NGỌZI

Chapter Four

AGGRIEVED;
Distressed, wronged, anguished.

Weeks after my father's late eldest sister's entombment, I started reading avidly for my school exams. I was so desirous of my law career that I did not allow my tremendous domestic chores to distract me from studying.

Soon it was time for our school mid-term break and I had just finished writing the exams. I was anxiously awaiting to enter my new class and to start reading ahead for my WAEC exams. It was needless agitating for exam results as I was among the smartest students and the best literature student too.

But unknown to me my father had other plans for my future.

Truth! A king's palace is always visited by different people with different purposes and my father's case was no different. But there was this particular stranger who never stopped visiting my father, in-fact he visited just about every day.

Another thing I observed from the young stranger was that he never visited my father empty-handed.
I did not bother my pretty mind about the frequent visitation rather thought it could most definitely have nothing to do with me. And even if this young man was coming for marriage proposals, that would be for my eldest step-sisters as I was barely fourteen years old to be married off.

But these thoughts of mine were erroneous as the young man was not coming for my eldest step-sisters but for me in lieu.

One day the strange man came to visit my father again, this time around he was accompanied by two older men, one of them whom I guessed was his father because they looked so much alike.

I was in the backyard kitchen washing the dirty dishes when I heard a peal of merry laughter coming from my father's throne room.

Now what is the merrymaking all about? I said to myself.
It was not long enough and there was a lull from the throne room, a few minutes later a messenger of my father came to call for me.

I immediately abandoned everything I was doing and went straight to answer my father.

On my arrival I quickly noticed the increased crowd, it was not just the presumably suitor and his family that were present but two of my father's brothers were present too.

As I proceeded to greet each one of them in our customary method by kneeling while letting them give me a pat on the back, one of them made a concerning comment...
"Rise our beautiful wife"

On hearing this I became more bemused by what was happening and I ran to my father and stood beside him with my eyes fixed on the floor as I was too mousy to stir back at them, especially not with the way the young man leered at me.

My sunshine! Come stand here. Said my father
Come on! Don't be shy, he continued.
I sluggishly took a few steps forward and turned immediately and whispered in my father's ears., who are they? Father.

My father gave me a grim and proceeded to introduce the stranger and his family to me.

Here is Chief Ihianacho and seated at his left hand is Mr. Okechukwu his relative and by his right hand is Chigozie his eldest son.
I need not introduce the other two gentlemen to you as you already know them. Said my father

Yes Father I know them thanks Father, but you requested for my presence, what for? I asked.

Yes, I did my beautiful daughter, but before then let Gozie here give us a proper introduction of himself.
Please go on and tell us who you are, where you're from, where you're currently based, and what you do for a living.... my father said to Gozie.