☆Buchi
She had refused to tell me anything about what that Ebenezer had done to her, so I had nothing to tell mom when she asked. I only told her about my suspicions that Ebenezer being the reason for her sudden change. He had done something to hurt Chioma but the question was what? Chioma was tight-lipped about the matter and when mom decided to ask aunt Emerald, she and her family had already travelled.
It took so much not to barge into that room that day. Ebenezer had hurt my sister, to the extent of her not wanting to see him. Knowing how easily Chioma forgave him meant that Ebenezer had done something unforgivable. And I was trying to give him the benefit of doubt, knowing how much he loved my sister. But I couldn't shake away the image of those fading bite marks on her skin, the fingerprints on her neck and how she limped. The way she cried that day... I would never had believed he was capable of doing that to Chioma if I didn't see her present state.
"I si gini mee ada m?" I heard dad ask. Mom shook her head quietly. "Have you tried speaking to her?"
"O naghi ekwu kpakam! I choo ka m mezie gini?" I looked at Chioma who was BLANKLY STARING OUT THE WINDOW. My heart ached for her. I missed my sister. I just hoped this December would make her forget whatever she went through. And that Ebenezer...He would never have peace of mind, for hurting my sister.
"Did you ask Emerald?"
"She travelled. This evening, I'll ask."
"You'd better." I ran myfingers through Chioma's new braids.
"My love." I whispered into her ear. She turned to me and turned back to the window. "When will you be ready to speak to me?"
"Buchi, leave me alone. I'm tired."
"I miss hearing your voice. You rarely talk these days. Kenneth's been calling."
"i don't feel like talking to him."
"He's quite worried. Been spamming my inbox."
"I'm tired, Buchi."
"Chioma, no matter what, we'll always be here for you. We love you, okay. The Igbokwes would do anything for you." So she shouldn't be afraid to open up. She finally hugged me.
"It's the Isongs we're talking about here." Since when did that begin to matter? We were family friends.
"We don't care even if it is the Queen of England." I heard her cry. It was just Ebenezer. If she was afraid of his dad, she was too scared. Uncle Aaron would surely side us if he actually hurt her.
~
Village air was so different. Fresher and it smelled of mmemme, happening and upcoming occasions. It also smelled of food, local delicacies. i sighed as we approached the huge gates, gates i hadn't seen for quite a while. It had been four years since we last visited. Four good years. A lot would have surely changed.
Beep beep.
i turned to my twin who was staring blankly at her laps. "Baby m. We've reached oo. Cheer up, oh?" I pecked her cheeks. The next time I met that Ebenezer, we would have a heart to heart talk about what occurred between him and my sister. I got down and waited for her to follow. My parents and younger sister who used another vehicle had already come down and were exchanging greetings with our relatives.
I mentally prepared myself for embarrassment as I went to join my parents. "Heii. O buzikwa Chibuchi bu onye a?"
"Auntie good afternoon." I bowed to the middle-aged woman.
"Lekwanu ka ha si eto. Lekwanu Chioma. Ada, how are you?" The woman didn't even wait for a reply before hugging my sister. Chioma was red. I was red for her too. "Chibuike umu gi etochakwaala. Obere ihe, Monica jewe omugwo." Mom laughed, so did dad. She addressed my dad with this native names.
While we walked in, I looked around. Everything was almost still the same as it was. The differences were very few, like an increase in the number of vehicles my uncle had and that the gazebo was much larger than I remembered. "This place feels strange. I don't recall much," Chioma whispered to me.
"Same. Maybe cause it's been years?" She shrugged.
"Where's my brother?" Dad asked my aunt.
"He went to see some things in the farm. He's coming. Meanwhile..." she turned to us. "Unu o ga-eri ji ahuru ahu?" I grinned. Fuck yeah. Roast yams? Why not?
~~
The thing about coming back early was that most of your family wouldn't be home yet. My only joy was that my cousins were returning that day and one of them had comeback while we were napping.
"Omo, Jordan, you don change oo. Or is it me?"
"So are you..." Four years ago, this child was well...a child. His growth spurt did him good. To think Kaima at eleven was his height at fourteen. Now we were of similar heights.
"How far Chioma. I no see her. She still dey sleep?"
"She's tired."
"My small auntie. Fine girl wey no get wahala. Unlike her bros. Your papa nko? And that your fine mummy." I slapped his head.
"Na your aunt be that. You and this your pidgin sef? When did British academy become agbero school?" We shared a laugh. But honestly speaking...The guy went to the academy in Port Harcourt and was a boarder, unlike us.
