THE STRANGE PROPOSAL (A SHORT STORY)
Part 5
©Franca Uwuigiaren
Oroma listened to me crying. Even with the pain all over her body, she hugged me and tried to console me.
“What if it’s not the river goddess who killed the landlord… what if he died of natural causes…”
“Oroma, he didn’t die of natural causes before now; how come it was when he went with me to the beach? You can’t tell me he died of natural causes. No!”
We were quiet for a long time with our different thoughts.
“What next?” she asked.
“I don’t know, Oroma.”
Sighing, she said, “I know, Obiama. I know. You can’t continue to ignore your parents. I know how long your parents have been asking you to come to the village. You have to give in to their request. They’re your parents and want to help.”
“Oroma, we can hardly feed… tell me where I will get money to transport all of us to the village.”
“I thought you told me your parents are ready to send you money for…”
“Yes, they told me.”
“Please call them, talk to them.”
We were quiet again, brooding over the issue.
“I don’t want to die, Obiama. Since I fell sick, you have not informed my family… perhaps they know what to do. If anything happens to me, you will be in great trouble. Everyone in my family thinks all is well because you told me not to tell them anything.”
“Nothing is going to happen to you, Oroma. Meanwhile, I will call my parents and talk to them about travelling… and transport.”
The kids were still sleeping, so I asked my wife to try and go back to sleep. Both of us lay on the bed, but sleep eluded us. My thought was solely on my landlord, who passed on mysteriously. In my heart, I am responsible for his death.
Two hours later, I was on the phone talking to my father, who promised to send me money. He requested my account details, and I sent them. Before evening, I received money, and the first thing I did was buy foodstuffs in the house then cook something sumptuous for my family. Everyone ate well except the sick ones; then, I told Oroma that I intended to travel on my own without going with any of them.
“I will take what I need for transport. I have already gotten some foodstuffs in the house. I will give you some money to hold in case of anything. With your condition, you can’t sit in the vehicle for a long time. Look how swollen you are… and you smell.”
For a split second, she was confused.
“I smell?”
“Yes!”
The surprised Oroma raised her hands up and began to smell her armpits. For a few minutes, I watched her smelling her body, then she looked at me: “I’m not perceiving anything. Obiama, I am not smelling oo.”
I have been the one bathing her since she fell ill. Recently, I noticed she started smelling, and I was surprised she couldn’t even perceive it. Then it hit me: I am the only one perceiving the smell I wanted to discuss it with her when I noticed but didn’t want her to feel bad, so I squeezed out money to buy air freshener. I still sleep on the bed with her, and when it becomes unbearable, I leave her to the sitting room, and sometimes too, I just sleep until it’s dawn.
Looking at her now, I will break her further if I insist she’s smelling.
“What if it’s a ploy from the river goddess to cause separation between me and my wife?”
Wanting to remedy the whole thing, I smiled.
“Maybe a rat died in the house. I will look for it later. I’m sorry.” I said, really remorseful.
I stood up, kissed her forehead, then went out to see one of my very good neighbour, whose wife is a friend to my wife. I told him of my impending travelling and begged him to allow his wife to assist my wife and children in my absence. He told me to tell his wife by myself, so he called her, and I explained everything to her. She agreed!
After thanking her, I went in to tell my wife about my discussion with her friend.
“I will be gone three or four days. Please reach me in case of anything.”
I arranged some few belongings into a travelling bag, then announced to my three kids of my imminent travel. I instructed the other two healthy ones to be around their mother and brother in case they needed anything. Before we slept, I gave my wife some money and told her to manage.
The following morning, I left the house for the motor park. I paid for my transport and waited for the vehicle to fill up. The park was full with people buying tickets for different destinations. I sat somewhere, looking at people moving up and down, then I noticed someone staring at me. At first, I didn’t give it a second thought, but then this person continued staring at me. I became disturbed.
Suddenly, the hair on my body stood, fear gripped me as it dawned on me that I have seen that face in my dreams. I stood up immediately and went into the vehicle to sit. Again, I looked in her direction, and saw her again, and suddenly, like wind, the face faded away, yet my heart would not stop beating very fast.
Passengers were soon called into the vehicle. My journey to River State was peaceful. It was late when I got home. My family were all expecting me, so despite my late arrival, I sat down and ate everything my mother presented to me. Infact, I couldn’t remember the last time I ate such a meal.
“See how lean my grandson is,” grandma said.
After the plates were cleared, my father asked me to go and sleep, that we will talk the following day. I did as instructed. I went to bed and soon slept off.
In the morning, I met my mother at the back of the house tidying up the kitchen where she fries her garri.
“Did you sleep well, Obiama?” She asked.
“I did, mama.”
“Good! We will talk after breakfast.”
“Alright, mama,” but as I made to go, I decided to ask, “How was my birth like?”
For a moment, she was taken aback by my question before responding.
“Your birth was wonderful. You did not give me any problem. At that time, I was living with my parents because things were so difficult for your father.”
“Did you take me to the river goddess for anything… like the dedication and others?”
