Ride Her Shoes

29- Silence

The drive back home was in deafening silence as Chibuzor drove while Nmachi kept on replaying all they had said in her head.

She wondered how people could be so cruel and harbour so much evil in their heart, she couldn't even spare Chibuzor a glance and focused all her attention to the road.

She even ensure to give one word reply to every topic he tries to bring up or no reply at all. He must have noticed how quiet she was and even though she wanted to maintain the silence, he spoke.

"Is anything the matter?" He asked "You seem unusually quiet." He stated and she hummed.

"What do you think about the drink?" He asked her and she couldn't feel anymore irritated by what he does anymore. So, he knows about the drink she was served? She asked herself while trying to comport herself and organize her words so she doesn't come off rude.

"I don't know," she replied," and before you ask, I didn't drink it," she informed him

"You didn't drink it, why?" He asked in surprise and she shook her head. She had lots of things going on in her head about him, his mother and their thoughts about her.

"What is going on?" He asked, showing every atom of worry etching on his face,"Talk to me, Nma, are you okay?" He requested to know and she bit her tongue lightly, trying to control the words that were going to explode from her mouth.

"What did you say made you attracted to me?" Nmachi asked him unable to hold it in anymore as she brought her face to watch him.

He smiled,"You're beautiful, you're unique. You're smart and industrious, you're much more than your limits make you seem and I know that with further education, you'd do great and you ha-"

"And I have a son which you want to take away from me." She spat and his mouth hung open,"Did you ever think I'd let you have my son?" Nmachi asked him in a malicious voice.

Chibuzor was silent and soon stopped the car right in front of the gates to her house,"Nmachi, I can explain, believe me. I was never going to go through with any of those, believe me."

"You were just having a fun discussion with your mom about a wayward girl with a child, right?" She asked but he shook his head

"Were you

"I hope not to see your face ever again anywhere around me, my store, house and even a road across from my son. I do not want to set eyes on you ever again," she warned him before opening the door of his car to step out but just before she could leave, she turned back to him,"If you fail to maintain your distance, Be sure to go abroad from prison." She threatened before storming out of his car and slamming the door behind her.

"Wait, Nmachi please," he begged her but she didn't stop and upon entering into the compound, he saw Nwabugwu running excitedly towards her in a blue short and bare shirt and immediately he got to her, she swept him off his feet and held him tight to her chest as his loud laughter filled the place.

He looked ahead of them at the door to see Akudo standing there with Nwabugwu's plate in her hand; she must have been feeding him before he ran out.

Chibuzor just stood there, he couldn't go any further no matter how much he tried. He wanted to stop her and talk to her and apologize but he couldn't.

No matter how seriously he wanted to leave where he stood, he just couldn't. He stood there until they went into the house and shut the door.

Nmachi held tight unto Nwabugwu while she thought of circumstances that could make them pathways which hurt her even more. She hugged her son and felt her eyes becoming watery. It's been a long time since she last cried and had promised herself never to shed any more tears if they weren't going to be for joy but here she was.

Failing to stop the tear from rolling down her eyes, she let them fall, at that point she knew she couldn't be strong for so long and it was okay to cry sometimes.

"What is going on?" Akudo asked her but she remained silent,"You're even crying, what happened?"

Nmachi wasn't ready to reply, Nwabugwu saw the tear rolling down her eyes and began to wipe them with his tiny hands

"You're scaring me," Akudo half yelled and Nmachi raised her now bright pink eyes to see her before forming the words to reply with.

"They want to take Nwabugwu from me." Nmachi said and the words stung her so hard, it felt no less than a bitter pill forced down her throat.

"Sorry, I didn't quite catch what you said the first time, come again," Akudo requested even though she had heard Nmachi well and clearly, she just wanted to be sure.

"They want to take my son away from me!" Nmachi shouted amidst the tears streaming down her eyes which made Nwabugwu jerk in shock at the sudden outburst, he pouted and bursted out crying.

"Sorry, baby," Nmachi cooed at him while rocking him in her arms as he slowly stopped crying.

"Is it Echezona? Oh, he knows better than to do that else I'll deal with him so mercilessly to  the point he'd wonder if I have blood running through my veins," Akudo swore standing up to her feet as she continued saying just how she was going to deal with Echezona.

"I'll make him pay, he'd wish he was dead but I'll pr-"

Nmachi shook her head,"It's not Echezona,"she announced, which made Akudo wonder who it could be.

"Who is it then?" Akudo asked and she sighed deeply,

"Chibuzor and his mother," she replied in disbelief as she still found it hard to believe all she had heard them say about her in that room.

"How do you know about this?" Akudo asked her while gently sitting back on her seat with a look of surprise on her face,"Is that what they told you?" She asked

"No but they were going to. I overheard them say it." Nmachi replied and went on to give Akudo detailed information on how she was left alone in the living room and how she went in the direction they had gone only to stop when she heard them arguing.

"Are you serious?" Akudo asked aloud,"How can people be this heartless?" She asked as she shared in Nmachi's pain.

"Good thing I went there today. At least I didn't end up making the mistake of bringing him so close to home or Letting anything happen between us."

"I'll never let anything take You from me, okay?" Nmachi said to Nwabugwu who giggled in response.

"Anyways, good riddance to nonsense."Akudo said,"I was going to attend a party by 6 this evening, a colleague's birthday party but I'll cancel and stay home with you two." Akudo informed her and Nmachi couldn't be more grateful as she was frightened by the possibility of someone breaking in and taking her son.

"Thank you so much,"

"It's nothing,"Akudo assured her

"And Aunt, I want to go home." Nmachi said softly but Akudo seemed surprised

"Why the sudden need?" Akudo asked her and she shook her head.

"It's nothing serious," Nmachi shrugged,"I just want to see my mother. Even though she didn't treat me well, She's still my mother and I need her to know that her daughter is still alive." Nmachi explained,"I also need to see Ukokwe," a smile suddenly appeared on her lips,"She's the reason I was able to leave the village."

Akudo knowing who Ukokwe was from the countless stories Nmachi had told her about her best friend, smiled at her,"I just want you to know that whatever you or Nwabugwu would need, I'm a post office away and you shouldn't hesitate to come here anytime." She assured her,

"When do you plan on going?" Akudo asked her

"In two days time, hopefully." Nmachi replied and Akudo nodded.

"That's enough time to buy things for your mum and your best friend. We'd go to the mall tomorrow then," She suggested and Nmachi nodded in agreement.

Nmachi was quite tense to the point that she pictured scenarios of her mother sending her away and some of her embracing her and her son as well. It's going to be a very scary journey home, she thought.

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