Chapter 2: My name is Eseiwi

"Ok do whatever you want, am not in support of this abortion but I can't stop you either" Ifada said but deep within him he prayed silently for Itoya to keep the pregnancy. "Thank you" she said embracing her husband giving him a light kiss on his lip "You don't need to thank me, it's for your happiness but not mine" he said calmly, he observed his wife swing in action amazingly, few minutes ago he had felt the thin line between to love and to hate. He was so confused on what to do in this situation, he had sacrificed his tertiary education and went into farming for his marriage; although he was one of the best in his class them "am giving you an option for you to choose the right choice now, it's your life, it's your pain, but it's my lost choose wisely" he said and walked awayItoya couldn't hold her joy "Eseiwi" she called immediately. She waited for Waited for Eseiwi impatiently, when she eventually arrived she said "bring Ose here, you need you to go to our garden; pluck Iyeghe (a Nigerian vegetable eaten by the Edos), pepper and bring two tubers of yam as I will not be at home tomorrow and since your school is on mid-term break I will be leaving Ose with you" she said. After Eseiwi left the house Ifada entered the living room, he turned to his wife and said "where are you going tomorrow" Itoya was shocked because she thought that Ifada left the house, "For the abortion" she said knowing that she could not hide anything from her husband"Why the rush, can't you wait for some time, I didn't say you can abort it" he said trying to buy enough time so that he could report the matter to both his parents and Itoya mother who has gone to the neighboring village to take care of her sick sister. "But you said I can do whatever I want and what I want is to abort this thing and move on with my education" she said without feeling guilty of her decision"Let's not start this over again, I think am fed up with this discussion, time up" he said, stood up and walked out of the living room When Eseiwi returned, Itoya started preparing Ifada's delicacy; pounded yam and Iyeghe soup, Ose was playing with her father while Eseiwi was helping Itoya in the kitchen.Eseiwi is an orphan from a neighboring community that Ifada saw on top of a mango tree close to his farm singing a dirge; she lost her parents and siblings to motor accident when she was about rounding up with her basic school education. Ifada stopped and watched the damsel, and she was as innocent as a lamb. She was wearing rags with no slippers on, she sang melodiously like a nightingale. Ifada kept monitoring her as he worked after sun set she was still there. Ifada approached her; she was so calm but when asked "What is your name?""My name is Eseiwi" she answered timidly She was running away from her wicked uncle's wife who would make her to do all work without food, she had never experience a village life before, she lived with her parent in the City, she was their first child among four children. On the day of the accident she was having an entrance examination into boarding school, so her parent dropped her off at the venue; she was told that they would be going to the village to drop some food stuff for her grandmother they will come back and pick her up but if they do not show up, she should find herself home. She bided her parent and three younger siblings' farewell before going into the examination hall. They were expected to write three papers; English, maths and general paper. After writing English language she was about going out for a break when she felt strange breeze flowing over her body, she froze for about thirty seconds before going out of the hall. The examiners were shocked as what will make a little girl of her age behave strangely. To Eseiwi, she felt strange "what happened to me" she thought to herself. After the examination she had to go home but her parent didn't come to pick her up as promised she decided to go home herself. On getting home she met her uncle and other sympathizers that told her that her parent was dead. She was taken to the village to live a low life, her uncle sold her father's property in the city and refuses to send her to school, she would go to farm, stream every day while her uncle's children attend school, at the end of the day they play and rest. After hearing her ordeal Ifada had no choice order than to take her home, but he still needed Eseiwi opinion. Within thirty minutes Eseiwi became so free with Ifada one will think that they've known each other for years"Will you like to follow me home?""Yes, if only you will not treat me as a stranger" Eseiwi said with an amazing smile"You are no more a stranger to me; you are both my child and younger sister from this very moment". As they were walking back home Eseiwi carried the yam Ifada had uprooted from his farm on her head strolling along the narrow bush path, while Ifada followed behind showing her where to pass. When they were very close to the village Eseiwi stopped after hearing chatters from close by and asked"Why do you accept me to follow you home, even when I don't know you and you don't know me either" she looked straight into Ifada eye waiting for a convincing answer"I had a sister who love climbing trees, she died at a young age when bitten by a snake, she was exactly your age when she died" Ifada closed his eyes in grief "on that sorrowful day she went to farm alone to get vegetables but was distracted by a beautifully colored bird, she was following the bird thinking she could catch the bird not looking at the floor where she placed her leg. Unknown to her a very snake was on the ground; she stepped her leg on it and was bitten