Chineye's POV
Truly Mama is a very beautiful woman and I surely looked like her. But I was taken aback by uncle Chudy's confession. I never had thought he admired Mama and wanted her to be his wife, but he was our uncle, why will he want to marry his brother's wife. Although I don't know if truly Papa is dead, but hearing for the first time that he had disappeared from our lives for good 18years was quite sadden.
Mama didn't say anything to me as she went and sat back on the bench in front of our house. I stared at her, watching her shaking her legs and shook her head in annoyance.
"Mom," i spoked and she looked up to stare at me
"What's it?," She questioned me still in annoyance.
"You shouldn't be angry with him," I told her as I stood a distance away from her.
"Why?. Did you listen to your uncle at all, I can never have anything to do with him and he has failed if he thinks he will threaten us to leave. We are not leaving or going anywhere." Mama spoked in annoyance.
"It's okay mom, I can understand," I told her.
"What do you know?. That your useless uncle wants to marry me, why will I accept such a useless proposal knowing I was married to his brother."
I sighed hearing Mama.
"Never!. I can never have anything to do with two brothers, only your father was enough, since his no more let me mourn him in peace," Mama spoked with angered aggression.
"Hmph, but Mama is Papa dead?," I asked her as I was having high hopes of seeing my father again.
"I don't know Neye," Mama quickly dismissed the topic. She doesn't like discussing about father and I could see the pain in her eyes even though she wasn't saying anything about him. The sadness her eyes shone spoked more volume of how much she was grieving about him.
"Is well mom," I told her and went back inside to rewarm the food as I was hungry, since when my throat had run dried having stared at Chinedu's brother.
I wondered why I was feeling nervous seeing him, and why my heart was beating haywire. I smiled foolishly to myself as I dished out the Banga soup I wanted to use to swallow the fufu Mama had bought the previous day from the market.
I set my food in front of me on a little stool we had in our parlour and went to bring drinking water. Mama came into the parlour and sat on the couch.
I stood between the kitchen door and parlour and asked her, "Mom have you eaten since morning?,"
"Yes Neye, I ate the rice that was remaining yesterday," she replied me.
"Okay. Do you want to eat another one before leaving for the meeting, this already 12:23pm?," I asked Mama as I stared at the huge wall clock that hung at our Parlour.
"Hmm, Maybe," Mama replied.
"Which one is Maybe?," I questioned her.
"Okay, let me go and serve your own food, beside we don't even know when the meeting will be over," I told her and quickly dashed into the kitchen.
I put her own soup into a plate and added two fufu wrapped on the tray. I carried it and brought it out, before going back to the kitchen to fetch her own drinking water and water she would use in washing her hand.
Coming out to the Parlour, I dropped the drinking water and went back to take my seat, while I ate the delicious Banga soup with the fufu.
Mama also started eating and we both ate in silence.
After I was thru, I went to sit outside to stare around, while waiting for Mama to finish hers. As Mama was thru, I went back into our parlour, to clear the plates and wash them with the remaining dirty plates that was left in the kitchen.
Mama went back to her room and slept. By 2pm she was up and started preparing for her meeting. I was already thru washing all the plates and dirty pot, so I laid on the sofa in our parlour.
Mama came out to wake me when she was thru and told me, "Am leaving now for the meeting, we might close by 5pm or highest 6pm, so I will be home before 7pm."
"Okay Mom," I replied and stood up to escort her.
"Don't leave the house or go to Tricia house, I saw her yesterday when I returning from the market," Mama told me as I escorted her out of our open compound.
"Oh," I muttered and continue escorting her. "But she's my friend mom," I told Mama.
"I know she's your friend, but you know she's already in school, I don't want her to corrupt your mind about going to school."
"Hmm.." I sighed.
"Ate you listening to me Neye?."
"Yes Mom, have heard, am not leaving the house, besides am tired and want to get enough rest so I can go out to hawk tomorrow."
"Okay, am not saying you shouldn't be friends with her. But don't leave the house and go to her place for today, just be home," Mama told me.
"Okay, have heard, but you know if she comes to our house, I can't send her away."
"Yes I know that, just don't go anywhere with her. That's all am saying," Mama warmed me again.
"Okay, do and be back on time oo!," I told Mama as we finally stopped a bike.
"Okay I will," Mama climbed on the bike and the rider drove off. Taking her to the place where the meeting was going to be held. I turned and went back home.
Arriving at our house, I entered our compound I was shocked to see Chinedu standing there, in front of our house. Was he a ghost, I wondered as fear almost caught me. I walked up to meet him, hoping I wasn't dreaming.
"What do you want?," I asked him as I approached him.
"Good afternoon babe," He replied me and I stiffened. Babe?, Who's your babe?, I wondered from within as my face twisted in irritation.
"Why are you here, what if my mother came and saw you here?," I questioned him, ignoring his greetings.
"Oh that, I saw you escorting your mother right now, so I decided to come wait for you here," he told me and I stiffened again.
"Are you monitoring me and stalking at me always, what do you want from me, please leave our house before someone sees you here!," I warned him as I climbed up to the balcony where the outside bench was kept. But he still stood there.
"Didn't you here me?, Please leave," I told him again and he smiled.
I frowned seeing how handsome he looked while smiling. They were both handsome, but his brother was surely more handsome and masculine than him. I shamelessly stared at him.
"Serious am not leaving until you give me an answer, you just left me hanging today, did we offend you?," He asked and I looked away.
"You asked about my mother, and I confirmed to you she was my my mother and you just left us, why?."
I bite on my lower lip and stared away from him, contemplating if to tell him the truth or to avoid his question. But if I lie to him he wouldn't allow me to rest and he would keep on stalking me. So I thought telling him the truth will help me chase him away, and I will have my peace.
"Why did you walk out on us?, Do you hate my mother?," He asked me again and I turned to meet his gaze.
"No!, My mom asked me not to associate with your mother or have anything to do with any of you."
"Oh!," He muttered, "Why?," He asked me again.
"I don't know, just leave me alone And go back to your own house," i told him and crossed my arms around my chest staring at him angrily.
"Hmm, but whatever it is that made your mom to be against us, I don't know about it, but am very serious about you, I really like you and want you to be my girl, please give me a chance?," He pleaded.
"Am not interested in boyfriend, leave me alone!," I told him and stood up, wanting to go back inside.
He climbed up our balcony and I turned to stare at him in surprise, please leave or else I will shout for the neighbors to hear.
Even though I know we were surrounded by many enemies as neighbor whom were in support of Uncle Chudy wanting Mama, and them trying to frustrate Mama to accept his proposal, I wouldn't mind shouting, he smiled again and I stared at him in irritation.
"Seriously, I don't mean any harm, just say yes to my proposal please?."
"No!" I bluntly replied him, opened the door went in and locked it from within. Thankfully he didn't try to follow me in.