Madam was not home when the girls got back. They went to their beds quietly; each of them with different thoughts on their mind. Tutu watched as the two girls dispersed to their beds without a word. She wanted to know the outcome of their visit to the hospital but she could not ask as she knew Oghogho would ignore her. She decided she would ask Onome when Oghogho was away on a job or asleep.
******
“That her bobo good oh. As Oghogho dey pray that prayer, me sef dey follow am pray say make God send me person like that.”
“Ehen!! So he go marry her be that nau as she don get belle.”
“Yes nau. If he say he no want make she remove am, e mean say he wan marry her be dat. Because we don tell am say she no fit use belle do this work.”
Tutu had awakened from her sleep but remained still when she heard the conversation. She recognized the voices as that Onome and another roommate. So Kevwe was pregnant and Ayo was planning on making her keep it. Her emotions drifted between anger and jealousy. Who was Kevwe to have it all good? An uneducated prostitute. She was many times better off and she had been unable to get Ayo. She was educated; he was as well. Why would he stoop so low to someone like Kevwe? The anger in her boiled and she tightened her fist. She had to listen to everything her roommates were saying. She took her mind off Ayo for a brief moment and paid attention to what the girls were saying.
The girls kept on chatting until Tutu moved her legs. Onome noticed the movement and stopped talking. She nodded her head towards Tutu’s bed and the other girl acknowledged with a nod. They changed the topic of their discussion and started talking about what they intended to do with their future. When Tutu realized that they were no longer talking about Kevwe, she stood up from her bed and walked out of the room.
******
Kevwe drifted in and out of sleep. Ayo stayed by her side till late in the evening. At 7:00pm, he decided to go home. As he drove into Chief’s expansive compound, he saw Chief sitting in the garden reading an evening newspaper. He took a deep breath as he switched off the engine. He eased out of the car and greeted Chief.
“Good evening sir.”
Chief looked up from his newspaper. “Ayo, how are you?”
“Fine thank you sir.”
“Don’t you think you are overworking yourself young man. Your weekends should be for resting.”
“I know sir.” Ayo said looking at his feet.
“Come over here.” Chief said.
Ayo walked towards Chief.
Chief patted the chair beside him.
“I know you are trying to make money but you should not do that at the detriment of your health.”
“Yes sir.” Ayo replied as he sat down beside Chief.
“What do you think about working in my office as my technical assistant?”
Ayo raised his head to look at Chief. He stood up and prostrated. “I would appreciate it sir. Thank you very much, sir.”
“C’mon, stand up Ayo.” Chief laughed. “You have been very diligent and sincerely, I think you deserve something better.”
“Thank you sir.” Ayo said sitting down. “I appreciate all you have done for me. I am grateful, sir.”
“It is okay. You can continue your taxi runs if you wish to. It is your decision to make, if you feel you can handle it.”
“I can handle it sir.” Ayo said as he thought about his new status as a soon-to-be father.
“You can go and rest. We would draft your appointment letter on Monday, okay?”
“Okay sir.” Ayo said. He was about to stand up when he reconsidered. “Chief, can I discuss something with you?”
“Yes. What is it?”
Ayo cleared his throat. “Chief, I am….erm…my girlfriend….erm….she is…erm…she is….” He looked at his feet and scratched his head.
Chief looked at him expectantly. “She is…”
“She is….erm….pregnant.”
“What? Ayo? Your girlfriend is pregnant? What were you thinking of? What happened to protection?” Chief asked.
“I’m….I’m…I’m sorry Chief. I didn’t…mean….I mean, I didn’t know…” Ayo stuttered unable to complete his sentence.
Chief shook his head. “Ayo! Ayo! I warned you to be careful. Look at what you have gotten yourself into. Are you ready to take care of a family now?”
Ayo clasped his hands behind his back.
Chief sighed. “Let us talk about this on Monday at the office, okay?”
“Okay sir.”
Chief flicked his hand dismissively.
Ayo took the cue and walked to his apartment with his head bowed.
******
The next morning, Chief received a call about an impromptu meeting in Abuja for Monday morning. He asked Ayo to drop him off at the airport and told him he would be back on Wednesday.
“We would discuss all these pending issues when I get back. I won’t tell you that I am happy with you but well…” Chief paused. “We would talk about the way forward on Wednesday.”
