When Mercy Runs Dry

Chapter 8: Settlement Day

By 8am, we were at Owerri Area Command.

Me, Mama, Chidi, Papa in wheelchair, and Barrister Uche.

And inside waiting room, Chief Okafor and Emeka.

Two men who tried to take from my father — one with land, one with marriage.

Area Commander was big man, calm, cap neat, file thick.

He brought out file.

"Madam Adaeze, we have two cases today.

Case one: Chief Okafor, land issue, removal of gate, attempted clearing of 3 plots behind community school worth 12 million without family consent. Buyer has returned and collected his 2 million deposit from Chief family this morning. Buyer angry, wants to report Chief too.

Case two: Emeka from Abuja, locking wife shop with goods worth 200,000, domestic issue. He says he will open shop today if you withdraw complaint."

Chief Okafor knelt. Yes, Chief knelt in Area Command office, agbada on floor.

"Mama Nkechi, Adaeze, forgive me. I was greedy. My father told me that land belongs to Chidi family, and if Chidi grows, he will collect land back. So I wanted to sell fast. I removed gate, I took papers. I was wrong. I will return papers now. Original papers. And I will return 2 million deposit I collected as compensation to your family. I will sell my motorcycle and return money as apology. Please."

He brought out brown file. Original land papers. My father name, Chief Williams Uche, 3 plots behind community school in Amaka Village.

Mama collected papers, hands shaking, tears.

"My husband land! Original papers! After 2 years!"

I held papers. Real. With stamp and survey.

Chief continued, crying, "And I... I... that palm wine... I did not poison Chief with bad mind. I swear. I only added small local herb to make him weak, not stroke. My friend gave me herb to make him weak for 2 weeks so he will agree to sell land. I did not know it will cause paralysis. I swear, I did not know."

Silence in station.

He added something to palm wine! Confession!

Barrister recorded quickly in his note.

"Chief, you just confessed you added substance to Chief Williams drink that caused paralysis. That is serious offense."

Chief cried loud, "I was told it will only make him weak for 2 weeks! Not stroke! Herbal man deceived me! I swear!"

Papa in wheelchair heard. He tried to stand with stick. He could not. But his good hand pointed at Chief, shaking, eyes red.

He wanted to talk. He tried, voice small.

"You... you... why..."

He could not complete, but we understood.

Mama shouted, "So you are the one who made my husband sick! You put something in his drink because of land!"

Commander said, "Madam, calm, we are recording."

Now Emeka turn.

Emeka knelt too. Abuja big boy kneeling in Owerri, jeans.

"Adaeze, forgive me. I locked your shop because I was angry you left to Amaka without permission. I will open shop today. I will give you key. And I will give you divorce without shame. No need to call Amaka people. We will do divorce quietly in court. You will keep your bride price, I will not collect. You will be free."

He brought out shop key. My hair shop key. Four years of my hustle inside, Brazilian hair, wigs.

I collected key. For 4 years, this key was power. He held key, he held me. Now key in my hand.

Barrister whispered to me, "Adaeze, decide. If you push Chief to court for adding substance, he will enter prison, but his family will fight you in Amaka forever. Your father may not get peace. If you settle, you get papers, you get 2,000,000 compensation for gate and drugs, and you can carry your father to hospital in Enugu for therapy 70% walking chance. Which do you want? Court or healing?"

Healing or court?

I looked at Papa. Papa looked at Chief kneeling. Papa eyes had tears, but also forgiveness. Because my father was most cheerful man in Amaka. He helped everyone, even those who hated him.

If he could talk well today, what would he say? Would he say "Jail Chief" or "Collect money and treat me"?

I remembered his letter: "Use 4,000,000 for my treatment. Carry me to Enugu."

Papa wanted treatment, not revenge.

I stood up.

"Commander, I want settlement. But with conditions."

Commander nodded, "Talk, Adaeze."

"Condition one: Chief will return land papers — done. Condition two: Chief will sell his motorcycle and give my family 2,000,000 compensation for gate 80,000, for drug we could not buy for 2 years, and for his herb. Condition three: Chief will go to my father compound in Amaka and kneel before my father and ask forgiveness in front of village people, not in station, in village where he removed gate."

Chief nodded fast, tears, "I will do it! I will do it! I will kneel in Amaka!"

