The only child

CHAPTER 20

Kune waited patiently. She saw a car driving towards the gate. The car parked just at the entrance of the house and the driver honked. Immediately, the gateman went out to open the gate. The car drove in. The person, a man in his mid fifties came out. Kune immediately sensed that he is the chairman. The gateman immediately ran to meet him and informed him of Kune's presence. He beckoned her to come in. Kune got up and followed him inside the house. When Kune entered the house, she was stunned by the architectural designs she saw. These ones were little of the ones she had seen outside. She just stood by the door until she was asked by the chairman to sit down. She sat. The man called his househelp to bring a drink for Kune. The lady came with the drink in no time. Kune took a sip of the drink. The man proceeded to ask:

"Can you please, introduce yourself?" the chairman asked.

"My name is Kune Uwafara," Kune replied.

"Oh..I know of one Uwafara Simeon. Do you know him?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. He is my father's uncle. I actually came to this Avenue in search of him. So, I was directed to this house," she replied.

"It's been a long time since I saw him. He once lived in this Avenue with his family. After some years, they relocated to Lewis' Estate. I heard that he bought a house there. Su, I believe that he is there. I hope I've answered your question," he explained to her.

"Okay, sir. I will be on my way now. Thank you. My regards to your family," she greeted.

Kune was so confused. She had no idea where to start from. She does not have enough money to rent a hotel room. She was in total confusion. She tried to look for an alternative. She left the Estate. So, she trekked to a street where she saw an uncompleted building. She quickly rushed in to avoid being noticed. She sat on the ground. She was very scared. Night came and Kune slept off.

In the morning, when Kune woke up, she changed her clothes. Kune went out of the building and went to a provision store to eat something. She watched the whole neighborhood and saw that everyone was busy including children. They have no time to play around. She got up and drew closer to the provision seller. She asked her about Lewis Estate.

"Madam, please, I need to get to Lewis Estate but I don't know my way. So, I need your help," Kune said.

"Okay. Just enter a tricycle from here. It will take you to Lewis Avenue. It is five hundred naira from here," the woman said.

"Okay, ma," Kune said.

Kune left there to enter a tricycle and went straight to Lewis Estate.

When she got there, she was again stunned by the gigantic magnificent houses that she saw. She wondered,"my father's uncle must be very rich". She got to the entrance of the Estate and saw a security man.

"Good morning, sir. My name is Kune Uwafara. Please, I'm asking Mr Uwafara Simeon. I was directed to come here from Olap Avenue," Kune said.

"Okay. Hold on. Let me give him a call," the security man said.

He picked out a phone and dialed a number. The man over the phone picked the call.

"Hello, Good morning, sir. I am the Head security officer of this Estate. There is a girl here, Kune Uwafara. She is asking after you. Can she come over?" the security man asked.

"Yes, let her come," the man over the phone replied. He hung up.

The security man turned to Kune.

"He said that you should come over. His house is that yellow house over there. Once you get there, knock on the gate, tell the security man that you have an appointment with the man," the security man said while pointing to his house over there.

Kune thanked him and left. When she got to the gate, she knocked and the gateman opened the gate and he came out.

"Yes, are you Kune Uwafara?" he asked.

"Yes, I am," she replied.

"Come in, my boss had told me that you would come," he said while beckoning her to come in.

Kune went in with him. She sat on a chair.

Everything in the house screamed money.

After some minutes, the man came out.

"Kune, how are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine, sir," Kune replied.

She noticed the resemblance between him and her grandfather.

"Yes, what about your parents?" He asked.

"They are late. My mom died some months ago," Kune replied.

"What? Your parents are dead? So, you mean that you are an orphan? Oh, gosh," he exclaimed.

"Yes, I am an orphan," Kune said.

"I am your father's uncle as you already know. You remember that you came with your parents to the city when you were a child. After you all returned home, I relocated to this Estate with my family. A crisis broke out, so we had to change the environment for some time before moving back here. Everything was rough. We just came back some few years ago.

So, feel at home. What of your father's brothers?" he asked.

"They are there in the village ," she replied.

"They ought to take care of you and your mother," he said.

"Thay took all my father left behind for us," she replied.

"Hmm..okay, feel at home. This is your home. I don't have any child at home again. My last child is still schooling at the University and she comes home once in a while," he assured her.

"Okay, sir," she replied.

Kune was shown a room where she put her luggages. She had her bath and ate food. She slept after eating, she slept like a baby. After she woke up, her father's uncle's wife arrived. She gave Kune a stern look.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" She asked. Kune was so surprised. She never knew that she would ask her such a question.

"Welcome, ma. I am Kune Uwafara. I came from Akumi village," she said.

The woman stared at her disgustingly and went into her room.

Kune was confused. She wondered what wrong she did.