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The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 12:34pm On Apr 25, 2019
THE EKANEMS

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. NAMES, CHARACTERS, BUSINESSES, PLACES, EVENTS, LOCALES AND INCIDENTS ARE EITHER PRODUCTS OF THE AUTHOR'S IMAGINATION OR USED IN A FICTIOUS MANNER. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, OR ACTUAL EVENTS IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.


© 2018 ZINUCHI WELEWA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

You can also read this book on the Okada book app or visit https://okadabooks.com/book/about/the_ekanem_s/19132



PROLOGUE


“This is for men and women who have decided to live differently in spite of societal pressures”
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:14pm On Apr 25, 2019
CHAPTER 1





Ama stood at the air force barrack gate waiting. She was used to waiting whenever she flew in
from Benin to Port Harcourt to see her fiancé Richard. She had to stand outside for the security
clearance. The security men placed a call to confirm who she wanted to see, but it took longer
than normal so she called Richard.
“Richard honey, I am at the gate… what other gate I’m I talking about… the Air force barrack
gate of course… I’ve been here for some time, please come get me”.
Something felt wrong. She could tell he did not sound as excited as he usually was whenever
she came to visit him from school. He had been acting up lately and although she was
preoccupied with school work, she still felt he behaved strange. The short break was an
opportunity for her to come visit him.
Richard looked worried; he was playing with his course mates in the basketball court when Ama
called, he was surprised and unhappy, a few months back it would have been a welcomed visit
but things had changed and although she was unaware, he was no longer interested in the
relationship. He cleaned up rather slowly, wiping his face several times with the face towel and
changing into his casuals sluggishly. What in heaven’s name is she doing here? He thought as hedrove to the gate. “I am not ready to tell her anything”. He hits his steering wheel hard going
round the roundabout for a third time delaying the drive to the gate. As he approaches the gate he
makes a phone call.
“Hey, are you still at the house? Ok, see you later then, yes I just left the basketball court, you
know how hungry I would be now…ha-ha, bye, I love you too”.
Richard approached the gate, puts his phone on silence, parks the car, unlocked it and reluctantly
gets down. Richard called out to the security man in Air force uniform.
“Abeg let her through”.
“Ok sir” the security man responded while he simultaneously.
Ama walked to him still hopeful that whatever was going on would dissolve immediately he sees
her. As she got closer to the car his face did not express any joy. His face was bland and
emotionless. She moved to hug him; he gave her his side, like members of a church would, to
show how holy they were by not letting their bodies touch too much and for too long, the kind of
hug you give to a stranger who was becoming too friendly and overfamiliar.
There was an awkward pause; Richard looked away refusing to meet Ama’s eyes.
“Get in”.
He takes her bag and puts it in the back sit of the car; he gets in the driver’s seat and waits for her
to do the same.
It was the most uncomfortable ride ever, Ama never felt like this with him. Driving with him was
one of her hobbies, they’d sing to their favorite tracks all the while making funny faces and
acting the lyrics out. But right now, there was a blanket of obscurity over them. And she tried tothink about the cause of the eeriness. When did it get so bad she thought? They had no fights
recently, hence her surprise and concern. She could feel him drifting away.
Ama met Richard when she was fourteen years old; her family had all gone to visit her older
brother Kent in boarding school, it was visiting day and Kent came to the canopy with Richard,
they were classmates and close friends they became closer because of the West African
Examination Council they had to prepare for, Richard was in science and was good in
mathematics, while Kent was in Arts and was good with geography, they both had something to
gain from each other. Richard and Ama immediately kicked it off and it turned out his house was
not so far from hers, their fathers were both high ranking Army Officers in the military. Kent did
not approve of their friendship; he was a protective older brother. Richard persuaded him, and
their friendship was padded with conditions from Kent.
“I will always come along with you guys, no holding hands and no kissing”.
Kent tagged along wherever they went. Sometimes he was kind enough to stand at the gate of the
