Her Father's Wife

Chapter 18

Weeks after Nwokeforo's funeral, visitors continued to pour in. Some of their very close relations stayed for two weeks with them. This is because, leaving the family alone suddenly will make them especially, Obidiye to feel the shock of her husband's death more. After two weeks, the visitor's gradually started leaving, one after the other. Ugbala, Nwokeforo's elder sister was the first to go. She took the last two children with her. This was to reduce the mouth eating in the house and also to give their mother room to go out and strive for what the other children will eat. It is all happening like she feared, Ugbala thought as she took her leave. She promised to come back after a week to see them. Obidiya's elder brother, Nzekwe also took one of the children when he was going. Nwaneri took one. Obidiya knew very well that they meant well but this did not stop her from crying hot tears each time one of the children leaves. Now they were four in the house plus herself five. As more visitors leave the house was gradually getting empty and seemed bigger than it was. She still sits on the mat to receive visitors. The only change was that the mat had been shifted to the sitting room instead of her husband's bed room. The visitors trickling in now were mostly women. 'Ndi alualu'. This is a group made up of married women in the community. Some of them come in the morning to be with her. Others in the evening before they go to bed. Some of them had equally lost their husbands. These ones are more sympathetic. They encouraged her. Of all the visitors, one of them stood out. Obidiya dreaded her visits. She was Nwagbor, Ezinne's mother. It was as if the woman was happy that she lost her husband. 'You will have to sell off your husband's yams Obidiya'. She said. 'Women can only farm cocoyam. I know you are used to eating yam. You just have to practice on eating cocoyam like the rest of us'. That was her advise on her first visit. She was coming again this evening. Obidiya will rather the sadist not come at all, but this will be considered as lack of courtesy. She came with Elewechi, the spinster. Elewechi can align herself with any group of her choice. Her mouth was also known to be razor sharp. Ooo, Nwagbor began after the routine greeting, in case you want to sell off some of your wrappers, to feed the children, don't hesitate to let me know, I may be interested in some of the good ones'. 'Like you will know what good wrappers are' Elewechi answered her. We have all seen you in this village. Your definition of good wrappers are they those nnunu hu ochiwa that you buy? ( meaning the materials were so bright and inferior that even birds laugh at that sight of them) Obidiya was silently grateful to Elewechi, because she wouldn't have said anything. Nwagbor flared up at that. She wanted to vent her anger on Elewechi, but that will cause her money. Elewechi is after all, Ada a daughter of the village. Instead, she left in anger. Elewechi followed her out after bidding the family good night. Obidiya bursted into tears as soon as they left. She sang her heart out as she wept bitter tears. She lamented the cruel trick fate had played on her. She expressed her fears. How will she feed her family seeing that she is weak? Who will she lean on now? Eeh? She asked her chi. These questions people like Nwagbor are asking, who will answer them? Her? No... She answered herself. Her chi should not leave them for her because she simply had no answer for them. Ona held her mother and cried with her. She promised her mother that she will see to it that she never lacks. She said yams will always be available for her to eat. Her mother looked at her sadly and agreed just to make her happy, not that she believed that it will be possible. That night, Ona made her decision. She will make sure that her dead father will be proud of her from the land of the spirit. All that he wished for, she will fulfill it to the latter. As for her mother, she will be a husband to her. All those questions people were asking her mother, she will give them answers. To all of them, she will answer all. Plan number one, she will form a group of female farmers, five or seven will be enough. Secondly, she must start a trade immediately. She thought of borrowing some of the money they realized from her father's funeral, but no, such money they said, cannot be used for business. There's a belief in Ngodo that if you invest such money in business, it scatters it. Instead, she will use the money that she realized during the mgbede dance presentation. She went into their room and brought down the jug where she put the money. They were all in pennies. She counted them carefully, they were thirty. She used string and put them together. (The pennies in use then had hole in the middle) Then she went to see Uzoka.
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