There was a blurry mirror fixed on the rough wall opposite her bed. By God, that was her favourite spot. Slowly, she walked to it like a conniving cat till she was boldly in view of herself. Her over-worked five fingers began to do some work, rubbing her protruded rough stomach, rubbing her breasts, caressing her soul. She thought of flinging the wrapper tied above her long blouse from below her breasts to her knee but she let it be, too scared to see her nude sweet pregnancy. Aruchi was a young woman who was always pregnant.

She dashed out of the room to the open compound and turned to view the two not-plastered rooms she occupied with her family before matching down to her children in the open kitchen. As if she suddenly began to realize her existence, Aruchi paused her steps to stare and smile at the children in her thoughts, children almost the same age. “My God! Only me, four sons, one daughter and the one inside of me which I know will be another daughter. I don’t want her to look like me again. I am not a selfish woman, she will be her father. Azundah my loving husband. I am proud of you and these seeds you have given to me.”

“Aboy bend down and blow the fire. Blow blow!” she ordered one of the children who obeyed her instantly; they were also tired of the thick prolonging smoke oozing from the tripod. Another boy joined him and together they brought forth fire with their mouths. Aruchi eased herself to a kitchen chair and drew a big hot pot to herself. Five stainless plates followed the pot. She smiled and said, “Children and sweet food. Jerry, go and pour some water into the kettle and put it on fire. I don’t like my firewood wasting like that.” Jerry quickly ran away with the kettle to a drum hard by.

Aruchi dished two spoons of cocoyam porridge to the first plate and remembered something, “Ehem, Adamma go inside you will see the new wrapper on the bed go and give it to Ngozi, she will use it and sow that type of my butterfly gown for you. Go fast, I almost forgot. Run o. we will wait for you.” her daughter disappeared while she continued the sharing. The boys took their portions one after the other and were about to scoop some into their mouths when she scolded, “Taaah! Wait for your sister. When she comes back, we eat together so that the food will taste better.”

“She has her own mouth Mummy,” Jerry protested.

“Shut up and wait. Akpiri. You have the longest throat in the world.” The other boys laughed.

Shortly, Ada came back and everyone got busy pushing the delicious meal into their stomachs. One by one the children finished their food, washed their own plate and escaped to the Udala tree in a neigbour’s compound. Aruchi was always reminding them to drink some water before running away. She ate directly from the pot quietly and slowly, thinking and worrying about irrelevant things that have become necessary in her life. She rubbed her stomach again. Her life was sad means her life was hopeful.

When she heard some aggressive chatter a distance away, her mind jerked.

Then someone cried.

The crying rhythm grew louder but later subdued itself as if the person crying was suppressing it. She knew what that meant yet she refused running to the children for the one thousandth time besides, her fellow women calling her pitiful names will not be funny too. Crazy woman. Mad mother.

While she was still eating and scrubbing the pot with her spoon, Jerry partially painted with clay sneaked in on her pretending to be fine. Aruchi started. She forced his butt to a chair, bent over him and yanked his two ears but she let go when she realized that her breasts were almost in his mouth and her wrapper was trying to let loose.

Jerry wished his mother will forget nagging today and ask him ‘what happened?’ Sincerely, he tried fighting back but Buchi was stronger and weightier. When he could not lift his legs, Buchi pushed him down and gave him three big blows. As he looked at his worrying pretty mother, he swore to put in more effort next time. Unfortunately, that was not what his mother was thinking.

He was still suppressing his sorrow when she gave him three heavy knocks of the hard cooking spoon on his head. “Koi! Koi! Koi!” Jerry let out a spontaneous cry.

“So you think I will not talk. Jerry you let your fellow boy beat you up today again. Why am I calling boys? Even Aleru, Urie’s daughter beat you up the other day. Is it not yet time for you to start fighting back? Are your hands dead? God forbid that they are dead because mine are not dead.” The little boy stopped wailing and began sobbing at the words of his mother.

“What do I not feed you with in this house? I just want you to be strong. I have finished preparing another meal for you today. Eat! Eat! Come and eat again and allow them to beat you next time let me see if you will pass the night with me in this house.”

Jerry shook his head. Aruchi panicked again, “What! You don’t want to eat. You don’t want to eat food again let palm kernel stuck into your butt forever. Ewu!”

Now Jerry lay lifeless on the ground because she threw a.....
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