Three generations episode 46

TITLE: THREE GENERATIONS

WRITTEN BY: OGECHI ALABI

CHAPTER 46

Nwanneka was excited when he informed her they would be going to Port-Harcourt to see her mother the next day. She was ready for the trip as early as 5am. She was happy she was taking a responsible suitor to meet her mother. She felt she will achieve so much by getting married; it would make her mother very happy.

Nwakaego was to travel to the village to see Chioma and the baby who were been nursed by Chinyere. She had prepared to leave but something kept discouraging her from leaving. She had learnt over the years to trust her instincts. She was in the sitting room just relaxing when her land phone rang. She answered the call.

“We have buried four able-bodied men in the family. Four men that were to carry on my lineage. Mama Nwanneka, please forgive us. Three other men are at the point of death. Please forgive us and allow me to see you today”

“Who am I talking to?” Nwakaego asked because the voice on the other sounded like a man’s unfamiliar voice.

“You don’t know me but I found out my daughter offended you by invoking our ‘chi’ to fight a battle she was not supposed to fight. She did it out of anger and spite, now we are facing the repercussions. I have eight sons from three wives. I am left with four sons. Three are in critical conditions it is just the last boy that is still hale and hearty. I don’t want to lose any of my sons”

“If you introduce yourself properly, maybe I can understand and help you. I am wondering how I am involved in what you described. I don’t know who your daughter is and why your sons are dying”

“You know my daughter and she wants to confess to her actions. Once she is forgiven, then my sons can live but it has to be fast”

“Are you sure you have the right person? And why did you wait this long to act?”

“If we can see you today, then we will know what to do”

‘The only place you can see me is in the village and unfortunately, I am not there today. Maybe during the week, we can sort this out”

“Can we meet there tomorrow?”

“I will see. What time?”

“Any time you give me”

“Nkwanu, until tomorrow”

As she ended the call, she heard a car horn at the gate. The security hadn’t opened the gate. She was scared as she wasn’t expecting anyone. She came outside and called out for the security man. He ran from the back of the house to attend to the gate.

“Madam, it is Nwanneka.” The security shouted out as he opened the gate.

The car drove into the compound and parked. There were three cars parked in the compound. Two of them looked like brand new cars. One was an SUV. Chike couldn’t speak. The street was named after Nwakaego as she was the first person to build on that street. The lawyer made it happen. Nwanneka never bragged about what she had. Chike was speechless.

Nwanneka hugged her mother and then introduced Chike as her friend.

“Nne, what are you doing here? You didn’t tell me you were coming”

“Mma, I wanted to surprise you”

‘It is a pleasant surprise. How are you?”

“I am fine ma. And you?”

“I am good; we have so much to talk about. I hope you are staying”

“We are going back to Asaba today”

“Why? What are you doing in Asaba?”

“We went to visit his family”

“Nwanneka, what is going on?” Nwakaego asked confused.

Chike cleared his throat and said to her, “Mama Nneka, I have come for Nneka’s hand in marriage. We met in Lagos and we have been friends for some months before we dated. I love her and I want to marry her”

Nwakaego smiled and replied to him, “Are you sure? Has she told you everything?” she turned to Nwnneka and asked, “Did you tell him?”

“Is it about Nwadiuto? I am aware” Chike replied.

“What about your family? Are you sure they will give their approval?”

“They have given their approval. My family is aware and they support me”

Nwakaego put her face in her hands and cried tears of joy. So her daughter, Nwanneka, was going to get married after all she went through? She had closed her mind to Nwanneka marrying an Igbo man as she so desired and right now she had found a good looking young man to man to marry who accepted her daughter.

Nwakaego and Nwanneka had both agreed to be upfront with men about Nwadiuto so it doesn’t come back to haunt her in future. There had been many suitors but their families did not accept her because she had a child. She had prayed that her daughter will not be left lonely. She didn’t want her to also marry an old man who will give her stress as Nwanneka was highly opinionated which would pose a problem to an egotistic man.

This young man seemed to love her daughter and understood her. What more could she ask for? She didn’t care if he was rich and famous; she was already blessed to take care of her daughter and the husband. All she wanted was for her daughter to be happy and seeing Nwanneka today, she knew she was happy.