house when they were at the veranda playing chess, monopoly or Ludo. He would ride his
bicycle behind them while they rode theirs ahead, he kept a respectful distance and Richard knew
better than to touch Ama without seeking his permission. Good times. Richard was a year older
than Kent and five years older than Ama they played like they were triplets.
Ama was madly in love with him. He was taller than her with big arms and big legs, and one
would think he was in his late twenties not knowing he was just nineteen years old.
Right here and right now, in this car ten years forward it felt wrong, all wrong, this was not the
man she knew and loved, he did not even ask about my trip and whether I have eaten or not,
what did I do this time Ama cerebrated.“Richard, what is it?” He turned to her and faced the road again.
“What do you mean?”
“You don’t seem happy to see me.”
Richard increased the volume of the radio as a sign that the conversation was over. Ama reached
for the deck and turned it down.
“Are you kidding me right now? What! You don’t want to see me? You don’t want to talk to
me? You’ve never been a man to be quiet whenever there was something bothering you, so
please, Richey, please talk to me.”
Richard parked the car by the road, turned off the ignition and turned to face her.
“You can’t stay here, I mean you can’t come here, I have to take you home.” He stammered
“What do you mean take me home? You know I don’t tell my parents whenever I come all the
way from school to see you, what I’m I going to tell them?”
“Tell them you came to visit them….look Ama, I am not ready for any sort of conversation right
now, but I can’t take you to my house, I’m sorry.”
Ama was crying. She couldn’t help it; this was not the man she loved. He was different. Richard
used to worry about her well-being. A few years ago, when she had an accident he cried bitterly.
He did not care for her father’s presence or reaction because they kept their relationship a secret.
Richard rushed into the hospital to her unconscious body crying. She remembered how Gideon
her younger brother described the event to her “who is this young man” her father Lieutenant
General Ekanem asked “ who is this man I’m asking” he screamed, her mother Ichechi turnedher face, she knew him very well but didn’t say a word so he called security to drag him out, but
Richard kept coming and one day he introduced himself.
“My name is Richard Obinna sir, I am Colonel Obinna’s son and I intend to marry your
daughter.”
Richard said in a rush, such boldness he had, to face a Lt General that was higher than his father
in ranks and age. Even though it seemed as if Ama might never walk again Ekanem was in awe
of him, such dedication and courage. Ekanem wondered about the young man, he stretched his
hands to him and said; “My baby girl is not ready for marriage but you are welcome.”
Gideon described that faithful day over and over to Ama like a scene from a movie; it became a
punch line to all their Richard jokes.
Ama was already crying like a child as Richard was driving her to her family house pretending
like he was not hearing her. It’s been 5 hours since she touched down from Benin he never asked
if she was hungry, the man she knew was not the man in the car with her. It was a painful ride;
Ama looked at him humming to the song on the radio he insisted on increasing the volume “he
can’t feel me hurting” she thought “he can’t feel me anymore”.
The first time she left for school, she had gained admission at the University of Benin to study
International Relations. Richard would call to check on her and say that he felt something was
wrong, and he was always right. All the while she was ill and developing ulcer without knowing.
She had tried to fight back the tears but they had their purpose, to show how hurt she was, to
show how heavy her heart felt, the tears had to come out to reduce the shattering her heart was
enduring, everything between her and Richard had changed just like that. Three weeks ago she
started to notice the changes. He no longer texted to say good morning, as it was their ritual. He
no longer video called to say good morning before they both started the days’ activities and agood night video call to end the day together all that stopped. If Ama did not call, he wouldn’t,
he refused the video calls with the excuse that he was on the parade ground, which was a flimsy
excuse because he used to take the video calls anywhere. Three weeks ago, things went bad.
They arrived at Ama’s family house; she got out of the car. Richard got her bag out and placed it
by the gate.
“I am sorry Ama, please understand.”
“Understand what Richey?” Ama screamed, her voice was broken with painful punctuations it
barely reached his ears. He drove off.

