Chapter 5

Chapter Five•

"The both of you are quarrelling again " Michelle stated when they were in the private kitchen.

Kamsi just shrugged and looked for water to drink. 

"Did you tell Mama ?"

"No." There was finality accompanying her reply.

There was silence. She did not want Michelle to know that her daughter was the reason they were quarrelling. She did not want the quarrel to also be a reason her daughter would no longer come to stay with them. 

"It's not a serious quarrel." Kamsi said. 

Michelle moved to the dining and she followed her. 

"Michy, look at me " she said, extending her hands to the side. 

"Is there any indicator of pregnancy showing on my body?"

Michelle came closer and touched her breast and Kamsi moved back immediately. 

"I don't know," She then replied, "You added a little plus your breast is obviously paining you. When did you see your period last? "

"I don't think I saw it last month. "

Michelle sighed, "Honey, you should go for a pregnancy test. You are not supposed to be told." She said, her voice sounding like she was scolding her. 

"I will, once we get back home."

"Do you want us to buy a strip from a pharmacy around? "

"No, it will not be accurate," Kamsi opposed.

Michelle laughed, "It's what I have been using, madam accurate."

"Not one from the village," Kamsi said,

laughing. 

She was only delaying. She did not want the news that would hurt her just yet. She did not want to get hopes up, that was why she walked away instead of answering Mark when he asked. She did not want to be too excited yet the excitement was starting to cook from the pit of her stomach. 

"I'm the Godmother. I chose first," Michelle said suddenly.

Kamsi smiled, wiping her eyes. " She can have two Godmothers. You and Maka."

"Right! You want a she?"

"I'll take anyone but I have thought of a girl as my first born, " She replied. 

It tasted good on her tongue - A discussion about her child. She could now choose a gender, she could now talk about her own baby. She was silent imagining it - Her own baby growing in her womb. She was smiling, lost in her thoughts, all her worries now distant. Maybe Michell was still talking, maybe she was not, at that moment, she did not care. 

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Sunday. 

 She had slept early still she felt it when her husband's arm was snaked around her at night. She did not see him when she woke up. 

She slipped her leg into the slippers at the foot of the bed and walked to her box. Her dress was not in the box. She spun around frantically, wondering at what moment she had removed it. She clearly remembered packing it with her shoe. Her nude and transparent block heels were in the box. She did not understand. 

She walked to the wardrobe even though she knew she had not brought out her dress, the yellow Buba she wanted to wear. Her dress was there, her blouse on a different hanger, her wrapper on another hanger and they were ironed. Mark had helped her iron last night when she had planned to iron in the morning. She felt stupid. 

She brushed and began heading downstairs, hoping to see Mitchell as she descended their floor but the whole building seemed devoid of people. It seemed she was the last to wake up in the house . In her black and white striped pyjamas she walked to the general kitchen. 

Ella was running about with balloons when she saw her. She scooped her into her arms not minding the dirt all over the yellow sweater she was wearing. 

" God mummy! " The little girl screamed. 

"How are you doing, baby? " Kamsi asked and immediately lifted her in the air with her mouth buried in her small tummy. She made sounds in her tummy and the little girl giggled. 

"Where's Mummy?" Kamsi asked, still carrying her. 

"She told me to baff," the little girl said, trying to wriggle out of Kamsi's hands. 

She finally dropped her and she was quick to run away. She watched her run away and wondered how the four year old could disturb to go on a holiday without the mother. 

Kamsi went through the chore of greeting the people around the general kitchen. She bent to greet Mama who was sitting on the bench as yesterday. Her father in-law was standing, using his chewing stick that he dared not play with. He had bought it outside the country. It was his, "modified atu"

"Did you sleep well? " The older woman asked, rubbing her back. 

"Yes ma. What about you? "

"I did , Nnem."

She greeted her father in-law . After he enquired of her well-being, he brought out a chewing stick from a paper box he was holding.

"Ta atu. It's healthy " he said 

" Thank you, Sir." she replied 

Amused, she collected the chewing stick. It was the old man's love language. 

Michelle was at a corner in the large kitchen cutting meats into cube sizes for vegetable soup. 

