MY ORDEAL✊✊
Episode 15.
Story by Miriam Edem.
I followed everyone home without wasting a second there, and we arrived in the compound and met coolers of food and crates of drinks alre-ady on ground.
“Hiannn Dorothy, which s£nator is sponsoring the burial? I don’t un-derstand again o, Chinwe said as I sighted the village elders alre-ady seated in a special canopy.
“I don’t know and I don’t care either, but what I know is myl-ips won’t t©uçh that drink nor taste the food. By God grace I don’t lack food, and I’m not hungry, I replied her and went in with my brothers which she followed me in.
“Tell me friend, I know there’s something bothering you. What are you thinking? She asked and I heaved.
“Why is my mom buried in my uncle farm? Why not here? I mean who agreed to such a stupid decision huh? I asked and Chinwe only shook her head.
“I think your uncle is the only one to answer that, she said.
“He never wanted to answer me because I asked him this yesterday, and besides why is he missing in this burial? Shouldn’t he be here? I asked back and I heard my name outside which I recognised the voice to be Aunty Magdalene own.
I sluggishly went out to see her,
“Dora baby, why are you inside nau? Come help share the food to the villagers, she said.
“Okay, but where is uncle Manfred? I asked and she looked at me.
“Why are you asking me about your uncle? She asked.
“Its simple, its either I don’t where where he is or he is attending to something somewhere, simple answer. Anyway I’m coming out soon, I rudely said and went in.
“Hey, that was harsh, Chinwe said.
“Is it? Especially for someone slee-ping with my uncle huh? I asked back.
“So if she is? Common they are adults and I don’t think she’s your problem, she is only trying to help so don’t get her involved in this, Chinwe seriously said and I heaved.
“Fine, I’ll apologize to her. Let’s go help share the food, I said.
“Sister I don’t want to eat, Samuel said.
“Don’t worry dear I’ll prepare noodles with big eggs for you okay, I said to him..
“What about me? Edward asked.
“You too of course, just go to your room and pl@ywhile I attend to them outside okay, I said and they left the sitting room inside, and I and chinwe left closing the door behind.
Hours later the canopies and chairs were cleared, the DJ services began carrying their stuff, while I and Chinwe were picking the plates and spoons used by the villagers and my brothers took the p@rt of picking the bottles to load in the crates.
“Uhmmm thank you darling, I never knew you both are this ha-rd working, I praised my brothers after they were done loading the crates.
“Sister does that mean you’ll put us 2 eggs in the noodles? Samuel asked and I looked at Chinwe who bur-st out laughing at me.
“I said it, Samuel can’t do something for free, Chinwe said.
“No 2 eggs plea-se, that’s waste of protein, I replied them and carried the coolers with Chinwe to the backyard to be washed.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get to eat their food, I said to her as we settled down to start washing.
“I didn’t want to eat either, my aunt warned me about that, she replied.
“Oh that, I thought its because I refused eating. Come to think of it I don’t even know who cooked the food,and why is everything about this burial hidden? I asked her but she only shook her head saying nothing.
“Dorathy! Come where is your sister? I heard my uncle voice.
‘At the backyard, Edward replied and I cleaned my hand to meet with him.
“Good evening uncle, I greeted when I met with him.
“Eh evening, its a good thing you’re washing those plates and coolers, carefully dry them and be careful because its not mine. And again, how did you see the burial? He asked.
“I still have some questions, like why did you decide to bury her in your farm and why you were abs£nt throu-gh out the burial, I replied him and he looked at me for a while then smiled.
‘Is that the thank you for everything, the food, the drinks, the entertainment and everything I did to make your mother burial look pres£ntable even though it was not planned huh? I at least I gave her a befitting burial and the thank you I should get is stupid questions right? He asked and I just bowed my head.
“With all due respect uncle I’m not concerned about the entertainment, all I wanted is my mom to be la-id to rest where she will feel the pres£nce of her children and not In a bush, she’s not a homeless person neither an animal. No matter what you will say, my mom don’t deserve to be there, I said and he raised his hand to hit me but he st©pped looking at me so furiously and left.
Chinwe held me,
“Friend you’re lucky he didn’t hit you, plea-se take it easy, Chinwe said.
“Who cares if he hits me? After all its not the first time, but he nee-ds to answer my question. Why is my mother left alone there as if she has no family? Even a drun!kard is being buried in his house, why is my mom case different? I asked her but she just nodded and made me to sit down.
“Its okay plea-se, right now your mom can’t be dug up from there, just calm down and try to hear him out why they chose the farm to bury her. He may have his reasons and I don’t think its the right time for you to ask him this, just calm down, Chinwe said.
“The only reasons he may have is that he wants this house, I’m sure he didn’t just want 2 graves to be erected here that why he took her to the bush, that’s unfair, this is so unfair! I shouted.
