My skin went ashen - I wanted to be at St. Mary's Catholic Church early, and forgot to rub cream. Uneasiness crawled up my spine, and I wished the Mass would just end so I could rush home and use some cream. But unfortunately, it was time for homily; and not for dismissal.
"Bros, kedu afa gi? " I heard a voice from behind me. I stood outside, because I still came late.
I turned; it was a girl with a cherubic face, who might be fifteen years old. "My name is Francis," I answered. "This will be my Christmas chick," I thought in my heart.
"Francis from where," the girl asked, grinning. And I was grinning, too. I had found a newer homily than the boring homily of Rev. Fr. Henry.
"I am from Umunze village. My maternal home is in... in ...I can't recall the name of my mum's hamlet." I hit my head trying to recall it, but could not.
"Is it Amanze? Or Umualor, or Umunkwo, or Umakwe, or Afoimediegwu, or..."
"Yes you got it. It's Afoimediegwu. Are you from there?"
"Yes!" Her smile was very broad, revealing the gap between her two front upper teeth.
As I told her my mother had only one brother, Anthony Nta, and no sister, surprise spread like a curtain on her face. And she screamed, "he is my father. So, you're aunty Nneka's son?" She hugged me.
I had not visited my home for fourteen years. And there stood with me was a cousin I had not met before. And we stayed together, talking, until we heard, "the mass has ended, go in peace."
"You're coming with me to our house to celebrate Christmas with us, " she said smiling, our arms clasped. A girl I had wanted to ask out had turned out becoming my cousin.
By:- Ebuzu John Uchechukwu
