Chapter 5: JUST BEFORE THE TWILIGHT

Chapter 5: JUst before Twilight

Travailers

The laughter was cheerful. It was also infectious. It began as a silent chuckle, then slowly it turned into a mirthful but stilted giggle. Now. It had finally transformed into a full fledged chortle. As Mr.chikadibia surreptitiously paused for a while to eavesdrop and figure out the source of the mirthful atmosphere co-existing among his children.

Chucks, appeared to be the narrative voice. He was telling Obinna and her immediate younger sister Ifeoma the story of his classroom encounter with their meddlesome Economic teacher the previous weeks before they went for mid-term break. The narration was so vivid that you could actually visualise what transpired.

"Hmmm.." their father interrupted their story as he wedged himself between chucks and ifeoma. They were all seated on a bench, at the front house under a mango tree.

"Hmm.... Chukwuka! My son." He was literally referring to chucks. Whose full name was hardly known by an outsider.

"You still haven't dropped this habit of staging up a joke to inform stories in order to keep people around you idol." It was as if Mr Chikadibia knew his son inside out. He alone can tell what his son Chukwuka is up to.

"Hahaha papa! u nearly got me, but that was what actually transpired." Chukwuka asserted firmly.

"Don't worry my son. I won't argue that with you. Ehmm that's by the way."

"Obinna. How are you coping with your new school? Hope you were able to adapt to the environment?. Mr.chikadibia asked intuitively.

"Yes Uncle. Am coping absolutely fine."

"Ok my son. You know that you are in your final class in secondary and your Senior Waec Examination is now around the corner. Hope you and chukwuka are preparing for it?"

'' Yes uncle. Obinna and i have already made our plans.''

'' What plan ''? Their father asked curiously.

'' papa.. it's not what you think, he actually implies that we are already going for extra moral lessons during the break.''

" Okay. That's a wise thing to do for my sons. Please keep it up".

" I want to ask you guys some questions"

" Go on dad," Ifeoma replied.

" Okay, let me start from your ifeoma. What would you like to be in the future?"

Hesitatingly, not without trepidation, she answered.

" Dad, I would love to become a nurse, so that I can save lives."

" Wow, that's a good choice my dear".

" Dad, I would love to study law so that I will be a prosecutor." said Chukwuka.who doesn't want to be asked before answering.

" hahaha, Why do I want to be a prosecutor instead of a lawyer or even a barrister?"

" Papa, I want to be catching those criminals,law-breakers and those liars that claim to be politicians."

" Are you for real? Don't go and look for a better job for yourself. Be dreaming till one of those criminals you want to catch shot one of your legs". Ifeoma said to her brother. And managed to muster all affectionate sarcasm in that single word

" Papa, can you hear what your daughter is wishing your beloved son?"

" Don't say such a thing again to your bro, Ifeoma. After all, he also has his own choice and it's not advisable for parents to choose a life career for their children. They may suggest for them but it's only left for them to choose."

Mr.chikadibia asserted clearly.

Then he turned to Obinna who was meticulously paying attention to the conversation and asked him too.

"Uncle. I would love to become a detective officer."

" So everyone now wants to be catching criminals. Okwa ya!"( Is that it? In Igbo language)

Ifeoma once again intruded.

" It's like this, your mouth is out of your control. Why can't you mind your own business?" Chukwuka replied blatantly.

Mr.chikadibia, who was looking at his children, allowed them to chastise themselves a while before finally addressing the case.

" My son, Obinna. Why would you prefer to be a detective rather than being an engineer just like other kids would love to be."

" Uncle. I will study it so that I will be able to fish out the bad ones from the good ones. And also find the one responsible for my Parent's death."

And there was a long silence in the atmosphere as he made his intentions known to them.

" Well.. that's a good choice my son, and a very hard course to pass. But you will definitely pass it. But don't allow yourself to be weighed down by your past." said mr.chikadibia.

"Ok Uncle. Thanks."

"Now I shall be excusing myself from here, there is a meeting I must attend before 5:30pm. So my children have more fun.

Five weeks passed. Chucks as well as Obinna were both waiting for their W.A.E.C results to be announced. Chucks was already searching for it online on a web.

"It's finally out!" Bro.. Chucks, who was pressing his phone for a while, finally announced it to Obinna.

"What is that?" Asked Obinna.

"The W.A.E.C results. It was uploaded online this morning by 1:00am."

