I followed the direction she gave me and came to a small hut, it was fenced with different kinds of strong wood.
It has a gate which was constructed with oak tree branches.
It familiar with his hut in my village where he once live.
Ifeoma was already awake but remained quiet.
I entered the gate and everywhere was quiet, I stood looking around the whole place.
Ifeoma was struggling to get down but I held her and when she struggle again I gently dropped her on the ground and watch her giggle happily as she practice her walking skills effectively.
She was happy as she move around unlike at the elderly woman's place. Ifeoma was extra quiet and later slept off which was unlike her.
Looking at her now I smile to myself. I gave her water to drink, after she drank deeply, I peeled banana that Njideka gave us and feed her and she was eating and wanting more.
Ukadike was not home so I decided to wait for him, I found a seat and sat down as I began to feed Ifeoma the fruits little by little until she started spitting it out so I stopped and cleaned her mouth.
I heard the gate opened and saw him enter with a big dry wood and a dead rabbit in the other hand.
He pause by the gate and looked at me, he was not smiling. Just with his straight face as always.
I breathed deeply and looked from him to the rabbit in his hand which remind me of my good old days, when I enjoyed setting traps and coming to meet bush meat in my traps.
I was always happy back then whenever my trap catches meat and I look forward to an enjoyable meal with father, Mma and her mother.
Ukadike went to his fire place which was stationed outside he dropped the big wool and the rabbit, I watched him take water to wash his hands.
I was on my feet. I left Ifeoma to play as I approached him, were he bent washing his hands.
“Ukadike…” I called out to him but he did not answer. He stood backing me, I watch him fold his fist tight as if he was battling with his emotions.
“Ukadike”…I called out to him again and I watched him turn to look at me. His hands were lined with veins. i took a closer look at him and he looks like he slimed down a little but it was not noticeable because of his size.
He looked from me to Ifeoma who was sitting where I left her giggling over something that she was playing with.
He kept looking at her and I watched him relaxed and unfold his wrist and straighten his face.
He breathed deeply as he looked back at me
I know him not to be a talkative. Ukadike is not a fan to too much talk. It was only in the palace I saw him talked more, when he fights with his brother or talk with his father the igwe of the entire kingdom.
Ukadike was good in disguising himself and nobody will even know he was a royalty, he lives like a nobody, like a stranger even in his only land and he did not even announce himself there until Akabugo decided to spite him through me
“Why…why did you leave…Oby….” Ukadike said with a calm voice, I felt relieved to hear him speak.
And I couldn't hold back my emotion any more I ran straight into his arm and held him tight.
Tears clouded in my eyes and I allowed it to pour freely. Ukadike held me closely with his strong hands and his heart beat like a constant rhythm to my ears.
He smells of sweat and I breath it all in while still holding him, we remain like that before he released me and wipe my eyes with his hands.
His eyes was red and I guess he was struggling real hard not to show his real emotions because an igwe to be do not need to be so emotional.
He was well trained not to show emotions to the public but and as he gently pulled me out I watch him struggle before he walked away from me.
I return back to Ifeoma.
He roasted the rabbit and quickly prepared it into a sauce with palm oil and pepper.
He roasted some ripe plantain and add to the oil mixed with grinded pepper and salt before bringing down to me.
OBIAGERI
It was already sun down, evening has settled but I don't feel like going home.
He went back and wash his hands before coming to join me.
I was already devouring the juicy meat with soft the ripe plantain when he came to join.
He pinched some of the rabbit meat into Ifeoma's mouth who was in my arm, Ifeoma licked her mouth in a funny way before smiling.
I laughed out and watch Ukadike curved his mouth into a smile.
He did the same for me, he took some meat and try to feed me but I told him I'm not a child he insisted that I take it from him and I did.
“I miss you Oby, saying I miss you is an understatement…you kicked me so hard when you disappeared… i fear I will never get to see you again…why did you have to leave me, you shattered me into pieces, you broke my heart deeply….what was my sins that you have to do such to me…you are like the air that I breath and when you left I felt breathless and frustrated….i have to leave in search of you…father said you will return I shouldn't go too far but I fear you won't…I have searched and searched and I never get tired of searching for you Oby…do you understand how I felt the day I saw you in the market here…do you know how broken I was all this while…I was over joyed in finally seeing you again and try to forget all my pains and the trouble I passed through at that instant because you worth it all…all I wanted is to just stare, looking at you brings so much fulfilment to me…then I heard the young man call you his wife…i..…I later asked around and they said you were married with a daughter… the name of your mother inlaw is a Njideka…I was giving enough information and the more I learnt that you are already married the more frustrated I become. I just don't know how to take it all in…
He pause and pinched another meat and feed Ifeoma who was so expectant, she couldn't wait for Ukadike to get to her she stretched her neck and grabbed the meat from his hand.
