Crease by crease I unfolded it. I looked at everyone at a time to get their attention. My father was still angry as he watched the car disappear into a right corner. My mother was apprehensive and curious at the same time as she begged me to read out loud the news.
"Open it now!" She begged.
"Open what?" My father shouted angrily while leaning against the door of the house, "Tear that paper away! You may open that paper and fall sick in the next minute. Do you know what is going to happen when you open it?" There was silence and I became hesitant to open it. "Bring it!" He ordered. My hand stretched to give it to him. Just as I was about to give it to him, my big brother snatched it from me and ran towards the fence. My father looked at him angrily. I was relieved now that the paper was not in my hands.
"I'm going to hold it at a safe distance from my eyes and read the news out loud. If I have to die, let me die, but we must know the news!" He shouted as he raised the paper high in the air.
"Don't open it, who will take care of the hospital bills if anything happens to you?" My father shouted once again. However, he did not follow him to take the paper. He seemed somehow curious to know what was written in the paper.
"Come on, leave him. Let's see what's written there. We'll take care of any eventuality together." My mother urged. My elder brother read the paper to himself and a smile spread through his face. "What's written there?" My mother asked curiously.
"Let me read the whole message," he said, "I don't know how you will receive this message." There was silence. The murmurs of the neighbors were no more as everyone was keen to get the sudden news from my uncle.
"What news? If you're not taken to hell by that so-called uncle…." There came a sudden sharp voice from one of the neighbors.
"Well, this is what is written," there was silence as he read every word as it appeared on the paper.
I, Jack Mloso Sanka, with all due respect and honor to the family of Mr. and Mrs. John Isula Sanka, wish to invite you to a celebration of achievement and accomplishment. I wish to make this as a surprise. With that being said, discuss it with your family within 48 hours and I will come to give you the next directive. From here, as you may know, I've gone to the family of Mr. Sain, our brother, to give them the news. I'll also spread it to others so that the celebration will be good. Also very important, I will need your national identification documents to fix some things for you that will facilitate your participation in the once-in-a-lifetime event.
"Hold it there!" My father shouted suddenly, "What did you say? He will need our identification documents?" My mother clapped her hands twice as if showing the red flag.
"We're finished!" She cried. "It's all your fault. You are the one who suggested we send Mike there. I hate…"
"Quiet!" My father silenced her sharply. "He will not have anything to do with us. We won't go to that mysterious event of his if that's your worry." There was silence again. I wondered how a father could become so angry just because of a 'small' matter like that. However, when I saw tears in my mother's eyes, I understood the seriousness of the matter. My siblings seemed apprehensive about the matter as they looked away when I tried throwing smiling glances at them.
"So we're not going?" I asked and broke the silence that had prevailed for quite some time.
"No we're not," my father answered, still angry about it, "Do you want to go?"
"I…"
"Then you will not come back to this home. You will remain there with him." He interjected.
"I've not even said anything, Dad. Why are you angry about this?" My father's face changed. He went inside the house. My mother went back to the kitchen and my siblings went back to their chores. The neighbors also melted away. I was left standing alone. That behavior by my father meant that what he had said was final and no further amount of persuasion would change his mind. By everyone moving back to their work, it meant that they had agreed with my father's say.
"It's not going to happen," my younger sister said, eyeing me curiously. I was disturbed. Was I the cause of all that drama? What was meant to happen during that event? Why did he want our identification documents? Where was the event to take place in the first place?
"Come on brother, just accept everything. If you were already used to life at Uncle Jack's place, then just forget about it for now." My brother urged me, patting me on the back, "This is your home. You have to respect and appreciate everything that comes from home." I analyzed the words of every one carefully. My brother's words made sense to me. However, I was not satisfied. I could not imagine missing the event, which I knew nothing about.
"You seem to have been influenced by him," my mother said as she exited the kitchen. "Are you still thinking about the matter?"
"But mum…"
"But what," she interrupted, "you're going nowhere. You heard what your father said, didn't you?"
"It's okay, I've accepted," I replied and went inside the house. I glanced at the water that my uncle had bought and prayed fervently that my mother wouldn't remember and ask me to pour it. Each time, I glanced outside and saw my mother pass it as she went to the kitchen and back, without doing anything. I relaxed when I saw my younger sister use it to rinse the utensils. "It has already been used now. Let's see whether we will die from using the utensils," I whispered to myself. I went inside our room, took out a book, and began reading. My father started snoring inside his room sleeping. We used to laugh at him quietly because of that. That day, my younger sister was the first one to remind us about it. However, I did not laugh.
"Cheer up brother," my younger sister advised. I feigned a smile for her. I tried to read but couldn't. I left the book and took my bike to go out.
"Where are you going?" My mother asked, "Don't go too far."
"Just to exercise and forget everything about the event that you and Father have turned down!" I paddled my bike towards the gate.
"No… son…" By that time, I was taking the right turn racing at lightning speed. I tried hard to forget everything. When I couldn't, I decided to concentrate on looking at the nature around me. When I arrived at the tarmac road, I looked at the beautiful mountains which were situated far beyond the horizon. I then admired the cars that moved gracefully on the road, declaring in my heart to own such in some years to come. Time flew inexorably. It was time to go back home. On my way, I had so many questions in my mind.
"What if the whole incident at my uncle's house was a dream? What if what I thought about my uncle is not true? What event has he called us for that needs our identification documents? What if my mind is just imagining things and accusing my uncle falsely? What if all my accusations are true? What will happen if we drink and use the water he has bought us? What will happen if we miss the event?" I asked myself repeatedly.
For sure, there was nobody to answer my questions there with me. Only time, future, patience, and maybe fate could give clear and elaborate answers. So, I decided to wait.