At War

Chapter 32

Recompense

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A problem shared is a problem half solved

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The voice of a wailing child resonated in Nnamdi's house that faithful afternoon. Agatha had been worn out from feeding and tending to her daughter's needs and seemed hesitant to answer to the cry.

Motherhood didn't seem as easy as it appeared but she enjoyed every bit of it. It was something she had dreamed of doing for years. She had been sleeping in her room when the cry broke out and had assumed her mother in law was probably part of the reason the child cried.

The crying stopped momentarily and she quickly relaxed on top of her bed,heaving a long sigh of relief.

Ever since her husband went to the village, she dreaded going into the room where her step son was kept. She had promised Nnamdi that she would take care of his son, but it seemed harder than she imagined it to be.

The last time she watched her mother in law bathing Chukwura, all she could think of was Nnamdi on top of another woman. It seemed as if her imagination had resigned to taunting her with explicit images of her husband pleasuring another woman. She had quickly excused herself immediately, feigning a headache and went to her room to cry.

Forgiveness was quite easy, forgetting wasn't

The little boy who was scarcely older than her daughter was going to be a constant reminder of her husband's infidelity. It was torturous to be reminded daily that Nnamdi had made love to another woman irrespective of the conditions.

She had decided that her mother in law would solely handle her grandson while she took care of Nnamdi's daughter.

Agatha's head had barely touched the pillow before the cry broke out again, this time worse than it had been earlier.

Her daughter made a little cooing sound and she quietly stepped down from the bed as to not wake the sleeping child. She tip toed to her daughter's crib and peered into it. Relief washed over her as soon as she discovered that the baby was still fast asleep. It had been a heavy chore putting the girl to sleep and she wasn't up for another round of coaxing her baby to sleep.

Agatha knew that she had to abate the crying of her step son if she truly dreamed of getting an afternoon nap.

She sauntered to the room where the boy lay and was surprised to see the baby all by himself. She stood by the door still hesitant to walk to his crib.

She quickly withdrew from the room and went in search of her mother in law. She simultaneously checked the other rooms in the house including the kitchen but there were no signs of the elderly woman.

Agatha mustered enough courage and went back into the room where the boy lay. She stood over his crib and he grew quiet immediately. It seemed the little boy had seen her. He had cried for quite a while and his little eyes were still glossy, tears smeared his reddened face and his lips were still quivering.

Agatha had not held the baby since he arrived the house and her hands trembled while reached out to carry him.

Chukwura's little pinkish lips pulled apart in a warm smile and Agatha could feel her heart melting. The little boy had craved human company for a while and she had been too busy playing coward to notice. Guilt tugged at heart as she realized that she had been punishing the innocent boy for a crime he did not commit. It wasn't the little boy's choice to be birthed in such unfair condition.

She looked at the little boy who was still smiling at her and was shocked to find herself smiling down sheepishly at him.

"Are you hungry? Why are you disturbing the whole house?"