Her Father's Wife

Chapter 26

Ofiaju woke Ona up early the next day. She was visibly disturbed by the happenings of the night. She would not look up or chat in her usual uninhibited manner with him. It was difficult to read her mood. She looked so pensive, humbled, almost timid. Could it be that she was regretting what happened between them?  For the first time, she was doing whatever he told her, no argument. Could this really be his Ona? In as much as he liked her the way she is this morning, he however missed her autocratic ways. The brave and self assured woman who never gave an inch in their argument. This new Ona is waking up a new feeling in him. Normally, he felt Ona could take care of herself in any given situation, but this new Ona brought out the protective side of him. Looking at her pulled at his heart's strings. He wants to protect and support this woman. What is it that she fears so much? It is time he finds out more about her. Ona woke up that morning feeling awkward. How did she allow it to happen? Ofiaju must have used juju on her. She felt self conscious. As they were leaving the house, she scurried on ahead of Ofiaju. She refused to walk side by side with him. She thought everybody was looking at her. She wondered whether they can see what she did on her  face.  How can they pass her without noticing? She wondered.  Surely they must notice that something happened or were they all pretending?  The world continued normally like always. It was only Ona who assumed that people will be walking on their heads because of her. Ofiaju took her to the lorry pack and she boarded Eziafa, before he went to open his stall for the day's business. They got home in good time. Obidiye was visibly worried. She and the children  were already at Orlu, waiting for any news of Eziafa. when they arrived, she ran to hug both lorry and Ona.  For the first time since Ona went to the market, she breathed down. They shared out the loads and started on the last leg of the journey to Ngodo. Ona was in that self conscious mood almost a week after. She wondered whether her mother or her siblings noticed anything different about her? Changes, to her surprise, it seems that the only person that noticed any change was herself. Things went on normally. With time, Ona stopped feeling awkward about what happened. After all, she was an adult now. If the truth must be told, Nkechi, her immediate younger sister now have two children in her husband's house. She went on with her businesses like before. Although nobody seemed to notice any changes in Ona, somebody did. Obidiye noticed the subtle changes in Ona. It wasn't immediately pronounced, but there was this something about her. Many a times she had surprised her with a kind of wistful expression on her face. Sometimes she will be sitting alone gazing into space with a funny look on her face as if thinking about something precious. At times like this, you may even catch a glimpse of that young maiden that drove the young men of Ngodo wild with desire after her mgbede. Obidiye would have liked to ask, but she was afraid of offending Ona. Better to let sleeping dog lie. After all, there is nothing said in secret, that will not come out in the open.

I feel so so sad for my heroine how can you love and be loved in return but never be with that person?