay?

This old woman thinks I'm going to listen to her. We'll see

Me: Now what do we do?

**** Judith Sena Sonon ****

I just finished my exam, we're just waiting for the results, we're moving to the capital in a week, I'm so happy to leave this rotten village, far from these wizards. But among these people, the person I hate the most is my father, who is unworthy, it does not matter what is important is to leave. I see my half-sister passing in front of me without even saying hello, the photocopy of her mother with the same behavior. I arrive in front of the door of my house I hear the cries inside, I come back and I see my father slapping my mother.

Me (screaming): Let go, what did she do to you?

Dad (furious): You stay away from that. You understood me ?

I look at my mother who is on the ground crying, my heart is bleeding, but what have we done that he hates us like that? I take a pestle.

Me: You drop my mother otherwise I'll smash your head, we left you in your villa and now you're following us in our hovel?

I keep threatening him with my pestle, he lets go and looks at me with his red eyes. He comes out of the house, I run to my mom.

Me: Mom, how are you?

Mum: Why did you threaten her my darling? He's your father, you have to respect him.

Me: Oh stop mom, I don't have a father, I'm not a hypocrite, I know everything that's going on here, if you like to let things go, I don't.

It's been a week since my father came to threaten and hit my mother because he wanted to divorce and legitimize his other children but my mother wants guarantees for me, in case, my father does not want to make concessions is where the problem is. Tomorrow they are going to display the bepc, my heart is in knots, mum has gone to the field for the last time to bring back some of the stuff that will go with us to Cotonou. I don't want to be alone here, you never know so I go to my best friend who lives nearby. I find Emy with her gang, I want to overtake them but she blocks my way.

Me: Emy I don't want any trouble please let me through.

Emy (laughs): Are you going to your bitch friend? As they say, birds of a feather flock together.

Me: You said well, because when I look at your entourage pfffff foun foun.

Emy: You have to talk because tomorrow there will be crying here.

Me: If it's for the exam that you're saying that, start crying already my dearest sister.

Emy (angry): I'm not your stupid stupid sister. Come on girls, we have important things to do like preparing tomorrow's party for our exam.

They are gone, I continue my journey to my girlfriend's Crédo. I find her arranging her room.

Me: Hello girlfriend, is it spring cleaning?

Credo: Yes, tomorrow after the proclamation, I'm going to black tip to my sister admitted or not so I want to leave my room in order.

Me: Me too after the proclamation I leave the village with my mother, we will go and look for each other in the capital.

Credo: But it's a good thing my darling, frankly I don't want to go to my sister's, she's a woman who likes to dominate people too much, but since she's my parents' favorite, I can't refuse and above all she is pregnant.

Me: We need to keep in touch my friend.

Credo: Of course my beautiful, by the way I want us to spend the last night together do you think your mother will accept?

Me: I don't know girlfriend, come on, we'll ask her.

We left to ask Mama who had just arrived from the fields. She said yes but with lots of recommendations. For the first for me, I'm not going to sleep with my mother, it makes me very funny.

Credo: What do you want to be later?

Me: I don't understand. To be in what?

Credo: What work do you want to do later.

Me: I would like to be a business woman and have a lot of money to help my mother and above all to make her proud of me and you?

Credo: I would like to open a big restaurant, I will see people eating and congratulating me for my work.

We talked about our dreams part of the night. We slept at one hour not even 30 minutes, we hear people shouting throughout the village, we wake up with a start.

Me (trembling): What's going on?

Credo: I hope it's not serious.

I don't know why, I run out. Crédo follows me behind, I see people running towards my house.

Me: But why do people run like that?

Credo: Come, let's see what's going on.

We also start to run, I arrive in front of my house I find my house on fire

Me: (shouting): Momnnnnnnnn!

I see people pulling me so that I don't go home.

Me (shouting): Leave me my mom is inside. Momnnnnnnnnnn.

I realize that all the people there are looking at me with pity and sadness.

Me (crying): Noooooonnnnnnnnnn not my momnnnn.