The Unchosen Burden

My husband’s younger brother had a problem with his wife, and she abandoned their three kids and left him.
It was a case of infidelity.

At first, I thought he would at least go and plead with her, but he never did. He took the children to their mother, and after two weeks, the woman brought the kids back to him.

One Sunday, I came back from an outing with my children and saw my brother-in-law’s kids sitting in my living room like refugees.
My husband told me that his brother had brought them, and they would now be staying with us.
Those kids were 5, 4, and 2 years old.

This was a man who didn’t know how to sweep the floor or even turn on the stove. He brought three extra kids to add to my own three — all toddlers.
Story written by Amaka’s folktales.

I respectfully bathed my kids, fed them, and sent everyone to bed.

When my husband came home, he found his brother’s kids still sitting in the same place.
Of course, he did what he knew best — shouting like a mad dog — but I didn’t answer him.
As a man, he didn’t know how to do anything, so he gave them bread and juice to eat.
The room they were supposed to sleep in was dirty and dusty, but as is often the case with African men who don’t do chores, the children ended up sleeping on the couch.

At midnight, the youngest cried and cried, calling for their mummy, but I didn’t move.
My husband carried the baby to me, but I took him back to his room and locked the door.

In the morning, I dressed my children, and by the time my husband woke up, we were already out the door for school.
Again, he called me on the phone and called me all sorts of names for not attending to his brother’s children — not even giving them breakfast.

Around 10 am, the headmistress called and told me that my husband had brought some children to school and told her I would pick them up with my kids after school.
I was surprised because I never knew he even knew where those children went to school.

At 4 pm, I went to school and picked up only my kids, leaving my brother-in-law’s children behind.
Story written by Amaka’s folktales.

I had already packed a few clothes for myself and my children and drove straight to my sister’s house.
It wasn’t that I was running away, but I couldn’t bear the pain of watching those children starve.
Leaving them alone with their uncle was the only option I had because there was no way I would accept the full responsibility of three children whose parents were alive and healthy.
If his wife left the kids for him, then he should take care of them.

My husband became frustrated and started calling his brother to come and take the kids, but after answering the first call, his brother stopped picking up.
He decided to take them back to their father himself.
On the way, the police arrested him and accused him of kidnapping.

The children told the police that he wasn’t their father, and my husband didn’t even know their names well.

He called his brother, but he didn’t pick up, so he sent him a message explaining the situation.

And guess what? The reply was silence.

The Long Days of Helplessness

Days passed weighed down by a suffocating sense of helplessness. The police released my husband after a few hours of questioning, but the situation was far from resolved — it became even more tangled.
He came home tired and pressured.

The children lay listlessly on the sofa, their innocent eyes hiding a deep loneliness. They didn’t understand why their mother left or why their father didn’t know how to care for them. The youngest still cried often at night, calling for their mother, as if trying to hold onto something lost.

I watched this scene with a heavy heart. How many times did I ask myself why fate pushed these innocent children into a spiral that no one wanted to bear?

My husband — once a strong man — was now shy and confused, struggling under the heavy responsibility.
He was not used to sweeping, cooking, feeding, or changing diapers.
He did everything awkwardly and clumsily, and sometimes I caught him staring at the children with disappointment in himself.

I still took care of my three kids, but whenever I looked at those children, my heart grew heavy. I knew I had to do more.

Awkward Communication and Loneliness at Home

Every day, the youngest child’s crying was the sound that stole our sleep.
Many times I wanted to get up, hold him, comfort him — but I had my own kids and needed rest.

My husband was different. He would hold the baby for a while and then put him down with a hollow look and tired complaints:
“I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know how to sweep or cook. I just want this to be over.”

I silently watched him, feeling both pity and anger — pity for the burden he carried, anger at his irresponsibility when he could have done better for his own children.

My kids gradually noticed the difference in how their father cared for them compared to the other children.
They started asking innocent but heartbreaking questions:
“Why don’t those kids have a mother but still live here? Where did their parents go?”

I couldn’t answer. I just hugged them and said we would get through it together.

A Difficult Decision

One night, after the children had fallen asleep, I sat beside my husband and said:
“We can’t keep living like this. You need to call your brother and make him take responsibility. Those children can’t keep suffering like this.”

He looked at me, tired but with a hint of determination:
“I know, but I can’t force him. He doesn’t want to listen or change.”

I held his hand firmly:
“Then let your mother help. We need support from the elder family members — someone with the authority to persuade him.”

Mother-in-Law Steps In

My mother-in-law, a wise and understanding woman, didn’t hesitate to get involved.
She called repeatedly and even went to meet my husband’s brother in person.

She sternly told him:
“You must be a father and care for your children. Avoiding your responsibility is not the way. People have seen and talked about this. It is your duty.”

At first, my brother-in-law made excuses — busy with work, tired — but he gradually couldn’t avoid his mother’s words.

The calls, messages, and visits slowly changed his attitude.

The First Steps Toward Change

Eventually, my husband’s brother agreed to take back his children and began spending more time caring for them.
He realized how wrong he had been to abandon his responsibility for so long.

My husband also learned from his mother how to do house chores and take care of the kids.
From being a clumsy man, he started cooking, cleaning, and changing diapers.

It wasn’t perfect; there were still tired, frustrated moments.
But one thing was certain — he didn’t give up.

Togetherness and Hope for the Future

I continued taking care of my family, but now I didn’t feel alone anymore.
My husband no longer ran away from his responsibilities.
The children gradually received better care.

Though I know there are still many challenges ahead, the darkest days are behind us.
A new light of hope shines on our family home.

I learned that life isn’t about perfect choices but about the ability to accept and change.
Love and responsibility must go hand in hand to keep a home strong.