Chapter 4

It is only a man without problems that sleeps at peace and Kamsi was not that man. She was not a woman who knew how to deal with pain. She burdened her heart with alot of thoughts and even when she sleeps, her thoughts follow her to the realms of dreams where they taunt her with even exaggerated versions. 

A cold war rose after the night Kamsi mentioned Ella's coming. She had been expecting it; Silence was Mark's own attack or rather response in situations like that. Not responding to her greetings, eating food she prepared without acknowledging her and suddenly becoming just a house mate to her.

The silent treatment became a norm ever since the first disagreement they had about quitting her job. She did not like the idea, Mark persisted sweetly until it became a quarrel where he no more responded to her greetings. She was used to their quarrel even though she hoped they would grow past it. She did not know when or how. Those quarrels were designed majorly for her to be starved of his company, his attention until she got tired and gave into his will. 

They were traveling to Nsukka on a Saturday so they could be available for helping in the celebration on Sunday. Kamsi already knew there were hired caterers which meant less work but she was happy she would be in a different environment with more people than just her husband. Because of their state of communication, nobody asked the other what they would be putting on so they could show up in matching attires in such a public function.

The ride to the village was a silent one. Just the sound of the voices in the radio filled the air. When she tried at communicating, she turned to him and asked, 

"How has work been? "

He looked briefly at her as if she had fowl feathers in her hair then he focused back on the road, tapping his lap with his free hand. Kamsi could not wait for the journey to end. She brought out her phone and began to play 'Temple Run '

She allowed herself to curse loudly when she lost in her game. She just wanted Mark to at least say, "Keep it low" but he did not. He continued in silence and his silence influenced him even to shout back at drivers on the road. 

Their home in the village was an estate where all the Nwokos stayed when they were all back in the village. Storey buildings and bungalows were littered all over the large plot of land. They had the first gate and the second gate. Both were big black gates and the fence was a very high one to stop perpetrators . They learnt in a hard way that those two black gates and the fence no matter how high was not enough protection.

They once had a security man who let in his accomplices. In a place with a variety of houses, they came with their guns and started with the first house. It was during the time of "Onwa Ito '' festival. Most of the family members did not come back for it. It was just the housekeeper who occupied one of the bungalows and Ifeanyi, junior brother to Mark's father that were around. Ifeanyi's house was the only house the thieves raided. He signed a check and let them go without contacting the police. The story was told over and over again but what was not added in the story was that the thieves came with a toy gun. Only Ifeanyi knew that part of the story. 

They finally arrived at the gate of their home in the village. Mark hooted and waited for the security to go through the protocol of verifying if they could enter. They were a new unfamiliar set. The security was changed monthly. The young man in uniform at the gate finally let them in. Mark had been so irritated in the car. He shook his head before burying it on the steering while they were verifying what they had to. His face wore a gloomy mask even after he parked the car and stepped out. 

Kamsi hoped he would carry her box. It was light but she did not want to climb the stairs carrying the box. They were not on speaking terms so she had been the one to carry it down to the car before they left Okigwe. Light shone on her path when Michelle came out with her husband walking hand in hand towards them. Michelle was smiling and then she laughed, her eyes connecting with Kamsi. She loved laughing each time she saw her for her poor sense of fashion. Kamsi did not even try to pull off anything that day; she just wore a knee-length butterfly gown with slippers. 

The trunk was open. Kamsi tried lifting her box out but her husband took it, their hands brushed for a brief second as he took the handle. 

"Leave it," he said . 

"Thank you " she replied, smiling broadly.

She knew her husband was just acting a gentleman for his brother and Michelle who was currently crushing her bones in a hug. She also hugged her husband after he had clasped hands and hugged his brother. 

"Kamsi what are you feeding this one? He is now bigger than me." Joseph remarked. 

Mark laughed, "I wanted to ask Michelle the same thing."

Kamsi eyed her husband, angry that he was laughing. She expected him to keep being gloomy, to keep acting like someone whose tongue was glued to his teeth. 

