BORN A NORTHERN DAUGHTER

CHAPTER NINE

I became concerned and worried because I know my brother never to give up on what he wants, if he doesn't get what he wants he destroy others own, that way he feels relieved that his not the only one at loss. I prayed and even fasted twice a week for three months asking God to protect my marriage for me, I prayed that he has given up on the love he has for my wife. I loved your mother so much that thinking about losing her breaks my heart because she loves me too dearly. A year after our marriage your mother became pregnant of your brother, she was still strong and hardworking, but I make sure I wake up early to help her clean up the house and do the dishes, she wakes up in the morning only to cook breakfast, I would have done that for her too but I don't know how to cook, "I can only eat" nafisa chuckled a laughter imagining her dad in kitchen.

The pregnancy was easy on her and apart from morning illnesses she was doing fine. Your mother is so strong because she can endure pain physically and emotionally without allowing it to affect her life. She was my comfort and my friend, I always long to be with her after work, I hurried home from the market, my friends teases me that my honeymoon refused to end oo! or they will say we also have wives at home oo. I smiled imagining my father as a lover boy once before, I now understand the pain he must be going through to lost his first and true love, it must be hard on him all these years that he bearly stays at home or sit with his wives and kids, he only ask for food and locked himself up in the room asking not to be disturb, so this is how miserable I grew up to see him all this years, he lost his happiness to people's greed and selfish decisions.

I came home that day teasing your mum from the house entrance, her name is hauwa but she has her tribal name that her dad calls her. The name is "kulu". She doesn't like it when I call her by that name, so whenever I'm back from the market I packed my bike in the compound and shouts kuluwa! Kulu! She will normally come out faking anger or frowning her face, I will burst into laughter because she is so beautiful even when she's angry, my laughter always end up making her laugh and she hugs me, I hold hands with her until we go into my room. sometimes I come home hungry but whenever I see your mum I won't remember being hungry anymore, we played like kids and I love making her laugh hard, it gives me joy and sense of fulfilment.

I came home that day calling her name in a teasing way but she was not responding or coming out to welcome me, it felt weird and gives me discomforted feelings but I brushed it off and thought it was the pregnancy that's making her lazy or she's not feeling well, I also thought of her sleeping but headed inside the house with different thoughts in my head. I opened her room but it was clean and empty, I went to the kitchen but she was not there either. I checked her bathroom back in her room again but she wasn't there, I quickly checked my room and it was empty too, I panicked inside as I prayed for her safety wherever she went to. She never left the house since we got married, not even visit a friend or her family. I always go with her to see her family. I promised myself to get her a phone tomorrow, I don't like situations like this, I quickly took my bike and went around the neighborhood and within the areas to look for her but couldn't find her. I became worried as I kept praying hard, I asked the igbo lady selling provision in front of the house about her and the lady said she followed a man in a big car and they left this morning.

I don't know any of her family with car, I became more alarmed and called her father to explain the situation and just then I saw my brothers car packing in front of my house as my wife came out of the car, she was weak and I called her name, she turn around and looks at me with puffed eyes, I noticed that she cried, I became worried and immediately drove my bike closer to her, my brother greeted me with a mockery look and I refuse to invite him to the house as I saw my wife crying and she came out of his car, I drove my bike inside the compound and came outside to take her inside as I hold her small warm hand, she walk slowly because her stomach was big now and she has a month to deliver the child. I asked her if I should carry her but she said she can walk. I took her inside and prepared a bath water for her, I kept a stool so that she can sit and take her bath. I brought out a free long wear for her and went to buy her food outside. I came back but she was still in the bathroom, I went to the bathroom and met her crying. I helped bath her and raised her up, I cleaned her up and rub cream on her, I put the gown on her body and brought the food to her but I fed her, I was happy she ate a lot, I knew she ate that much because of the pregnancy but I was happy she did. I took her to my room and lay her on my bed as I cuddle her from behind. She fell asleep immediately.