PROLOGUE

"Hello, mum," Ifechukwu spoke into the receiver as she tried hard to hear.

"Yes, we are still in traffic and we are far from the house. This rain won't just stop. I don't understand. I am sure the roads are flooded and that is why we are still here," she explained.

She listened to the receiver for some time.

"She's here. The poor woman is as tired as I am. Just from Owerri to Orlu and Orlu back to Owerri has taken an entire day. Even though we left early so we could get home before night. This is past 8 pm. I am tired," Ifechuckwu complained over the phone.

"Okay. No problem, I will," she said. She put the phone inside her bag.

"What did she say?" the woman sitting beside her asked.

"She said we should stay calm. That we will soon get home," Ifechukwu told her.

"I pray 'cause this traffic jam does not seem like something about to end soon," the woman responded.

"Aunty, don't say that. Let us have faith. I need to get to the house. I am tired," Ifechukwu mumbled.

The woman smiled at her, "let us have faith then," she told Ifechukwu.

Ifechukwu smiled back.

Two hours later, they were still stuck in traffic. The rain poured heavily on the bus's rooftop and on the ground which had turned into a mini river. Ifechukwu had become so uncomfortable and the woman looked like she was going to explode. She couldn't take it anymore.

The woman tried but she could not bear it any more as she saw Ifechukwu shiver slightly.

"Ifechukwu, odika anyi g'eji ukwu suru ihe a," the woman suggested.

"Ahh, aunty, under this rain? You know I don't do well with walking in the rain. And the house is still far," Ifechukwu commented and pouted.

"Choose one; we leave now and you don't have to be cold till God knows when or we enter the cold rain, get home and you get a lovely hot bath after which I'll massage your legs and feet with shea butter," the woman proposed.

Ifechukwu looked at her and made an innocent facial expression as she tried to make a choice. The woman looked at her with a hurry-up look.

"Fine, let's go," Ifechukwu responded.

They got off the bus.

"Aunty Monica, take," Ifechukwu yelled handing the woman a can of corned beef that had fallen out of her nylon.

The woman took it from her and put it into her nylon and as the woman walked briskly in the rain, she made sure she didn't let go of Ifechukwu's hand.