Episode 33
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"Yes, granny, i came to look for the girl, Udoka" David replied her
grandmother.
Mrs Robinson, the mother, didn't get it. She glanced at her
mother-inlaw then glared at David.
"You mean you came all the way from school to see one of those
twins without my knowledge?" she asked but nobody said a
word.
Mike and Ernest began to smile because they witnessed David
being treated like a baby boy. Only Sandra wasn't smiling.
Her heart filled with hatred for Udoka whom she had not even
come in contact with. She still stood on her words that nobody
would take David from her.
When the silence lingered in the
sittingroom of Nneowa without
anybody responding to Mrs Robinson's question, she called,
"David"
"Mum" David replied.
"What of this one sitting beside you?" the mother pointed at
Sandra. Hearing that, the smiles on the faces of the two boys
broadened.
"Mum, her name is Sandra, my friend and coursemate" David
replied.
"She looks beautiful. Nne welcome" Mrs Robinson turned to
Sandra with a smile.
"Thank you, ma'am" Sandra factitiously smiled to give an
edification impression.
Mrs Robinson turned to her son again, "So when are u going back
to school?"
"Today, after i see Udoka, i mean the twins" David replied. His
statement did not only made the mother frown but Sandra too,
which the other two boys observed scientifically and
psychologically. Without prolonging the issue, Mrs Robinson
stood up to the kitchen.
***
At the king's palace where chief Dike, Mrs Williams and her
daughters, elders and Lolo Dike who was also invited sat silently,
the king spoke up saying, "I want justice to prevail" he had a
voluminous hand-fan made of animal skin in one hand while an
artifact rested in the other hand. The palace was nothing less than
the irony, 'Paradise on earth.' The throne was set high above
other chairs. Before one sits on it, one has to climb five stairs. His
royal attire sparkled like a diamond in the sky. Likewise other
materials found in the palace.
"Like a said, chief Dike must returned everything possessed by his
late brother which he claimed after his death and must do
whatever tradition requires of him as a punishment to the act
committed years ago. I hope i have made myself clear"
"Gwam!" the elders exclaimed.
"And i want to make peace between the two families" the king
added. He made chief Dike apologise and promise to give
back all his late brother's properties. As that went on, the wife
hugged Mrs Williams in tears. As a woman, she felt her pains.
After that, Udoka spoke up, "Your highness, we don't need the
properties anymore. The only thing we need is our father's
house"
"Are you sure of that?" the king queried.
"Yes, your highness"
"Okay then"
Mrs Williams wondered why her
daughter had to say that but kept quiet. Suddenly, elder Onu
stood up, hit his staff on the floor, cleared his throat thereby
attracting people's attention and said, "Now we have come to a
conclusion and agreement. Let's cast our minds back to what
brought about what has happened today. So to say, we will like to
here from the twins why they were found in the dark forest by
that time of the night"
"Eziokwu ka ikwuru!" one of the elders responded hitting his staff
on the floor too.
The twins glanced at each other. Udoka knew that the lying aspect
was for Monica, therefore, she kept quiet.
"Umm.." Monica began looking at the king. "My late father had
feelings and dreams about the dark forest. He couldn't satisfy his
curiosity due to the traditions of this land. The same dreams was
transferred to me. It was so intense that i couldn't bear it. So, i and
my sister decided to go to the dark forest to satisfy our curiosity
regardless our mother's advice not to enter there.." she paused.
"So, what did you see that concerns your dream?" the king asked.
"We saw nothing"
"We were disappointed" Udoka added.
The palace remained quiet for
sometimes before the king said, "You are welcome back to your
land"
"Thank you" the twins smiled.
***
At Eziukwu, the twins and their mother had returned. All sat in the
sittingroom silently reflecting on all that happened.
On the other hand, Faith and Adaku couldn't wait to backfire all the
lies the twins told them with additional lies.
Mrs Williams glared at her daughters who began to smile looking
at each other.
"What is funny now?" the mother began. "After all i told you, both
of you insisted in going to the dark forest of Ndio..."
"..of our land. It's our land, mother" Udoka interrupted.
"Shut up your mouth there!" the mother rebuked with a trace of
smile on her face. "Now that you have gone to the forest, what
have you achieved?"
The twins looked at each other with a smile before Monica stood
up, brought out the diamonds and placed them on the centre
table.
"My goodness!" the mother stood up swiftly. Just then a knock
came from the door-David and friends.
:
TBC
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