"Good morning, " Kamsi greeted, rubbing her shoulder. 

Her sister in-law smiled at her. She got a smaller tray and joined in cutting the meats into smaller sizes. 

On days there was Thanksgiving in the church, the front pews in a row were always left for the family. The Nwokos family always filled a whole row and another thing the villagers knew about them was that they were all late comers. They never failed to disappoint in that aspect. Even that day, they came in when the second bible reading was being read and that was a little earlier than their usual. 

Mark's father, Sir Geoffrey was one of the few professors the village had. He was also one of the ordained knights in the Anglican Church. He had a seat, close to the wall away from others. It was a single well constructed wooden seat with a table attached to it. It was not a general treatment for all the knights but just him. 

The church service dragged for long but they left the service after they went to the altar for Thanksgiving and dedication of the child. 

Kamsi followed Michelle to change the baby diaper. She watched as she expertly removed the diaper with poo and wiped the baby before covering him with another one. 

"He does not know where or when to poo," Kamsi joked. 

Michelle lightly spanked the baby's buttocks. "Don't mind him."

She took the baby and sat on a dining seat that was in the room and began to breastfeed him. 

"Hope you are learning ?" Michelle asked, smiling. 

Kamsi laughed, "Do fast abeg. Guests are waiting for you outside. "

Kamsi changed to a more comfortable fancy slippers still putting on what she wore to church. 

"Have you met my brother before? Come and meet him," Michelle said to Kamsi. 

Junior was fast asleep in his small net bed. That gave the mother a little freedom to walk about and greet visitors. 

Kamsi was led by Michelle to the parlor where her brother sat. 

"Okey, this is Kamsi. She's my sister in-law," Michelle said, "Kamsi, my brother, Okechukwu. "

The brother stood up and extended a hand to Kamsi which she took in a hand shake. 

"I'm Okechukwu," he said.

" Kamsiriochukwu," she replied, desperate to have her hand back. 

"Hey... " Michelle called going to welcome a couple that just entered. 

"I have heard a lot about you, " Okechukwu said. 

Kamsi tried once again to take back her hand and she was successful. She nodded feeling like a dwarf in his front. Her eyes fell on his ring and she asked, 

"You did not come with your wife? "

"No," he replied, "She's dead."

Kamsi's size diminished in embarrassment. She wouldn't have asked. She should have known. Michelle talked about her siblings : Her elder sister who was the breadwinner in the family and her elder brother who lost his wife at childbirth.

"I_ I'm sorry, " She said. 

Mark came into the house with a carton of malt which he dropped on the floor and began walking towards the duo. Kamsi looked at him briefly then looked at the widower infront of her whom she had unintentionally roused the emotions of his dead wife. 

"Do you still paint? Michelle advertised your work briefly to me." he asked her. 

She made to answer but Mark came cutting her off. 

"Are you not supposed to be packing your bags ? We should be leaving soon, " he said, totally ignoring the other man.

"This is my husband, Mark. Mark, this is Michelle' s elder brother. "

"We met in Church, " Mark replied . He took the hand shake Okechukwu was offering before leaving. 

"Nice to meet you, " Kamsi said before following the husband. 

Even if she had wanted to talk to her husband soon again, it was not when refusing Ella to come spend time with them was the only solution. The little girl seemed excited to be going on a holiday. 

Kamsi went to carry the small box her mother had packed her clothes. 

"Was it really your girl's idea? " She had asked. 

"No," Michelle replied laughing, "This holiday, I can't just deal with the both of them. " 

The ride back was not like the time they were coming. They now had a little bird singing in the back seat. 

"We talked about this. Did you tell Michelle? " Mark asked in the car. 

" Talked about what and what was I supposed to tell her? "

"that it's not convenient for you at the moment to house a baby."

"I don't know about that. It is very convenient for me. It's not like I go anywhere. " Kamsi said, hoping that the little girl will not store the conversation in her memory. 

" You stood there and allowed that man to flirt with you," Mark said, his eyes still on the road. 

Kamsi's jaw dropped. "When, who was flirting with me? "

Mark laughed and shook his head without uttering more words. Once again the car was silent because the little bird at the back seat was now sleeping.