Outcast - Episode 14

 

On Saturday, I did house chores, bathed and told Mama I'd love to visit Ifenyinwa. She agreed, "visit friends more often and be cordial with them", Mama said. I smiled. Nwakaego was busy playing alone under the orange tree. I got to where she was and called her aloud, "Nwakaego!"

She looked up and said, "what!". 

"I'm going out, just take care of yourself", I said. 

"Okay", she said, concentrating on what she was doing. I whistled and left the compound whilst singing till I got to Ifenyinwa's gate . I only see her divert to the road leading to her house and also caught a glimpse of her gate when she once pointed it for me, but I haven't been there. I got there and knocked, an old woman probably outside said I should come in, I entered.

"Good morning, Nne", I said.

"Good afternoon, my son", she replied. She sat down on a wooden chair with a resting back and her long walking stick was beside her. The kind of wooden chair, Papa sat on when he was alive. Her face had wrinkles all over it. She looked older than Mama Nnukwu, and she spoke calmly and slowly.

"I'm sorry, I thought it was still morning, I said. I'm looking for Ifenyinwa", I said timidly again, to her.

"Go to that side of the house and walk through the corridor", she said.

"Thank you, Nne", I said

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. As I turned back, I saw a young lady staring at me.

"Good afternoon, MA", I said.

"Good afternoon, you are Obiefuna?", she asked.

"Yes", I said and let out a huge smile.

"You came so late. Ifenyinwa was so worried. Come in", she said. Immediately, I stepped into the apartment, Ifenyinwa saw me, ran and hugged me so tightly. Their sitting room was so beautiful and big. The big and small sofa with an enviable colours. The floor had a nice rug, there was a big glass table and big television with home theatre set around it, all placed at the extreme of the wall.

"I thought you weren't coming again, I was really worried", Ifenyinwa said.

"You really don't look like what I expected. You are light skinned and handsome. I thought you'd be that hungry looking boy in fantasy stories that rich little girls crush on. Anyway you kinda fit in with your handsomeness", Ifenyinwa's aunt said.

"Aunty!!", Ifenyinwa called her, with disappointments written all over her face.

"I'm not insulting him. He look way above the picture you painted", she said again.

"Aunty, it's okay" Ifenyinwa said and dragged me to her room. I stared at the chandelier on the roof wall. A smaller one compared to the one hanging in their sitting room. Ifenyinwa took me around their house. I kept wishing she was my sister and I get to enjoy all the good things that littered around their house. She brought out a novel and we read along, after we were done, she checked time and it was 2:00PM.

"Time for lunch", she said. She dragged me to the dining table and her aunt served us jollof, fried rice and chicken. I have never eaten fried rice in my life. I was just staring at the cut carrots, green beans and other vegetables as I scooped them away after having my first spoon of it and never liked it.

"You don't eat it?", Ifenyinwa said.

Read " Living In The Ghetto " by the same author ( Obinna Tony )

. Her aunt laughed and said it's normal. I nodded my head. After we were done, by 4:00PM, I told her it was late and she agreed to escort me a bit to my house.
We chatted along as we walked home, and when we got to the front of our compound, Ifenyinwa said I should hug her which I did. We waved each other goodbye. Our toilet was at the back of Mama Nnukwu's hut. I heard pounding from our kitchen, I guessed it was Mama cooking, while she was making noise trying to send Nwakaego on errands. I went to the toilet to defecate and after I was done, while coming out, I overhead Mama Nnukwu and Adaeze's grandmother gossiping again.

"That your statement last night makes sense", Mama Nnukwu said. "I'm sure she killed my son too", she said again.

"It's high time, she is banished from this village", Adaeze's grandmother said. She asked Mama Nnukwu, "what about making Nwakaego priestess of the river because you are getting old?".

"I'm still finalising my plans", Mama Nnukwu said.

Immediately Nwakaego shouted, "what are you doing there Obiefuna, eavesdropping on people's gist?". I tripped by surprise and fell on my knees and it hurt. Their eyes gazed at me, I stood, hissed, dusted my fingers and walked away.