The Other Me by Rachael Aligbe
Episode 10
Immediately they entered, he said, “Please before you people bombard me, what’s for dinner?”
“Ada prepared egusi soup and we bought akpu on our way home. We have eaten. Let me bring yours’ for you.” Ngozi replied and went into the kitchen to bring his food.
“Okay, thank you.” Nonso said as he removed his shirt preparing to devour dinner.
“I have good news that I want to share with everyone o. I was waiting for Nonso to come so that I will tell all of you at once but with what we saw outside ehn, that one can wait. Oya Nonso, gist us; how did you two meet? When did…” Ada said.
Uchenna and Chigozie, his siblings had taken their position on the sofa to listen to gist.
“Nne, cool down na. Let me eat first. I am very hungry. You tell us your good news as I am eating, then I will gist you people when I am done eating.” Nonso cut in.
Nonso washed his hand, said a quick word of prayer and began to eat.
“If you say so.” Ada replied.
Nonso’s torchlight phone beeped. Nedu had sent a text message telling him that he had gotten home.
“So I met someone while I was at my madam’s shop like three months ago. His name is Emeka. I did not tell you guys about it because you know all these guys want to ‘chop and clean mouth’; I wanted to be sure. We have been talking since then. Last week, he told me that he wants to marry me and he would like me to do my Masters as well. I told him that that wasn’t my major concern at the moment.
He asked what it was and then I told him that two of my siblings were yet to write their Senior School Certificate Examination while the other third one had to drop out of tertiary institution due to lack of funds.” Ada continued.
“Ehen, so what did he say?” Uchenna asked impatiently.
“You won’t believe what he said.” Ada replied enjoying the suspense-filled attention she was getting.
“Ada, biko tell us na.” Gozie pleaded.
“Okay, he said that by next week, he would give me money to register Ngozi and Chigozie to register for WAEC in November/December and register Uchenna and Nonso for Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination since the registration is still on going.” Ada said full of smiles.
Upon hearing this, they jumped up from their seats, knelt down and the song ‘nara nara e nara ekele nara ekele mo’ filled the atmosphere.