KASARACHI
Kasarachi - Episode 35
(Tell it to God)
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Three of us; mama, me, and mummy Osita are currently sitting in Mama's bedroom. This was like an hour after I was done with eating breakfast.
Mummy Osita said she was ready to answer my earlier questions and give me explanations to the puzzling thoughts on my mind.
After obtaining approval, she invited me over to Mama's bedroom so that my siblings would not interfere in our conversation.
She began talking and to be sincere, her first sentence alone threw me off balance
"Tochi is d£ad Kasarachi! She and some of her gang members were shot in the head during one of their robbery operations four years ago. It was a very sad news to take in....when the policemen came to this our village to inform me about what happen...." Mummy Osita said with a sorrowful voice
Out of shock from what she said, I cut her words midway by blurting out loudly
"What! Aunty Tochi is d£ad...? Just like that....? Ah, my God have mercy on us!"
I was really shocked upon hearing that the Aunty Tochi I once lived with and spoke to is no more in existence!
Truly this is a very sad news to hear. God knows I never expected this kind of bad news at all, certainly not so early.
Oh yes, I admit that I was angry at Aunty Tochi for how she treated me but I have never for once wished her ev!l or dëäth.
Mummy Osita continued after a few minutes of silence. From her facial expression, I could tell that she was remembering the past sad memories.
"Kasarachi believe me when I say that I didn't know my sister was into robbery. Yes I was aware that she didn't own a hotel but she told me that she had a good-paying job as a cashier in a restaurant. She also said that there was an opening at her place of work for a waitress. That's why I advised your mother to send you to the city. Kasarachi I gave Nkiru that advice hoping you will find better opportunities and prospects in Lagos than in this village" Mummy Osita said conclusively
After talking, mummy Osita bent her head while using her left hand to cover her eyes.
It was when I heard her sniffing that I realized she was crying. She was practically choking in her tears and mucus was beginning to drip out from her nostrils.
It's quite obvious that telling me about this unexpected sad news has reopened her old wounds. Mama was feeling sorry for her.
Mama left her seat over to mummy Osita's seat in order to pat her back to calm down. I could see how mama really loved her friend when she used her wrapper to clean the mucus dropping from mummy Osita's nose.
I sighed heavily as I looked at both of them. I was sympathetic towards mummy Osita no doubt, but I couldn't talk or say a word of consolation to her because of how shaken I felt by everything I've just heard.
Aside from her, it was an emotional moment for me too as the memories of the few times Aunty Tochi was nice towards me flickered into my mind.
I am just appearing strong and holding myself not to cry in front of them but the truth is that I really feel bad for Aunty Tochi. For how she di£d prematurely and shamefully in the hands of the police.
It's heartbreaking honestly!
I mean Aunty Tochi was a very beautiful lady and in her early thirties hence she still had many more years ahead of her.
It's too sad that she is gone so soon because of the wayward life she lived in the city. The worst is her losing her soul to the d£vil in h£ll, that's if she didn't repent before dying.
Ah, Aunty Tochi oo! She had great potentials and would have chosen to use it for something worthwhile instead of robbery. Now look at where her bad choices have gotten her, in the gr@ve for d£ad people!
Somehow I wish God had pardoned her and given her a second chance to live. Who knows...? maybe she would have changed her immoral lifestyle and turned a new leaf.
Indeed there is a consequence for all our life decisions whether good or bad. That's why it is much better to live appropriately to avoid sad endings. I understand that it may not be easy for us but it is still the best.
Mummy Osita couldn't stop crying and mama was already getting tired of telling her sorry over and over again.
For me, I had to step out for a breath of fresh air as the whole atmosphere was becoming too tensed and emotional for me.
Thankfully I met Osinachi on my way out out of the backyard's door. I pleaded with her to take a walk with me so she could help show me around the compound and she obliged.
I could still find my way around the house without her help but I have my reasons for wanting her to tag along as an escort.
My actual intention is to use this walk as a medium to subtly find out intimate details about her life.
I mean I am her elder sister and after what I heard earlier about Aunty Tochi,
I feel there's a need to know if my junior sisters are making the right decisions at an early stage in life, so I can correct them where necessary.
