EAGLE FROM THE RUBBLE: CHAPTER 11

geniusvic (54)in #story • 8 years ago

The months rolled into years and Euna's daughters grew. Oyibo finished her secondary education at her aunt's place and after the SSCE she visited home to be with her family from whom she had been separated for three years. Her aunty had maintained that she must have no distraction within the last years of her secondary education in order to be well prepared for the WAEC exams. She was an average student and because of this, Joy had insisted on her attending several extramural classes to help her prepare for the exams. Now that the exams were over, she could not wait to see her people at home.

When Euna saw her, she was overwhelmed with pride. She danced about joyfully chanting like a child because, apart from those who were too jealous to admit it, everyone admired Oyibo's good manners and beauty. Wherever she went, she attracted people and soon suitors started calling.

Many young men from Nneri and its neighbouring villages came seeking her hand in marriage but she politely declined to accept any. At a point, Euna started wondering why she was acting that way considering the fact that she expressed no desire of going further in her education.
Euna would have preferred she got married but she could not succeed in persuading her. Oyibo also volunteered no information about her plans for the future. Rather she was getting prepared to go back to Ibadan after spending some months at home.

"When will you visit your grandmother to tell her you are about leaving?" Euna asked.

"That will be sometime next week."

"Let's make it on Friday then, I also want to see her."

"That's alright"

Therefore, on Friday after breakfast, mother and child left for Nkwoma together. On entering the compound, the first sight that they beheld was Mama Vicky, joyfully dancing about in the company of Obichi while Nwamaka stood close by, beaming with smiles.
When the jubilant three saw the visitors, they all rushed towards them all at once. Mama Vicky, towards Euna, Obichi towards the two, while Nwamaka got to Oyibo before the others, embracing her. Oyibo hugged her closely to herself. Nwamaka was now eight years old and was such a lovely child.
After the exchange of greetings, Mama Vicky
continued dancing. Euna and her daughter were filled with curiosity

"What is the cause for this jubilation? Did you win a raffle?" Euna teased.

"I am more blessed than anyone who has won a million naira raffle" Mama Vicky replied, still dancing

"What is going on?" Euna asked Obichi who smiled and gave nothing away.

"She will tell you in her own time," she replied.

"Okay, meanwhile, let's join in the jubilation. Till you are ready to tell us the secret," Oyibo said and danced beside her grandmother.

Euna was more reserved in her reaction as she stood aside, amused by the dancers. Mama Vicky danced her fill and then straightened up.

" Do you realise that this God we serve is indeed wonderful?" she asked no one in particular.

We have always known that. Is that why you are dancing?" Oyibo asked.

"Yes. He has blessed us abundantly. How do we start praising him?"

She started singing a hymn of praise and at the end shepherded everyone into her sitting room. They all took seats and Mama Vicky brought out an envelope from a drawer. She brought out a letter from inside the envelope and gave it to Oyibo. But before Oyibo could read through, Mama Vicky told them the contents of the letter.

"My daughter, Nwamaka, has been offered a
scholarship for studies up to secondary school level by the Citizens Club of Nigeria," she blurted out.

Euna flinched. Nothing had prepared her for this announcement.

"Oh, thank God. I am so proud of you," Oyibo
exclaimed as she held her sister close to herself, cuddling her.

"From primary one to her present class, she had always came tops in all her exams and she was rewarded by the headmaster who recommended her for the scholarship" Obichi offered.

"Yes, that is true. The letter arrived today and the headmaster gave it to her as they were giving her the prize for coming first in class." Mama Vicky added.

For the first time since their arrival, Euna took notice of her daughter. She turned towards her and coldly congratulated her.

"You are very lucky," she said, without feeling and turned away. "Let me greet our neighbours, Mama Ada and Omasiridiya," she said, leaving the room.
Euna's cold reaction could not dampen Mama Vicky's happiness.

"I am going to prepare a special dish for you" she said patting Nwamaka on her shoulders. "Come, Obichi, let's get some food ready".

Oyibo was left alone with Nwamaka whom she carried on her laps.
"I will soon be leaving for Ibadan and when next I visit home, I will get you a new dress for your achievements."

"Thank you. I want a flowered dress with a cap."

"I will get that for you. Come let's go and join
grandmother in preparing some food."

"No. Come to my room and I will show you my gifts. I have been keeping them all from primary one to the present class.This time I was given a pair of This time I was given a pair of. Come and see them," she said, leading Oyibo to her room.

"I wll be glad to see them." Oyibo replied.

Oyibo had a very soft spot for Nwamaka and the latter adored her.

Later that day, Mama Vicky and her daughter, Euna sat in the sitting room chatting about nothing in particular. Tactfully, Euna broached the subject that was of topmost concern to her and for which she had come to Nkwoma.

"You seem to be worrying about something" Mama Vicky was quick to observe.
"Come on, tell me what it is," Mama Vicky prompted

Euna sighed.
"I am worried about Oyibo. As I told you the last time we met, she has refused all the suitors who came seeking her hand in marriage. I am not worrying because I am desperate to have her married off but my reason is that I don't want her to get into wrong hands. Since she said she wasn't interested in going for university education, I don't see the reason why she should reject all the suitors that come for her. That is why I want you to talk to her before she leaves," Euna told her.

"Well, I do understand how you feel. It is like that with every mother especially since Oyibo is a very beautiful girl and suitors flock around her. But I know she's also sensible. There is no need becoming unduly worried about her because I trust her to behave well. When she finally decides to settle down, I am sure she will make a wise choice. Remember what I once told you about your daughters. I still repeat it now. They are worth more than four sons to you. Look at all of them, so beautiful, intelligent and well behaved. Look at little Nwamaka of yesterday, already making news. She combines beauty with brains which is often rare. She has now bagged a scholarship award for her studies up to secondary school level. I couldn't contain my joy today when I was handed the letter. Everyone speaks well about her, and I am sure she is going to grow up to be a big success. You need to see how her teachers hold her in such high esteem. Even our neighbours...."

"Mama" Euna cut in. "You see, I was complaining to you about something serious and all you did was to divert to some other irrelevant issue."

Stunned, Mama Vicky starred at her.
"Is the welfare of your daughter an irrelevant
issue?" she asked, deeply hurt.

"Every time Nwamaka this, Nwamaka that. Can't we talk about something else for once without her name coming in? You have told us before that she bagged a scholarship and we all heard you then. Why then chew the subject like cud? Is she the first person ever to achieve such a feat? If you continue the way you are going, you will only make the whole thing get into her head. You always advise us to be modest about our achievements, but you don't seem to be doing that yourself about this issue."

Mama Vicky was silent for several minutes. She could not understand why Euna's attitude towards Nwamaka had been that of resentment even eight years after her birth. She came to realise the depth of Euna's feelings about this child and it cut her heart so much and she was lost for words. She sat looking into space with so much pain and disappointment. Finally she managed to ask.

"When do you intend leaving? I want to give you some parcels for my in-law Ezekwe."

"We will be leaving very early tomorrow morning. As for your parcels, you can hand them over to Oyibo. It will get to Ezekwe," she said leaving her mother in annoyance.

Mama Vicky looked after her and wondered where she went wrong in the upbringing of her daughter, Euna, to have turned her into such a bitter and quarrelsome person. She was so different from all her children. She sighed, as she mumbled a silent prayer for her daughter.

Mama Vicky discovered that Euna's feeling for Nwamaka gives her an uneasy feeling, yet there was nothing she could do about it.