Mark carried the boxes and began to head into the house with Joseph after Michelle had placed a kiss on his lips to keep him from missing her as she said. 

"Let's go and greet the women, " Michelle said, pulling Kamsi. 

"Have you started doing squats? " She asked Kamsi. 

"What, during sex? " 

"Are you insane? Don't talk to me about your sex life with your husband please," she replied, clearly disgusted. 

Kamsi laughed at the look on her sister in-law's face .

"Your ass is getting bigger by the day. Your husband is trying," Michelle said when the laughter died down. 

"You said, I should not talk to you about it. "

"Stupid. How are you doing na?"

"I'm alright " Kamsi shrugged like a woman that had seen life and was taking whatever it gave. 

The women were in the general kitchen. It was a large open place that allowed the use of charcoal stove and fire wood. There was a bench outside the kitchen where Mark's mother and a few Aunties were seated . Kamsi greeted them and her mother in-law enfolded her in a long hug. It was something the woman always did. She pulled away and looked at her then pulled her into her arms once again like she was embracing a lost child. 

"Odikwa mma? " Mama asked. 

Kamsi nodded with a smile. 

"Idi sure? " The older woman asked again, using a hand to turn her face sideways in a close examination. 

It was not the first time she was reading her like that and Kamsi still wondered how she was able to do it. She had been a school head mistress before she retired. She was known to be able to decipher when a pupil was lying. She did not know what gave her away at that moment. Maybe her hug was not as tight as it should or maybe her smiles refused to reach her eyes. 

"I'm fine ma," Kamsi replied before moving away to greet the Aunties that were in the kitchen with the caterers and those outside. There was only one person Kamsi was glad was not in the midst of the women: De Ifeanyi's wife, Nkechi. The woman treated Kamsi like she was a little child that could not take care of herself or even her home. It annoyed Kamsi more when she says, 

"Go and make food for your husband. Don't be a lazy housewife."

The first day, Kamsi had joined them to fry cassava after grinding it. Da Nkechi had mocked her terribly so everyone around laughed like she was an object of ridicule. Then she took the wooden pan Kamsi had been using to stir the garri in a big frying pan and took over the work. Kamsi still felt the woman was lovely in her own way. She was outspoken and she never held in her thoughts .

Michelle nudged Kamsi where they were seated on a low stool in the kitchen. The caterers were frying meats for the occasion which they put in a big stainless sieve. 

"Let's go and take meat and go." Michelle said. 

Kamsi nodded and stood up. Together they walked closer to where the large stainless sieve containing the fried meat was kept. 

"Nye tu nu anyi anu" Michelle said, stretching out her hand like a child before the caterer. 

Kamsi laughed along with the caterer who motioned for her to take .

"Thank you, " Michelle said. 

Kamsi took one meat from her and they left the kitchen, tearing the meat with their teeth. 

"You people have got souvenir nu," their mother in-law said. 

Kamsi and Michelle laughed and headed back to their own house. It was on the way, they saw Da Nkechi, the woman of Kamsi's Nightmare. She was coming with Mark, another habitat of her Nightmare. 

"Auntie, dalu," Kamsi greeted. 

Instead of answering, the woman moved back, removed her dark sun shades then looked at Kamsi narrowing her eyes in slits. 

"Bia, idi ime," The older woman simply stated with a smile.

Kamsi looked shocked but she had suspected it but did not want to go for a test. She did not want to break her own heart when the result is negative. 

"You are pregnant. Congratulations, Nne. " Da Nkechi said again like she was a doctor that had brought the test result. 

She enfolded Kamsi in a hug then smiled at Michelle before walking down where they had come from. Kamsi did not know which confused her more, the news or the hug. The woman never hugged her in the past. 

The look on Mark's face was still unexplainable. A Lot of things but confusion was the head of it all. 

" Are you pregnant? " he asked quietly .

Glossary 

Nye tu nu anyi anu -please give us meat

Bia, idi ime- come, you are pregnant