" It's a lie. Tell me you are joking". Obinna asked in more curiosity.

"Come and see for yourself." Trying to show it to Obinna.

"Oh my God!! It's actually true!"

"Do you know how to Check it online?" Obinna asked.

" Yes nah. It's only gonna take me some minutes and the result will be served." Said this as he hurried inside his room to bring his scratch card, through which he can be able to access his results online.

He came out immediately and inserted those pins in the website required in order to confirm him.

"Yes! Yes!... I made it!" Chukwuka screamed as he saw 3A's in three of his subjects, and C's was the rest.

He ran quickly to show Obinna.

"WOW!!! You're a genius bro, I respect your intelligence." Obinna confessed to him.

"Can you help me check mine,since I don't have a smartphone?"

"Go and bring your scratch card". Chuck. Without sparing a second, agreed.

He came out immediately and handed the card to Chucks.

After a few minutes,

"What..what happened?" Chucks bemoaned.

"What did you mean by that"? Obinna asked confusedly, not without consternation.

"Your results were withheld". Answered Chucks.

"What! Why nah... Why did they withhold it?"

Obinna sighed as he asked.

"You don't have to work yourself up over it, it will soon be released. Last year the same thing happened to some of the candidates that wrote theirs but it was later released. While some were cancelled." He said this trying to reassure Obinna.

"Cancelled,'' you said?" Obinna asked in more agitation.

"Yes. Those who were cancelled were those that were involved in Mal-practice."

" But I wasn't involved in any Mal-practice".

Obinna declared.

" Yes, that's why I said you shouldn't bother yourself, that it will surely be ok".

"Ok nah, I pray that God should allow them to release mine first, ooh". Obinna said in disbelief.

A week passed, Obinna still hasn't heard any news on when his withheld result will be released. All he was hoping was to see his w.a.e.c result before his jamb result came out so as to know where his chances stands in securing an admission into university.

When it was about sunset that day, Chukwuka ran into the house with joy to announce the good news he had in his hand.

"I made it!" Chukwuka shouted.

"What is that, that you won't allow somebody to rest in this house?" Ifeoma retorted blatantly.

"Phewww" Chukwuka sighed as he waved what his sister said to him.

"What's the good news about?" Her mother asked.

"Mama guess what... I scored 293 in my jamb, which means that I passed the cut off point to study law at the University of Lagos."

"Wow my son you did well. Am so proud of you, I know that one day you will surely make us proud son. Don't worry when your dad comes back, we will celebrate it."

"Congratulations bro.. how did you check yours? I mean your result." "I checked it online, in a cyber cafe, I should have checked it on my phone but I don't have any data so that's why I checked it outside."

"Wow. Ok maybe tomorrow morning,I will go and check mine."

"No problem, I will accompany you then."

"Thanks."

After some hours late in the night. Mr.Chikadibia and his family had finished eating their dinner as they were watching the N.T.A news that night; succinctly on the news Obinna's name was mentioned as one the students whose W.A.E.C results were released late that night. And he was said to be the only student that year that made all his subjects with Distinctions.And at such will be given a scholarship to study in any universities whether in Nigeria or abroad.On hearing these news, Obinna was already shedding tears in his sitting position as the whole family was still in shock of the news.

"O.M.G! Obinna you are indeed a genius. Who could have believed that you could pass all your subjects with distinctions? Am so happy for you". Chukwuka said to Obinna in total amazement.

"Obinna, my son. You have once proven to us that your tuition fees were not wasted on you and am so happy for you". Mrs.chikadibia said .

"You don't know how happy I am. At last your God has finally remembered you. At least this will help to wipe away those ill memories that have clouded you all this while. This is just your starting point, I know your future will be brighter so cheer up." Mr.chikadibia said this to Obinna as to make him see reasons he should never stop striving.

"Thanks Uncle, mama and all of you especially chucks, who have been by my side all this while. I really appreciate all of you. Thanks Uncle for taking me in when I was stranded in the street."

"You know bro, when you sound like that, it makes me feel like i'm not going to see you tomorrow morning and ever again".

Ifeoma said, causing everyone to laugh at it.

"Yes she is right. You're never alone, we are always here to see to your needs son". Mr.chikadibia said.

"Ok Uncle".

"I think I'm tired now, let me excuse you guys , I want to sleep now ".

Mr.chikadibia said as he got up to go to his room.

"I am feeling sleepy already." Mrs.chikadibia said.

They both left.