Agony of the deaf episode 7

AGONY OF THE DEAF
(Faded Feelings)
Episode 7
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Written by Author Nath.
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They occupied a long horizontal dining table. Claude and Ogechi sat opposite each other while Chief Mekus and his wife had the opposite end of the table by themselves. Beside Ogechi was Eniola who consistently glanced at Claude without drawing anybody’s attention. Meanwhile, only the sound of silver spoons on ceramic plates paved around the dining room like drums beaten by children without an orderly note.

“So, Oge, how do you see Ikie?” Chief broke the silence. His voice deeply overcame the clitching sound of the ceramics. The daughter smiled with a glance at the blue-eyes, black handsome man who also let out a smile. When Ogachi wanted to respond, chief continued. Only then did the young girl know that his query was rhetorical. “I found Ike in the hands of his enemies. Sadly, he had nowhere to go; his parents are late. He’s a hærd-working man who has improved my business miraculously. Ike, how do you do it?” Chief asked.

Claude grinned. “Chief, i did nothing.”

“Do you have a last name?” Ogechi shot her question too.

“Why not? Like I didn’t fall down from heaven.” Claude replied while they all laughed. Eniola forced out a smiling face with another glance at Claude who caught her eyes immediately. Both bent down their heads.

“So what’s the last name?” Ogachi insisted.

“Umm..” Claude quit eating. “Not like I’m thinking about it.” he chuckled. “My last name is Olubukola.” He answered.

Hearing that, Eniola raised up her head to look at him which he also returned immediately. Obviously, both remembered the same thing at the same time and that was Ayomide’s statement five years ago: “….Well, going to school, you need a last name and a Yoruba name. So I’ll call you ‘Lolade Olubukola’. My daughter bears the same surname.”

“Wow, an igbo name with a Yoruba surname.” Ogachi picked a large meat from the bitter leave soup. “Wait…” She strangely paused after wanting to shove it into her mouth. “That’s Eniola’s surname too. You want me to believe it’s a coincidence too after calling her by her name?”

Everywhere became quiet. No one was eating again because tension had taken over the table. Chief chuckled to relieve the tension. Therefore he said in the process. “More than two people can have the same surname. Moreover, ‘Ike’ is just the Igbo name I gave him. I love my tribe.”

“I understand, Dad.” Ogechi looked at Claude. “What’s your real name then?” She finally shoved the meat I to her mouth.

“His real name is Aremu.” Chief replied before Claude did which got the young boy amazed. “Aremu Olubukola” he added.

“Exactly.” Claude smiled then continued eating.

“He looks more like a foreigner to me.” Eniola finally said something. Claude suddenly quit eating then gazed at her which she didn’t care to observe. She seemed busy shoving her own meat too.

“Abi?” Her friend concurred with her.

“He is a black American then.” Nkeiru, the mother of the house ch¡pped in hilariously too.

“Yes, I am. Eyo eyo mehn!” Claude brightened up everybody’s mood with his uproarious statement which he demonstrated with his hands like a black ass nigga. Everybody laughed. Ogechi found him more lovely and adorable, so she began to admire him with the meat still in her hand. They were a lot of eye contact going on on the table mostly from the girls to the boy while from the parents to three of them.
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The dinner ended. The time was to nine in the night. Ogechi and Claude could be seen seated beside a swimming pool. Round it were red and blue light mounted on poles.. Under one of the poles were the two love birds. However, Eniola was in one of the rooms in the mansion, watching them through a window. She could see Ogechi laughing and softly taping Claude’s thighs as an indication that she was really getting along with him. That broke her heart so she sadly closed the curtain and walked out from the window to the bed.

Already, at the pool, both had clutched their hands together r-mantically stared into each other’s eyes. “You look much more like your mother; beautiful and attractive with your teeth.” Claude complimented her. He truly saw her blushing from end to end.

“You know what’s attractive about you?” Ogechi smiled. ,”Your eyes. I know you must have inherited it from your mother.”

Claude smiled. “No, my father.” he corrected and glanced at his wristwatch. “It’s getting late I must be going.” he stood up.

“Aren’t you sleeping over?” Ogechi stood up too, yet their hands never disengaged.

“No, it’s not proper. I have my own apartment down the road.” he pointed his other hand at the gate of the mansion. They became quiet. Ogechi couldn’t take her eyes off him, so she embraced him in a way she placed her ear on his chest. While Claude’s eyes directly went to the window of the room where Eniola had come back, watching both of them again. Immediately their eyes caught, she closed the curtain. Claude became not just worried but sad too.

“I’m so happy to meet you.” Ogechi’s voice lowly trailed on his chest.

Claude looked down at her. He needed to play along, so he slid down her hair twice. “I’m happy too, Oge” he replied. “I’ll give you a call when I get home.” he added.

“Okay.” She finally raised her head off his chest. Both began to walk in,side, still holding their hands. Their legs echoed at the bank of the pool like the reflection of sound wave in a lonely stream. The twinkle stars which were populated initially could be counted at the moment for the indication of bad weather. As they walked slowly like a snail, a deep voice came from behind saying, “Let me talk to him alone.”

