Episode 14
Mamiwota Is After My Life ๐ญ
I took a cup of water from a container in the veranda, and was about to rinse the pee-bucket when I heard a sharp painful scream emanating from within the house… from my room.
Quickly, I threw the bucket aside, and ran inside to investigate. Surprisingly, the small girl who was out bathing some minutes ago, was by then, standing by the bedside, n***d and with water dripping from all parts of her body. She had her mouth covered with her both palms. The baby was wide awake, and was staring at the ceiling.
God! how did this girl enter here?. I wondered.
“Alicia, how did you get in here?. I quarrelled her, moving closer, and at the same time praying that nothing bad had happened to her.
She took two steps backwards. I could see fear in her eyes.
… What happened to you?”. By now, my heart was p******g fast.
She looked at the baby, and shook her head like one being blackmailed.
“Nothing. She answered almost in a whisper..
I tried to hold her, but she pulled away instantly.
..No oo”. She cried.
I looked at her for a while, wondering what was really going on with her.
“Alicia! Where is this girl? Alicia, leave play, play. You’re going to school today oo”. That was her mother’s voice from outside.
She tried to ran out, but I finally got a grip of one hand.
“You know you can tell me what happened to you”. I tried to persuade her.
“Nothing happened”. She replied, taking a quick glance at the baby and at same time struggling to break free from my grip.
“So why did you scream?”. I asked.
“I didn’t”. She lied.
“Alicia!”. Her mother screamed in frustrating.
“My mummy is calling me”. She said. And with that , I loosen my grip on her, and watched her ran out of the house.
I overheard her mom interrogating her immediately she came out.
“Where have you been this girl? Won’t you go to school today?”. She had asked.
I didn’t hear a word of her response because of the tune with which she spoke.So I went closer to the door, and pressed my ear to the knob.
“Where have you been?”. The mother spoke again.
“I went to see the baby”. I could hear her now.
“This early morning that other children are getting ready to go to school?”. She yelled.
… Alicia, Alicia. How many times did I call you?”. She
“Two times”. She replied.
The woman hummed.
“I won’t use my mouth again. Baff fast and come inside. Your pap is getting cold”. She said.
There was a brief silence after that which was followed almost immediately by the sound of water splashing. I walked back to the bed where the baby was lying faceup.
“What did you do to her?”. I asked angrily.
For a response, she began to cry. I had ni no choice than to pick her up to calm her down.
In the evening of the same day, there was power failure in the neighborhood and the heat was much. So I decided to take the baby out for fresh air.
The kids were out playing. They were so happy to see the baby come outside again after many weeks.They all assembled around me.
“The baby is growing oo”. They exclaimed in unison.
Just then, the door to Alicia’s apartment opened slightly. Seconds later, she stepped out with a bowl of dishes in her han. She was wearing a satisfied smile on her face before she stepped out, but on seeing us there in the veranda, the smile on her face vanished as she let out a scream, threw the bowl away and ran back inside.
First, all the children exchanged glances amongst themselves before they fell into thunderous laughter.
“This Alicia is cr@zy”. One of them exclaimed.
All the others agreed with her. Only I knew she wasn’t.
Something must have transpired between she and my baby.But what I don’t understand is the reason she’s refused to open up.
Quickly and to the disappointment of the kids who still want to have more time with the baby, I stood up, went inside, got the padlock, locked the door, and hurried out of the compound.
In less than ten minutes, Angela and I were seated on the bed in her one room apartment with the baby lying between us.
“Please, I need you to lend me some money”. I pleaded.
“What for?”. She asked.
“I want to buy those items myself, and do the needful since my husband has refused to listen to me”. I said.
“So you want to borrow money for sacrifice?. She smiled.
.. so how do you intend to pay? Where will you get the money to pay me back?”. She asked.
“Angela, let’s do this first. Where I will get the money won’t be an issue”. I assured her.
“So when am I expecting to have my money back?”. She asked.
“Before month end”. I answered
“Why I’m asking is because I will be needing the money month to stock my store”. She had said, but I gave her hundred percent assurance to return the money on time. Though not sure of where the money would be coming from by then…all I needed was to settle the goddess and have my peace.
At the end, I was able to get the exact amount I needed from her, and together, we got into a daily market across the street, bought the necessary items, and had stored them in her house.
“We shall leave tomorrow in the morning”. I said.
On my way home much later that evening, I bought an envelope. When I got home, I packaged the exact amount hubby has offered to the church, and threw it into my handbag while looking forward to the trip the next morning.
But that night, hubby returned with the archdeacon.
Thank goodness he did๐ฅฐ.
#Story from Joy Ifunanya
