Chukwudi and
his mother cried bitterly. His mother singing a sorrowful song wishing her
husband was alive. She sang so bitterly that her husband’s spirit appeared to
her and told her something.
He told her that she should not returned back to the farmland in
the neighboring village. That she should go and visit her friend Eucharia. That
she is a godly woman. That she has been so worried about her disappearance over
the years. That she never one day stop worrying about her.
After talking to her, He then consoled her to stop crying. That
his death was natural, that though the people jealous of him and what he had,
that none have a hand in his death. That he is so pleased and happy with her
that she stood on her ground, not allowing his brother to take possession of
her and the properties he labored for. That she should get up and do as he has
told her.
So she stood up and went with Chukwudi to her friend’s house. Her
friend seeing her was so happy to see her and her son. She cooked for them and
they both ate and were happy. Her friend asked her why she disappeared without
letting her at least know her where about. She narrated the whole story to her
friend and they both shed tears because she also lost her husband, two years
later after her disappearance.
At about 5 o’clock in the evening, Chukwudi said to his mother:
“mummy evening is fast approaching, please lets us be going, so that we can get
home on time”. But her mother’s friend Eucharia objected him saying “no my dear,
I know you love your mother so much: they both laughed.
She pleaded with them not to go. That they should stayed with her.
That in the whole house, she is the only one living in it. That her children
are now in other cities. That they only come back once in a while to pay her a
visit.
They both agreed to stay. In the night, her husband appeared to
her in the dream, telling her go to his house, at the extreme end of the room
by the left hand side, she should dug the ground and that she will find two
thousand naira and his golden wrist watch buried there.
That she should take the money and sell the wrist watch. Any
amount she discover from the wrist watch, she should keep it and never spend it
until he will come again to tell her what to do with the money.
Early in the morning, she woke up even before Chukwudi and her
friend Eucharia could wake up. She went there as her husband instructed her.
She got the money and the wrist watch. She never disclosed anything to her son
and her friend.
Coming back from the house, people started seeing her, asking her
where she had been over the years. They lamented with her over all the things
the brother in-law has done to her. She started crying on the way, but getting
closer to the house where they are living, she cleaned her face pretending has
nothing happened.
When she finally got home, Chukwudi seeing her mother’s face knows
all is not well. Her friend asked her where she went to this early morning?
What is it that couldn’t wait till day break? Chukwudi knowing her mother very
well read his mother’s gestures and discovered all is not well. She tried to
explain to them how her husband has been appearing to her. Her friend felt so
sorry for her but wondering why now.
Since Eucharia and Chukwudi was trying to prepare breakfast she
also joined them to prepared the breakfast, after eating her friend, Eucharia
asked her what she would like doing so that she can sent Chukwudi to school or
to learn a hand work. That it is not good at his age he is not yet in school.
That she should stop worrying about the past. That she should focus now on the
future to do something to affect her child’s destiny.
She appreciated her friend for such a kind heart and advice. She
promised her friend that she will surely think about what to do. But at the
mean time, has she is going to the market to sell, that she and her son are
hard working. That they would go with her to assist her selling, so that she
would returned on time.
But Eucharia, her friend refused, saying no to their idea. But
Chukwudi and his mother insisted of staying back. Later she agreed to let them
followed her to the market.
Two days later, in the night, while she was sleeping, her late
husband appeared again to her telling her to use the money she discovered to
start selling pure water in the market while Chukwudi should sell at the bus
stops. She asked her husband, isn’t that dangerous for his son? But he replied
saying “don’t worry he will be find and moreover it’s just for a while. Then
she consented and she woke up.
Early in the morning she disclosed the idea to her friend and
Chukwudi and they both agreed though they were worried at first about Chukwudi.
Chukwudi agreed because he has been thinking of what to do to assist in the
house since her mother’s friend is not a farmer. Chukwudi went with a bucket full
of pure water to the bus stop. He sold it very fast at the rate of five naira
from bus stop to garage, streets to streets and car parks and he made enough
money.
He continued like that and every day, sometimes he made gain and
sometimes loss. Chukwudi was used to the way of business. When there is enough
money he would buy bottle water and sell it for fifty naira only.
He made a lot of money from it and things started getting better
and his mother was able to feed and support her friend financially and
materially in the house. When the mother saw that there was so much gain, he
followed his son Chukwudi to sell pure water at the bus stops instead of
market, garage and car parks and it was booming for them.
One day Chukwudi called his mother, telling her about his idea of
going to school whether in the city or the village now that they have something
doing that provided them with money. But his mother told him that there is no
enough money to pay his school fees.
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