Her Father's Wife

Chapter 13

Dedicated to @eliseriddle thanks alot for being an amazing reader.

Ichie Akukalia woke up early that Nkwor day. He had to leave early. Anyone going to Ikpa to farm, had to leave the house early. Moreover, the young men were coming that day to help him clear the farm. He hopes Ezinne will not act up today. He certainly gave her enough money to buy the things she needed to prepare a good meal for them. His whole family will be going to Ikpa with him. Enyidiye! he called, he actually wanted to call Ezinne but, who will say whether, she will not take exception to being called first. He ordered Enyidiye to get the children ready to follow them down to the farm. Ezinne was to stay back and do the cooking, Chima, her second son will help her parcel the food and  water and bring them down to the farm after she had done cooking. They will all have their afternoon meal in the farm. Soon after the farm party left, Ezinne set about preparing the meal. She send Chima off to the stream. Chima was suprised and asked her whether she will not need his assistance in preparing the food. Ezinne said no, she can handle it. What is in cooking food for a group of people? Chima picked up his water pot and left. As soon as he left, Ezinne brought out the small quantity of slice cassava she bought from Eke market. The quantity was quite small. It can not do  for six good eaters let alone, eight young men plus all the members of Akukalia's house hold. She soaked it in water to soften it.  Next,she brought out the basket of pepper. It is the local specie known to be very hot. She emptied the whole content into her mortar, picked up the pestle and started pounding. She added the crayfish. Then she broke the dry fish into it. With the lot, she prepared 'Ngu', a mixture of oil and potash. When the source was ready, she added the sliced cassava. Sprinkled in salt and turned the lot until she got the required texture. She took a bit of the peppery meal and nearly choked. She nodded with satisfaction. It turned out exactly as expected. By the time Chima came back from the stream, she has already parceled the food. Chima's pleading to be allowed to eat some of the food failed. She will not allow anybody to ruin her sweet revenge she thought. Instead, She warmed the left over food, yam pepper soup which was the remains of their supper. She and Chima  ate that and set out for the farm. Chima was carrying the big water pot which she insisted they will need, while she carried the food. It was midday when Ezinne and Chima got to the farm. Ezinne was carrying a giant calabash, inside was an equally big pot containing the food. The workers were happy to see her. They were already hungry. A big chunk of the forest had been laid bare. They were all energetic young men. Enyidiye and the children were raking the parts the young men have cleared with a bunch of sticks tied together. Like Akukalia, the workers left their houses early, most of them without tasting any thing. Akukalia experienced the first disappointment when Ezinne opened the pot. What she brought was sliced cassava. He had expected soup and pounded yam. It's not like he is lacking yam in his barn. He felt like choking with rage and humiliation.  Supposing he decides to contain that, why the small quantity? Everyone knows that this kind of food is very cheap. Why couldn't she at least make the quantity that will satisfy everyone. He wanted so much to blow up but not here, certainty not here. He does not believe in washing his dirty linen in public. The eyes he gave to Ezinne at that moment was enough to fizzle anybody. Ezinne pretended not to notice. Instead, she brought out the smaller clay pots and stayed dishing out food for everybody. The young men where surprised at what they were seeing. They each looked at one another, then removed their eyes quickly, clearly feeling embarrassed. Enyidiye was at a lost as to what to say or do. The real problem started when they put the food in their mouth. One spoonful, and everybody was rushing the water pot. The food was more than  peppery. Akukalia wanted to talk, may be because of the anger that was churning his stomach, the pepper went the wrong way. Tears of anger and frustration poured down his face as he choked. Enyidiye rushed to pour water on him She practically drenched him in order to cool him down. The others were not faring any better. Some have drank so much water that they can barely breath well. Others have their tongue  hanging out of their mouth like dogs that  ran a race. That was the end of work for that day. As for Ezinne, she was having the time of her life. 'Oh! my husbands she sang out. You people don't even eat much despite how hard you work. Looking at your built I thought you would have finished the pot of food. To think that you cannot even finish this small quantity of( iwe akpu) that I made '. Again Akukalia wanted to answer her,  he opened his mouth to give her the tongue lashing she deserved, instead he started coughing hard, more water was brought. Thereafter, he had no energy left to talk.  The farm party left earlier than they planned. They were like people that have taken too much alcohol as they dragged themselves back home. This is just the beginning, Ezinne mumbled to herself.