THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 51-60
CHAPTER 60
BY SOLOMON ADINYA
“Abeg come and enter inside! I keep telling to be following me that have head! It’s Stephen you saw to bring home! Don’t ever try that kind of nonsense again oh!”
Prisca warned her friend, she was still catching her breath, her face was still stinging from the slaps and blows she had received from Stephen, she found it hard to walk back into the house.
” Sorry Ehn how can you go and be following Stephen that will use tramadol to finish your destiny?” Priscilla said. They held her one by each side and took her into the house.
The news had gotten to mama Amos where she sold foodstuffs at the village market, she was matching military style, like her late husband to the house.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 51-60
She banged at the door of the twins. “Who is that! Do you want to break down our door!” Priscilla yelled at whoever was outside the door.
“It’s your mother and father you’re shouting at useless Ashawo kobokobo!” Mama Amos baptised the twins with insults.
“Mama respect yourself oh! We won’t take that insult from you. don’t you dare call the name of our parents from your mouth!” The twins who had gotten out of their room to face mama Amos, they had taken enough rubbish from her to the neck.
“What are you going to do? Are you two not Ashawo! Tell me what work are you doing?” She asked them.
“If it’s not Ashawo how did you get married to your husband? Do you want to say it’s only your husband that slept with you in this life? You too you’re a Ashawo!” Prisca snarled at the old woman.
“You this twins you’re a curse to your mother! Is today you’re going to leave this compound!” She said the twins laughed.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 51-60
“We paid for three years, we’ll stay for three years and add jara! Do you have our money to pay us! Mama soldier mind your business! don’t cross our lane we won’t cross yours!”
Prisca yelled at the old woman before banging the door at her face. The spectators began to break find their way one after the other. Dooshima held Mama Amos, and led her away into her house.
” Dooshima you see those useless girls? Don’t you be like them!” Mama Amos begged her. “Imagine the kind of disgrace those ones are bringing to their parents! That’s why they left Vandeikiya to come and be selling their body here.”
“Mama I can’t do that, please just calm down you’re shouting too much.” Dooshima begged, the old woman put a hand on her chest. “Are you okay mama?” Dooshima asked, as the old woman’s face became pale, as if a bone got stuck in her throat.
“Just get me my drugs from my bedroom.” she said as she placed an arm over her face, and one leg on the table. Dooshima returned with the drug and went to the old woman’s kitchen to fetch water.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 51-60
She took the water, the pains on her chest relieved her. “Dooshima I can’t go to the market, please can you go and help me…” Dooshima didn’t allow her complete her statement before she agreed.
Shania had woken up from sleep and walked outside the house, she was crying and looking for Dooshima, she picked her up.” Mama have you woken up?” Dooshima said as she kissed her daughter. “You must be very hungry.” Dooshima said and the baby nodded.
“Let’s go and eat.” Dooshima hadn’t eaten her food the old soldier’s wife had given her in the morning, she kept it so they could take it for lunch. After they had finished eating Dooshima got a wrapper and tied Shania on her back, the way Mama Amos had taught her, they took the ten minutes walk to the market square.
A neighbour was helping mama Amos to take care of her shop, she handed the money she had sold to Dooshima, she had always been to the market market Old soldier’s wife, the women loved her and her funny accent when she tried to speak the Tiv language.
Dooshima had began to pack the foodstuffs into the shop , when Amos and his friend Terdue drove to the market.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 51-60
“Hey Dooshima where is my mother? Why are you the one here?” Amos asked Dooshima.
“Mama is not feeling well, she asked me to help her come here.” She said still packing things into the shop, Terdue stayed frozen staring at Dooshima.
“Weather is changing stop staring likw a mumu!” Amos yelled at his friend. Come and help her to pack the goods. ” Amos said to his friend.
The two of them helped her pack the remaining foodstuffs into the shop and locked it up. Dooshima locked up the shop and began to walk away on foot.
“Dooshima are you not going to join the car?” Amos asked, as Dooshima continued walking away.
“Don’t worry my leg will do fine. The house is only ten minutes walk. ” Dooshima said with a straight face, her baby who was almost two years old hung on her back like a kangaroo’s baby in her pouch, Amos shook his head in amusement. Terdue insisted they pick her, but Amos asked that they leave her alone.
Dooshima arrived in the compound, grandma was already herself she was making dinner already, porridge beans and yam, she was laughing craziy at Dooshima, she wondered if mama’s drugs had an intoxicant. Terdue’s car was parked outside but he and Amos were not outside.
THE NIGHT WIFE CHAPTERS 51-60
“Mama why are you laughing?” Dooshima asked as she dropped Shania down from her back, the baby couldn’t wait for reach the ground before she took to her heels to join the compound children playing.
“Come and sit down here Dooshima.” Mama Amos said tapping on a space on the wooden bench she was sitting. “I have something I want to discuss with you.” Dooshima came to sit next to the old woman.
“Dooshima Amos told me you refused to join them in the car?” She asked, Dooshima face immediately changed, it was bent in a frown. “Why can’t you give yourself a chance to be happy?
My son Amos I can’t vouch for, he is a womaniser like his father. But you see that boy Terdue he’s from Christian home. HE doesn’t drink, or smoke, Amos told me he has no girlfriend, and doesn’t carry girls. He has been telling me that he likes you, you can not remain in your past forever.
Give yourself a chance to be happy again. I hate seeing you sitting sad and lost. You need to love again.” she said Dooshima nodded and didn’t say a word.
To be continued……..
