Pains of Amara(Completed)

Chapter 47

AMARACHI

  It's been three weeks since Nne left us. Today is her burial.
It all felt like a dream to me.
She was fine that day so how did she just die?
I stared blankly at the sky as if the answer was written on it.
  The environment and atmosphere made me want to gag.
People were wailing and crying.
"Amarachi o!"aunty Lydia suddenly cried out as she came over to me with some weeping women behind her, trying to restrain her.
She hugged me so tightly as she kept on calling my name.
I just sat on my spot as she kept on crying onto my shoulders.

  "Nne is no more o! Who will look after Amara o?!"aunty Lydia cried out as she held onto me.
The women behind her kept on trying to restrain her.
"She was like a mother to me o! A mother to Amarachi o!"

  I sat on the spot, emotionless as aunty Lydia kept on crying and shaking me vigorously.
I felt so empty within me.
It felt like there was a hole in my heart.
I felt so void.
My whole world seemed so bleak.
I finally freed myself from aunty Lydia's grip and sat under the umbrella mango tree.
It felt like a dream.
I just hoped I could close my eyes and open them and see Nne again.
Then the tears started trickling down my cheeks.
I couldn't hide my tears. I crumbled in tears as I watched Nne's coffin getting laid into mother earth.

**************
  Five Days Later.....

     I trudged home under the scorching sun. I was coming back from Nonso's place.
Fortunately for me I didn't meet Becca or Nonso around.
I heard Becca and Nonso actually got married. She finally succeeded in her plans.
I shook my head in dismay as I remembered how she would humiliate me because of Nonso.
She didn't even attend Nne's burial.
I only spotted Nonso and his mother.

   I took one of Nne's wrappers and sewed Nonso's mother a blouse to thank her for the emotional and financial support she put in for Nne's burial.
Just thinking of Nne brought tears to my eyes.
I miss her so much.
I used the back of palm to wipe away the already forming tears.

  Suddenly i heard someone calling my name from behind.
I turned to see Chikaima trying to catch up with me.
It's been so long since I saw him.
I'm still surprised he remembers me.

"Hey amara what's good? How are you? Been so long since I last saw you?"

I nodded my head slowly and tried putting on a weak smile on my face.
"I'm fine and you?"

He put his hands over my shoulder and shook his head at me.
"You don't sound fine. C'mon what's wrong?"

I exhaled and dabbed my eyes with a part of my shirt.
"I just lost my grandmother"

He gasped immediately and I could see he genuinely cared.
"I'm so sorry Amarachi. Accept my condolences please. Hey come you look so pale. Why don't i take you to where you can relax"He offered with  a bright smile on his face.

Where does he know in this town?
"Where is that?"I asked.

He tilted his head back and forth twice and whispered into my ear.
"It's a little restaurant where my mum sometimes buys food from and the dishes are delicious"

I felt uncomfortable at the thought of going to a restaurant with him.
"You don't need to take me ok...."

"Please let me. My offer and my treat"He immediately interrupted me.
After few minutes of thinking i shrugged my shoulders and nodded my head to his proposal.

I could see the joy written all over his face once I agreed to it.

*************
  "Amara I hope you are enjoying the food?"He courtesiously asked as he took a bite of his chicken.
I nodded my head as I continued eating.
He was eating with a fork and knife and I was eating with a spoon.