FLAMING HEART

SIXTEEN: EMOTIONS

"Listen and listen good! Let this be the last time you will talk back at me. I am not your mate. I'm letting this slide because I'm in a good mood but you just might not be lucky next time." — Uju

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"Hello Oby!" Ikenna's sweet voice filled her ear. "Mama flatters me a lot."

"Ikediegwu! My father! How are you?" Ikediegwu was the name she chose to call him. She felt he shouldn't be called Ikenna. To her, her father was a weakling but Ikenna was the direct opposite: a strong young man with powers filled with wonders.

"I'm fine, my daughter." Ikenna teased and they both burst out laughing.

"You haven't changed one bit." They laughed again. "Well, I've missed you a lot. Mama told me how much you've been helping her. God will bless you, Ike, you're indeed a husband to mama."

"I'm try my best, Oby, because mama deserves the best. When would you be coming back?"

"Soon, Ike, soon."

"Okay. Let me return the phone to mama."

When the phone had finally been passed to her mother, Obioma said:

"Mama, please don't overwork yourself. I called to know how you are faring."

"That's very good, Oby. What about you? Tell me how the city is treating you."

Obioma paused for a while, wondering what answer would be to this question. Prior to this time, she would have ranted excitedly about how happy she was but now, she didn't know anymore.

"I'm fine here also." She finally stated. "Uloma has been good to me. She gives me food for free, I have my own room with a very comfortable bed. I've learnt a lot since I came to the city. I even found favour in the eyes of one of the house mates. Mama, can you believe Uloma has four more girls living with her? One of the girls likes me. Her name is Sharon, mama. She's a very good girl. She treats me like her sister. She plaits my hair for me. She -"

"Obioma!" Florence cut her off. "I know you. You're not fine. Something is bothering you. You sound very sad. Tell me what's happening. Are they treating you badly? Come back my daughter if that place is not conducive."

Obioma swallowed. Her mother knew her so well to detect when she wasn't feeling okay. She felt like giving in and pouring it on her mother's shoulder but then, should she give up because of this little tribulation she suffered from Uju and Evelyn? She would lose then in every aspect and would also look like a weakling. She would never give them that satisfaction instead she would get stronger and stand her ground right in their faces. She was yet to achieve all that she had set for herself: she wasn't married to a rich man yet, so she couldn't give us yet. Sharon's love would be enough to keep her going.

"Mama, you worry a lot. I'm fine here. If I wasn't I would have returned home a long time ago. Don't worry about me, mama."

Florence heaved a sigh, "Okay, my daughter, I've heard you. Ugomma came back last month. She bought some foodstuffs and some shoes for Nkechi. She's doing well and looking good. She was even pregnant again but last week, She called to inform us that she has put to bed, a baby girl. You could have done omugwu for her if you were around. I feel very bad that I can't come to help her out with some chores so she can rest but what can I do? If I leave, who would take care of Nkechi and Ikenna? I pray God helps her."

"I wish I could go to her but I don't think Uloma will allow me. I hope she gets through this strong." Obioma replied; biting her lower lip to prevent her from saying more. She knew her sister very well; she knew Ugomma was only pretending to be happy in her mother's presence so as to ease the guilt she knew Florence felt. She knew Ugomma felt miserable after her forced marriage because there had been a man Ugomma had loved. She had hid her relationship with this man knowing fully well Florence would never support such relationship: a relationship with a poor man who could barely feed himself. Even though Obioma longs for a wealthy man, she understood that love was all that mattered and her sister was only in love with this man. She knew Ugomma would have been much happier with her church rat - she had always seen the broad and sweet smile that lit up Ugomma's face each time she informed her her sweetheart was waiting at the stream for her: a smile only meant for him; a smile only him could bring - than living with an older man who had more than two wives already. But then, it had always been said by her people: it wasn't bad to be poor but it was to be poor and still marry from a poor home.

"Obioma!" Her mother's voice brought her back.

"Mama."

"Are you okay?"

"Sure, mama. I have to go now."

"Oh before you go, I don't know if it is possible to speak to your elder brother. I'm getting worried about him. He dreads the issue of marriage like an abomination. The last time I brought it up, he flared up like I requested for his kidney."

"Mama, I understand you want the best for him but I'll advise you talk little of it to him. I'm sure he has plans. He only wants to settle down before marriage or do you want him to starve along with his wife?"

"Tarhh! Shut up, Obioma. You sef, you better start preparing for marriage. You're not getting any younger."

Obioma couldn't help but laugh as she ended the call. She made the right decision to call her mother. She felt a comfort she hadn't felt in a while. She laid down on her bed and shut her eyes; gently caressing her bandaged leg.

She heard a soft knock on her door after a while and she rubbed her eyes drowsily. The moon was at its peak that night as it shone brightly.

"Come in." She said as she watched the door creak open and Sharon's chubby figure came to view. She had a subtle smile on her face.

"Sleeping?" She asked.