Both turned to see chief Mekus standing behind one of the poles. Ogechi left Claude’s hand immediately. “Okay, Dad.” she looked up at him and softly said, “Good night.” she hurried in,side, flinging her buttocks like a swinging pendulum Bob.

Claude sighted chief Mekus from afar to see him standing like a god. Therefore when he started walking up to him, his might overwhelmed him. His heart accelerated, while his steps lagged. His brain couldn’t focus at a particular thing that moment, hence goosebumps escalated from his skin. Chief wasn’t sitting, he stood under the dim light with hands behind him, so Claude didn’t need to sit too. He also stood a few gaps from him. At the look of the old man’s face, he could tell that there is fire on the mountain. Nevertheless, he must hold the bull by horn because there’s nothing the eyes see sheds blood.

“The male dog said why he always raises one leg while urinating is that he want to swear to everybody that he’s not suffering from Ibi (swollen testicles)” Chief began with Igbo hilarious proverbs. “The tortoise said that it always travels with its musical instrument in case it meets other musicians. If a snake fails to show its venom, little kids will use it in tying firewood.” he paused and stepped out from the dim light. “Ike, I’m no fool. Do not play with my intelligence. Who is Eniola to you?”

“She’s… she’s… a friend.” Claude’s voice suddenly gone exile.

“I saw how she looked at you, likewise you to her. There’s something more about both of you?”

“She was once deaf and dumb. I healed her with my blood. The condition was never to set my eyes on her for five years otherwise I go mad. The years have elapsed.” he paused then took a deep breath. “Chief, take me to Demili. I need to complete what papa started. If I know the way to Demili, I would have gone there a long time ago. Moreover, I do not want your daughter..”

“Quiet!” Chief interrupted him harshly. His voice startled the boy. “It is Eniola you want and my daughter is still in the dark about it. Listen, The grasshopper that runs into the mist of fowls ends up in the land of the spirits. The chicken says it looks up when drinking water because what kills it comes from the sky. Be warned, Ike! Let my daughter better remain in the dark because the day you bring her to the light will be the day I’ll strip you off the royal garment then you return to the streets like a panhandler. I know all about you, even how to make Eniola deaf and dumb again with your blood. So don’t be a fool and play along. May one’s visitor not constitute a problem, so that on his departure he will not leave with a hunchback.” he concluded in proverb.

“What do you plan to achieve by marrying your daughter against my wish, chief?”

“Nothing, that’s because I love you. Look around you and see all I’ve given you. I love you and want you to be part of my generation by marrying my only child.”

“If you love me as you said, take me to Demili. If you don’t, I’ll find my way there, chief. I’m sorry. And definitely, Oge will soon come out of the dark and I’ll go to whom my heart really loves.”

Chief kept mute, staring at him. He had become angry that he could commit murder at the moment. Though he controlled his temperament and said, “”Our wife, our wife”: come midnight and we will know whose wife she really is. When the baby wren is growing, it looks like it would be bigger than its mother. Go home, Claude and sleep over your decision because I assume you not know what you just said.” He watched Claude walk to his car, ignite it and began to drive out of the mansion. The headlights of his car shone on chief who never moved an inche, standing like a monitoring spirit.

On the other hand, in,side the room, Ogechi couldn’t explain how she felt. She was standing while Eniola seated on the bed like a malam praying in a mosque. Both were on bumshorts.

“Eni, he’s so gentle and also r-mantic. Now I know I really love him.” Ogechi explained excitedly.

“Really?” Eniola forced out a smile. “I thought in this generation, parents don’t search for husband or wife for their children anymore. Moreover, you’re still very young for all this.” she added.

“I heard parents make the best choice. And who told you we’re getting married anytime soon? We just started getting along.” Ogechi objected.

“Okay, he looks cool though.” Eniola smiled. “I might be urgently going to my village tomorrow.” she looked up at her friend.

“Really? Alright, I’ll tell my dad to book a flight for you.”

“Really? Thank you!” Eniola stood and hugged her.

“Don’t thank me yet. I don’t know if he will agree.” Ogechi concluded.
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At Olupona, in,side Ayomide’s house, Claude seated before the woman and Gbenga once again. He looked restless. Gbenga sat up from his seat, gazing at him in anticipation of what had put him on the state of woozy, so he twisted his mouth and w¡dened his eyes readily.

“Actually, I’ve met Eniola but she claimed she doesn’t know me.” Claude began. “Let the details stay for now. I want to see Isiala, the man that told you people about who I am. I think he knows where Demili is. I want him to take me there. I want to loose the power of my blood so that Chief won’t manipulate me.”

“My son, I do not understand a thing from what you just said.” Gbenga emphasized.

“What is really going on?” Ayomide added.

Claude exhaled. Before he could open up to them, the door opened and Eniola entered. Seeing her, he stood up. “Eni?” he called.

Eniola slowly closed the door behind her as she looked at all of them. She briskly passed them towards her room, but Claude rushed and held her back.

“Get your hands off me! I do not know who you are!! Leave me alone!!” she forcefully withdrew her hand. Not only did she enter into her room but also locked the door. Her action made Gbenga to remove his cap and began to fan himself with it. “Wheeeeoooh!” He exclaimed.
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TO BE CONTINUED.