Arrangements were now in progress for the celebration of Chikezie's memorial service. It was decided that it would be celebrated in the church as they were all Christians. Ezekwe went to the parish house and informed the parish priest. A date was selected for this and Ezekwe informed his kinsmen and then went on to arrange for all the needed items.

Mama Vicky arrived at Nneri a week before the actuaI date for the ceremony in the company of Obichi and Nwamaka. Nwamaka was the cynosure of all eyes. She was everywhere and very lively too, crawling and taking her first steps. She had become so plump and beautiful that everyone marvelled. She attracted a lot of attention and many gift items from her admirers. She passed from hand to hand and was admired by all.

Mama Vicky was filled with immense happiness. It filled her with pride that Nwamaka was looking good due to the care she was receiving from her. Yet her happiness suffered a major dent. This was mainly because she was quick to observe that since their arrival, Euna had manifested no interest in any matter concerning Nwamaka. When people complimented her about the outstanding beauty of her little daughter, she merely grunted without interest. She neither held her in her arms nor returned the baby's smiles. Nwamaka had on many occasions crawled up to her and raised her hands, silently demanding her attention. On such
occasions, Euna's reaction was to hastily move away from the little girl.
The sight of Nwamalka repelled her for it reminded her of her woes and failures. But ironically, her repulsion towards the baby made Nwamaka seek her the more for whenever Nwamaka saw Euna, she usually crawled up to her and at times tried to hold to her. This normally earned her a violent shove when Mama Vieky was not in sight.

In preparation for the thanksgiving, Ezekwe had bought a new george wrapper for Euna with which she replaced her mourning clothes. He equally bought dresses for her children. He tried within his means to provide food and drinks for all those who came to celebrate with them. Some of these people in turn gave them gifts of money while some others gave them drinks to help them in providing for their guests. Food and drinks were in abundance and everyone had their fill. Every member of the family was busy throughout the day cooking or serving, By the end of the day, they were all worn out and were grateful when the last guests departed.

The following evening after supper, Mama Vicky called her daughter for a heart to heart discussion. Mama Vicky was planning to go back the next morning. Euna became instantly uncomfortable when she received her mother's call. She dreaded whatever she was going to say because she guessed it might centre on Nwamaka. But to her surprise her mother asked her a question that she was not prepared for.
"At the church today, I noticed you didn't go for communion, why?" Euna was startled. She was not prepared for this.
"I wasn't prepared," she managed to say.

"I heard the priest hold confessions every week at the parish. Couldn't you have tried to attend, at least, for the fact that you were the one requesting this mass? That should have moved you to go for confession."

Euna was silent. She did not know what to say.

"I also discovered that none of your kids has
received their first communion except Obichi whom I registered at Nkwoma. Please, I want Oyibo and Nkechinyere to start attending classes in preparation for first communion. Remember, it is now your responsibility to make sure that they are given proper Christian upbringing." She paused, watching Euna intently. "Have you registered in the C.W.O. yet?" she asked.

"No, but I intend doing so soon."

"Yes, you ought to, because as things stand now, only God will be there for you when all others fail you both in the upbringing of these children and in other things. Though I promise to stand by you and your brothers and sisters have also promised to help out, the greatest help you can get is from God. Do you understand what I mean?" Euna nodded and her eyes became clouded with tears.

"There is something else I would want you to do for me and for yourself too." Euna gave her an enquiring look. "You are still a young woman, beautiful and healthy. Now that you are widowed, men will come who would want to keep you as a concubine or mistress. Remember, I was in this same state as you are now when I was roughly your age. I was left with the upbringing of six children. I had no one to turn to, my mother was dead and my father died soon after. My brothers and sisters were all trying to find their feet in their different families. I had practically no one to help. But I relied immensely on God. It is not an easy task as there will be many temptations, but only those who are strong willed through the help of God can overcome such temptations.
"What I am trying to tell you is that it is better and safer for you to abstain from getting yourself entangled with any man. You already have children. Five beautiful daughters and my strong belief is that they will do for you what many sons may not be able to do for you." Euna was by now crying quietly.
Mama Vicky drew her close to her bosom and held her, shedding her own silent tears.
"Bring up your daughters well and you will
remember my words with joy. I don't want you to have any other child by any man except you intend remarrying. Do you intend to do that?" Euna shook her head. "Good, I am in support of that. But you cannot do all these alone. You have to seek God's help that is why I am suggesting that you register in the C.W.O. and in any other pious sodalities in the church. Don't be a weak Christian.
"One other thing I want to advise you against is this: quarrelling or keeping a grudge against Ezekwe and his family. They have been extremely good to you. Try to live like members of one family and don't forget, always seek God. He won't fail you." Mama Vicky concluded while wiping her daughter's face. This was the closest intimacy between mother and daughter since Euna past her childhood and it soothed her arred nerves.

