When Mercy Runs Dry

Chapter 6: The Letter My Father Left

By 7am, we were on road to Owerri.

Me, Mama, Chidi, and Papa.

We carried Papa in keke. Keke from Amaka Village to Owerri — 3,500 naira. Money Mama borrowed from woman who gave us yam yesterday evening.

Papa sat in keke, wheelchair folded behind, tied. He was awake but tired after shouting "LEAVE MY CHILDREN ALONE" at 2am.

He held my hand tight, good hand tight, not letting go.

Chidi wore my father old slippers size 44 and my father old shirt, big for him, but he tucked inside, looking like small Chief.

"Aunty, I look like Chief Williams? Like you?"

"You look like Chief, Chidi. You look like my brother Chidi Uche."

He smiled, thin face, happy.

Mama carried small bag with garri and groundnut for journey, no water.

Owerri road bad, potholes, keke jumping, but we were going to hear Papa secret letter, written 6 months before sickness.

Barrister office at Tetlow, near IMSU junction, big building, AC, file everywhere.

We entered. Receptionist saw us — village people, old woman wrapper, small boy barefoot with big slippers, man in wheelchair cannot talk well.

She wanted to say "You cannot enter with slippers."

Barrister came out fast.

"Adaeze! Lolo Nkechi! Chidi! Chief! You came! You came with Chief!"

He carried Papa wheelchair himself, no shame, into AC office.

Inside office, AC cold. File everywhere, law books.

Barrister locked door, serious.

"Adaeze, before I give you letter, I must tell you something your father told me. Your father did not have stroke only by God. Something happened after drink."

Mama shouted, standing.

"What? Not natural? Who did?"

Barrister opened file, brought out medical report from FMC Owerri, private copy.

"Look. Doctor first report said severe stroke. But your father told me 6 months before, 'Barrister, someone is trying to take my land, they may put something in my drink. If I fall, check my food and palm wine. And give this letter to Adaeze.' So he wrote letter."

He brought out envelope, old envelope, sealed, with my father handwriting shaking.

"For Adaeze Williams. Open only if I cannot talk well."

Hand shook, I opened.

Letter inside, one paper, handwriting shaking but readable, Papa wrote with left hand then.

I read loud, for Mama, Chidi, Papa.

"My dear Adaeze,

If you are reading this, it means I cannot talk again well.

My daughter, forgive me. I did not tell you many things because I wanted to protect you from Amaka wickedness.

First, Chidi is my brother son. His father, my junior brother Obinna, died 16 years ago in lorry accident. His mother died same day giving birth at home. I hid Chidi in Umueze with woman because Obinna had land fight with Chief Okafor father. Chief family swore to harm any child of Obinna. So I hid him. Please take care of him. Give him land behind school, 3 plots worth 12,000,000 now. Give to him. He is your brother, your blood. He is Chidi Uche.

Second, Adaeze, I did not have stroke by God only. I think someone put something in my palm wine that day. That day, Chief Okafor brought me palm wine in white bottle. He said 'Chief, drink, let's settle land matter for market.' I drank small. That night, I fell, hand no gree lift, mouth twist. I suspect something in wine. But I have no proof, so I write. If I die, go to Area Command Owerri, not Amaka boys, Amaka boys are his friends.

Third, I have money. 6,000,000. In my account in bank Owerri. I saved after my transport business good, two buses. I did not tell Mama because women talk and village people will beg. Now you know. Use it for my treatment, carry me to good hospital in Enugu, therapy can make me walk 70% again. Doctor said Enugu therapy good. And use for Chidi school, and Mama house, and blue gate.

Fourth, Adaeze, leave that your husband Emeka in Abuja. He is not good man. He came to me 2 years ago before my sickness, asking me to sell land and give him 5,000,000 to do business in Abuja. I refused. He said he will divorce you if I don't give him land money. I told him to leave my house in Amaka. He is wicked, he locked your 200,000 hair before. You deserve better, better than car, better heart. Come back to Amaka and start again with your brother Chidi.

I love you, Adaeze. You were only child who sat with me when I was nobody, when I had no bus. Remember when you were small, I carried you on shoulder to Amaka Community School? I still carry you in my heart, even when I cannot carry you on shoulder.

Your father,

Chief Williams Uche, most cheerful man in Amaka."

I finished reading. Tears everywhere, file wet.

Mama on floor crying loud, wrapper.

"Williams! You had 6,000,000 and you did not tell me! You suffered us! You allowed us suffer for 2 years for 47,000 drug! You allowed me beg for 5,000! You had 6,000,000!"

Chidi cried too, slippers big.

"Papa Obinna... so my papa had land fight with Chief Okafor father... so Chief family wants to harm me... so I am not orphan... I am Uche..."

I held letter tight, 6,000,000.

Papa was not just cheerful man. He was wise man. He saved money 6,000,000 while we thought broke. He saved Chidi 16 years. He wrote letter to protect us from Chief and Emeka.

Barrister said, "Adaeze, that account, I checked yesterday. Money still there, 6,000,000. Chief Okafor did not know, Emeka did not know. If you have letter and medical report, bank will release to next of kin. You are next of kin with your mother. We will go to bank tomorrow after settlement."