She began to chew with her small teeth while looking out for another one.
Ukadike did not waste time in feeding her more after seeing how she was enjoying the food.
Ukadike asked me if he can hold her.
“Yes ofcurse”. I replied as I quickly handed ifeoma over to him and he began to feed her, he stopped to give her water before he continued.
I was just waiting and hoping he will ask to hold his daughter before he finally asked, he probably did not know that she was his.
“Ukadike…I'm sorry that I have to leave the way I did…but I just couldn't stay and watch you trade the kingdom to your brother…Akabugo was going to take over the throne and I couldn't watch that happen…i just needed to leave in other for peace to reign…
He move the bigger meat to me. Ifeoma has eaten enough and did not want more, Ukadike looked up at me for some time before looking away
He said
“you left for peace sake but left me in pieces…the throne do not matter if you are not there with me…I won't make a great igwe without the woman that consumes me my being…the only woman that I loved deeply…I love you Oby and I don't know if I will ever stop…I was reluctant at first to come over to see you at your husband's place but I made up my mind to do so tomorrow and I was surprised that you searched me out here. Almost half of the villagers knows that you are married and your mother in-law is quiet popular for some good deeds. as a royalty I can't force you out of your marriage because of my feelings…I wish there is another way but…I can't hurt anybody because of my selfishness…the young man who happens to be your husband looks home trained and caring too…I just do not know how to accept the fact that you are married. Hmm….back in the village is believed that you were carrying my child before running away…I suspected it too and wanted you to prove it with your mouth but you denied it all, and did not accept of being pregnant. you said it in the presence of the igwe that you are not pregnant but I doubted it…I thought you were afraid of Akabugo and refused to admit… you ran away and I kept searching and never stopped searching until I came down here…I was here several months, I kept asking but nobody knows Obiageri and you did not fit into my description, I began to think that is probably you changed your name and after I saw you in the market I was later told your name is Obianauju, you actually changed your name, I was told many other thing that you are married with a daughter. Oby, I feel this baby is my child. Hmmm…but if you say is not…I won't fight you over her…I just don't want to bring you more sadness. You ran away because you don't want me to trade the throne to Akabugo, you don't know that you are worth more than the entire kingdom to me Oby. I just can't help myself when you are with me…I want to hold you all to my heart, I want to love you and pour my whole emotion which I have stored up all this while into you…but I just can't do that…I will be disrespecting your husband. Sitting down here with you I'm struggling to keep myself in order, Oby I'm sorry. I caused it all and I do not blame you for my pain and lost. The whole drama was just too much… I saw happiness drained off from your eyes back at the palace…you were greatly troubled and I wish I could ease it all off…I'm sorry, God has given me this opportunity to tell you to your face that I'm really sorry, this is not how I wanted it to go. I was angry with myself that you have to leave and also angry with you for leaving…
I touched his face with my free hand and make him look into my eyes.
“I'm not married Ukadike… yes, I am not married. Njideka only covered up my shame by telling everyone that I'm married to her son Nnamdi. It took her son time to accept it all but he later did and played along with the whole thing…Njideka did not want to expose me to ridicule or gossips…I was pregnant with your child. Ifeoma is your child Ukadike…. I have never stopped loving you…i missed you far more than you did. I saw you months back when I was still pregnant at the market place and I escaped because I did not want you to see me. i have an elderly woman who I see as God sent to me, she lives not too far from you…she has being guiding me and helping me pull through…she tells me things I don't know and things happening back home…she was the same person that sent me to Njideka who turned out to be a good mother to me…everything around here is a blessing, and sitting down here and watching you carrying your daughter is another blessing that I can't trade for anything…
Ukadike stood up joyfully, he held Ifeoma in the other hand and spread out the other wide happily, he looked up to the sky and screamed so loud making Ifeoma to also spread her own tiny hands while still in his arms.
Ifeoma said something happily which I can't comprehend, she chuckled as she watch her father repeating everything he does
I couldn't keep my emotions in check, my heart wanted to burst out happily. I wiped off a little tear drop from my eyes and started laughing. Ukadike did not hide his joyfulness, baby ifeoma was doing everything she sees her father do.
I couldn't just hide my own joy either.
It was a great reunion, while coming down to his place I did not know how the meeting with Ukadike will go and now I wish this evening of laughter will never end because I needed to go before Njideka and Nnamdi starts searching for me and Ifeoma. Night was already taking shape.
Ukadike was still holding Ifeoma, he was so happy just realizing that I was not married after all. That alone uplifted his spirit.
I'm happy and I know even heaven will be smiling right now at this moment.
