MY ORDEAL
Episodes 99.
Just as he promised he took I and Uche to my place, I almost cried with his excess greeting of people on the way before he finally entered a compound and my heart skipped.
I was scared but Uche held me same way I held him when he entered his father compound.
Just like Uche family compound, mine was big the same and I saw some elderly men seated outside alre-ady with palm wine.
Uche father cheered at them happily as they gave him a seat and he held Uche hand introducing him to them.
“You had another son? They asked surprised and he smiled telling them he didn’t grew up with him.
They gave Uche a cu-p of palm wine in their own way of celebr@tion while I sat down looking at them and Uche father looked at me and took his phone.
“I’m here alre-ady where are you? He asked and I suspected it must be his friend who stays in my village.
“Okay okay, he said and dropped the call and asked why I refused to drink but I told him I’m fine.
While waiting for whoever he called, they discussed of so many things that I wasn’t interested in and a man walked in.
He began cheering at Uche father before he could reach him and they hvgged for a while and he shook hands with the men there as he settled with his cu-p of palm wine.
“This one you both visit us like this, hope there is no problem? One of the men asked and Uche father looked at his friend.
“Is she the girl? His friend asked and he nodded and his friend cleared his throat and kept a serious look while my heart increa-sed in beating.
“We c@m£ to show you your daughter, his friend said.
“Our daughter? We can’t remember having any lost daughter, another man said.
“Uhmmm we are talking about Nonso your son, his daughter his here, Uche father c@m£ in and they look changed.
“You mean the Nonso that left his family because of Manfred? Why should we be concerned when he never wanted us to know his children neither did he care about his family simply because he built a house, a man angrily said and Uche father took it up from there supported by his friend.
I heard a lot of things that I couldn’t put in more, but in all they said their annoyance still remains my father supported and covered Manfred in all his doings.
“Will you punish his daughter for her father mistake? He left behind 3 children now orphans who want to return back to their family and his daughter is about to get married to my son here, biko have mercy, Uche father said and I slowly went on my knees.
“plea-se uncles, I know my father did wrong but I’m asking for his forgiveness plea-se i really want to know my family even though my parents denied us that, plea-se song push us away, I said crying alre-ady.
“No my daughter get up get up don’t kneel down you’re not a servant, one said raising me up and they drew me to their side.
“Who is taking care of you after your parents died? One of them asked.
“She struggled alone, can you imagine she didn’t know she had a family here, Uche father replied and they shook their head.
“Don’t blame us my daughter. Your father slammed us like we were not important and we minded our business, but I’m happy you’re back and about to marry a son to a good man. You’re welcome and soon I’ll introduce you to all your family members when they return from the farm, some are even in the city, one of them said and I smiled cleaning my tears.
“Thank you uncle thank you, I said and they began introducing themselves to me one by one and the persons that were in the compound pres£nt were introduced to me.
“So can we talk about Dorothy traditional rites now she knows her family? Uche father asked.
“That one is not a problem, one replied.
“But uncle its in 2 weeks time and her former place was being arranged for the traditional marriage, what is going to happen now? Uche asked quite worried and my uncles smiled at that.
“Its no problem, she’s doing it in her father’s compound and we won’t deny her late father that privilege to see his daughters wedding. We will all be there to grace her occasion, my uncle said and I just fell on him out of joy……..
I stayed for about 4 days with my family and my knocking of door was quic-kly done there before I returned to the city with Uche to get some things set for the wedding, and we went home happy with excess joy.
Chinwe was so happy when I told her the gist one after the other and i noticed Treasure was kind of sad.
“Treasure what’s wrong? I asked her and she shook her head,
“Nothing, she replied.
“Hey don’t tell me that, you’re not happy and you can’t hide it, Chinwe said.
“I’m just sad you all have found your families but mine is no where to be found, she replied.
“Should we help you find your family? i asked and she smiled.
‘I have no family and its totally impossible to find people who doesn’t exist. I was picked by the dustbin by a woman who later threw me out, who is going to trace my real family now tell me? She asked as tears streamed down her face and we hvgged her.
“Ssshhhh its okay, Chinwe said and weakly looked at me as I never knew that p@rt of Treasure story, and with such an incident it will be very difficult to trace her identity and I felt so bad we couldn’t help her…………
Its the week of my wedding and all road led to my first community as my uncles agreed, despite we didn’t fulfill the promise we made to the villagers, yet they c@m£ out in numbers giving us the full support.
Uche family and mine c@m£ out in numbers….. Something we never thought we had and my traditional marriage was the best ever recorded in the community.
We returned back to the city for the church wedding, and Treasure was my maid of honour.
My manager who initially would have stood as my father happily handed over the position to my s£nior uncle that c@m£, and my aunt who was in the city took over as my mom which Linda didn’t mind.
The crowd that c@m£ out to celebr@te us shocked us…… who would have thought we had such number of people who loved us so dearly, and the gifts we got that day, my mouth can’t carry.
Uche family all c@m£ with his business clients, and on the other hand my course mates and my big customers really amazed me, that I got scared I may get kidnapped after my wedding.
But during the celebr@tion, Uche younger brother had his eyes on Treasure and told his brother about it immediately.
“Uhmmm Dike are you sure? Treasure is like a daughter to me, if you’re not serious plea-se don’t dare because she has gone though a lot, My husband told him..
“Brother I’m sure of what I’m saying, plea-se can you help me talk to her? He asked and he nodded.
“After the wedding plea-se, Uche accepted.
My manager personally sponso-red our honeymoon at Dubai 3 days after our wedding, but before we took off we connected Treasure to Dike and prayed it should end up in praise.
2 weeks later we returned as we couldn’t miss our business over here, but it was the most fantastic time i ever had in my life spending every nights with my husband and I knew we actually returned 3 no more 2🙈.
6 months after our wedding a door bell rang outside and i c@m£ out to see Treasure smiling at me,
“Hey n@ûghty girl wasup, i said letting her in but she showed me her f!nger,
“I said yes, she said as i opened my mouth.
“Dike proposed? Oh my dear I told you didn’t I? Congratulations sweetheart, I said hvgging her.
“I’m so grateful to you sister if…… “Sshhhh I didn’t do anything, God simply did this and I can’t wait to dance on that day, I said.
“If only your tummy won’t push me down by then, she said and i laughed.
“silly you, that’s why you should do it soon, have you told sister about this? I asked.
“I’ll be going to her place from here, but I called Aunty Linda alre-ady, she replied.
“Congrats baby I’m so happy for you, look at my small Treasure o, i said drawing her nose.
“The young shall grow joor, she said and hurriedly left to tell Chinwe and i called up my husband telling him the good news and we agreed to hold a small p@rty for her in the evening.
3 months later I gave birth to a baby girl and named her after my mom; Grace and Treasure wedding was fixed for next month.
Grace was the best gift that ever happened to me and surprisingly my husband actually wanted a girl first and he was more than happy to be father.
“Our wife don born oo, chai i go soon marry, the funniest said carrying her.
“I am serious and very serious here, next year shouldn’t pas-s without three of you settling down, what’s this nau, i seriously said to them.
“No be to settle down o, but na good woman we dey find, the guy who saved us back then said.
“That’s not true, look well you will see them, Una too dey pl@ythat’s why, I said.
“Yes mommy we have heard you, now can you let me let me snap this angel in peace? Is it your marrying? Linda crush asked.
“I don alre-ady see my wife o, make una go find your own, The funniest said and Uche hit him ha-rd on the head as we bur-st out laughing…………
TBc