Home Is Where The Devil Is (Temporary title)

How It All Began

"My husband, you have 5 wives already, myself included. Do you think it wise to get another wife? " Mana questioned her husband who was seated across from her. They were seated on her compound under a small mango tree away from the hut Mana shared with her 4 children. Yao sighed
"My wife, if it were up to me, I wouldn't marry again. Not because I have 4 other wives but because I have you" Yao said.
Mana couldn't help but sigh. She knew Yao had no choice. Before she married Yao, Mana was married to Yao's oldest friend Agbeko. Agbeko was already in his seventies when he married Mana who was in her twenties. When Mana was 7 months pregnant with their first child, Agbeko died. As tradition demanded, Mana had to marry Agbeko's brother, Kofi Bade. That was when Yao came in. He swooped in and married her and took her away from the torment she would have endured in the hands of Kofi Bade who was a known miser. Yao was already in his forties when he married Mana. What Mana didn't know was that Yao had been engaged to another woman. Being the honourable man that he was, Yao married Akuvi who became his second wife. Yeye was a widow who was thrust upon him and so she was only his wife in name only. He took care of her but rarely shared her bed. His fourth wife, Yawo was arranged and his fifth wife, Sesime was another widow whose husband was a close friend of Yao's. Mana got along well with the other wives. They were all like sisters but she was closest to Sesime, perhaps because they'd been through the same thing; losing their husbands while pregnant. Yeye too had lost her husband but hers was different. Her children were already teenagers and she herself was in her forties, just a few years younger than Yao. Yao was a local chief priest who made a name for himself also as a farmer. Everyone wanted to be related to him in one way or another. Although he was merely a stranger in Nogokpo they respected him and made him feel at home. Yao's family had been feuding with the Kulape family of Aflao for centuries even before he was born but as soon as Yao was old enough, he got some elders to back him and they went to see the Kulapes. They too agreed they were tired of fighting and wanted it to end but only on one condition. That Yao would marry one of their daughters. It'd seal their agreement. And so Yao agreed. If that was the only way to end the bloodshed and violence that had been going on for centuries, he would do it.
Mana could only nod as her husband listed the reasons why he had to go through with the marriage. What right did she have anyways? She was just another stray he rescued. And she couldn't complain. She wasn't the only wife. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She'd heard Mawutor was a nice girl, respectful and kind. Her people adored her and they boasted of her beauty. Mana was snapped out of her thoughts by the children's shouts.
"Etsi dzadza ge. Soja nade tsu. Gbo! Gbo! Gbo! "
She looked up to see dark clouds rolling in. The sky was almost as dark as night. How she failed to notice was beyond her.
"Will you be spending the night with us? " she questioned
Yao shook his head.
"I told Sesime I'd drop by tonight. She's even prepared her special Amaa soup for me" Yao said, smiling fondly. Amaa soup was a special soup made from Dandelion and melon seed. No one prepared it better than Sesime. Mana always forgot to ask her the recipe. She was tired of asking Sesime to prepare it for her whenever she wanted to eat it. Not that Sesime complained. She loved it. It also gave her an opportunity to learn how to prepare oil. No one bested Mana at that.  That was her source of income. That and the pigs she reared.
Yao stood up to go when Mana's youngest came running in. She was barely 8.
"Papa, are you going to see Dada Sesime? " she questioned
"Agi " Mana called, hoping to deter her daughter from asking whatever she wanted.
Yao looked at his daughter and nodded.
"Can I go with you? I want to see Esi. She wants to teach me how to make Abolo" Agi grinned. Esi was Sesime's last born and a few months younger than Agi.
Yao patted her head lovingly . He looked up into the sky
"There's a storm coming, little one. You can play tomorrow " he said.
Agi nodded. Out of Mana's children, she was the most obedient especially to her father.
Yao reached into his pocket and took out two earrings made out of cowries and dropped them in Agi's palm.
"This is for you, little one"
Agi smiled, showing off perfect teeth.
"The rain will start in no time. You best be on your way " Mana advised.
Yao nodded and walked off.
Mana turned to face Agi , opening her hand. Agi dropped the earrings inside without hesitation. First, a drop. Then another and soon, it was raining.
"Go inside, Agi " Mana said
"But Daa, Fogah, Fovi and Daavi are still playing in Daa Yeye's house" Agi said. She was talking about her brothers and sister.
"Go and call them then. Agi, if I hear tomorrow that you were playing while I sent you to call them, I'll beat you black and blue" Mana said with all seriousness. Agi nodded and ran off