OPE'S VISIT... THE BEGINNING OF REVELATIONS.

Days became weeks and weeks became months, no one talked about what baba told them. They resumed

their normal life until Ope came visiting.

Ope is the younger sister of Kassim who came to seek for admission into Kogi State University, Ayangba.

Ope had made several attempts to secure admission into University of Ilorin but was unsuccessful. Toyin's father was a senior lecturer in Kogi State University, and he had helped many of their friends relations

to get admission. Kassim advised Ope to come down to Lokoja so they can help her speak to Toyin to speak to her father.

Ope's visit was the beginning of revelations to the abomination that caged Nneka marriage for over ten

years. Ope's parent must have released her to them with the mindset that Kassim is now born again Christian and may have overcome his unspeakable weakness.

Kassim is a Muslim name, which means his family must be practicing Islamic.

The name Kassim in (Arabic writing : قسم) is a Muslim boys Names. The meaning of the name Kassim is " Lovely ".

The first two weeks of Ope's stay was blissful. At least Nneka got someone they could gist together and play games together. Ope was lovely and friendly but very hostile to her brother. Her hostility toward Kassim was her first worry but she couldn't approach any of them to explain the reason behind the hostility.

She was coming back from work one day and she overheard Ope shouting, "Brother, so you have not

stopped this evil"?. Nneka should have stayed back a bit to hear which evil Ope was referring to but they both pretended and composed themselves when she barged in on them. She managed to ask " what's going on here?" But non of them responded, so she decided to let it go, after all they are brother and sister and they can sort themselves out.

Nneka left them in the sitting room and headed to the bedroom. In the night, she tried asking Kassim what they were talking about that warranted that statement she heard from Ope but he waved it off with a romantic kiss that made her forget to ask further.

Ope's admission didn't click on time and she thought that that must be the reason for her recent emotional

changes. She became so moody and isolated this time unlike when she came newly. Nneka really understood because she have been there before and she knew how it felt when one could not find his/her name in the admission information board. She left her alone after much attempt to make her cheer up.

Ope began to lock herself up even when they were around. She will hardly come out for dinner or do her regular chores. Nneka told Kassim to let them buy Kogi State Polytechnic form for Ope instead of her missing this year again but Kassim refused. But can't you see she's losing her mind over this admission stuff? Nneka argued. "There is still one admission list that will be coming out next week, I believe her name will be there", Kassim was optimistic.

The life brought into Nneka home by Ope became a shadow suddenly. Nneka returned to her loneliness as usual because her husband is not the talking type. They can be together in the house for several hours and he won't say anything. Most times, he only talks when she initiate it. His answers to her questions are always in words and phrase,

"yes",

"no",

"okay",

"alright",

"I will",

"Go ahead"...etc.

Nneka can be so irritated sometimes hence she spent more time with her friend Toyin.

Why did Ope suddenly become moody?

Was it just because she couldn't get admission or there is more to it?

Nneka became very worry with all those thought in her head. Not knowing that the event that broke the Carmel's back is about to revile itself.