“My family don’t worship the river… they’re Christians. Infact, they didn’t support the marriage between your father and I because they believed your father’s family are too fetish and serve the river. My parents refused to support our relationship but we were in love and didn’t allow religion to separate us. I was the wayward one among my parents’ children. I disappointed them when I got pregnant for your father. Though your father paid the bride price, but it took a long time for my parents to forgive me. I joined this family and participated in everything they do. Yes… you and your siblings were dedicated to the River goddess… that’s what your family worships, and I joined them too.” She said.
I sighed deeply.
“But you know that you’re all dedicated…”
“Hmmm!”
“I hope there’s no problem, my son?”
In a hush tone, I explained everything I have been through without hiding anything. My mother sighed loudly.
“Mama, I go to church. When I left this place and started my life in Lagos, I became a Christian, i started going to church because I didn’t like the worship of the river. Right from small, I never liked the worship of the water. I hate it. All of you keep saying I should return home, and now I am home. I want my wife and kids to be well. I don’t care anymore whatever you people want to do, just want to stop seeing the goddess in my dreams or anywhere. My landlord is dead because of her. My kid and wife… too… look at me… whatever that needs to be done to appease her, do so that I can return home and meet my family healthy.”
“It’s okay, my son. I can see you have been through many things.”
I left my mother to the house. Later, all of us sat in the sitting room to discuss my issue. I went straight to attack my grandma.
“Grandma, you are the cause of my problem. Everything I am going through is caused by you. My wife and kids that are sick is caused by you.”
“How? What did I do to you?” Grandma asked.
“Obiama… I don’t like accusations. We called you here to assist you and not to come pointing accusing fingers at anyone,” my father told me.
“Papa, the river goddess told me grandma made a covenant before I was even born. Grandma can’t pretend she doesn’t know.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Of course, I made a covenant with the goddess.”
“Really? How?” Papa asked.
“Who enjoys poverty? Do you know how I suffered with your father… we were labeled wretched. It was too much… then you too began to suffer. It was like anything you put your hands weren’t working.” She said, facing Papa. “You, my daughter-in-law, tasted part of the poverty. My son couldn’t even feed you. When you announced that you were pregnant for my son, I was happy because I gave birth to only two children, your husband and my daughter. One day, I thought that if anything happens to my children, I will be a loser, so I went to a priestess who told me what to do. I carried a sacrifice to the river one night and placed the lives of my children in the hands of the river goddess.”
“As in for protection?” Papa asked.
“Yes!”
“Anyway, that’s not a big deal. I dedicated my children too to the river,” he said.
I looked exasperated at the two of them.
“Then how does it concern me?”
“I told the River goddess to marry you so that she could give you wealth.”
“Ahh!” My mother said.
“Why didn’t you ask the goddess to marry my father and give him wealth? Why me?”
Ignoring my question, she continued.
“For many years, I have been offering sacrifices to remind her. For a long time, as I watched you grow, I thought she would not honour my request until the priestess told me that the goddess has heard my prayers to her. Obiama, I did not do anything wrong. I wanted the best for you. Marrying her doesn’t mean she will leave with you… it’s not a physical marriage. It’s just for you to go to the river and offer sacrifice for the marriage, and the wealth will keep flowing. Once in a while, she will visit you, and…”
“Grandma, you did everything wrong. You could have asked for wealth for yourself.” I told her.
“When you were still a baby, I took you to see the priestess who did some rituals and then took you to the river and presented you as an offering to the river goddess.”
“When?” My mother asked with hands on her waist.
“You left Obiama with me and went to the market.”
“Hmmm!”
“I told the goddess to protect you until you’re of age for marriage according to her time.”
I looked in disbelief at my grandma.
“You took my son in my absence to see a priestess?” Mama challenged, flaring up already.
“It’s for his own good. You people are just unappreciative. Obiama would not be going through this suffering if he had not rejected her proposal.”
“God forbid! I will not be married to the river goddess. Go and undo what you did.” I told her.
There was silence. I was angry, and even grandma didn’t see that she did something wrong. How could she gamble with my destiny.
“Mama, I am the father of Obiama. How could you make that request without my knowledge? Now we will have to go to the priestess to tell us what to do.” Papa said.
“It’s nothing much. We will just appease her,” she said nonchalantly.
I was really angry. How could grandma put my life on a standstill?
“Everyone go and get ready. We must find a solution to this before something worst happens.” Papa said.
It didn’t take much time before we got prepared. It was obvious grandma was upset, but I didn’t care. My wife and kid are lying down there sick, left in the care of a stranger. I have lost my job, business, peace, and joy. My landlord is lying in the mortuary.
One after the other, we filed out of the house, boarded a bus, and stopped at a village. The priestess lived close to the river where people have access to canoes to cross to the other side. The moment she set her eyes on us, she was angry.
“I know why you have come to see me. Pray that she accepts your sacrifice.” She said.
“Please tell us what to do,” Papa said.
“First, return the gifts she gave you,” she said to me.
“Gifts?” I asked.
“Yes… more than one gift,” she said.
Everyone looked at me with questioning looks.
To be continued…
