CHAPTER 149:BELIEVE ON HER GRAVE.

"Are you serious Ivana!" She exclaimed but then remember how her aunt Lydia told her.

"Yes Mish what's wrong with that? Can't you cook food for two people?" Ivana asked.

"It's not like that Ivana the thing is when I went to upcountry with aunt, I realized that cooking is not my thing. So I just had to bury my mother's cremains and leave. I was not used to cooking for myself, it's a hard thing to do."

Milka brought for them coffee and blended mango juice. She poured for Ivana the mango juice then Mish the coffee.

"No I won't take the coffee, I just pour me the juice too" she told Milka.

"By the way Mish you took alot of time at the grave side right? I had asked Charo the time you left and he told  me that you left very early." 

Mish tried changing the story with lies.

"Yeah I had left early because Mish I don't how I can tell this," She sighed experatedly then said. "Actually I went to search for my mother's grave."

Mish almost choked on her juice as she swallowed it faster.

"What?Ivana, like why?" Mish asked with confusion all over her face. As she cahnged her sitting position and turned to look at Ivana.

"Mish it's along story but ever since my dad died I have been asking myself where was my mother buried. When my father was still alive I have been asking him where they buried my mother, why we didn't visit her grave. Every time I asked him that, he would either ignore my enquiries or quarell me about it." She explained to her.

"So did you find it?"

"Unfortunately no, I went to two gravesides in town the Municipality graveside and Township grave side but unfortunately their was no grave for her." Ivana said as she bowed her head.

"Do you know your mother's name?" Mish asked.

"Unfortunately no, I never asked my father and I have no one else to ask" 

"Ivana how can you search for someone's grave when you don't even know her name. How is that possible?"

"Mish, my dad told me that my mother died when she was giving birth to me. So that shows that they were married, so I was looking for any grave that had my dad's surname. That's possible right?" Ivana returned the question to Mish.

"Ivana what if your mother was cremated?"

"No Mish, then dad atleast would have shown me her cremains,Or where he had buried them. You know something suspecious is that their is no photograph of my mother or my dad together with her." Ivana added.

"So Ivana, are you having doubts about what uncle told you?and why now?" Mish said as she sipped the juice.

"I really don't know, I am not sure what I am thinking but what if my mother is still alive?"

Mish was shocked a d surprised at the same time as her mouth was wide open and her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Are you being serious right now?do you really think that your mother is still alive and be in hiding all this time? Look if she was still alive why didn't she come to uncles burial or even memorial mass. Why didn't she come to claimed some inheritance from what uncle left. Do you think she will just keep quite and watch while someone else takes over your dad's legacy?" Mish asked experatedly.

"Mish I really don't know, maybe she didn't come for the burial ceremony because she didn't want to come public. Maybe she didn't come for inheritance because she thought that no one will believe me and probably I would have tried using the Court of law to settle the inheritance. Lastly she doesn't want to cause any trouble, so she is trying to stay out of it"

"Ivana, those are just your theories and justification that are making you believe that your mother is still alive. I don't know why now, when you are pregnant that's when you are starting to think much about your mother" Mish said as she poured herself juice.

What she didn't know was that Ivana have been thinking about her mother ever since the death of her father. When her father died she thought that her relative will bury him beside my mother's grave. But she was astonished when no one talked about her mother. So that raised concern within her, when she moved in with Paul she was craving for motherly love from her mother inlaw. But Mrs Wechuli was too absent to realize that. What triggered her most was when she visited the orphanage where Milka her maid was raised. The manager if home of peace children home, Mama Teresia made her crave for her mother's love. That's what made her think or believe that her mother might be alive and maybe scared to come out.

"Anyway I don't want to raise my hopes si high so I will let it be. I will just have to believe what my dad told me though I will completely believe it when I see her grave"

Ivana said as she stood and took the coffee back in the kitchen. Mish wanted to ask her why she was tiring herself but again restrained. Ivana found Milka just seated with other workers in the kitchen.

"Ooh Ma'am Ivana we will leave you alone with Milka,"one of the workers said as she stood together with other workers ready to leave.

"No, no Rhoda ,it's fine. I just brought back the coffee if there is someone who wants to take it. Mish if the bread remained please give them." She said as she placed the flask on the kitchen table.

"Thank you so much ma'am"

"Thank you ma'am"

"Thank you ma'am Ivana"

"It's nothing, I don't want food going to waste while I have you here. One thing Mish kindly prepare for me fried rice with cabbage. I think thats what I will have for lunch, for you guys you can chose what you want to eat for lunch." She said with a smile.

"No mum Ivana we will eat rice cabbage for lunch too,"Rhoda said.

Rhoda was the oldest in term of age so most workers looks up at her as a mother or a big sister.