EAGLE FROM THE RUBBLE: CHAPTER 15

in #story6 years ago

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Oyibo's marriage brought along with it, noticeable changes in both the lives of Euna, Ezekwe and Ure, his wife. Euna was transformed both financially and temperamentally. She went out of Ezekwe's control and became a lord unto herself. She took decisions that should have been taken by Ezekwe without consultations with him as custom demanded. In turn, Ezekwe's patience was overstretched, yet he maintained a restraint that baffled all including his wife. Ure became more withdrawn from Euna, who never missed any opportunity to boast and flaunt her newly acquired affluence which manifested in wrappers and jewelleries.

There was one such incident on a Sunday morning. Euna prepared for mass and was running behind time. She hurried along in order to meet up with the time. But on reaching the church premises, she saw Ure from afar. Ure was putting on exactly the same wrapper she had on. There was no difference both in the pattern, design and colour. Euna immediately turned back and returned home. She quickly removed the wrapper, not minding her lateness and wore another wrapper altogether. The following morning, as she prepared to go to the farm, she brought out the wrapper and put it on. From then on, she started using the wrapper at home and at other times when she was doing her chores.
When Adaeze and some other women commented that the wrapper was too expensive to be used casually like that, Euna told her and every other person interested to know that the wrapper was far below her status for an outing wear. She repeated this on other occasions whenever she discovered she had any wrapper or any other wears that Ure equally had. With time, she began to wait to see Ure leave for mass each Sunday or for any important occasion before deciding on what to wear to avoid wearing anything that would make her seem to be in the same class with Ure. Ure noticed all these and it further strained their relationship.

Ure had two grown up daughters, Uzoamaka and Chinyere, both of whom were older than Oyibo in age but were not yet married. Often times, Euna made uncomplimentary comments about their condition. Her attitude made Ure feel dejected and she started having a feeling of inferiority whenever she encountered Euna. The relationship existing between them became strained to the point that both women hardly exchanged any words beyond formal greetings.

The situation reached a climax about a year later when news got to them that Oyibo had been delivered of a baby boy. Euna was transformed with happiness. She immediately started preparing for Omugwo. Though Moses personally came to Nneri and informed Ezekwe of this with a bottle of wine, a carton of beer and other edibles, Euna did not intimate Ezekwe on her plans concerning the Omugwo. Rather, Ezekwe woke up one morning and was informed by Natachinyem that her mother had left for the Omugwo.
This was like a slap on Ezekwe's face. He had bought some tubers of yam and stockfish, while his wife Ure kept a gallon of palm oil hoping to give them to Euna when she would travel to Ibadan for the Omugwo to give to Oyibo.

"When did she leave?" he asked sadly.

"This morning. You mean you didn't know?" Natachinyem asked.

"No." he replied.

Natachinyem felt bad. Of all Euna's daughters, she was the closest to Ezekwe in particular and his family in general.

"Papa, please don't let it bother you. I don't understand my mother, I really don't," she lamented.

"I am alright, my child," he said, recovering himself.

When Ure got to know about this development, she quietly took the gallon of oil to the market and sold it. Though she was not happy about the development, she did not allow it to bother her in any way.

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At the end of the Omugwo that lasted three months, Euna returned home with so much pomp. As was the custom, the women of the kindred gathered to rejoice with her. They danced and rejoiced, eating and drinking. Later, a day was fixed for the formal Omugwo celebration when Euna would feast them and give them their own share of the Omugwo gifts according to custom.

On the appointed day, they all gathered in the open space in Ezekwe's compound. But to the surprise of many, Ure was conspicuously absent and never showed up. On that particular day, Ure decided to visit her sick mother while Ezekwe was nowhere to be found.

"Where is Ure?" a woman asked.

"Why is she not here?" another added.

"Eat and drink, my sisters," Euna told them."I don't bother my head about unimportant issues"

Euna's friend, Adaeze was among those present. She called her friend privately and asked after Ure.

"How would I know about her? As you can see, I am in my house while she is in hers" she snapped at her friend and walked away.

The women had a lot to eat ranging from fufu with varieties of soup, palm wine and other delicacies that Euna brought back from Ibadan. She also presented to them tubers of yam, bags of salt and other items required by tradition. Naturally, she was very generous and the women really enjoyed themselves.

Ure returned the following evening to meet a smouldering Euna. Euna, who was sitting in front of her house with her friend Adaeze started making derogatory remarks about people who are so eaten up by jealousy about other people's progress. But Adaeze cautioned her and rose to go. As she passed Ure's kitchen, escorted by Euna, Ure accidentally came out to collect some firewood.

"Ure my dear, good evening," Adaeze cheerfully greeted

"Oh! Good evening, my dear sister. How is your family?" she returned.

While they were exchanging greetings, Euna moved off towards the exit of the compound, leaving her friend behind.

"It appears you are just coming back. I looked for you yesterday, but I didn't see you. Why?" she asked.

"I went to see my sick mother. Were you here yesterday?"

"Yes, when Euna was celebrating Omugwo for us."

"Really? Hmmm, that is good news" she replied, picking some firewood from the pile.

"You sound as if you didn't know," Adaeze said.

"My sister, you can judge for yourself. Please, I have something on fire," she said going back to her kitchen.

Adaeze went out of the compound and confronted her friend.

"Ure said her mother was sick and that was why she was not here yesterday," she ventured.

"I wish both of them will never see the light of another day" Euna retorted.

Adaeze was stunned by the vehemence Euna attached to her utterances.

"Why do you say that? It is unkind of you. By the way, did you inform her that you were celebrating...."

"Oh, is that what she told you?" She cut in without allowing Adaeze to finish. "Let her wait till forever."

"If you didn't inform her why then do you blame her for not being around?" she asked her friend. "To me, Ure is a good woman. I don't know why you treat her the way you do."

"So you have already pronounced judgement, haven't you?"

"Not like that. I am just telling you the truth. You know you are my friend and sister. I will always tell you the truth," she replied, not happy with her.

"Adaeze, please, I have to go back. I haven't prepared supper yet. See you some other time," she said, leaving her friend.

That evening after supper, Natachinyem left their house as usual and went to be with Ezekwe and Nkeiru. They usually spend their evenings together, telling stories and sharing ideas. This often lasted late into the night after which Natachinyem would retire for the night. On some evenings, she may decide to eat with Ezekwe and his family, not caring about her mother's food. This was a habit she formed when she was a very young child and had since grown with it. Euna had tried in the past to stop her, but came to realise that among all her children, Natachinyem was the least she could influence in any way. So she gave up trying.

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

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LINKS:

• INTRODUCTION
• CHAPTER 1
• CHAPTER 2
• CHAPTER 3
• CHAPTER 4
• CHAPTER 5
• CHAPTER 6
• CHAPTER 7
• CHAPTER 8
• CHAPTER 9
• CHAPTER 10
• CHAPTER 11
• CHAPTER 12
• CHAPTER 13
• CHAPTER 14

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