OBIAGERI
Obiageri – Episode 22
_________________________
It was getting dark so I told Ukadike that I have to go.
He said we need to make plans to return back to our kingdom and I told him not so quick.
I can’t just disappear like that after everything Njideka did for me.
I have to give them a notice ahead of time, maybe two months or three for the whole thing to sink in their minds.
They are used to me and Ifeoma, I’m so much use to them too.
We are like family and it will really take time for them to understand why I need to leave.
“I need to explain my real self to them, the main reason why I ran away from the village and came down here…I told them a different thing just to cover up my real identity but is time for the truth and I will give them time to settle with it…”
“Oby, if you don’t mind I can come over and help you do that…I know it will be difficult but I can explain better to them…”
“Alright Ukadike, Let me go home first and think it through…”
Ukadke was still holding Ifeoma who was asleep in his arm, he asked me to come the next day and I told him that I wasn’t sure of coming so often for now but he can visit us.
Ukadike walked me down while holding Ifeoma over his shoulder.
We entered the main village.
Some homes where busy preparing night food, different houses where pounding something in a mortar with their pestle.
Fowls and other animals were already in their place of rest.
A mother was beating her daughter along the road as they approach us.
She has an oil lamp in her hand as if she was searching for something on the ground. The little girl who will not be above nine years was crying.
“I ga gi eri nri na abalia…agam ime gi ihe…(you will not eat night food, I will deal with you) obum a muru gi Amaka, mmecha gi ihe taa ihu egwuruegwu mbe ozo o bu gi mmadu ka si gi gba oso(I gave birth to you Amaka, after dealing with you today when next you see play you will not be told to run far from it)..”
The woman was saying to her daughter, I felt pity for the girl whose cry has turned into a whimper.
I stopped and kindly greeted the woman, she responded.
I begged her not to beat the girl again
“biko, gini ka omere (please what did she do)I asked.
“edi yeremu nwata a ozi ka o ga gote ihe anyi ge eji sie nri abali…(I sent this child to go and buy things that we will use to make night food (o hapu ozi ndi ye re ya…ga soro nwaka ozu na egwurugwu…ego nji di ye ya ozi efu…omagi ebe oda gburu (she left the message I sent her and joined another kid to play and lost the money, she doesn’t even know where the money fell into) o ga taa ajaa na abali ya. maka aga gim eye ya nri obula (she will eat sand this night because I won’t give her any food)..”
I was begging on her daughter’s behalf when Ukadike who was also standing by and listening to the woman speak out her trouble.
He asked her how much was the money that got lost and she told him the amount.
Ukadike remove money from his cloth and hand it over to the woman.
When the woman opened her hand and saw the amount is far more than what her daughter misplaced she began to thank Ukadike and i.
Her daughter was no more crying as she watch her mother thanked us repeatedly.
Ukadike moved to the front leaving me and the woman, I told the girl to clean her tears, I tickled her a little until she started laughing.
I bid them good night before walking to meet Ukadike, I can hear the woman saying to her daughter
“Amaka, chi ma ochi maka chineke azoputara gi taa…(Amaka, laugh very well because God has saved you today)..”
We met Nnamdi on the road.
He looked at Ukadike who greeted him warmly, Nnamdi responded absent minded as he focused on me.
He sounded troubled.
“you got us all worried…where have you been Uju, mother is so worried and so am i. mother said I should locate the elderly woman’s place in the outskirt of the village but I have looked around and even asked if anybody knows the elderly woman you always talked about but nobody does. there is no elderly woman living in the outskirt of the village…and with that realization alone my worries increased. I have never stopped searching…”
I gently touched Nnamdi before saying
“I’m sorry I got everyone worried, there is actually an elderly woman living in the outskirt of the village…you probably did not locate where she live. I will take you to her place one day…”
Nnamdi nodded quietly as he looked at Ukadike with a questioning look.
I didn’t even know how to start explaining who Ukadike was so I just said he is my good friend.
Nnamdi looked at me for some time and quietly nodded again.
He went to Ukadike and collected Ifeoma from him.
I bid Ukadike goodnight and he did not leave immediately as he stood watching us walk away.
When I turned he was still there and I turned severally to see him standing before he eventually disappeared
I got home and Njideka was sitting outside waiting for us.
The moment we entered she ran up to us, asking if I was alright and also Ifeoma.
I told her I was fine, she told me she prepared something for me and Ifeoma.
I apologise to her for getting her worried and explained to her how my day went and she was calm to listen to it all and even have to laugh when I told her I visited a good friend and how Ifeoma enjoyed the bush meat he prepared for us.
I told her I have something to tell her but that will be when I’m ready, it can be anytime depending when she will be free to listen
She said I can always talk to her anytime I feel like talking.
Nnamdi was sitting outside without a word listening to me and his mother.
Njideka even asked him if he was alright.
he was so quiet and I wondered what was occupying his thought.
He told his mother that he was fine before walking into his room.
I later retired for the night and slept off the moment my back got to the bed.