I wouldn't want them to make certain terrible mistakes which by the grace of God and my own personal decisions, I didn't make.
I want to start with Osinachi since she is mature and older than the others. And so what better way to know my sister to the core, if not from the horse's mouth....?
"This is Mama's farm where she plants pumpkin, water-leaves, fresh pepper and tomatoes, cucumbers, scent leaves and other household crops for our personal consumption" Osinachi said joyously as she paused at a certain place and I stopped too
"Wow wow wow! the farm is lovely and worth the sight. Seeing how fresh the crops and plants look, I know for a fact that mama is taking very good care of them!" I said looking at the crops from the place we stood
"Sister Kasarachi do you know that mama even has a small poultry area where she is rearing chickens...? Some are for sales while some are for our house consumption. Mama is really blowing ohh" Osinachi said jovially and I chuckled audibly at her word usage.
We soon left there and were on our way to the poultry area. Osinachi insisted on showing me the pen-house so I can see how grown the chickens were. She kept talking on how it was all thanks to her caring hands and I could tell she was so proud of herself.
I was smiling as I decided to tease her small
"See my junior sister oh. So you've now turned to chicken caretaker. Chai! Tell me the truth first...how much is mama paying you for handwork...? Is it in dollars so I will know if I should apply to join you too" I said jokingly and Osinachi bursted into laughter
"Sister Kasarachi please oooo stop pulling my legs. I am just helping mama, that's all. She doesn't need to pay me for me to care for our chickens....especially when she's busy attending to other engagements"
I was amazed at Osinachi's matured sense of reasoning as well as her heightened sense of responsibility towards her family.
God knows that I am super proud of her for being so kind and thoughtful towards mama by offering a helping hand whenever the need arises.
I'm appreciative of her because I am aware that not all children would want to do so, some would prefer to do other things rather than to help their parents.
I am also feeling proud of mama. It's good to know that she utilized some parts of the compound for something beneficial to us.
"I know Osinachi. I am proud of mama and I am proud of you too. That's why you should grow up fast and marry ohh....so I can congratulate my future brother-in-law for finding a good wife like my sister" I said smiling. It was my own tactful way of trying to know her mind towards the opposite sex.
"Jesus sister Kasarachi! I am not ready for any man's wahala anytime soon please. Ah, when I see the way my female classmates suffer in the name of boyfriend....it gets me seriously scared of marriage in the future" Osinachi said shrugging her shoulders
Well I was not too surprised to hear her talk of boyfriend and relationship issues.
Osinachi is in her senior secondary 3 and since she's sixteen years old, I believe she is of age to know these kinds of things in the right proportions. Else she will likely be misled with the wrong information by her mates who are already practicing these things. I wouldn't want that for my sister.
"So you are trying to tell me that it is only your classmates that have boyfriends and you don't have one yourself...? I don't believe that sha" I said flippantly as though I wasn't interested in the answer but I was. I just wanted to hear her honest response.
"Yes I don't have a boyfriend sister Kasarachi. They are too demanding and I feel like they are not worth my time" Osinachi said plainly and then went silent.
I wasn't willing to back down on my quest to know what my sister thinks about early dating and premarital sex.
So I had to talk to Osinachi softly but with a more persuasive undertone
"Oh, common Osinachi don't you think not having a boyfriend is a little old school....? Tell me the truth and don't worry....I will not crucify you nor will I sell you out to mama, if that's your fear. I've once been there or are you forgetting that I had a boyfriend named Ekene when I was your age...? So please Osinachi tell me the truth about your relationship life. I'm just curious to know"
Osinachi stopped in her tracks which made me stop walking as well. She heaved deeply as she looked at me and began talking again
"Sister Kasarachi I had a boyfriend when I was in my Senior secondary 2(SS2). His name is Obinna. He was my first and only boyfriend but we had to break up because he was asking me to engage in what married adults do with him. Obinna wanted us to have sex and I said no but he continued insisting and insisting...." Osinachi said and then paused her words as though they were too heavy for her lips.
I was looking directly at her eyes and at the same time I was waiting patiently for her to continue telling me what I want to know.
