She learned early in her marriage to economize, since papa doesn’t give her enough and she had being unemployed due to papa’s refusal of her working, even duo she was a graduate.
He insisted she had to obey him, unless she had other reasons of wanting to work; maybe going after other men which made her forget about working.
After going to market on Saturdays, she would buy local soda soap, wash all our clothes and hang them out in the sun to dry. It has been her normal routine and papa was very much aware of that.
That Saturday morning was hell; papa refused giving her any money at all, when she asked for them. He said that he has not being paid his salary, so he had no money with him.
Mama dares not complain or continue to ask him for the money. Other women would fight the money out of their husbands but not her. She was way too scared of him, to even think of that as an option.
As she sat beside him in the couch, her eyes burned with hot tears, but she controlled and never shed those, sensing that nothing would please her husband more than to see her face washed with tears of frustration. She got up from the couch and made her way out of the parlour.
On a morning like this, when everything looked so normal and quiet, mama could not believe anything could be so wrong that she would not be able to bear it, as she sat at the veranda looking out to the street, watching other women leave for the market.
The sun was already coming out, the heat of the sun made the emptiness of our stomach even worst; I could hear the sound of my tummy, crying out for food.
Birds chirped loudly under the roof of the veranda, as we were sitting at the edge of the raised cemented part of the veranda. Hunger was already tearing us apart at about that time.
Mama was confused on what to do; she had no money on her even to buy us the small piece of bread to eat. She looked around the house for food or probably money to buy one, just then she noticed that the nuts of the palm cannel, used in cooking on a previous Sunday was still under the sink like she kept it. She gathered them together, as we break the kernel for the nuts inside of then.
I was already very tired by that time, it was around 1.49pm and we haven’t had anything to eat and my body was already weak. Mama brought a plate of soaked garri and place in front of us.
She sat besides us on the floor and said eat; this is all we have at home.
Luckily, we always have garri at home. Each time mama goes to the market, she buys enough of garri that will remain after we must have eaten for the day.
We hurried up from the floor were we lied and picked up our spoons. I took the first scoop of the meal and put them in my mouth, it was like hell on earth, tasteless, the kind of food that could send a sick person straight to hell.
There was no sugar what so ever in the garri. It was just a mixture of garri, palm nut and water. It tasted like shit, but we were so hungry, we deserted everything before mother knew it.
She looked at us sitting there struggling for who gets the last scoop of the meal and tears dropped from her eye. She looked at us and said; am sorry I had no money on me to buy sugar, I wish I could give you the best meal always, am sorry, she said as she wiped the tears on her face with her wrapper.
Ada,’ she called gently.
She looked up, surprised to see the worried and thoughtful look on mama’s face, and asked casually, 'Are you OK mama?’
She smiled.
"yes dear, all Is well".
"Take the plate to the kitchen my dear" she said.
*garri = cassava flakes
*Ada = first daughter
*Obinna = Father's heart
*chimaobi = God knows my heart
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Visible Essence
No FicciónVivian Benjamin you are a rare gem. I don't know what is keeping you back but keep fighting honey you will win one day. this story is dedicated to my sister and every Nigerian out there. we can't kill ourselves ooo but we will keep pushing because w...