The following day Ukadike visited and Njideka was kind enough to entertain him.
Nnamdi came out and sat beside me after greeting Ukadike with a handshake.
He took my hands into his and started introducing everyone to Ukadike
“aham bu Nnamdi. (my name is Nnamdi) that is my mother over there and my sister Chioma. Here is my wife Obianauju…we are blessed with a daughter who is resting inside. so who exactly are you…aren’t you the same person me and my wife met at the market place one day… I guess you are not part of this village…where are you from and who are you?
Ukadike was quiet and picky at his garden egg, he looked at me and went back to his garden egg.
I decided to speak up for him.
“His name is Ukadike…we are from the same village. He is not a man of many words but on a good day I know he will introduce himself better…but today is not the perfect day for it..”
Ukadike looked at me again and curved a smile as he picked up a white kolanut, broke it into two and offered Nnamdi half of it.
After which he stood up to take his leave.
He thanked Njideka and also Nnamdi for the kola and entertainment.
He looked at me and I can clearly see “I love you Oby” written boldly in his eyes.
I smile and bent my head shyly.
Njideka later said
“Nwoke oma (gentle man) imela ooo…thank you for coming…ga nke oma (go well)…”
Ukadike left.
Njideka turned to me and said after Ukadike was gone.
“What a handsome man he is…Uju, it seems he likes you and you like him too…I saw the way he looks at you…”
I blushed and Nnamdi said to his mother
“Mama, please don’t say that, Ukadike” as Uju called him…he acts strange. I Like his quiet demeanour but that doesn’t mean I accept what you said. They are just from the same village, ran into each other here and catching up…that is all…”
He looked up at his mother who was trying hard not to laugh.
“Mama, what I’m saying is not funny, stop laughing….I’m serious…”
His mother turned to him and said.
“What exactly are you saying Nnamdi, I don’t understand and I don’t think Uju understand either…or Uju do you understand what Nna is saying?
I looked from Njideka to Nnamdi who were staring at me.
I did not know what to say so I stood up to go and quietly excuse myself to go and check Ifeoma who was sleeping after Njideka feed her with enough okro soup.
Nnamdi is acting all strange, he probably doesn’t like Ukadike and feels he is a total stranger taking my full attention.
What if I tell him that Ukadike is Ifeoma’s biological father and also the next igwe in line after his father?
I know the news will not go down so well and that’s why I decided to take my time before revealing all to them.
The following morning Njideka was out to harvest corn from the farm.
I prepared food that morning, after I was done, I package some food in a plate and also water for Njideka and chioma to go and give them in the farm.
Nnamdi came out from his room which he has been all morning.
“Nna…do you want your food now, you have been so quiet today…are you sick? do you want to eat…I want to take some food to mother and Chioma in the farm…will you like to come along…?
“I’m fine…I’m okay Uju, I will eat when I’m hungry. I don’t want to go anywhere today…just to stay back home. I wanted to ask you Uju…”
“… can… can we get married for real this time?I mean…can i be your true husband…please? I can’t get myself together these past few days. I just felt you are slipping away from us and I am regretting I could have made my feelings known to you all this while then now Ukadike who is obviously into you showed up…”
“…He is not hiding his feeling, I see the way he uses his eyes to pass a message to you and you blushed. He will take you away from me..”
“…I’m afraid because that is what will happen. I have this feeling you are also in love with him. I just can’t stop blaming myself for wasting so much precious time. Hmmm….Uju…I want you to be my wife. Let’s make this official…let’s get married please. mother will be happy to finally have you as a full daughter. Ifeoma is always our little angel…Chioma will have a big sister…”
“… Uju think about it…we do not need to deceive any one again if we get married…maybe it was because of me God brought you down here, let’s make it work…think about it…please…”
I swallowed hard as I listened to him.
I quietly nodded and try to walk away, he gently pulled me into a hug and I can feel his heart beating so fast.
I hugged him facing the exit gate and as I looked out I saw Ukadike standing and looking at us.
I quietly pulled back from Nnamdi and straightened.
Nnamdi turned to leave but Ukadike was gone.
He always have away of disappearing without being noticed.
I picked up the food basket, backed Ifeoma and started going to the farm.
Along the road Ukadike came out from the bush without me knowing, he gently pinched my neck and make me startle.
I screamed in fear as I turned to see him.
He curved his mouth into a smile, I rolled my eyes at him for scaring me.
He collected Ifeoma from my back and we started going to the farm together.
He later said
“I think I have another fighting to do. It was Akabugo my brother first and God made me victorious. Now there is another heart battle again with Nnamdi…”
“… Oby, having you all to myself is far more difficult than ruling an entire kingdom. why is there so many oppositions when it’s time to be together?
“..but I will fight it to the end…I’m already on it and I’m not going to give you up for anything or anyone not now or later. we are together in this…I do not want to hurt the people who has become a family to you already. we have to use wisdom in our present battle to tackle this…alright?
I smile and nodded as we moved on while talking about some other things.
All that occupies my mind was Nnamdi’s request.
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)
