Chapter 1: CHAPTER 1
The small sitting room was occupied by genuine smiling faces of several men with an exception of a woman who pretend to be happy as she sat next to her husband. Her name was Ginika and this was the fourth time she was receiving guests who were interested in seeking her second daughter's hand in marriage. The suitor who had come with three of his kinsmen and his mother were very elated. They had been served drinks and there gifts had been well received.
Her husband who was very happy soon leaned over and whispered to his wife to go summon their daughter so that the suitor and the people will feast their eyes upon her. Getting up without a word, Ginika disappeared into the room and returned a monent later. If her countenance showed how displeased she was the suitors did not notice.
Soon, a tall, chubby lady who had ample bosom, and buttocks came into the room smiling. when the suitor looked up and saw her, his smile waved a bit an when Okonkwo looked up and saw who had came into the room he gave his wife a confused look.
"Bia Ginika, did you not hear whom i asked you to call or i this a mistake?" Okonkwo quietly asked his wife.
"i heard nah or i she not our daughter too?" Ginika asked in annoying tone.
"Of course, she is our daughter, but this i not the one the suitor and his people came for and you know", Okonkwo whispered.
" Why not ask them and find out" Ginika shot.
"Aske them!?, why do you want to embarrass us this evening. Please go in and call Nene. We don't want to keep these good people waiting", Okonkwo pleaded.
" am not going anywhere, do what you are suppose to do or are you afraid?, If you are afraid to ask them let me do it for you", Ginika said impatiently.
Before Ginika could speak out to the guest , Okonkwo quickly shushed her. "what is wrong with you woman?, do you want to take the voice fro my mouth?!, have you forgotten who the head of this family is ?.
" then do what you suppose to do and tarry no longer" Ginika almost snapped. Act like it! They won't beat you."
Clearing Clearing throat now, Okonkwo turned to nervously smile at his guest then said, " i apologize for the short delay. I was having a very brief and important with my wife here. Then he cleared his throat again and continued, "i welcome you all once again. today is really a blessed day to me because you people had decided to come and fetch a beautiful flower in my house. Anyway, i present to you your bride to be". He stretched a hand towards his first daughter, Adanna who beamed and tried to flaunt her bodily assets.
The guests gave the suitor who was more confounded a confused look and the young man shook his head to indicate to them that he also had no idea of what is going on. Then luckily, one of his uncles spoke on behalf of them all, " Erm.., Okonkwo, i think there is a little misunderstanding somewhere, of course this your daughter here is equally beautiful. If we had two sons, we would have taken both your daughters, but our son here is only interested in one and that's your youngest daughter Nene, where where she?"
Immediately the man pronounced the name, the happy looks on Adanne's face changed to that of disappointment and she glanced at her mother for help or comfort, while Ginika scrawled at the man".
Okonkwo cleared his throat again. This was so awkward to him. Of course he knew that adanne was definitely not the one the suitors was interested in,but since hi wife Ginika insisted that Adanne must be showed to every visitor, he had no choice but to follow her wish less she might make the house a living hell for all of them.
"My in-laws, i understand that you are interested in my youngest daughter, but this here is Adanne, is my first daughter and i can assure you she will equally make a good wife like Nene" Okonkwo pressed.
"Yes; we did not dispute that", another uncles said this time. " But Okonkwo, you really have to understand that we are not here to marry two wives but one wife. Why not give us the one we came here for so that we can all feast our weary eyes upon our wife to be. Or isn't that why we are here my people? He asked his fellow kinsmen and they chorused, all nodded in the affirmative.
"Your wife to be?", Ginika suddenly exploded. " and this one.." She gestured with a hand at her daughter "standing before you is a goat, abi ?, its either you people are foolish or you don't have a good taste at all", she stated and the guests gasped in shock, exchanging surprise looks among themselves. "How can you see something this good!, something this marvelous and you are still asking for Nene! Nene?, small Nene! Nene that i even not matured!, could could Nene possible know about marriage?!, why is she your object of interest despite she's still in school?!
" umm Ginika..." The suitors mother careful began now. "As a mother i understand what you are doing and know that you are only looking out for oldest daughter. But Nene whom we have ask for her hand in marriage is not a kid. If am correct, she is twenty three years old and already in her final year in school. If you are concerned about her education, we can assure you that we are in no hurry. We will gladly wait for her to finish schooling before we proceed with the marriage preparation".
" Bia, Uju if you people like wait from now till thy kingdom come!". Ginika slapped slapped the back of her hand into her other palm on her lap.
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