AN OVERSEAS HUSBAND
CHAPTER 6
“Stella, why didn’t you tell me?”
Mother asked as soon as I stepped into the big parlour. It’s called grandpa’s parlour because of the artifacts grandpa had placed on the walls. As a kid, I used to be scared of them. He has a calved lion at the centre of the parlour.
“Tell you what, mother?” I replied feigning ignorance
“That you were among the girls chosen by Chika to dance with her at the first and second appearance on her traditional wedding day.”
“Mum, we hadn’t agreed on that until dad finally said we’ll be coming home. I thought we wouldn’t make it this year.”
“Ezinwanyi, leave theae children. I pray they don’t sell us one day.” The wife to dad’s elder brother, the one we call big mummy says as she laughs. She’s the first wife. The wife to the eldest son is always referred to as big mummy.
“Ezinwanyi. . .” Big mummy calls my mum as she continues. “How would you like being an in-law to somebody in abload.”
“Big mummy, it’s abroad not abload.”
“Anyone. Is there any difference between abload and obodo oyibo?”
“Big mummy, it is not abload. . ”
“Bia, Stella. I’ll flog you o. See this small child of yesterday that poo poo on my wrapper is correcting me. It’s a good thing. Our money is not going into waste.”
“Not at all, nne dim.” My mum said in agreement. ” Who wouldn’t want an abroad in-law.”
I couldn’t concentrate as the two women spoke to each other. I thought about what Bird said earlier.
Should I ask her to introduce me to her uncle Williams?
Won’t I sound desperate?
Although she’s a young child, I wouldn’t want to send the wrong signal.
“What are you thinking about, Stella?”
“Ma?”. I replied looking startled.
“I have been calling you for sometime now but you seemed absent minded.” My mum asked.
“Don’t mind her. She must be thinking about her own big day. Don’t worry, your own is coming. Please go and call Chika for me.” Big mummy says to me as I go in search of Chika.
I was walking towards the backyard when I heard some voices. I listened quietly trying to decipher who could possibly be talking in whispers at the backyard. I peeped and saw Chika hugging someone tightly.
He had a full black hair and no beards. I don’t think I have seen his face before.
“But you know I’ll miss you. .”
“I’ll miss you too but I have to do what I have to do. You haven’t gotten your Visa for long now and I am not getting any younger.” I heard Chika say.
“God can bless anybody. Marry me now, let’s build together.” The boy was saying as he tries to hold Chika more closely to himself.
I saw Chika instantly break loose from his grip.
“Build from where? You’re still staying in your father’s house and you want to get married? I just called you here to tell you that my wedding is in one week and I can’t continue like this. It’s over between o.”
“Chika, what if this abroad guy is a maga. All this 419 people. Do you think our people over there are even rich?”
“You that is over here, are you rich? It’s over. Leave my house and my life.” Chika says moving backward.
“God will judge you o.”
“God will judge you first for thinking you could make me suffer in the name of love. I don’t know what I even saw in you. No ambition but you want to travel abroad. Only God know what you want to do there.” Chika waa ready to go on and on if she hadn’t heard me scream.
A lizard had climbed my hands.
“Amebo.” Chika calls after me as she pursues me.
To be continued. .