“Hey I un-derstand calm down okay, I think you should go in and have your rest, I’ll take care of the washing, Chinwe said.
“No way, I’m fine and we are doing it together, I said cleaning my face and got re-ady to wash……
The next day I just la-id on my be-d thinking about all that happened yesterday, Chinwe alre-ady left yesterday night and I felt so lucky to have her as a friend with all the help she offered.
“Dorathy! I heard my name and a knock followed.
I just rolled my eyes and c@m£ down to attend to it, then I saw Aunty Magdalene.
She had this straight face even when I greeted her, and I knew she must be very upset with the way i replied her yesterday.
“Where are the coolers and plates? I’m here to get them,she said and i nodded and went in to bring them out.
She just carried them into the wheelbarrow she c@m£ with and as she was about to leave I st©pped her,
“Aunty Magdalene, I’m sorry about yesterday, I said to her and she looked at me and left saying nothing.
I just heaved and sat down outside thinking,
“Did I really do the right thing to talk to her that way? But come to think of it, my mom clearly told me not to trust her and with the way my uncle is behaving towards us after she died, I’m not surprised she has something to do with him, my uncle of all people. Or maybe its right she’s angry with me so she won’t come close to me the way she was, maybe its better this familiarity of a thing will be cut off between us, I said to myself.
“Sister! I heard Samuel voice inside and I rolled my eyes and nodded.
“Yessss! I replied and stood up.
“Sister Edward has wee wee, Samuel added before I could get up.
“What! I shouted going in.
“Its a lie sister, Edward said…………..
The next day I resumed school with my brothers, and everything went smoothly.
I got back home with my brothers that afternoon, gave them something to eat and took them to the market with me.
We arrived and I met the owner waiting for me outside again, I just heaved knowing I forgot the money at home to give to her in case she nee-ds it.
“What is that your name again? She asked ignoring my greetings.
“Dorathy, I replied.
“Dorothy didn’t I tell you to leave this shop for me? you think if you stock everything up in this shop i won’t still s£nd you out? This girl leave my shop for me o! she shouted.
“Why are you s£nding me out of the shop? What exactly did I do to you? I offered to pay the 2 months rent and you refused to collect it, what do you want me to do now? I asked.
“I refused to collect what? Is it your money? Give me my money and leave the shop! Just look at the time you are coming to open the shop, is this is how business works? plea-se just give me my 2 months rent and go, don’t let me come back here again o! She shouted.
“Madam I forgot the money at home, tomorrow I will bring the money but I don’t think I will leave the shop. I just stocked in things, don’t you want me to sell them? Don’t bother if I’m opening the shop late or not, just be bothered about your rent at the end of the month because I will try to pay, I said and she shouted cl@pping her hands.
“See me see small girl speaking English and forming madam for me, when I react now people will say I am bad. Now I am not called wicked and I’m pla-ying you are taking me for granted, beware o and leave my shop for me, is it now by f0rç£! She shouted and I just ignored her and opened the shop while she kept shouting my name reporting me to anyone she sees pas-s.
I was so angry and I tried controlling my temper the way she was busy shouting my name like I stole her properties, and even dragged my mother into it. I had to respect her age and closed my ears to all she said, even though I was distracted from what i c@m£ to do in the market.
That day made me to un-derstand my mom was just surrounded with lions, as my fellow traders didn’t bother to say anything.
Not that i and my mom has ever offended them in anyway, but this stench of hatred and jealousy against us even when we don’t have anything makes me wonder.
They just kept quiet concentrating on their market and laughed in the p@rt that was funny to them, while i just prayed I should keep controlling myself.
When she was satisfied she left after giving me serious warning to leave her shop but i just ignored her and hum an unknown song to tell her I’m not listening to her trash.
I heaved a sigh of relief knowing my ears are now in peace, but my day was alre-ady ruined as the happiness to stay back after what just happened was no longer there, and also my brothers were so scared.
I had to take the stuff inside and left with my brothers back home ……………
That night i was just sitting outside collecting the cool breeze and calculating all I wanted to say to that woman which I couldn’t say, then I saw my uncle entered.
I just looked at him wondering what brou-ght him at this time to see me and what for?.
“Dorathy what is this news I’m hearing that you insulted that old woman in the market? He asked.
“Which old woman? I asked.
“The owner of the shop! He shouted and I didn’t know when I hissed loudly with the way it was paining me and I saw it shocked him which i didn’t care less. I wish i actually did what he said, maybe it would have been better, but since I didn’t do it made it more annoying,
“So is that why you are here? Its obvious you don’t always have anything good to say any time you come here, good night, I said and went in closing the door.
“Look at this girl o, Dorothy! He shouted but I turned off the lantern and left for my room……….
So its dropping tomorrow, plea-se do well to download when the link is out.
Thanks in advance👏
TBC