Her Father's Wife

Chapter 38

Ezinne woke up that morning feeling greatly disturbed. She needed to visit her mother urgently. A lot of things are begging for answers and she hope her mother  will be able to provide some of them. One is to find out the order of inheritance in Ngodo. The other is to get an advice on how to get on more amicably with her mates. As it is now everything in Akukalia's house irritates her. The family members seemed to be united now, what with Enyidiye and Obiageli carrying on like mother and daughter,  leaving her out in the cold. She brought out a tuber of yam from under her bed. Chima! she called her eldest son, Chima! she called again as she shook him awake. Chima woke up rubbing his eyes,  'cook for yourselves and eat' she instructed indicating the tuber of yam. I am visiting nne this morning, I will be back soon. Remember to sweep the compound. Tell Obi when he wakes up to cut fodder for the goats. Chaaa came the sound of frying from Obiageli's hut. She is at it again, Ezinne muttered to herself as she hurried out. Ever since they visited Nwakaku and ate rice and stew in her house,  Obiageli had become obsessed with the food. How she gets money to indulge in this past time of hers, she will not tell neither will their husband Akukalias. But she knows it all . She could swear by ogwugwu that it was their husband that gives her money.  He indulges every whims of hers, but she will soon put a stop to that. Her mother was making soup when Ezinne got there. She enquired of her father and was told that he went out to inspect some traps. Ezinne helped her mother in cutting the vegetable for the soup. She also pounded the cocoyam meant for thickening the soup. The cocoyam was the long mouth specie known for excessive sticky while being pounded. She had to add one or two drops of palm oil to make it less sticky and easier to pound. The two women were discussing randomly about this and that as they work. Suddenly, Ezinne cleared her throat in order to get her mothers attention. Nne, she started timidly, the question she was about to ask is quite dicey. It is not easy to raise the issue of inheritance when the man in question is still healthy and alive. It will seem as if you want to hurry him to an early grave. Nne, what I want to know is what will be my inheritance and that of my children if Akukalias is no more? What? Nwagbor gasped out in fear. Is he sick? Did something happen to him? I said it, this early morning visitation. Tell me you can tell me everything, I promise not to let it on to anybody. No, nne, Ezinne insisted. Nothing is wrong with my husband. I just want to know. Mwagbor sighed and shook her head. If I may ask, what put this question into your head? Is it because of Obiageli's new baby? Careful child, careful before they accuse you of what you did not do. But nne, I really want to know, Ezinne insisted. Akukalias may want to cheat me. I fear he hates me now. Ever since he married that witch Obiageli thing had not been what they use to be. There is no cheating in these things,  Nwagbor assured her daughter. Even Akukalias had little to say about it. As in everything, tradition will have it's way. All the lands he had will be divided into two. Your first son Chima will take one part and Obiageli's new born son will take the other. Since Chima is the eldest, he will be given the privilege of picking first.  He will also inherit his fathers house with  the obi and of course the family's ofor. The land he got will be shared with his three brothers. Obiageli's son will share with any other male child Obiageli will have. Enyidiye gets nothing. Since she could not produce a male child her own hut will close down.  Come to think of it, Nwagbor said after a pause, doesn't It seem that Enyidiye has become like the proverbial man, that wahed his hands well to break palm kennel for the fowls. I thank our chi for giving us boys. That way we can lift our head high in our husband's house. When there was no response, Nwagbor looked up into her daughters face. What she read there put fear in her heart. What was that glittering wild light there? It was just as she feared Ezinne thought, as for Enyidie's hut closing down, that did not concern her in the least. If only Obiageli's will do like wise, it will make things easier.  That way, she will go back to enjoying the privileges she had before Obiageli's irritating entrance into Akukalia's family. It's not fair that things should be divided that way. She had thought each male Child will be given his own portion out of the lot. That way, she and her children will still have an upper hand. She needs to make plans, a very solid one. But first thing first, she had to give it all a deep thought. Ezinne was  full of thought thereafter. All her mother's attempt at conversation were answered in monosyllables. Try as she could, Nwagbor could not fathom what was in her daughter's thought. She sincerely hope the child will not get into trouble again.  Ezinne rose to go immediately after they had breakfast.