“Bu……t… but it wasn’t here before? How come the money is here now?” Confused Okwuchi asked
“Because you never searched. Mama, you woke up and started accusing me falsely, why? You were sounding so sure that I entered your room and took your money. What are you trying to achieve by tainting me bad?” Ogechi calmly asked
“Shut up your mouth there, Ogechi. I said shut up. You have succeeded in getting away this time, but I promise you, you will fail next time” Okwuchi angrily snapped
And that statement got Ndubuisi confused.
“Mama, what do you mean by that? Is there something going on between you two?” He asked, remembering Ogechi telling him about his mother’s hatred for her: “Mama, don’t you like Ogechi as my wife? I want to know, Mama”
And Okwuchi quickly came to realise that she was about to expose herself.
“And I created this scene for nothing and Ndubuisi will now know that I don’t like his wife. I think I should remedy this situation now so that I won’t make a mess of the entire thing”
“Mama, answer me, don’t you like Ogechi again?”
“No no my son, it’s not like that, just that I was mad, thinking that Ogechi had stolen my money. I thought that she had betrayed the love and trust I have for her”
“Seriously Mama, your action was quite unpredictable. You reacted so bitterly as if you had this deep hatred for her” Ndubuisi said, looking confused
“Don’t talk like that, my son, I love Ogechi like my blood daughter. Have you forgotten I was the one who chose her for you? Eh, have you forgotten?”
And Ndubuisi hummed, leaving his mother’s room.
The way Okwuchi reacted, ensuring that Ogechi got exposed kept resurfacing on Ndubuisi’s face.
“Mama was so mean when she was accusing Ogechi of stealing her money. It doesn’t show the description of a person who has any single love for Ogechi. Or could Ogechi be saying the truth when she was telling me about my mother’s hatred for her? Does it mean Mama does not like her again? And the food, while Ogechi was in this village, none of her food tasted better. I was able to confirm she was a great cook after we left the village. What is really going on? I know Mama to be a repulsive fellow, has she developed a sudden hatred for Ogechi? Hmm, anyway, let me not conclude on anything yet, until I’m sure of what is going on”
Ogechi’s Mother calmly took Ogechi outside Okwuchi’s room and asked her to get a seat for them to have a chat and Ogechi heeded.
“My daughter, to tell you the truth, I couldn’t believe what I saw this morning. How Okwuchi was accusing you of stealing her money without having any proof, does she hate you that much?”
But Ogechi did not say anything, she was lost thinking on how everything happened, including how she returned the money to it’s original place.
But her mother continued: “You know, I never believed you when you told me about Okwuchi faking to be sick. I have confirmed that now. She looks healthy and I’m beginning to suspect that she did something about the money and tried to frame you for it. Because from the way she sounded, she was so serious and certain that the money was missing from her room but her plan backfired. But my daughter, is that what happened?”
But Ogechi was still lost deep in thoughts and her mother tapped her.
“Ogechi my daughter, seems you are lost in thought, where is your mind?”
“Ow Mama, don’t mind me. Was thinking about something. What were you saying?”
“Which means, I have been soliloquizing all this while?”
“Sorry about that Mama” Ogechi apologised, sounding so weak and worried.
“Ogechi my daughter, is there something you are not telling me?” She asked
“Something like what, mother?”
“I mean, the money. The way Okwuchi was acting depicted somebody who tried to frame you. It looked like, she tried to frame you with the money so that Ndubuisi will think you are a thief and severe your relationship, but her plan backfired. So tell me, is that really what happened?”
“Wow! Mama, how did you dig up this idea?” Ogechi asked and thought in her heart: “Should I share my worries with my mother? Off course she won’t believe me, she will misunderstand the situation. I know how she use to think sometimes. I won’t tell her anything until I’m sure of what is wrong with me.”
“Ogechi, I’m asking you a question?” Her mother repeated
“No mother, nothing of such happened. I don’t know anything of such” Ogechi replied
“Hmm, my daughter, you need to be very careful. What I saw today really shocked me. You need to be very prayerful, it’s only God’s grace that will see you through in this your marriage.”
“Alright mother, I have heard all you said”
Okwuchi couldn’t believe what just happened. She was sure the money was missing from her room but how it returned to it’s place was something she couldn’t give account off.
“What happened? Does it mean that the charm is not effective? I need to meet Nkechi about this, I can’t understand anything” She said and then began going to Nkechi’s house.
“Okwuchi, this one you came to my house this early morning, seems you couldn’t wait to gist the whole drama to me? So tell me, how did it go? I am sure your son has now realised that his wife is a terrific thief”
“My friend, things did not go as planned. I saw Ogechi took the money but how it was placed back is something I really can’t explain… I just don’t know what happened”
“Tell me more about it” Nkechi requested as Okwuchi narrated how everything happened.
“And your son, what did he say?”
“Nothing, but I saw the confusion in his eyes. He will be thinking so many things right now. I was left dumbfounded. There is something wrong with the charm. From the way Ogechi reacted the first time I fed her the charm showed that something is seriously wrong with it. I think I should call that herbalist now and tell him what is
going on. I had myself disgraced in front of my son this morning. I made entire fool of myself.”
“Okwuchi, to tell you the truth, I am short of words myself. But before we call the herbalist, let’s give her one more trial”
“One more trial? Explain please”
“You will have to send her to the market to buy something for you. If truly the kleptomaniac spirit is now in her like the priest claimed, then she won’t resist the urge of exposing herself in the market”
“Your idea is very wonderful. That is the only way to know what we are dealing with. But Nkechi, that will be a very wonderful idea. Do you know what that means?”
“Yes I do, she will be highly disgraced in the market. They will also strip her naked and hang the goods she stole on her neck.”
“Oh my! This is sounding so sweet to my ears. Yes, she will be humiliated just like I was disgraced this morning. And with this, my son won’t stand the shame of having her as a wife. Nkechi my friend, ever since this girl came into my family, I haven’t had a moment of peace. Every effort to throw her away seemed not to be working, I just hope this one works”
While Okwuchi and her friend were still nurturing their evil plans, Ndubuisi was getting ready to leave the village.
“Ogechi, where is Mama?” He asked
“She stepped out a while ago.”
“Which means she is strong now, she is no longer sick. So I want you to go inside and get ready, we are leaving for the city”
“Owk sir.” Ogechi said and then hummed in her heart: “That is what I also wanted, I can’t wait to leave here. I think there is a demon that is fighting to ruin my life here” she then entered inside to take a bath
“This is the only way to control the relationship between my wife and my mother. What happened this morning is enough reason for Ogechi to hate my mother, so I don’t want that to happen. I have to keep her away until I understand my mother’s true intentions, until I understand what is really going on” Ndubuisi said in his heart.”
Mama Why? By Ngozi Lovelyn O
Warning: No part of this work should be copied, use, reproduce, redistribute either electronically or manually without permission from the author
Copyright©ngozilovelyn.com 2017