"Condition four: Chief will never enter my father 3 plots again. That land belongs to Chidi from today. I, Adaeze, will sign transfer to Chidi in Barrister office today, because Papa willed it."

Chidi shouted in station, "Aunty! Land for me? 12 million land for me?"

"Yes, Chidi. Papa willed it to you. You are my brother, son of my aunt. You are heir."

Chidi cried, 15 years boy crying in Area Command.

"Condition five for Emeka: Open my shop today, give me all my hair goods worth 200,000, give me peaceful divorce paper, and never come to Amaka again."

Emeka nodded, "I will do it. I will open shop today. I will send your goods by bus to Owerri tomorrow."

Commander wrote settlement paper. Everybody signed. Thumbprint for Papa.

By 11am, settlement done.

Chief released, Emeka released, but with warning.

Commander said, "If you near this family land again without permission, I will charge you. Go and do village apology."

They left.

We left too, with papers tight in my bag.

Outside Area Command, Mama hugged me.

"Adaeze, you did well. You chose healing over prison. Your father would be proud. Most cheerful man taught you forgiveness."

Papa raised good hand and touched my face again, soft.

We went back to Amaka Village with land papers. Original papers in my bag, tight like Bible.

Village people saw us return with papers and blue gate key and police paper.

"Williams family don win!"

"Chief Okafor don return papers!"

By 2pm, Chief Okafor came to our compound as agreed. He came with his mother, old woman, and his two boys.

He knelt in front of my father wheelchair, in front of our new blue gate, in front of Amaka people who gathered 20 persons.

"Chief Williams, forgive me. I added herb to your drink. I wanted land. I was greedy. Forgive me."

Village people shouted, "Ehhh! Chief put herb!"

"Chief wanted land!"

Papa looked at Chief kneeling. After long silence, Papa raised good hand and placed it on Chief head, like blessing.

Papa forgave. Because he was most cheerful man in Amaka.

Mama cried. I cried. Even Chief cried.

That evening, Chief family brought 2,000,000 cash. From motorcycle sale 1,800,000 plus 200,000 borrowed.

They gave to Mama. Mama now had 2,000,000 old savings plus 2,000,000 compensation = 4,000,000. Plus my 2,000,000 from earlier = 6,000,000 total family money.

From broke, no 47,000 drug, to 6,000,000 in one day. Because Adaeze fought.

At night, we sat inside compound, blue gate locked, eating rice and meat.

Chidi said, "Aunty, tomorrow you will go to Abuja to pack your shop?"

I said, "Yes, Chidi. Tomorrow I go to Abuja to pack my 200,000 hair. And I will close that chapter. Then I will come back to Amaka. I will build small house for Mama, I will put you in school, and we will carry Papa to Enugu hospital for therapy. We will not go far, but Enugu good hospital."

Mama said, "And your divorce?"

I smiled, holding shop key.

"My divorce will be peaceful. No shame. Because I now have blue gate. And I have key. And I have 6,000,000."

Papa slept early, tired but happy, hand on new gate paper.

At 10pm, phone rang. Emeka.

"Adaeze, I have opened shop. Your hair complete. I sent picture. Come tomorrow and carry. And I want to say sorry. I saw how you fought for your father. You are strong woman. I was foolish to lock your shop. Forgive me."

He sent picture. My small hair shop in Abuja, open, hair on shelf.

For 4 years, that shop was my dream.

Now I will pack it and bring it to Owerri. To start again near my father, with Ikenna 300,000.

I replied, "Thank you, Emeka. I forgive you. Let's divorce peacefully and be friends."

He replied "Okay."

I dropped phone.

Chidi locked blue gate again and again, happy.

"Aunty, gate locked!"

Yes, gate locked.

But my heart now open. Open to new life.

Tomorrow I go to Abuja. But tonight, I sleep in Amaka, daughter of most cheerful man, sister to Chidi, holder of 6,000,000, holder of land papers.

And tomorrow is Chapter 9, second letter secret.

But phone rang again at 11pm. Barrister Uche.

"Adaeze, you need to come to Owerri first thing tomorrow 8am before Abuja. There is one more secret in your father letter I did not tell you. About your mother. About why you left Amaka 4 years ago. Come alone. Don't come with Mama."

Secret about Mama? Why I left Amaka 4 years ago?

What secret?