CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

One week later, Ikem asked Okonta to accompany him to see Urunma’s relatives so he can kick off the martial rites. He managed to buy only a jar of palm wine for the ceremony. Before that day, Ikem had confided in Urunma that he had a bigger plan for both of them and for that she agreed to play along. He made his intentions known to Urunma’s parents and promised them that in due time, he will come back and pay her dowry and complete all the necessary marital rites. Urunma’s parents gave their consent because they saw that their daughter was already pregnant.

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Amadi and Olaedo travelled to Paris for their honeymoon. They lodged in one of the finest suites near a beach. Their love for each other grew without measure. They spent one month in Paris before returning home.

On the night of the very day they returned, Olaedo had a dream, where a faceless man pursued her with a cutlass. She ran with all her strength hoping to escape her pursuer. At a point, she fell and was unable to get up. Her pursuer caught up with her and raised the cutlass, aiming for her belly. Olaedo began to cry and plead for mercy. As the raised cutlass was descending on her belly, she screamed “Jesus!” and woke up. Her whole body was soaked with sweat and she was shivering. She touched her cheeks and realized that the wetness on her face were her tears. She was not only crying in her dream.

Olaedo’s scream woke Amadi from his deep sleep. Despite how tired he was from their long journey, he jumped out of bed with the speed of lightening and ran to her room.

“What’s wrong, nne?” he asked when he met her crying. He joined her on the bed and held her close. Olaedo was too terrified to utter a word. “Was it a bad dream?“ Amadi asked again. Olaedo nodded still resting her head on Amadi’s chest. He comforted her and decided to spend the night in her room. In the morning, Olaedo woke up and met Amadi fully awaked.

“Good morning, dear,” she greeted.

“Good morning, my love. How are you?”

“Good. And you?”

“Good,” Amadi said.

Olaedo sat up and yawned. “What will you like to have this morning?” she asked.

Amadi raised his head and thought for a second. “Omelet and bread will do.” Olaedo smiled and nodded. She stood up and left the room.

Shortly afterwards, Amadi heard Olaedo’s scream coming from downstairs. He jumped out of bed and ran out of the room. He saw Olaedo at the foot of the stairs. She was lying in a pool of blood. His heart skipped.

“What happened?” he asked and at the same time observed her body to locate the source of the blood. He saw no wound on her body and was puzzled at her continuous heart rendering cries. Then it hit him.

“Oh! No! No!” He quickly ran back upstairs and picked the car key.

“Akpan! Akpan! Help me!” he cried out. “Oh! God, no, nooo!” he kept yelling as he carried her towards the door. He opened the door and almost ran into Akpan, who looked so apprehensive. When Akpan saw the blood, he became confused.

“Oga! Madam! Oga! Madam! Oga! Madam!” Akpan kept ranting as he followed Amadi to the car.”

“Akpan! The gate!” Amadi yelled. Akpan ran to the gate and, in his confusion, he forgot what he was supposed to do. He turned and ran back towards the moving vehicle.

“Akpan, open the gate!” Amadi shouted.

Akpan ran back and this time opened the gate. He had barely finished opening the gate when Amadi drove past him as if he was pursued by the devil himself. Akpan stood in the middle of the opened doorway and placed his two hands on his head. He was there until the vehicle vanished out of sight.

Amadi drove into a nearby hospital and stopped at the front of the emergency unit. Two nurses ran out with a stretcher and wheeled Olaedo into the emergency room. They alerted the doctor on duty and he came quickly to attend to her.

Amadi sat in the waiting room, praying fervently for the safety of his wife and unborn child. After some time, the doctor attending to Olaedo came out. Amadi leapt to his feet and walked over to the doctor.

“Doctor, how is she?” The doctor looked at him and calmly invited him to his office.

Once seated, the doctor said, “I’m sorry, she lost a lot of blood and…”

Amadi quickly interrupted, “And what? Doctor! Where is my wife? What happened?”

“Please calm down. Your wife is alive, but she needs blood.”

“Give her mine. Please don’t let her die. If money is what you want, that won’t be an issue.”

“You don’t have to bother yourself; we have her blood type in the hospital blood bank. You just have to make some deposits.”

“I will do that. Please, let her be ok.”

“We will do our best. And one more thing,” the doctor said.

Amadi’s heart dropped as he heard that, “What?” he asked.

“She lost her baby. I’m sorry.”

Amadi went mute and suddenly, his eyes watered.

He dragged himself to the accounts section and made the necessary payments so that Olaedo will receive blood as well as other treatments. She lost so much blood and had to remain in the hospital for five days so they could monitor her well. They hid the news about her pregnancy from her, but somehow she knew that her baby was gone. She later related her dream to Amadi and he agreed with her that it was a spiritual attack. Amadi began to shower her with gifts, hoping that it will help her to forget the past.

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Four months after Olaedo’s painful incident, Ikem called Amadi to tell him that his wife gave birth to a baby girl. Amadi congratulated him but did not give him any money.

Two years later, Ikem called again to say that they were blessed with another baby girl. Amadi was happy for him but did not give him any money too. But after the call, Amadi began to wonder why his wife had not gotten pregnant after the first one. But his love for her blinded every doubt that crossed his mind. To worsen the case, exactly one year and six months later, Ikem called again with the news of the arrival of a bouncing baby boy.