She continued talking after a while
"....me I didn't want to get pregnant out of wedlock and that's why I had to end my relationship with Obinna....when I could no longer tolerate the pressure he was mounting on me to have s£x with him. Sister Kasarachi since that time till now I swear to you that I haven't had another boyfriend....because I feel they aren't worth it!" Osinachi said with a slightly dull voice
From the raw emotions in her voice, I felt the genuineness in everything she told me. Also I think she is still emotionally attached to the guy like me when I was dating Ekene.
I mean I could vividly see the sad glint showing in my sister's eyes even though she tried concealing her true feelings by avoiding direct eye contact with me.
I could also tell that Osinachi is somehow regretting her break-up with her ex-boyfriend Obinna who obviously had no good intentions towards my sister. If not, he wouldn't have demanded for premarital sex from her or maybe he didn't know better.
"What class is this guy in question...? I mean your former boyfriend Obinna" I asked inquisitively and out of concern
"He was in senior secondary 3 while I was in senior secondary 2 at the period we were dating last year. Our relationship just lasted for eight months. Well he graduated from our school last year after his WAEC. When I met his elder sister in the market two weeks ago....she told me that he followed his uncle abroad for his university education and that it's been over six months now" Osinachi said as she shrugged her shoulders
"Osinachi you're sure that you two never engaged in premarital sex before he left...?"
"Yes sister Kasarachi, we never did anything. I loved Obinna a lot because he was handsome and one of the most intelligent students in my school....but I just couldn't get myself to do what he wanted from me as his girlfriend. I was scared that Mama's intuition will immediately dictate when I finish having s£x and so I didn't"
I heaved a sigh of relief after I heard Osinachi's response although I wasn't truly convinced. Anyways let me just hope that she is telling me nothing but the truth.
"Okay that's good to know Osinachi. I'm glad to know that you didn't fall for those cheap tactics of guys who want to sleep with a girl but yet they have no actual good intentions towards her at al...." I said gently and that's when Osinachi cut me off midway
"But sister Kasarachi all of my classmates have boyfriends or are in a relationship with men they call sugar daddy. I just feel awkward and it is becoming like I am being left behind in the crowd...."
"....Sister Kasarachi tell me the truth....do you think I am making the right decisions or should I just start doing what everyone else does....?" Osinachi asked with a mixture of fear and confusion written on her face
"Please Osinachi do not join the crowd because it usually doesn't end well. You recall a certain Aunty Tochi that I was sent to stay with in the city...?" I asked Osinachi who nodded in affirmation and then I continued talking
"Guess what...? She's dead now because of a bad lifestyle so please Osinachi do not live a wayward life to avoid 'had I known' please"
"I know about Aunty Tochi's dëäth because it was all over the village and it was even used as a story by elders to warn people not to rob others to avoid ending up like her. Okay, I have heard you sister Kasarachi and I promise not to live a wayward life in order to avoid future problems" Osinachi said reassuringly as she smiled at me
"I love the sound of that. And one more thing Osinachi. I am your elder sister who has more experiences about life than you or your classmates....so please feel free to always share or talk to me about anything okay....?"
"Yes sister Kasarachi...I will do that from today onwards. Thank you very much for not crucifying me when I told you about Obinna's issue. I love you very much!"
I smiled at her before responding calmly
"I love you too Osinachi. So tell me, aside your past relationship with Obinna...is there anything else you think I need to know that you've kept private from everyone....?"
Osinachi was quiet and suddenly became restless after I asked that question.
Her behavior immediately rang an alarm in my head. This is because right from when they were little, it was easy for me and mama to identify when my siblings were guilty of something seriously bad.
They would suddenly start behaving in an unusual manner when asked about it.
For Osinachi it was silence and a restless body language. That's why I can tell that there is something else she isn't telling me and it must be a serious matter.
"There's something I haven't told you yet sister Kasarachi and I think you need to know...but you have to promise me not to blow things out of proportion please"
I wasn't surprised to hear her say that. It simply means that I was right with my presumption afterall. There's truly something she hasn't told me yet.
I just hope my sister hasn't done something stupid! But unfortunately for me, I got to find out that we were in deep shit.......!
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH'S HEART stories)
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