CHAPTER7: THE MANIFESTATION OF THE OLD MAN'S WORDS.
The group of friends and yentas in the village who regularly backbite her concerning her barrenness brought up a discussion about her new marriage and even saying to her that "her marriage isn't going to be durable. She did not bother inviting any of them to her marriage ceremony because she noticed the great loathe that they all had for her and she had in mind that even if she had invited them they wouldn't honour her invitation neither will they show up. But still at that,the scandal mongers kept on with their work and gossips more to the extent of planning to reveal the barrenness of dooter to her new husband.
2 months later, Mr. Martins called Dooter (his wife) and reminded her that his leave from work has come to its climax and he would be returning for work tomorrow. Dooter felt down on hearing that but had no choice than to let him go. she enclosed to him how lonely she would feel when he departs and told him not to stay too long and return home once he has a free time.
Hearing that, Mr Martins assured her that he would not stay long and would always be there for her.
At dawn the next day, Mr. Martins planted a kiss on Dooter's forehead as he left home for work.
Few days after Mr Martins left her for work, the wicked sorcerer who was the cause of her barrenness visited her very late in the night while she was fast asleep to kill her but was unable to succeed because of the ring that was given to her by the old man. The ring was stronger than the sorcerer to handle then she left the house imagining the powers guiding her (Dooter) but she got no answer then she said to herself that it's now a battle.
Her imaginations made her to make it a mission to kill Dooter but each time she got close to Dooter, she finds it difficult to penetrate the fire that comes her way. She had no idea of the old man's ring that was protecting Dooter and this made it more difficult for her. "Never will I give up" the Sorcerer said to her self. So she left Dooter for some time to plan on a stronger way to kill her.
In a month time, Mr. Martins had in mind of Dooter his lovely wife that he had to cut short his work in order to see her. While Mr. Martins was coming back home, he bought so many goodies to please his beautiful wife. After some time after his arrival, he noticed that his wife was pregnant through her actions. So he took her to the hospital for some medical check up. Why they were patiently waiting for the result of the tests carried out, Dooter was worried and scared of what the result will be because she had never been pregnant before. As soon as Dooter remembered the curse they laid on her by the sorcerer and also the fact that she had been divorced for barrenness, she became nervous and more scared.
Mr. Martins seen that his wife is just being emotionally worried, tried to comfort her and while doing that, the result was announced. The result came out positive. On hearing the result, Dooter jumped up with a scream of excitement and began to dance round the room... She could not wait to get home before she would show her exhilaration. Dooter and Mr. Martins from there thanked the doctors and left for home.
Soon they arrived home, Dooter started crying. Mr Martins been confused as he expected her to be celebrating instead of the opposite, he sat close to her calming her down and asking her why she was crying but all she could say to him was that he would not understand. The answer he got from her made him so curious that he needed to know in details what had happened. He became persistent but as soon as he saw that she was unable to speak up he hugged her thigh and wiped off her tears with his handkerchief and told her that all will be fine and then ask her to tell him what the problem was.
Gradually, she stopped crying and started telling him the story. How she got married before to 3 husbands but all took her back to her parent because she couldn't give them a child and when she said that, her husband couldn't wait for her to finish because he felt sorry, he consoled and told her that God's time is the best and then again, explained to her that she should not think much about the past and assured her of always being there for her but she told him that she hasn't finished telling him the story then she continued to tell him more, she told him of how she went to the river very late in the night to fetch water and on her way going, she saw light glowing on a strange object that was taller than a tree and the more she was getting closer to the river, the same object kept glowing but was no longer as tall as it was when she was far then she realized that it was not just and ordinary object but she gathered courage and still reached the river and on reaching there, she saw an old man with a long beard dressed in a pure white (Cassock) that she was not able to look at it with her eyes fully open sitting down with a staff that looked very unique then she realized that the object she saw was the man's staff. It looked unique and strange and there was also a voice from the staff with different voices and on seeing the man at such an hour and also because of his appearance, the staff and also the dress code she didn't panicked then greeted him genuflecting but after answering her, the old man asked her why she came to the river at that late hour in the night to fetch water but she responded and told him that she was cooking and and also doing other chores in the house so she couldn't not finished on time that's why she came to the river late to fetch water and when the husband heard that, he adjusted himself to hear more because the story was becoming scary but she continued... Then I fetched the water I was there and when the pot full, I wanted to go but then changed my mind and summoned courage again then asked the old man why he was also by the river at that time of the night but he responded and told me that he was just resting and although the response sounded strange to me but I didn't shake or show any sign that I was scared then asked him if there is something he would want me to help do but him he still gave me the same answer that he was just resting then I looked at him and then asked him to follow me home since I thought he was helpless and homeless or maybe tired and hungry, he still said no to my request and still said he was just relaxing by the river but with all he said she still sense that he might really need help so I persistently begged him to follow me to eat and then asked him where he came from but he ignored and followed me to the house. On reaching the house, I dropped the water off my head then showed him a seat where my father and mother were seated in the hut then he entered. My parents welcomed him then he sat down and for the fact that for so many years after her last marriage, no stranger had visited my house made them confused and not just that but also because of the time of the night though it was not because of the age. She went to the kitchen and brought food for him to eat. He ate the food calmly without any disturbance but then my father interrupted and asked him where he came from but he only washed his hands and then dried it up then leaned back to the seat without even saying a word to my father for his question then my father now turned to where I was in the kitchen, he asked me where I met the man at that late hour of the night and also where he came from but all I said was what I knew. I told my father that I saw him alone by the Riverside. Her husband again adjusted him self to hear more as she continued.... Both my parents now turned and looked at each other began to feel scared because of my response. My father now looked at the man again because of his dress and age, asked himself why will a man dressed in such a clothes be sitting in the river alone at that time of the night but then voiced out to the old man with the same questions but he responded the same way he did to me by saying he was just relaxing and with that response, it made my parents more confused. They looked at each other and then again turned to where I was washing plates in the kitchen the the old man broke his silence and told my parents to call me that he had something say but in my presence then my father called me. When I entered, I was just standing then he told me to sit down then the old man began to talk in a deep voice. He thanked me for the meal and for showing him care and not rejecting him at that hour of the night and also the courage for not running away when I saw him alone when others would have fled for seeing what seemed to be a ghost or an evil omen but I didn't see it as such when I sighted him.After thanking me, he told me to step closer to him as he stretched forth his hand to hold mine and began to bless me. I took bold step with fear to draw close to him then he began speaking to me while holding my hand. His words to me were that "Neither silver nor gold has he to offer to me but he would help remove the pain and reproach which I was going through".
On hearing that, I withdrew my hand as if it shocked me and asked him if he knew the exact pain I was having, not knowing he was talking about my barrenness. He told my parents that the pain would be over and because they were astonished, they asked him what he actually meant and at this time, with a deeper tone he responded ' The barrenness'. He said that I would give birth and not just a child but a male child then my father again asked the old man where he came from to have said all he had just said and how he was able to know all that was happening to me but the old man was never ready to answer such questions about where he came from then he signalled to me to stretch my left palm.
He placed two signet rings on my palm, telling me that soon a man would come my way and love me dearly. Immediately Mr Martins heard that, he held her closed to him and kissed her forehead then she continued.. He said I will conceive and give birth to a baby boy and further told us that the child would not just grow up to be a powerless person but a powerful man that no one ordinary or with powers can defeat him. He stated again that the child will make us proud and not only that, but also will go beyond our village and whoever that tries to mess with the child would have his or her self to blame and also why he or she was ever born.
When Mr Martins heard that, he was very excited and wanted to talk but she told him that she's not finished yet then she continued... The old man also told us that we would at some point experience some strange things that would come our way but we should not fret or quake. He then handed the rings to me and told me to insert one of it into my finger which I did and it immediately disappeared but when he read our faces, he told us not to be worried that the ring was inside me but not visible to the eyes. My parents stood motionless and speechless watching and after the ring disappeared, I fell down as if I was pushed but the old man still signalled my parents to be still and not worry about me.
Few minutes later, the old man asked my parents my name and they told Him Dooter and when they told him, the old man then bent over and called me but I didn't respond then he called me again for the second time which I responded to but it was as if I was in a deep sleep. The old man again reassured my parents that all was well but while my parents were still trembling, my father tried to scream but immediately his voice became voiceless. The old man then told me to keep the other signet ring and then insisted that the very day I give birth, I should fix the ring immediately on the baby's finger and when he said the last statement, he looked at us smilingly, thanked us then began to make a very fearful sound then stretched his staff towards us making us feel so dizzy that no one knew if he walked out of our sight, flew,or even disappeared.
Few minutes after he disappeared, we all woke up and gradually regained our consciousness. We could then realize that the old man was no where to be found. My father now tried searching the whole premises for the old man but he was no where to be found because he had already gone out of sight. My father started speaking to himself asking some questions but couldn't get answers, he turned to me and asked me why I allowed the old man to follow me to our house and also asked that of all the houses, why would it be our house that I directed the old man to but I replied and told him that the man appeared to me like some one who was in need of help with food and shelter which I couldn't ignored. While still discussing with my father, we heard my mother breathing heavily then rushed to where she was sitting then calmed her down and assured her that nothing would happen though we were not totally sure but hope so. After calming her down, my father asked me to take him to the exact spot where I saw the old man but on getting to the river side, the place was as quiet and silent with no one in sight from the eye to vanishing point. We were still there quivering after discovering that no one was there then we returned home.
After telling her husband the whole story, her husband Mr Martins now told her that, many that are successful today didn't get it on a platter and then advised her to forget the past and focus on the future then assured her that as the old man had said that he's there to stay and even without a child he would have still loved her because his love for her was real and not to look for reasons to cut it short the way others did then she thanked him and looked at him then they hugged each other but at this time,because of the long story, it was already evening, her husband then told her to have a nap while he ran to the market to buy some food stuffs to prepare food for her to eat.
As he came back from the market and prepared the food, they ate the food.
when they finished, they went to bed and slept.
Early in the morning her mother came to their house to visit them because she was with her parent since she was no longer with her father but because Mr Martins was now matured enough and also as a staff in a very big company, he rented his own house and left his mother with his grand parents, he wanted her to come and stay with him but because her parents were old, she refused to leave them to stay with him. She visited her daughter in-law to see how she was doing and when she came, she saw that she was already heavier in her eyes then after they welcomed her, she told them that she want to guess something here and then they gave her go ahead while laughing. She told them that she looks as if she's pregnant and when she said that. All of them bursted into laughter hugging each other.
After few minutes, she brought out the cooked meal she prepared for them and then they started eating and while eating. Her son now revealed to her mother that she is pregnant she felt very happy and said she couldn't wait to hold her grand child then she asked Dooter if she had told her parent but she told her that it was like a dream so she is yet to tell her parents but when she said that, they both laughed again then she told her that it's not a dream then she took her phone and called her mother and after greetings, she asked her how they were doing then she said they were fine. she took a very big and long sigh then again asked her mother to guess what? Her mother said no that she was not good at that then she told her again to guess but she said she doesn't know what to guess and although her father was also there with her mother just listening to all they were discussing but could only wait for her to finish before asking what she was talking on the phone with his daughter then she told her that she is pregnant. Her mother now shouted in exhilaration saying..... "what!!" She repeated and told her that finally she is pregnant but because of the shout from her mother, her father Ayaaga could not hold himself any more, he asked his wife Mrs Mzamber why she was shouting and then she gave him the phone to talk to his daughter himself and the he asked her what happened and she told him that the York is finally broken that she's now pregnant. Ayaaga couldn't not hold himself because of the joy. Both of them started celebrating and dancing, thanking God and saying the enemies have been put to shame. After they finished celebrating Ayaaga now asked his wife Mrs Mzamber if she still remembered the old man and she said yes then he told her that... All his words are coming to pass. Then, his wife Mrs Mzamber also told him that, all the old man had said are manifesting.
They now thanked God and his father said he wish to see the old man again because he has happened to be the success of his family and the secret to the family's happiness and promised to never forget the man in his life till death.