CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It did not take long for Dawson to settle down on his own. As soon as the first joy paled into the background, he approached Donatius to borrow him some money. With this, rented a moderate flat along Sapele road in one of the newly developing Avenues.

His next move was to travel home during the weekend of the third week of December. He was at the tail end of this arrangement when one morning the mail runner to the ministry handed him a letter from home.

It was from Candida.

Flat No 6, Highson Estate

Box 10

Warri.

My dearest darling,

Oh! Dawson! What a joy it was to hear from you. I have been wondering, drifting and deeply wounded by your sudden disappearance from the estate. How I suffered. Let’s forget that now.

I really, am happy that you have finally got a place. I thank God. May God bless those who were your helpers.

Dawson, things are not the same again over here. A lot of things have happened since you left the estate. First of all, your mother was furious when she saw that you had run away, for she thought the arrangement was between us to run away. She came to my parents with bitter words but sad to say, she was surprised when she saw me. She however insisted that I knew where you had gone. My parents were none too pleased. But after I had told my mother that there was no such arrangement between us that I didn’t know where you have gone to, my parents quieted. This was because my mother trusted me and knew I wouldn’t tell her a lie. This made things a little easier for me.

But your mother has since changed her mind about me. You may wonder what miracle happened. I call it a miracle because I had not expected it. It happened two weeks after you have left. As you know, the teachers in this state went on strike for non-payment of salaries and the previous year’s leave bonus. As there was no school, the children were sent home.

Then it happened that on one hot Tuesday afternoon Hendrick and Avwarosuor were playing in the garden. Your mother had gone to the shop and your Dad was on a business trip. As Hendrick related they took cutlass with them to the garden with the hope of clearing the vegetable beds. While Hendrick was clearing, her junior sister stood by. Accidentally the cutlass flung from his hand and inflicted a big cut on the right leg of Avwarosuor. She was bleeding profusely. Instead of calling for help Hendrick started to cry while Avwerosuor was bleeding to death.

I didn’t know what was it I had on my mind that day, but a thought told me to walk to the river and watch the deep waters. As I was passing through the lawn at the back of your flat. I thought I heard some people crying and looked in the direction. There I saw the two children weeping, but they didn't see me. Out of curiosity I called to Hendrick as to why they were crying. As soon as he saw me he started to say;

Auntie, help, Avwerosuor is bleeding’.

I had not expected it to be fatal as I ran to the scene, but when I got there , there was blood everywhere. I shouted for help, but you know how our estate is in the afternoons. So I carried her, half walking and half running until I got to the road. Luckily a taxi cab was leaving the village to Warri.

By the time we got to the Efemena Memorial Hospital, she had fainted. Having got over the problem of stopping the bleeding the next problem was to contact your mother. As I do not know the telephone number of her shop, it became difficult to locate her. There was nothing I could than to stay at the hospital. Meanwhile I phoned my mother and told her everything. I also ask her to tell Mrs. Corridon as soon she is back from the office, but she was not to worry since the doctor has said that the critical stage has passed.

Your mother was weeping as she came to the hospital. Forgetting her jealousy and dislike for me, she clung to me as if she were drowning and needed someone to save her.

‘Oh Candida!’ I don’t know how to thank you for this’, she said.

Embarrassed, I moved away from her. She was then led to the ward where Avwerosuo was.

She is now ok and has been discharged from the hospital.

One day after she had been discharged, your mother came to see me. I was about to go to the tennis court when my mother came into my room to say that Mrs. Corridon wishes to speak to me.

‘Candida; she started to talk as she entered the room, ‘I made a mistake about you. I have also come to apologize for everything and thank you for saving the life of Avwerosuor'.

I just kept quiet. I never expected it.

‘Pride never allowed me to see you as you are’ she continued. ‘But now I can see better . I can also see now why Dawson is so fond of you. You must forgive me my dear. All of us make mistakes at times, don’t we? She said walking over and putting her arms around me.

‘You don’t have to apologize for anything or thank me for what I have done’. I finally was able to say something. ‘Any person in my shoes would have done the same thing.’

To be sure Dawson, I never really had anything against your mother even though she behaved indecently towards me. I know she was more concerned about your future. So I simply told her that even though there was nothing really to be forgiven, I was ready to be friends with her again.

Before she left that day, she confided in me whether I knew your whereabouts. I didn’t know and I told her so.

That was two days before I received your letter and when I told her you have written and that you have got a job, she was very happy.

'Be happy Candida,' she said. 'Dawson would be coming home. It was the circumstances that must have driven him out’. Oh! I really am happy he has got something.'

So you can see that a lot of water has passed under the bridge since you left the estate.

I am looking forward to seeing you as I miss you terribly. Come quickly as you promised. You are never out of my thoughts.

With all my love,

Candida.

When he had finished reading the letter he heaved a sigh of relief. He had not expected such tragic events to happen. More so that they have happened to his favour. His one other thought after he had got the appointment was his mother. Even though, he know she could not stop him from marrying Candida, she certainly would have been a problem. But now all that had gone. How grateful he was.

With everything now clear out of the way, Dawson went home the weekend following the receipt of Candida’s letter. There was a wild, joyous reunion when he walked into the estate that Friday evening. An impromptu party was held in the family that night with everyone present. Even, Mr. Corridon who was always away was at home. Earlier, when preparation were being made for the party Dawson announced that he was expecting a guest to dinner. As everyone was happy, no one paid serious attention as to what this could mean. Dawson had no other guest in mind than Candida Oyibo. So when the family sat down for the dinner Dawson with Candida also walked in and took their seats.

As the head of the family were already slightly aware it did not come as a surprise when Dawson formally announced his intention to marry Candida.

‘Well, I’d know it will come down to this someday’, replied his father,

‘And if your mother do not object’, he continued, ‘I wish both of you a successful and happy engagement’. Then to his wife he said, 'What do you think honey.?'

‘What should I think?’ she replied

‘You have said what I wanted to say. Love is a binding force and is necessary for a happy union. If you both love each other so dearly as to want to marry, then I say go ahead. You have our blessings.

So that was that.

After the initial consent of his parents, the next step was to visit Candida’s father to start a ‘conversation’ as the custom demands. So before Dawson travelled back to his work place, his father, including some relatives and Dawson himself ‘took drink’ to Candida’s father to initiate the usual proceedings for looking for a wife according to the custom.