Nwanneka sat beside her mother and held her in comfort. She said to her, “Mma don’t cry. I am happy with Chike. He has proved to me he loves me and I pray I enjoy even half of what you enjoyed with my father with him”

“You will enjoy more. He will love you and take very good care of you. He will protect you from his family. He will make you a priority. And you in turn will love and respect him. He will stand proud whenever you enter into a room. When you speak others will listen. The respect I have at my in-laws, you will have more. You will never shed tears in this union.” She tuned to Chike and asked, “Nna, so when would you want the wedding to hold?”

“I told her I want her to be my wife within three months. I can’t wait for longer”

“Three months? That’s not a problem. I am going to the village tomorrow, both of you can come with me to meet the family so we can start from there. Before we go any further, let me enter the kitchen and cook for my ‘ogo’ (in-law). When God stopped me from travelling this morning, I didn’t know it was because I was to receive an important person and receive good news. Chineke nna, tanks sir”

Chike watched Nneka’s mother gesticulate in excitement. He smiled. She was still young and beautiful. He wondered why she never remarried. She seemed very content the way she was.

He was worried about their status difference when they drove into the estate and then into the house. It was obvious from the estate gate they were known. She was quite prominent. And this woman stood up to cook for him, she was also humble. The humility was passed down to her daughter. Looking at Nwanneka, she didn’t act like a girl from such a rich home. He felt small. He made up his mind to make it big and very soon too. He wanted to give Nwanneka the life she deserves.

The native soup with pounded yam they were served was delicious. It had chunks of meat, snail, periwinkle, plenty of dry fish and stockfish. He was served like a king. He ate to his heart’s content. He was served beer to go with it. After the meal, he was directed to the guest room to have a nap because it was obvious he needed it.

Nwanneka stayed with him in the room for a while. Chike said to her, “I like your mother, she is a good woman and she did a good job with you”

“Thank you. I will let her know”

‘Was this your father’s house?”

“No, she bought this house many years ago after my father’s death. She is a hærd-working woman. She went through hell with her in-laws until she settled with them and took her rightful position in the family”

“You look more like your father. Your mother is more beautiful. Why didn’t she remarry?”

“Remarry? She refused. She said she has been with only one man and she wants it to remain so until she dies. She hasn’t been with another man ever since. I believe her”

“Interesting. I have to look for a way to send a message to my people that we will be travelling to your village tomorrow or do we go back to Asaba then go to the village in the morning?”

“That’s not a bad idea”

“Good. What about work? How will you manage that?”

“I will travel back by air on Monday morning. We will come back to Port-Harcourt, I will fly back while you come back by road”

“That’s fair. k-ss me so I will rest well before we go”

“I am in my mother’s house; she doesn’t tolerate such”

‘She is not here. k-ss me now. I won’t be able to sleep if you don’t”

“You didn’t do this when we were at your parent’s house”

“There were too many people there. Here it is just both of us. k-ss me” As they were about to k-ss, there was a loud knock on the door and it opened immediately. Running in was Nwadiuto to see her big sister as she called her.

“Sister Nwanneka, sister Nwanneka” she scre-med as she ran into her arms.

“Nwadiuto, ada mummy ya how are you, my angel?”

“I am fine. Mummy said you were around and I came immediately to see you. Auntie Grace wanted to stop me but I was faster than her”

“Where have you been?” Nwanneka asked.

“I went for swimming lessons”

“How did it go?”

‘Very well”

“Good. I want you to meet someone, his name is Chike. Chike meet my angel Nwadiuto”

“I am pleased to meet you,” he said as he stretched out his hand but Nwadiuto shied away.

“What’s wrong? He is my husband to be. He wants to marry me. What do you think?”

Nwadiuto smiled showing off her missing teeth and whispered into Nwanneka’s ear, “he is fine”

Nwanneka replied, ‘tell him yourself”

“I won’t tell him; you tell him”

“Since you won’t tell him, run along. I will be with you in a bit”

After Nwadiuto left, Chike asked her, “Does she know you are her mother?”

‘She does but prefers to call my mother mummy. She took care of her since she was born. She bought this house because of her. She’s the apple of my mother’s eyes”

“So your uncle was right, she wouldn’t want to release her to us. I can see why now. I won’t press, we will start our own family”