Thirty minutes after Chief’s plane took off, it suffered a mechanical failure. The pilot had to do an emergency landing. There was chaos within the plane and passengers screamed, prayed and shouted. The pilot landed the plane successfully. As everyone struggled to get off the faulty plane, a woman noticed Chief slumped in his seat. She screamed, drawing the attention of the air hostesses. CPR was administered on Chief but it was too late. He had suffered a shock.
Chief’s family was contacted and his body was flown back to Lagos on Wednesday. Ayo told Ngozi, Chief’s wife not to bother going with him to the airport. He assured her that he would handle it. She was already broken and he did not want to see her breakdown totally when she saw her husband’s body.
Ayo shed a tear as he saw Chief’s body. A lot of his dreams had died with the man he was transporting to the mortuary. As he wiped the tears finding their way down his cheeks, he prayed he would be able to come out of the mess he had found himself.
Chief’s burial was done quickly. Tears flowed freely during his burial. Chief had touched so many lives and Ayo was shocked to see so many young people stepping out during the church service to eulogize him. Students who were on scholarship, widows Chief had helped to start off a business, market women who had been loaned money but Chief refused to accept repayment.
A day after the burial, Chief’s two brother’s came to the house with their aged mother to have a family meeting. Ngozi was told that it had been decided that Chief’s elder brother, Chidi take her as his second wife. She was told to handover all her husband’s documents for the house, his business and cars. She was also informed that since Chief was gone, there was no need wasting money on the numerous scholarships. They informed her they were going to Chief’s office the next day to introduce themselves to the staff as the new management. They told her they were only informing her out of courtesy as they really had no reason to.
Ngozi looked at her husband’s family with shock stamped on her face. Her husband had just been laid to rest and his brothers were talking about sharing of properties.
“I don’t understand what you are saying.” She said.
“What do you mean you don’t understand? Am I not speaking English or you want me to translate it to Igbo for you to understand?” Chidi snorted.
“You see, brother. I told you she won’t like this idea of being a second wife. I don’t know why you and mama don’t want her to be my wife. Ngo and I are almost age mates and I am still single and virile enough to continue Chigozie’s lineage. Let us change this agreement in the interest of everyone.” Ebuka; Chief’s younger brother said as he stood up.
“Will you shut up your mouth? Interest of who? Ngo and I are almost age mates.” Chidi mimicked Ebuka. “I have four strong sons. You don’t need an angel to come down to tell you that I can produce more. What have you produced that is giving you confidence? Sit down there.” Chidi said barking at his brother.
Ebuka sat down with a frown on his face. “Mama, mama, me I have said my own oh. Let it not be that I have not spoken my mind. I don’t know why you and brother are doing this wickedness to this poor woman.”
Tears streamed down Ngozi’s cheeks as she looked at her husband’s brothers haggling over her like a piece of meat. She bit her forefinger as she shook her head and looked to the heavens.
“Why are you crying now? Are we not trying to make your burden lighter? So what is making you cry? Chidi will take care of you and your children. This house is too big for you and the children alone.” Mama said as she swept her hand round the house.
“Besides, you are still very young and you need a man. It is normal for your husband’s elder brother to continue from where your husband stopped.” Mama continued. “Chidi and Mama Junior will pack their things and come here. You know their house is very small. All the children can play together in the very big compound.”
“Mama, you will even have a bigger room here instead of the small one in my house.” Chidi said smiling. “So Ngozi, where are the documents? Go and bring them.” He said facing his younger brother’s wife.
“Mama, Uncle Chidi, I have heard all what you have said. I will give you the documents of the house and the business, but God forbid that I marry any of you. I am shocked that you can even think about it.”
“Who are you to tell us what to do?” Chidi said getting angry. “You want the name of my brother to be wiped away just like that. You are not serious. Your place in this family can only be retained by marrying me.”
“Then I would prefer to leave then. I will not marry you.”
Ebuka coughed and all attention was drawn to him. “I am still single. I knew you would have issues with being a second wife. I can take care of you and the girls.”
Ngozi looked at Ebuka disgustingly. “Ah, Chigozie, why did you do this to me?” She soliloquized as she burst into tears.
“Bia, stop calling my son’s name in vain.” Mama said as she also burst into tears. She untied the wrapper around her waist and used it to wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks.
“You see what you have caused. It is your fault that mama is crying. Why are you so stubborn?” Chidi scolded Ngozi. “Mama, e don do. Let’s go. We would come back next week when your head don correct well well. Just make sure those documents are ready before my arrival, you hear?” He concluded as he pulled up his mother who was sobbing uncontrollably.
The story continues…
