UYAI ✔️

Uyai (fourteen)

Everyone went still, not even a pin drop was heard. Mother broke the silence. she choked out a laugh. A laugh Uyai couldn't judge. A derisive laugh. It came in sequence, from being boisterous to short breaking laughter till it waned down to an unsure smile. Everyone but Edem held their breath in apprehension.

Mother turned around slowly, looking at each and everyone, her lips were quirked in uncertainty as everyone was unsmiling.

She shook her head in disbelief. "That's impossible. My daughter can't be pregnant. Affiong you can't be pregnant. That's just preposterous."

"I understand you think so but..." Edem began, but was cut off rudely.

"Shut up! I was not talking to you." she shunned him, then swiveling her gaze to her oldest daughter "You're joking right? You can't be pregnant Affiong?"

Affiong squirmed. Her beautiful shirt was now smeared with vomit, she looked sickly. Her eyes had taken on a sheen of remorse, she couldn't look into mother's eyes, so she averted her hers to the vomit smeared floor, her head downcast in shame.

"How could you?" Mother whispered hurt and deeply disappointed.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry mother." her voice hitched in a cry.

"And you." mother's furious gaze met Edem's... "You had the effrontery to sleep with my daughter when you had not wedded." Her voice rose angrily as she took a menacing step towards him.

Edem's eyes widened, and his step faltered as he withdrew backwards.

"Who do you think you are to come to my home to seduce my daughter. Behind our backs you slept with her when you knew you were married." she took another step closer, till she neared him.

Everyone shifted awkwardly.

"My once virgin daughter, is now pregnant you bastard!" Uyai didn't know when mother had gotten so close when she heard a resounding slap as skin met skin. The red and ugly looking imprint signified what had just occurred. Everything and everyone stilled. Wide eyes and gaping mouth was the picture painted on every face.

Affiong who still had her head downcast broke out of whatever dejected feeling she was in and an alarming cry tore from her lips when she saw mother going in for another one.

"You bloody bastard! How dare you!" she lunged for him. Edem blocked her attack with both hands.

"Mother. No!" Affiong protested, running to them

"Shut it you useless child!" mother growled in rage.

Affiong flinched, hurt overcoming her features. It was all her fault.

"what is going on here?" A voice boomed. Father had returned in tow with grandmother, perhaps grandmother had gone to call him.
A piqued look was painted on his face as he observed the scene.

Affiong had gone rigid with dread.

"My husband, it's your daughter o. Your daughter has shamed our family, Eyèn nfo aswené nyin oo." mother cried raising her hands up as if beckoning the heavens . Her hair tie had fallen off her head and now laid on the floor.

"What do you mean by that?" He frowned suspiciously, taking note of the tensed atmosphere.

"She had killed us! Anwod nyin ! Affiong has shamed us." mother cried again, this time with a crazed look.

Uyai at this point was at lost for words. She couldn't say she was really surprised Affiong was pregnant. Her sister had been a fool for love and had succumbed to the dangerous wiles of lust. She felt more for mother; how disappointed she must be.