George hissed before he returned to his room. When Sarah heard that her uncle, Emma, was around, she got off the bed, dressed up and followed her husband. Now, George had let the guest in according to his father's expectations. They walked to the sitting room and met him seated.
“My in-law. I greet you.”
Evans, who wondered how he got the news of his brother's death greeted. Then, Emma, who was tired from his trip and was resting his head on the headrest of the couch, jolted and responded.
“I greet you, my in-law. I hope you are good?”
“As you can see, we are good. I hope your trip was not stressful?”
“Welcome, Uncle Emma. How was your trip?”
Sarah, who was standing beside her husband, greeted before he could respond to Evans's question.
“My trip was smooth, my in-law.”
Then, he looked at Sarah, spoke.
“My trip was fine, Sarah. What of your mother, Ugo. I guess she is here with you?”
Now, Sarah cast her husband a knowing glance before she proceeded to the guest room to fetch her mother.
“You are right, uncle. Let me fetch her.”
They wondered why he was asking whether her mother was with her, when they thought he had the knowledge of the situation in her house before coming.
“It's okay.”
When Sarah set out to call on her mother from the children's room, Evans gave his guest a questioning look, hoping he would flare up over the death of his brother. To his amazement, he did not, rather, he asked after the children and his work. Then, Sarah and her mother joined them.
“Nna anyi. I greet you. Welcome.”
She greeted Emma, who was delighted to see her. Then, he inquired cheerfully.
“Ugo. How are you?”
Mama, who was expecting him to angrily reproach her, looked at Sarah, who was already seated beside her husband, and responded.
“I am fine. How is Obidiya?”
Now, she took her seat on the single couch. Then, Emma continued cheerfully.
“Obidiya is fine. She sent her greetings.”
“That is nice of her.”
Mama responded, hoping for the worst. Nevertheless, there was a disturbing silence in the house and Evans felt like breaking it. Then he gave his wife a look which she understood at once and asked as she attempted to get up.
“Uncle, you must be exhausted and famished, what can I offer you?”
Now, the smile on Emma's face faded, not because he was angry with them, but because he was about to ruin their day with the news of his brother, who worth nothing but bad news. Then he responded to Sarah's offer with sadness.
“Thank you, my daughter. Take your seat. The food can wait.”
Now, Sarah sat back and waited for him to drop the bombshell. Then he cleared his throat and broached the subject, which was off from their expectations.
“Obidiya.”
“Nna anyi.”
“Sarah.”
“Yes, uncle.”
“My in-law.”
“Yes, my in-law.”
“As you know, I am an old man.”
“Certainly, my in-law.”
Evans, who had braced up for what he had to say, concurred, and he proceeded.
“I cannot embark on a journey as stressful as this for nothing.”
He paused and looked at their gloomy faces, and they fixed their gazes on him and waited anxiously for him to proceed.
“Yesterday, the Chief Priest woke me up with a disturbing story about your father.”
He hinted as looked at Sarah. Then he shifted his gaze to Obidiya and Evans before he said.
“Who is also your husband and in-law.”
He paused and gave them a questioning look before he continued.
“Yesterday, the Chief Priest told me all that transpired between them and how he borrowed some money from him to administer his charm.”
“What! My eyes have seen my ears without a mirror.”
Mama screamed while Evans and Sarah, who were aware that Emma had more to say, waited anxiously for him to land. Meanwhile, he ignored Obidiya, whom he did not understand what she meant by her exclamation, and continued.
“I have come to inform you that he is missing. Like I said, I am an old man. I cannot sit at home and watch a female goat deliver while on its tether.”
Now, mama, who could not control her excitement, ordered.
“Sarah, get his bag now, please.”
“All right, mama.”
She responded and walked briskly to the guest room.
“Whose bag?”
Emma, who was bewildered, asked, but no one bothered to respond to his question because he would soon get the answer to his question by himself. Soon, Sarah arrived with the sack that was almost empty.
“See the bag, mama.”
“Who owns the bag.”
The confused Emma asked again because he could not link the bag to the information that he just gave to them. Then, mama collected the sack from her and handed it over to Emma, who collected it from her at once before she explained.
“This is the sack that he came with. I hope this is not where he was coming to administer his charm?”
Now, Emma, who had gotten the true picture of the situation, peeped into the sack before he emptied the content on the floor. The sack contained an old brown singlet with perforations here and there, and a calved wood which was laced with black and red materials. Now, Evans was excited to see the content of the sack and attempted to pick the calved wood.
“Could this be the charm?”
“Don't touch it, my in-law.”
Mr. Emma shouted as he attempted to stop Evans. Now, the couple, who had not seen a charm before, was astonished. Evans pulled his hand away at once and looked at Mr. Emma, who admonished.
“I know that its potency is weakened, but leave their property for them. I will take it back to the Chief Priest.”
“Thank you, Nna anyi.”
Ugo appreciated. Now, Mr. Emma, who was yet to understand how Mr. Beck's bag got to Evans's house and why he had not seen him, sat back on his seat and inquired cheerfully.
“So, when did he come and where is he?".