"I jus dey learn. Internet things. But guy, how far nau? Been long. Abuja life don dey sweet you, abi. With those their hot high class babes." I laughed again.
"Since when? Small boy like you." he rolled his eyes.
"You want to start talking like my brothers abi? Abeg, don't become boring oo unless all hope is lost." This idiot. My phoned dinged as a message entered.
Where are you? Chioma had awoken. I sighed in relief.
"your babe?"
"Chioma."
~
As per being the star of the family, everybody was all "Chioma. Chioma Chioma." The girl herself was already tired. My family sef can stress. Uncle Chuma, Dad's elder brother, was back and was with him in the parlour laughing over the Hennessy dad just gifted him. Kaima and Chioma were with Benjamin's sisters and our moms while I was with Benjamin. His brothers were too busy and hadn't yet come back, even the one who was getting married.
"Chioma, she get man?" I looked up from my phone.
"No. Why?"
"No be her picture be this?" He showed me the picture of Chioma which Kenneth posted on his IG.
"Classmates, my nigga." I could tell he wanted to ask a lot but decided to shut up. I was grateful as I was in no mood to entertain questions. Jaelyn was being a bother and I didn't want to block her or say something harsh...for Angel's sake.
Speaking of Angel, she was so cold when I visited, like we were quarrelling or something. It made ending things with her easier but I was still hurt and I could tell she was hurt. Maybe she was hiding something from me, but if it was a pregnancy I did not want to know. I'd see her again, I promised myself. And if she was still as good as she was, we would take things further.
"He must like her a lot." I shrugged. Let him keep his liking to himself. Chioma wasn't interested. I went offline. Felix and his sister...I didn't want their wahala. "He still likes her." I was now focused on Benjamin.
Still? What did he mean by still? "You're staring weirdly. Did you forget the last time you guys came back?"
"Gini mezie?"
"Y'all were so friendly with the Heir, and he and Chioma were so close ehn." I couldn't recall such a thing. "He called her every night sef." The hell? "You don't remember?"
I shook my head. "The guy's father is from your mom's side...Onitsha people. I've gone to their house once...that huge mansion that they built near water." he looked so excited and I could tell he would soon go into detailed description of the house. But something wasn't clear...
Chioma knew Kenneth before Hughton? Before Ebenezer's party? Yeah, his dad was our godfather and all that but I could swear we never met till this year. What was Benji spouting? "And then there's those big dogs kor wolves they kept there. Tufia. Scary shit man. That their outdoor grill sef...it's a pity it exploded. He must have fixed it now." My head throbbed painfully. I was getting these weird flashes now. The explosion...
"Benji, daddy is calling you. His phone is not connecting to the Wi-Fi." My cousin groaned, hissed and got up to answer his dad. The person who relayed the message stayed back and I smiled at her.
"Dumebi." She took her brother's seat. She was Benjamin's immediate elder sister who was older by three years, meaning she was older than us by two.
"Fine boy, how far? Longest time. I came back, you didn't even come to greet me."
"Greet you as per you're my mummy or something. Leave me abeg. Two years don't mean shit, baby girl."
"Even that Chioma who thinks the world revolves around her..." I rolled my eyes. This girl was the most useless thing my family had. Like... Why did my uncle decide to have another girl? The first two were wonderful people and I loved them very much. This ewu here... Big mistake. And I wasn't talking just because she hated Chioma.
"Don't you think it's too early to start being a bitch? Four years and one would think you've finally grown brains. Na wa for you sef."
"Jordan, you're very mean ehn...Too mean." the next thing I felt was her hand on my lap. I gently removed it. She placed it there again.
"What?"
"What? Oh." She giggled like the witch she was. "So you're now doing good boy?"
"I'm not doing anything with you. I don't want any curse on my head."
"Like the curse wouldn't be there since. Abeg." her hands moved higher and I could feel myself getting turned on. Na this kyn temptation I no dey like. I got up. "Jordan, you're now boring."
"I've grown up, Amara. What you want can't be found in Owerri market."
"You have it."
"And I am not giving it to you. Period."
I had to admit that I used to do really stupid things with this girl, years ago when I was still exploring sex and getting used to my urges. But that was years ago. If she wanted such a relationship to continue, she was wrong. I wasn't doing again.
Hey y'all. It feels like years when it's just been a few months. This author's note will be very short. I have three more chapters to drop here before I finally vanish till...September/October.
Enjoy.