AN OVERSEAS HUSBAND
CHAPTER 4
Preparations were on going as though it was queen Elizabeth’s return.
My dad was asked to go pick them from the airport. He took his elder brother’s car.
Chika and I were about selecting the oha leaves when we heard a honk outside. As usual, the whole family was already outside to welcome “our queen”. The white queen and her white children.
“But none of the kids look like uncle Emeka.” Chika whispers into my ears. I had to bite my lips real hard to avoid bursting out in laughter. But if you look closely, they took his nose. That big nose that was common in my father’s family. My mother will always make fun of daddy for the visible trait in their family.
“Umลณ mu o. Welcome.” Granny was about embracing the kids when one runs back to his mother and stared at granny from far as though he had seen an ugly santa.
We all laughed at the drama. Uncle Emeka didn’t seem to change much from the last time I saw him although that was a very long time. I don’t know if he talked like this back then but whenever he whispers or say something to his “white” wife, I feel he struggles to speak through his nose.
His wife seemes to have difficulty closing her teeths as she kept smiling so hard that I wonder if her cheeks doesn’t hurt.
“I’m so happy to you, ma’am.” She said as Jeremiah burts out into laughter. The younger kids too. She had such a nice voice and the accent was evidently there.
She engulfs granny in a hug as we stood surprised and one after the other, she hugs us all.
“I love Africa. I love Nigerian.”
I found myself smiling at her statement. She loves a country where everyone wants to Japa to her own country.
“She has been talking about coming to Nigeria for a long time and I couldn’t say no this time.”
“Ha pu that thing. (Leave that thing.) Nothing will happen to her.” My daddy defends.
“Gi ni bu afa ha?” Granny asks uncle Emeka what their name is.
“Oh. The boy is Green and the girl’s name is Bird.”
“Godforbid. Emeka, so you didn’t see any better names for these kids?” My mother finally spoke with an expression I couldn’t place a hand on. I pinched Chika as she buries her face behind me and begin to laugh.
“It was my in-laws who named them.” Emeka says. “But they’re beautiful names just that here in Nigeria, they’re rare.” He defended.
“Bia, nwam.” Granny was calling out to the girl who didn’t want to leave her mother. Granny carries the boy up and says. “This one is Obinna. And that one. .” Mama says pointing at uncle Emeka’s daughter. “Her name will be Chinaza.”
Uncle Emeka’s wife tries to pronounce the names but failed at the correct pronunciation. “I like the sound of it.” She says with another smile.
“You’ll like it more when you know the meaning.” My dad’s elder brother says smiling with pride.
Alot of kids had already surrounded her, both my cousins and kids from the neighbouring compound. Some tried to touch her but uncle Emeka pursued them. He made sure no one touched her. Cleaned her chair before she sits.
I observed that Jeremiah refused to go close to Green ams Bird.
“They are your cousins, just like Daberechi, Gozie and Sopuruchi.” I heard my mother tell Jeremiah.
“They don’t look like me.”
“Yes, because they’re not Nigerians, okay?”
Jeremiah nodds although I don’t know if he truly understood. Chika has been quiet but all smiles since they arrived. She walked over to where uncle Emeka’s wife stood and gave her a hug.
Uncle Emeka says something to her, which I couldn’t hear.
“Oh My God. You’re the bride?” His wife asked.
“Yes, I am.” Chika replies feeling fulfilled speaking to a white woman. She won’t deny twisting her tongue to reply to her because I know and she knows that that wasn’t her real voice.
“What’s your name?” Chika asks now holding her hands.
“I am Joanie. And you?”
“Errm. . .my name is Rosemary.”
“Liar. Her name is Chika. CHIKA.” Chika’s sister, Hannah, replies hiding behind her mother.
“Chika is my native name actually. My English name is Rosemary.”
“Beautiful but I think I like Chika more.”
Hannah my sister couldn’t help it. She makes the “yeeeiiisssh” sound covering one eye with her hand. ‘Don’t spoil our names for us.’ Hannah says quite inaudibly but I heard her.
“You. What’s your name?” Joanie says pointing at me.
“My name is Stella.”
She looks at though she was expecting something else. “What’s your native name?” She finally asks.
“It’s Ngozi, which means blessing.” I replied with so much pride.
“You’re all cute.” She moves to granny and gives her a hug again. Pinches granny’s cheek softly and say “granny you’re cute.”
Jeremiah begins to laugh and wondered if old people looked cute.
To be continued. .