Obioma smiled a tired smile and nodded her head. She sat up as Sharon walked slowly to her. Sharon came to an abrupt stop when she saw the bandage on her leg

"My God!" She shrieked and Obioma quickly stared at her leg; trying to hide it but Sharon pushed her hand away and sat on the bed; placing the injured leg on her laps.

"What the heck happened to you?"

Obioma was quiet but flinched when Sharon screamed at her.

"Tell me what happened this instance. Look at your face! God! Were you crying?" Sharon examined her face with her eyes.

Obioma sighed and looked away.

"Obioma, tell me quickly." Sharon persisted.

Obioma then narrated her ordeal to her. She knew she couldn't hide it from Sharon.

"Uju said all those to you when it was clearly Evelyn's fault?"

Obioma nodded slowly. "What do I expect? Evelyn is her baby."

"What stupid baby? That minion?" Sharon spat in anger. "This is just so stupid. Why would Evelyn fight you because of the gift Charles gave to you which was originally mine? I should be the one getting angry here not her. What is her problem? Why is that girl so jealous of you?"

"I don't know. As if there is something to be jealous of. " Obioma blurted out and Sharon frowned. She noticed this but kept talking like she didn't. "I even asked her to take the gift, if it would make her feel better but that made her feel worse. Please Sharon, is it my fault that I'm offered a gift? Is it my fault that people tend to be generous with me? Why am I passing through all these?" Tears were already forming at the corner of her eyes.

Sharon moved closer to her and drew her into an embrace. Obioma couldn't help but rest her head on Sharon's shoulder as she sobbed quietly.

The door jerked open that instance and Uju walked in without seeking for permission to enter into the room. Her hawk sized eyes stared pointedly at Obioma whose face was still buried in Sharon's shoulder like no one had invaded in her privacy.

"Obioma! You didn't prepare anything for dinner. What do you want us to eat?"

"I'm tired!" Obioma blurted out without thinking: still burying her face in Sharon's shoulder. Her voice was muffled due to that and so she didn't see Uju's eyes narrow in anger.

"You're what?" She asked in an elevated tempo.

"Tired!" Obioma completed; matching her tempo with a rise in her own voice. She didn't mind getting into a fight with Uju.

"I'll fix something for dinner. Obioma needs to rest." Sharon broke the tension in the air but Uju was not appeased. She walked swiftly to where they sat and grabbed Obioma by the wrist; pulling her from Sharon's embrace with so much force Obioma yelped in pain.

"What - " Sharon tried to talk but was silenced by Uju's menacing voice which seemed to get thicker when she was angry as she glared at Obioma and Obioma cowered at the sight though she tried her best to put up a daring face.

"Listen and listen good! Let this be the last time you will talk back at me. I am not your mate. I'm letting this slide because I'm in a good mood but you just might not be lucky next time."

Turning to Sharon, she stared her from her head to her toe, "I hope you know what you want to fix. I am not ready to eat trash."

She threw a last glare at Obioma before walking out of the room with so much vigour and pride. She slammed the door hard and the whole house seemed to vibrate. Sharon sat still like she had seen a ghost while Obioma curled to a ball, completely shaken. She guess she would have to stay away from Uju. She seemed dangerous.

"Let me go and prepare dinner." Sharon pronounced finally before walking out of the room leaving Obioma all by herself. For safety sake, Obioma locked her door. Who knew Uju's intention?

An hour later, Obioma was called by Sharon for dinner and they all sat at the dining eating a scrumptious dish of Jollof rice and beef except for Chiamaka who had called earlier to inform she would be spending the night at her boyfriend's house. Obioma was surprised Sharon would go as far garnishing the food with some carrots when it was not like they had a special visitor. Was it just to prove to Uju she could prepare something good? If that was her intent then her message had been successfully passed. The food was a beauty to behold with a salivating aroma.

"Oby, why didn't you prepare dinner? What have you been doing?" Uloma asked as she took a glass of water to Obioma's surprise.

"Obioma is badly injured so I offered to prepare dinner." Sharon popped in.

"Badly injured? What happened?" Uloma asked looking sincerely concerned.

"Ask Evelyn." Sharon took a spoon of rice.

"What do you mean by that? Why should she ask me?" Evelyn scowled. Her face was much better than it had been earlier that day. Obioma wondered what she had done to it.

"Aren't you the cause?"

"Meaning?" Evelyn hissed.

"Oby, tell me what happened." Uloma cut in.

Obioma then turned to look at Uloma straight in the eyes as begun, "Early this morning, I was sitting in this very dining when I heard a knock on the door. I went to check who it was and I saw a man standing by the door. He said he was looking for Chiamaka but I didn't let him since I didn't know him. I guess the noise attracted Evelyn to the door and that was when I learnt that he was Chiamaka's fiance. I apologize for my behaviour and went ahead to serve him a glass of water for that was what he required. I left him with Evelyn as I went to prepare to go to Sharon's salon. When I was done preparing, I told Evelyn about my departure but to my greatest surprise, she began to accuse me of bewitching both Francis and Charles into buying gifts for me."

"That's a lie!" Evelyn blurted out.