Chapter 5

AMARACHI

I took hold of her hand and she led me to her parked car. We got into the car and the driver ignited the engine.

"Take us home" she ordered but with a soft tone.

The driver nodded and turned the car around.

  I still felt a bit tense which I'm sure she noticed as I found her gaze on me.

"What is it my dear?"she asked me with a smile on her face.

I didn't want her to think I was being rude so I smiled back at her and shook my head.

"Nothing ma"

She sighed and let out a laugh"it's ok. I understand you may be a little scared. I'm just trying to help you"

I didn't know this woman from Adam but the kindness she showed me within this few minutes surpassed aunty Lydia's attitude towards me my entire life.

"You can come to my house whenever you want to fetch water ok. My door is always open"she added.

I smiled again, this time it was genuine. I already liked this woman.

We got to her house and the driver honked the horn. A man on uniform came out and opened the gate for us.

She lowered down the car window of her seat and smiled at the gateman who was waving at her.

"Wow! It seems her workers really love her. Who wouldn't love this woman? She's so kind"

"Madam welcome! you come back early o"the gateman said in pidgin.

He quickly ran to the car and and opened the door for her.

I opened the door and stepped down. I walked towards her and stood by her side with my jerry-can (water gallon).

Her house was magnificent. I couldn't help but admire this grand splendor.

  "Um yes. I just came to drop..."her voice trailed off as she turned towards me and found me staring at her house with my jaws dropped.

I noticed her gaze and casted my head downwards feeling embarrassed.

She just caught me staring at her house! What would she think of me!?

  She smiled at me and held my hand,"I came to drop her off. Behave yourself o Philemon. She is going to fetch water here"

  "Good morning" I greeted Philemon as I brought myself to look at him and smiled.

  He nodded his head and greeted me back.

"Ehen Cynthia!"she called out as we stood outside.

"Bia(come) this girl" she added.

The door of her house opened and a young girl came outside smiling.

  "Welcome ma"she greeted and she turned to me and smiled.

"She addressed her as ma, possibly this is also a worker"

"Cynthia show ummm..."she turned to me which made me realise I hadn't even told her my name.

"Amarachi"I added quickly.

"Yes, show Amarachi where she can get water ok. Whenever she wants water let her fetch it"she ordered in that commanding but soft tone.

Cynthia nodded and took hold of my hand, leading me to the back of the house.

Her duplex was really magnificent. I never believed I would ever enter Chief Justice's compound.

We walked in silence, which was killing me. I didn't like it.

"Your madam is very nice o"I said to start up a conversation.

"Yes she is. She is really a kind woman" Cynthia replied as we approached the tap at the back.

"Why is she back here in this village?"

God! I shouldn't have asked that! It wasn't my business for Christ sakes. I quickly regretted asking and hoped Cynthia wouldn't get angry.

I dropped my jerry-can beneath the metallic opening of the tap.

"Actually she came back for a business. Atleast that's what I know of" Cynthia replied.

I nodded and smiled, turning on the tap.

"Her youngest son Jordan will also come back soon too"she added.

"Fetch as much as you want ok. Take care Amarachi"Cynthia said and walked away leaving me in the backyard.

Jordan was coming back? That's good. It will be good for him to know his roots. Jordan was the last and youngest son.

He hardly came back but whenever he did I heard he caught the eye of the girls around.

I never had time to think about such nonsense and daydream about being with a boy. I had never seen the guy to begin with.

"Jordan you must be very luck to have such a mother like this. God bless her"

†††††††††

   I lifted the jerry-can to my head and walked towards the gate of the house. I didn't know what time it was now but I knew I had been fetching for probably almost an hour.

The darkness that covered the horizon had been replaced by a blue sky. The stars had gone into hiding allowing the early morning sun come into place.

I was really happy, I had fetched water very quickly and this was my last round.

"Maybe it was a good thing that aunty Lydia woke me up early. I wouldn't have met this lovely woman if I didn't go out early"

  A smile formed on my lips as I thought of Mrs Justice.

I opened the gate of the house and walked outside.

  I met Cynthia on my way,walking with a sack bag towards the house, looks like she had gone to buy some food stuffs.

  "You are already through?"she asked surprised.

"Yes o. God bless Mrs Justice. Thank you so much"I replied as I tried to balance the jerry-can on my head properly.

Little drops of water were dropping on my face from the jerry-can and I tried to wipe them with one hand whilst the other hand held my jerry-can on my head.

Cynthia nodded and smiled at me.

"Take care ok. Bye Amarachi" she said and waved at me.

"Bye Cynthia. Dalu o(well done o)"I replied and continued my journey home.

Once home, I headed to the backyard to drop my jerry-can.

Aunty Lydia and Ogechi were sitting on the corridor eating apple and chatting happily.

"Ogechi good morning"I greeted but I got no reply just a wicked glare. A deep sigh escaped my mouth as I saw her eying me.

Ogechi and I were agemates, it seemed both our mothers got pregnant in the same period.

Ogechi was naturally endowed. She was very beautiful and had a light complexion but she was a beauty without brains.

  Her big body size and shape got to her head, she used it to get things from men and her mother approved of it.

"I wonder when this girl will change?"

Once in the backyard, I dropped my jerry-can and breathed a sigh of relief. It was really a relief. The sun hadn't even risen much but I was already done.

I was beaming with happinesses as I looked at the jerry-can filled with water.

Suddenly I heard a noise, it was coming from the store room.

What could that be?

"Obu Okey(it's a rat). Those rats are coming back again"I cried out in disgust as I approached the store room.

I met the door of the store room open and was surprised to see my grandmother holding tubers of yams and arranging them.

"Ahh Nne!(mother) You scared me o. I thought it was rats. What are you doing here now?"

My grandmother put down the tubers and walked outside with her walking stick. She closed the door and turned to face me with a smile on her face.

Grandmother was old but still beautiful. One could easily see she was very beautiful in her youthful days.

"Nnwam (my child) I was just checking the food items in the store room. Let me know how that witch is taking care of the food items"

I let out a laugh and shook my head. Nne always calls aunty Lydia a witch. I don't think I've ever heard Nne address aunty Lydia as 'daughter'.

  "Nne you don't have to call her a witch now" I pleaded on aunty Lydia's behalf as we walked towards the frontage of the house.

  "Mba(no). E ku zia that thing (don't say that thing). Lydia bu amosu(Lydia is a witch)"

"Nne"I said again laughing as I put my hand over her shoulders.

We approached the front of the house and was about to enter when Aunty Lydia stopped me.

"Bia(come) are you done fetching water!?" She queried harshly.

"Lazy girl"Ogechi scoffed beneath her breath.

I ignored Ogechi's rude remark and turned my gaze to my aunty.

"I'm done fetching water aunty"

Both Ogechi's and aunty Lydia's jaw dropped on hearing my statement.

"How? It is now that the community tap opens and you are already done?"aunty Lydia asked.

"You are truly a witch. Aru!(abomination) Everybody come and see o! Amara is a witch! A she-devil!"Lydia added lamenting and shouting as if I had killed somebody.

"Lydia you wanted her to fetch water and now she has fetched it so let her be!"Nne shouted at Lydia.

"Nne let mama query her o. Let us know the magic she used to fetch the water"Ogechi chirped in to support her mother.

"What is this new problem I have to face now?"