Just a Tear: Episode 23 by Ngozi Lovelyn O.
"Why did you had to die Mama? You should have waited for me to explain my reasons. Mama, you are the only person who understands me in this world. Mama why?" Osonye cried.
Osonye was still feeling the pains of denying her mother and another tragic news came. She quickly entered her car and drove down to the village without telling Kanayo where she was going. By the time she reached there, the Kinsmen had already deposited her mother's body to the mortuary.
When Chichi saw her, she stood from where she was sitting, staring at Osonye with deep rage in her eyes.
She slipped her shoulder from Osonye's hand who was touching her, trying to pet her.
"Chichi, how are you?" Osonye asked
Chichi blinked her eyes in anger and clicked her throat.
"Chichi, are you not the one I'm asking?" Osonye asked again
"What are you doing here sister Osonye, after denying my mother in the church, what are you doing here?" Chichi irked
Osonye was dumbfounded hearing such harsh words from Chichi.
Immediately Chichi spat out the bitterness in her heart, the women of the family stood up and asked her to walk out from the compound, that since she had the heart to deny her mother in the presence of people, that they will also deny her.
When Osonye asked them what they were doing, one of the women said:"Osonye, we are aware of everything. We received words from the city and Chichi has confirmed it too. There is nothing done under the sun that will remain hidden forever. You successfully used your dirty hands to kill your own mother, a woman who stood by you when the whole villagers were against you. A woman who bore series of insults and mockery from the villagers all because of you. Osonye, you are a disgrace. A child like you should never enter this family again and not even in our next lives" and the whole women nodded their heads in affirmation.
"You people are very funny oo, I came here to bury my mother and nobody, I mean nobody can stop me from carrying out that responsibility. This is my father's compound, and you can't stop me from entering inside" Osonye said calling out for Chichi to come to her side.
One of her uncle's wives took Chichi by the hand and said: "Osonye, I am a mother, and I understand what it means to give a child a good upbringing. While you were busy enjoying your worthless life in the city, I was here lending a helping hand to your mother in training this innocent girl you brought into this world. But since your mother is no more, I will continue from where she stopped and ensure Chichi gets the best upbringing possible. Somebody like you can't train a child because you have no moral values to install in her."
"Hey Okwuoma or whatever they call you! You are not my daughter's mouthpiece, allow her speak for herself... Chichi please come here, don't mind them, they have all gone crazy"
"Osonye, I am not going with you, you are wicked, you killed my mother. For that you will go to hellfire. That is what our Reverend father said, those who kill are children of satan."
"Come on shut up your mouth, who told you I killed mama, did you see me kill her? You are listening to these old women"
As they were still trying to push her out from the compound the "Umu-Ada" had already had a meeting about her and they were approaching their compound in anger with cain they will use to flog her for killing their sister.
Immediately they saw Osonye, they started running towards her, and Osonye who couldn't stand the anger of "Umu-adas" rushed and entered her car and then drove off.
She couldn't believe what just happened to her.
"Does it mean I was bared from burying my own mother?" She asked herself in sheer anger.
She drove straight to Nonye's place and explained what happened.
"Are you serious?" Nonye asked
"That is what just happened oo, can you imagine those bunch of illiterates baring me from entering my father's compound"
"But Osonye, you have to forget them. They did what they had to do. You know you went too far by denying your mother that very day, but we understood that was the only available option left to save the day, we never knew it would result to this. Just allow her kinsmen and family to bury her, because you can't fight the entire village. Later you go to her grave and cry for forgiveness or better still, you lower your pride and beg for their forgiveness so that they will allow you partake in her burial ceremony" Nonye suggested
"Me? Beg them? Those bunch of smelly illiterates? Over my dead body will I beg for permission to bury my own mother. On the day of her burial, I will storm the village with some hefty bodyguards, let me see who will stop me from attending my mother's burial. Afterall, the only thing that connected me to that god forsaken village is my mother and now she is no more, they will never see my foot cross their path ever again, fools!"
"Osonye! Easy oo, do not......"
"Nonye, we are done with that topic" Osonye cut in
Nonye then sighed and said: "Osonye, look at the time oo, you need to rush home and cook for your husband, it's already 9:23pm, did you tell him before leaving for the village?"
"No, I didn't and my phone battery is dead" Osonye replied
"Osonye, please you really need to get home right now. Go and cook for your husband" Nonye demanded
"Ah ah! Rush home, as in what? Am I his house help? If he is hungry, he should serve himself with some food in the freezer"
"What? Can you just hear yourself? Osonye listen, don't take this marriage for granted. The survival of this marriage depends on the role you play as a wife. Kanayo believed you to be an angel amongst women, I want you to continue living that way or you loose everything you have laboured to build. Remember you denied your mother for this marriage and I saw how it pained you, so don't allow everything to turn blank by your own reckless attitudes" Nonye advised
"Osonye, what are you saying?" Nonye asked
"Infact, I am going, enough of this discussion. Come and see me off please" Osonye requested.
"When she got home, Kanayo was already burning in anger anxiously waiting for her to return home and explain where she was all day"
"Good-evening" Osonye greeted
But Kanayo did not reply her.
"Are you not the one I'm greeting?" Osonye asked again
But still, he kept mute and Osonye then hissed loudly and started entering the bedroom.
The sound of the "hiss" banged on Kanayo's brain like a local fire am.
"Osonye come back here? Osonye I said you should come back here" Kanayo ordered
But Osonye ignored him and continued with where she was going.
"What is really happening or am I dreaming? The whole day her number was switched off and now she is giving me attitude. This is quite strange of her" Kanayo who couldn't bear the way osonye neglected him decided to storm in on her in the bedroom.
"Osonye, I was asking you something and you had the guts to walk out on me? Where were you all day with your number switched off? I checked the supermarket like five times, yet met with your absence and now, instead of explaining yourself you are giving me attitude. And you don't even care if I have eaten or not"
"Kanayo, I really had a bad day today, and for your point of correction, I am not your house help, so I demand you get yourself one. Because I understand you like homemade food so much that you hardly eat outside. You prefer your breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared at home. Oh damn! Those parts are not among the things I signed before entering this marriage. I am not a housewife and will never be, so get that into your head. Please if you will excuse me, I would like to take my bath and rest because I am mourning someone very close to me."Osonye said as she undressed herself and entered the bathroom.
Kanayo stood shocked looking at her.
To be continued....
No comments: