Two weeks after he had gone back to the city, he called the mother on the phone that his wife Ola has giving birth to a baby girl. This is the second child. When the news got to the village. Mrs.Onyeoma began to shout, calling on her mates and neighbors, saying that God had done it again. They asked her: "Is it a boy or a girl".Mrs.Onyeoma shouted, "Is a girl, a bouncing baby girl". One of the mates, Mama Uka said unenthusiastically, " "Nwanyi-ozo-" (A girl again)Mrs. Onyeoma quickly responded, "Ee Nwanyi bu ihe.?(a girl is a child)"
Mrs.Onyeoma was preparing for the second Omugwo. The son who usually came to pick up the mother was not forthcoming this time. After waiting for about one month, and there was no call, she left for the city. The deed had been done. The illness which he could not tell from where it came had been disturbing him. He had been diagnosed and nothing came out of the test.
The evil men had said they would kill him, and therefore they poisoned him to lay claim to the lands. But they forgot that God moves mysteriously, and his wonders perform. Onward passed away in the arms of the mother, leaving the poor mother and Ola his wife, a young widow. There was no delay in his burial, as he was buried immediately to enable the wife to think of ways she could take care of the little child. While in the village, during the burial of Onward, Ola had thought of so many things. Is this a family problem?
Is this abnormality in their lineage? What will happen to her and the two daughters? What will happen to the poor mother-in-law? Do I leave the family with my two daughters or leave the girls behind to remain with their grandmother while I go to God knows Where? is this a dream,? where do I go from here? she sighed and took a deep breath. As she was pondering over what to do, she thought about the fact no child feels happy abandoned whether a boy or a girl.
After one month of onward's burial, ola traveled back to the city. she was consoled by the church members, and neighbors, who came and comforted her. there was a man that ola couldn't forget, a friend to the late father-in-law who paid the hospital bills onward and assisted them financially. He cleared the house rent arrears and gave ola money to pack her belonging and relocate to the village, the good neighbor pressured ola and the children to remain in the city, promising to assist her in whichever way the need would arise, ola said my mother in law needs me and my children. if we stay far away from her, she might die of agony. The good neighbor told her you are a good woman. only one out of a hundred will think that way. Even as you are about to go back to the village to start a new life, I give you my word, you can call on me anytime for assistance. I will not forget what your father-in-law did for me. He gave me hope though he did not know me.
On one fateful Nkwo market day, a car was seen with household goods, people were surprised and wondered where the car was headed but lo and behold, it was going to me onyeoma's compound people came out to find out who the occupants were, and saw to their amazement ola and her children, as they were putting down their luggage from the bus. The mother-in-law staggered, but she managed to come out to receive them. Filled with tears and sorrow, she never uttered a word. she thought sadly, "does it mean that this lady has come to drop these children and find her way or what, she never told me anything before going back to the city during the burial".
in the late evening when they had taken their dinner, Mrs onyeoma impatiently asked "my daughter did you come to drop these children off for me you did not tell me that you will be coming soon when you left" ola responded "yes ma I did not tell you my plans. when I left after your son's and my husband's burial, as I arrived in the city with my children, I had to think of what to do and the way forward. I reached the conclusion that need me. My presence will help you, and I thought it wise to come back to the village and start a new life. I don't want to remarry and I don't want to abandon my children though they are girls. I know that women are valued in our society but I believe that God knows why the first is a woman and the second, a woman". The debt that we incurred was cleared by a good neighbor who said that my late father-in-law was very good to him and his family. he paid for our transport and gave me some money to start up a business. God will bless him and you, my daughter-in-law too for making this kind of decision, Mrs onyeoma replied the villagers, and the kinsmen wondered on end what exactly was the plan of this poor widow. some had concluded there was no hope, no future for this family, asking disdainfully if there was any good for a family with only women and no man
Thank you all for reading.
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if you have been in the situation or worse please drop a word for the youngster generation we need.
I know the novel is not romantic, we might just say is just a tragic novel and no fun, but it has a lot of teaches.
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