6,000,000! With 6,000,000, we can carry Papa to Enugu hospital therapy 700,000! We can buy drug 47,000! We can rebuild house! We can buy blue gate 120,000! We can put Chidi in school!

But Emeka was coming today to Amaka to divorce me.

If I have 6,000,000, will Emeka still divorce me? Or will he want 6,000,000?

At that moment, Mama phone rang, loud, village woman.

"Lolo! Lolo Nkechi! Where are you? Emeka don come! Your son-in-law from Abuja don come with 3 men! They are in your compound now in Amaka! No gate, they entered open! They say they want to divorce Adaeze today in front of everybody! Come quick!"

Emeka came early! 10am! We were in Owerri! We left compound open! No blue gate! And Papa with us in Owerri!

If Emeka enters compound and we are not there, he will say we ran! He will tell Amaka villagers "Adaeze left her sick father and ran to Owerri!"

I stood up, letter in hand.

"Barrister, we must go back to Amaka now now! My husband is in my father compound to divorce me in front of village!"

Barrister stood too, file.

"I will follow you with my officer. Let's go to Amaka. Let's settle both cases today."

We carried Papa again into keke, fast, keke driver drove like crazy, Owerri to Amaka Village, 3,500 again, potholes jumping.

Heart beating, letter in wrapper, 6,000,000 secret.

Emeka in Amaka compound, with family, to divorce me.

Chidi holding my hand in keke, slippers big.

"Aunty, if that man wants to divorce you and shame you, I will fight him! Even though he big from Abuja! I be Chidi Uche now, I get land 12,000,000!"

Small Chidi with big slippers wanting to fight my husband.

Papa held my hand too, good hand tight, he could not talk now, tired again after letter, but eyes said "Adaeze, no fear. I am here. I have 6,000,000 for you."

By 11:30am, we reached Amaka Village.

We saw many people in our compound, crowd, 40 people. Because divorce in Amaka is like festival, people come to watch, to gossip.

And in middle, Emeka, wearing agbada, shining shoe, with his elder brother and his mother, mother fat.

His mother shouting, no gate, open compound.

"Where is Adaeze? Where is that useless girl who left her husband house to follow Amaka witches? Where is she? She left sick father open!"

Mama came down from keke first, shouting, wrapper.

"Emeka! Why you enter my house with no permission? Where is my blue gate? Chief Okafor removed gate 80,000! You entered without gate!"

Emeka saw me. Saw Papa in wheelchair, tired. Saw Chidi, small boy, big slippers, big shirt.

He laughed, loud.

"Adaeze, so you are now carrying houseboy as new husband? You left me in Abuja to come and stay with small boy in Amaka? No wonder you did not want to come back! You have new man, small boy!"

His mother joined, shouting.

"Look at her! Barefooted boy! This girl has spoiled in Amaka! She left 200,000 shop to follow houseboy!"

Villagers murmuring, "Is Adaeze now following houseboy?"

I wanted to cry, shame, in front of 40 people.

But then Chidi stepped forward, 15 years, big slippers, big shirt, voice loud, louder than Emeka, because he is now heir.

He shouted, voice shaking but loud.

"Oga! My aunty Adaeze is not your wife again! She is now my sister, Chidi Uche! And this land you are standing on, na my land, 3 plots, 12,000,000! And this man in wheelchair, na my papa brother, Chief Williams! If you insult my sister again, I will call Area Command Owerri!"

Small boy shouting at big man from Abuja, in front of crowd.

Everybody quiet, shocked.

Emeka shocked, small houseboy shouting at him, Abuja big boy.

And then my father, who had been silent since 3am after shouting, lifted his good hand again, pointing at Emeka, in front of everybody, 40 people.

And said one word that made all villagers shout "Ehhh!"

"THIEF!"

Papa called Emeka thief! In front of everybody! After 2 years silence, second time!

Emeka face changed to red, agbada.

"Who you call thief, old man? You, wheelchair man?"

Barrister Uche came down from his Prado behind us, with officer, file with 6,000,000 letter.

He said, "He calls you thief because you tried to collect 5,000,000 from him before sickness to sell his daughter land. I have record in file. And you locked your wife shop in Abuja with 200,000 hair inside for 6 months. That is also taking. Oga Emeka from Abuja, you are invited for questioning..."

Officer hand ready.

Emeka family started begging, mother kneeling now.

But I, Adaeze, daughter of most cheerful man in Amaka, holder of 6,000,000 letter...

I looked at Emeka, my husband for 4 years who slapped me, who locked my 200,000 shop...

And I said, voice loud for 40 people...

"Emeka, you wanted to divorce me in front of my village people in Amaka. Now my village people will watch how you go to Area Command Owerri for shop locking. Let's go to Owerri."

Crowd shouted, "Ehhh! Adaeze don talk!"

Was I doing right? To invite my own husband with police in my father compound with no blue gate?

What will Amaka people say tomorrow? That Adaeze arrested her husband?

Or that Adaeze finally stood up after 4 years with 6,000,000 and brother Chidi?

And what about Chief Okafor boys? Will they come again tonight for 50,000?

We have 6,000,000 secret now, but no blue gate to lock.

Tonight, will we be safe?