Chapter 2

It has been a week since the burial rites for my parents were completed, and the decision of whom I shall begin to live with reside with was yet to be made. Grandma, Helen and I walked out from mum and dad's burial ground, my eyes darted to the 'Obu Eziokwu' which my late Father, the first son of the Eze family had erected as the only place where meetings would be held. He had built the house strategically shaped like a half moon. The rectangular shaped compound had four structures in it, the bungalow which was seated at the left wing of the compound, it was followed by the 'Obu', the next buuilding in line was a storey building, which was built to accomodate visitors and as well as the servants quarters...well, they had been dismissed; finally was grandma's little ground-floor duplex, she had refused to move to any other place if not that location. This place which to me seemed like a home previously was now simply a house, for what made it a home was no more. Uncle Ben immerged from the obu where they had been with other members of the extended family and looked towards our direction and said:

"Go into the obu". I held grandma's hands nervously as we proceeded to the obu hoping for nothing but good news. Uncle Ben walked past us to the bungalow to invite uncle Joshua's wife Nkemjika to the Obu and his elder sister Aunt Nkechi.

If there was anything I did not like about the igbo tradition, it was how the women were often excluded from certain matters of decision making, if not all even when it was for and about them.

"O na-gwu ike... it is very exhausting".

As we walked into the obu, my eyes met with the pictures hung on the walls, one was that of the holy family annd following it were my: my mom and dad's wedding pictures and another was their honey moon photo, I remember mum telling me it was at the under water resort at Maldives, they were seated on a splendid king-size white-covered bed, mum was loosely held in dad's warm embrace, the surrounding looked serene and so beautiful that the words with which to describe it was not yet in the dictionary; to the right of the holy image was my mum and dad holding me after the had baptised me 'Stephenie' and so on, I couldn't keep looking, so I looked away as hot tears burned its way down my cheeks.

I sat between grandma and Helen in the three seater cushion backing the photos and listened hoping for nothing but good news. Aunt Nkemjika walked in with her few months old baby Chika. When we all sat down, Uncle joshua proceeded to address us in his deep baritone voice. He was the next in line after dad and the only surviving son of the family. He spoke for a while but his words failed to capture my interest, I was only hoping that whatever he was saying would end in him sending me to live with Helen and her parents.

"…after all factors has been considered and discussions carried out, it has been decided that stephenie shall begin to live with her Aunt and my wife, Nkem because of the help she will be needig with her first child while I'm away..." i was shocked beyond words, but i felt a sudden rush of energy which forced me on my feet as if in defense and utter repugnance.

"I'm not going to live with Aunt Nkemjika no matter what, and I would rather stay here with grandma in the village". I stopped, wondering where the courage had come from. I stormed out of the obu and meandered my way surrepticiously to my parent's place of rest, behind the bungalow. I sensed someone follow me, it was probably Helen. I feel at the feet of mum's grave and began to weep..."

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Maria suddenly interrupted

"mum please say no more,if this is not a happy story, then why bother to share it with us, do you want to demoralize us?" she yabbed while she made a crying face.

"but you had just asked me to tell you my childhood story?" I tried arguing back

"I said you should tell us a blissful childhood story of yours and not a horror movie, besides, you should have not simply agreed, must you always agree? So if I ask you to deep your hands in a hot cauldron, you would?" once again Maria caught me off-guard, her thoughts and uterrances always left me without words. Up until now, Robin had been quiet, but finally he spoke up.

"Maria, allow mum to continue, besides she wouldn't have bothered starting the story if it did not have a happy ending, right mum?

"Yes indeed my son" I smiled softly. And then continued.

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"Mum, why did you leave me in this creul world without a warning, did you forget the promises we made each other, are you going to...". I still had a lot to say, but the rest of my words were choked back by my tears and my crying was all that could really express how much grief I subjected myself to at that very point in time felt at that point in time.

"Stephenie, it's okay living with aunt Nkem, she really is not really that bad" Helen consoled.

"That's what you think Helen, but somehow or the other, I simply dont like the idea, I thought they would let me stay with you and your parents, but they woudn't hear of it and as I already said, I would rather stay here with grandma" I stuttered amidst sobs.

"But stephenie, think about little Chika,he would definitely be happy if you helped aunt Nkem at a time that she needs assisstance" Helen proposed.

"Thats not a reason, my mum and dad raised me without any help except grandma usual visit, so they should do like wise"I debated.

"I do not disagree with you,but having an extra hand wouldn't really hurt, would it? besides think of what your late mum would want you to do"Helen argued fuether.

"Ohhhh please, leave my mum out of this, I simply wont go there" I disagreed persistently.

"Stephenie please do this for the love of God and man and me, and besides, you know that aunt Nkem's house is a trekkable distance to my house, I can always visit, at least once a week every weekend, moreover, staying here with grandma implies that you do all here rough work like fetching fire wood and setting up the fire, sometimes even fetch water and even the standard of education here is not sound, and you know this, so what do you stand to gain, but with uncle joshua, all things are going to be fine".

Helen stopped almost out of breathe,her argument seemed logical, she seemded to be making sense now. We both kept quite as she held me in an embrace and allowed me to sob silently in her arms.

"Promise me you will visit every weekend at least?" I negotiated finally giving in. She crossed her heart and smiled softly.

"I promise, everything will be fine". I stood up and wiped my tears and turned to walk back to the Obu and there was Uncle Joshua approaching impatiently, he stopped in his tracks and roared.

"The decision has been made, you will be residing with my wife while I'm away on business and there is nothing you can do about it"

"I will live with you and your wife but not for long, I am sure of that" I muttered a response to him.

The rest of the day was spent in silence and when it was dusk, i went to bed without supper despite Helen and grandma's effort to make me eat; I still did not have a good feeling about leaving with aunt Knem and Uncle Joshua.

I woke up in the middle of that night from a night mare, a terrible one at that, I saw Aunt Nkem on a red flay gown. It was not the natural red colouring, it seemedto have been stained from white to red, red from blood. I could here cries of children. I heard one obscure scream' "help me, save me" it was an innocent, feminine, child like voice; the sly smile on her cherry red lips was too intimidating that it sent chills down my spine. The look in her eyes was one synonymous to greed and lust for blood...

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"Wow mum, this story is really interestng, it can't possibly be true, anyways hold on let me send these tea cups to the kitchen". Robin interrupted and as he cleared the cups. I gave a weary smile in affirmation. As soon as he returned, I went deep into the story.