The following morning, Mama Vicky returned to Nkwoma with Obichi and Nwamaka. For the first time in her life, Euna took her mother's words to heart. She registered in the C.W.O. and had her two daughters registered for first communion which was going to take place during the next Christmas Eve. She tried against her natural instinct to tolerate Ezekwe and his family and there was relative peace between her and Ure within the next few months. They cooperated in many things even to the extent of cooking alternatively for the whole family in one pot. Ezekwe was happy about the new development and encouraged them. But the leopard they say can never change its spots. Soon trouble started once again. In front of Ezekwe's compound stood a big kolanut tree. There were some fruits left over after the year's harvest. Euna's daughter, Oyibo saw it and made to climb up the tree to harvest it. Ezekwe's second son, Chinedu, who was about a year older than Oyibo saw her and scolded her. He reprimanded her and asked her whether she did not know that a woman does not climb up a kolanut tree. He sent her off.
Oyibo innocently narrated the incident to her mother and enquired from her if what Chinedu said was indeed true. Euna replied in the affirmative but gave the whole incident some thought. The following day, Euna, sensing that Oyibo felt bad about the incident took a long stick and sought to harvest the kolanut for her, but it had already been plucked by someone else. Euna added two and two together and arrived at the answer that Chinedu must have plucked the fruit after sending her daughter off. She was not happy about this but she took no action about it.

                    ...

Some weeks later, Oyibo and the other children were sweeping the compound. Chinedu returned from the stream and after hurriedly putting down his container, he searched about for a broom. Seeing no broom around, he went to Oyibo and requested for the broom she was using, Oyibo directed him to his sister, Nkeiru who had a smaller broom, but Chinedu explained that he needed a longer and bigger broom.

"What are you going to do with it?" she asked.

"We are going to sweep the Uhu path today and all the young boys of our kindred must be involved. So please, let me have the broom, I am already late," he pleaded with her.

"May I come with you?" she asked, after giving up her broom.

"No. Girls don't sweep the Uhu path," he replied collecting the broom.

"Why?" she asked.

"That's the tradition. Only women married to
Nneri or young boys from Nneri can sweep it."

He made to leave but Oyibo continued.

There are indeed too many things girls don't do here, aren't they? You boys cheat us girls in a lot of things," Oyibo complained, though playfully.

"Yes. If you are jealous of us, then try being a boy in your next reincarnation," he replied also playfully. They both started laughing together.

Euna overheard this last statement and went mad.

"Chinedu," she called advancing towards them. "Is this what they had sent you to do? To always taunt my children for being girls? What's wrong with being a girl? Tell me since you are a Mr. Know All!" she shouted and as she said this she grabbed Chinedu by the shoulders and shook him violently.

"Let me go, you are hurting me," Chinedu said as he gasped in pain.

Ure was attracted to the scene by her son's cries. She rushed towards them and tried to loosen Euna's grip on Chinedu.

"Euna, you are hurting him. Please leave him and tell me what it is all about," she pleaded.

"I won't let him go," she said, as she shook
Chinedu the more.

"Why? What has he done?" Euna refused to let him go or listen to Ure's gentle persuasion. Ure then exerted some force on her and pushed her away while trying to free her son, who was by now crying. A scuffle ensued.

"Oh! So you were only using him as a front, isn't it? You sent him to mock me and abuse my children and now you have come to fight me? Is that it?" Euna asked and fell on Ure, hiting and tearing at her. Ure refused to hit back and tried to move out of her reach. Euna held on to her and refused to let her go.

"Euna, do you see that you are overstepping the bounds?" Ure asked, trying to free herself.

"You are not moving from here. You have come to fight and you most complete your mission."

Ure's children present during the incident gathered and forcefully freed their mother from Euna's grips.

"Why do you want to fight over something so trivial?" Chidi asked Euna, while Chinyere led her mother away.

Later, Euna narrated the incident to her friend
Adaeze, expecting to gather support from her. But to her surpríse, Adaeze was against her action. At the end of her story, Adaeze said to her:
"Euna, you are my sister and I must always tell you the truth because if don't, who else will? You were wrong to have done what you did."

"What is wrong with what I did?" Euna asked.

"This is something that happened between two innocent children. As far as I am concerned, Chinedu did nothing wrong. He merely told your daughter the truth. Let me ask you, do girls sweep the Uhu path?" Adaeze asked her.

Euna turned away and refused to reply.

"You see, you yourself know that he wasn't saying it to hurt your daughter. Now, look at what you have done. Chinedu missed sweeping that path and had to pay a fine, while your daughter, angry at your action refused to eat your food. You had better look for a way of pacifying both children and allowing them to grow up with an open heart towards one another. Stop poisoning their minds with negative thoughts and actions."

Euna remained silent till the end and then said slowly:
"You may be right. I will do something to that effect."

Thanks for reading! Check my blog often for subsequent chapters.

LINKS:

INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9