Ride Her Shoes

9- Family gathering

Akudo sat in the back seat of her car while her driver drove her to her fathers house in Aba where they moved to upon leaving the village.

While sitting there, she thought of all the things her mother might say to her and how best to reply without sounding rude. 

There was nothing but absolute silence in the car and the only noise there was, came from those hawking bread, gala and some other things that Akudo really didn't care about.

After driving for an hour and a few minutes, they finally arrived Osisioma, Aba and her heart began to pound in her chest because in less than thirty minutes, she would arrive her parents home.

What am I going to say to them when I get there? She asked herself as she stared at all the items she bought for her mother and her siblings children. 

What if these things are not enough? She thought. Her driver must have noticed her uneasiness because he reduced the speed at which he was driving while sparing glances at her through the rear mirror.

Upon noticing the rate at which he was driving Akudo raised a brow,"Why did you slow down?" She asked him as she could see other cars pass past theirs on the road.

"Madam, I just felt there were too many potholes on the road and you're being affected by them." He replied with his attention on the road.

She sighed softly because she knew exactly why he slowed down then she said,"Just drive. They are my family they won't bite." She paused,"Hopefully." She mumbled.

Soon, they arrived at the gate of her parents house and the driver horned for the gates to. opened and after a little while, they were.

Akudo felt like throwing up. She was so uncomfortable as her driver drove into the vast compound. She almost slumped when she saw her brothers standing with their wives and kids to welcome her and the wife of her immediate younger brother was pregnant already. It was like they were posing for a picture.

She got down from the car and wore a genuine smile on her face as she approached them while her driver took down all the items she brought from the car.

"Aunty Akudo!!" The children screamed as they ran to her and the oldest one collected her hand bag from her and carried while walking with her.

"How are you? You all have grown so big, even bigger than me." She said to the children and they laughed at her exaggeration.

"I have some things for you in my car, go and help him take them out." She said to the children and they jumped up, running to where her car was parked but the oldest one walked faster ahead of her to keep her bag inside the house.

Akudo looked at all five children, some of whom she was yet to meet and some whose faces had changed over the years. She couldn't say their names out of fear of calling them a wrong name.

How time flies? She thought as she walked with the kids.

"You people are shining o." She said upon reaching them 

"Welcome," her sister in-laws said and hugged her in turns before returning to what they must have been doing before she came.

"You're looking good too," her elder brother, Dozie said as he welcomed her into the house.

"Mama is going to be here soon." Her younger brother, Chukwuma informed her which made her hurry to the room where she usually stays in whenever she comes around.

Her brothers gave her a light path on her shoulder as she made her way to the room. 

Her journey to the room seemed like it was going to take forever before she gets there but after a while, she got there, quickly entered into the room and locked the door.