In Umuebe, it was expected that a woman should conceive and bear a child a few years after marriage. People had started talking about Olaedo’s inability to conceive after some years. Amadi didn’t seem to be bothered about people’s gossip, though he silently wished he could do something to change the situation.

Amadi and Olaedo started visiting hospitals in search of hope. But each hospital they visited gave them the same report. They all revealed that there was nothing wrong with any of them. Olaedo was very worried about her condition. But she was very strong in her faith and so she believed that she will have her own children.

Time flew as Amadi and Olaedo waited patiently for the day they would hear the cry of a baby in their home. The longer they waited, the more their patience evaporates. Olaedo, knowing that she had little time on her side, started jumping from one church to another and from one ministry to the other, yet nothing changed. At a stage, she began to despair. She would cry herself to sleep and wake up to continue from where she stopped. She was, however, happy to have Amadi, who was the only supporting pillar she had in such perilous time, especially as she was approaching her menopause.

Olaedo has lost so much weight and no longer took care of herself. All she wanted then was to have a child. She was willing to do anything provided it would give her a child.

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One Christmas period, Amadi and Olaedo travelled to Umuebe to celebrate the season there. Ikem was happy when he saw that his plans were working perfectly. He kept consoling and encouraging Olaedo, giving her the impression that he was on her side.

One morning, Amadi’s kinsmen gathered for a meeting. Amadi went to the meeting not knowing that he was the reason for the gathering.

“Umunna, ekene m unu,” Mazi Ezendu saluted the gathering.

“Iyaa,” the others chorused.

“Ndi Igbo turu inu si na awo adighi agba oso ehihe na nkiti,” Mazi Ezendu Onyema continued, “Yes, in our land, a toad does not run in daytime for nothing. It is either it is pursuing something, or something is pursuing it. We have gathered here for a reason and a very important one for that matter. Our brother, Amadi, has indeed made us proud. He single handedly built our town hall and dug a borehole for us. He has also done many other good things for our people and he’s still doing more. This land owes him a lot of gratitude. We thank you, Amadi, for your good works.”

Other elders chorused, “Thank you our son,” as they expressed their gratitude to Amadi. Some stood up and gave him a handshake. Amadi was impressed by the honour, which he showed with his gentle smile.

Another elder, Mazi Ibe, cleared his throat and spoke up. “To continue from where Mazi Ezendu stopped, Amadi you remind us so much of your late father. He was a good man. We all owe your family a debt of gratitude. But now there is something that troubles us all. Some years ago, we heard that you have gotten married and that you did it in Oyibo man style. You did not inform your kinsmen, but you are forgiven. My people, have we not forgiven Amadi for not informing us before he married?”

“We have forgiven him. We bear him no grudges,” the other elders chorused in unison.

Mazi Ibe cleared his throat once again and continued. “But there is something that is bothering us and we want to bare our minds to you. You know, as our people say, okenye a di ano n’ulo ewu amuo n’akirika. Yes, Amadi my son, an elder will not be around and stay aloof as things spoil around him,” he waited for some seconds before he continued, “Since the time you got married, you have not brought home a child of your own. Amadi, my son, we feel your pain. But you see, age is no longer on your side. That is why we have called this important meeting to advise you to look for another woman who will produce an heir that will replace you when you join our ancestors. Umunna, have I spoken your mind?”

The kinsmen chorus, “Yes, you spoke well.”

Amadi’s countenance no longer looked happy. It changed immediately Mazi Ibe suggested that he should find another wife.

“My people, I greet you,” Amadi started. “I thank you all for your concern towards my family. It is true that for some years now my wife had not been able to give me a child of my own. But according to the norms of the church, I am forbidden to take another wife. I swore an oath, for better, for worse and I am not going to break that oath. I know that God, who made heaven and earth, will hear my cry and bless me with children, at His own time. My people, I, Amadi, the son of Benjamin Ibeabuchi, will not take another wife. I will rather remain childless forever than betray my oath before the altar of God.”

Ikem, who sat close to Amadi, nodded in agreement. The rest of the kinsmen looked at one other but they did not utter any word concerning the issue again.

The following day, the women from Amadi’s kindred gathered at the front of Amadi’s house, each of them holding a palm frond. They matched into Amadi’s compound chanting a war song.

“Where is that man that calls herself a woman?” the women leader shouted. “Where is that witch that eats her unborn children?” she continued. “Bring out that woman that wants to ruin our son! She came from the land of the accursed and she wants to taint our land with cursed blood. We will show her that our heads are stronger than her witchcraft!”

Ikem came out and began to appease the women, but they continued raining insults on Olaedo. Olaedo sat in room and began to cry. She tore her heart before the Almighty creator. Amadi ran to her room and began to console her. After calling her names, the women left and promised to return. Amadi quickly packed their bags and left for Lagos that same day.

Back in Lagos, Olaedo brought up the issue of adopting a child to her husband. But Amadi refused vehemently, saying he still has hope that one day God will favour them with a child of their own.