2 Likes

Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:35pm On Apr 25, 2019
You can also read this book on the Okada book app or visit https://okadabooks.com/book/about/the_ekanem_s/19132
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 11:31am On Apr 26, 2019
CHAPTER 2




Mrs. Ekanem was surprised to see her second daughter Ama back home. She knew she was lying
when she said she had missed home and wanted to come visit, but she let it go for now. Ichechi
should have been an investigator and not a school teacher. She was the most curious person who
knew how to gossip and force out information from people. Her fellow school teachers call her
Mrs. Ekanem or Mummy Ama as Ama was often regarded as her favorite. She always went on
and on about how beautiful she was and how intelligent she was. But Ichechi bragged about all
her children like that, Ola, Kent, Ama and Gideon in the order of their birth. No conversation
went by without her mentioning a great act performed by one of them. She was a great mother,
even though her peers thought her to be too proud of her children. She was constantly telling tall
tales about them, even if the truth was staring her in the face.
Like when Kent went to a neighbor’s house whose banana tree hung over their fence. He jumped
over and cut off a bunch of banana. The neighbor’s eight year old daughter just watched as he
cut it off and threw it over the fence into his compound. Kent was just twelve years old, he was
agile and willful. The apple of his mother’s eyes, he could do no wrong. The household of the
Ekanem’s partook of the stolen banana, yet Ichechi denied it when the neighbor came to ask.
“You see Kent is a gift from God, he is not the culprit Mr. Ayo. Kent is kind and Pastor B said in
church na, were you not there in church, Ehen, so how can you stand there and accuse himfalsely?” Ichechi said looking at Mr. Ayo like a mother hen would leer at a hawk trying to get to
her chicks.
Mr. Ayo was too perplexed to say anything else because he was sure his little girl wouldn’t have
accused Kent falsely if she hadn’t seen him. Mr. Ayo started to play every possible scenario in
his head, “maybe she did not see him well”, “maybe it was all those thieving barrack children.”
He succeeded in convincing himself that Kent was not the thief. It was someone who looked like
him, after all, boys his age all looked alike. Terrified of being the one to say bad things about her
stubborn son, whom the pastor of the church, they both attend, had professed to be a saint and a
blessing. He won’t be the one to cause a fight knowing the amount of problems Mrs. Ekanem
was capable of creating, if anyone talked wrong about her beloved children. He had to apply
wisdom and diplomacy for she was capable of ostracizing him in church and on their street.
“Mummy Ama no vex o, I came because Maryann said she saw him, you know a lot of children
his age look alike these days, maybe she saw someone else and thought it was Kent, sorry o, stay
well o.” He walked away hoping he had salvaged the situation with her.
His wife on the other hand would tease the hell out of him because she knew he was afraid of
Ichechi. She was too, but he was supposed to be the man, tough and strong. They always tried to
avoid any confrontation with Ichechi anyway.
This did not mean that Ichechi did not use the rod on her children when required, she did. She
just caned them privately where no one could see her perfect kids being spanked for being
imperfect.Later that evening, after Richard had dropped Ama at her family house, Ama was in the bathtub.
She was listening to the rains as they hit the aluminum corrugated roof with ferocity. As if it felt
her anger and was concurring with her. She soaked in the bathtub for so long that the warm water
turned cold. Her fingertips and toes squeezed in a way that showed the body’s’ temperature was
dropping. Ama was startled by her mother’s voice, she was not one to knock or respect her
children’s privacy, but the talked to announce her presence.
“Ama you have been here for a long time, won’t you eat?”
“I will mother, let me dry myself, please pass me that towel.”
She knew she had to feign happiness, if she wasn’t going to tell her mother anything. Otherwise,
she has to spill it out sooner than later. “Richard my wonderful son in-law” she often referred to
him as. She had made public announcements for the upcoming wedding and had already bought
traditional materials to share with her school teachers and officers’ wives association
immediately after their engagement - this news would tear her apart.
Ama, Ichechi and Ekanem sat in the sitting room watching Telemundo series; they had just
finished eating pounded yam with Afang soup.
“Mom you never tire for this program?”
Ama knew how important the programs were to her mother, even though she never found them
interesting, everyone was aware that from 6pm to 7pm daily, her mother’s program was priority.
“Why will I be tired? You are now forming big girl now, have you forgotten how you used to
watch Paloma and Diego, how you would cry whenever Paloma cried.”
They both laughed heartily.“I will go and see Richard tomorrow, I need closure before breaking my mother’s heart” she
thought. Just then Ichechi asked;
“How is Richard doing?”
“He is fine mom” Ama responded.
“How is the air force treating him?” Ekanem asked
“Very well Dad, it’s always been his dream to be Pilot.”
“Good… being a Pilot in the military is totally different.”
“I think he enjoys the thrill.”
“Good, he is young and vibrant.”
“I sent him a happy new month text last month he did not respond, that was very unlike him.”
Ichechi said.
Ama was hoping the conversation will end, but she knew her mother all too well, changing the
subject would arouse more suspicion so she said;
“I will ask him why he did not respond to your text when I see him tomorrow”.
“This should end it”. She hoped.
And it did.
That night Ama lay on her bed, the bed she shared with her older sister. Ola who was wild and
unapologetic, “I wish she was here” Ama thought.
She listened to the rains as their falls softened making un-rhythmic sounds as they hit the roof.
The cool breeze from the window touching her body, goose pimples slowly appeared all roundher skin. She stood up and turned off the lights, and removed her night dress, entering the sheets
naked. Ama tossed and turned trying to sleep but she was too restless. She replayed the events of
the day, thinking of Richard, thinking of how built he looked, he must have been going to then
gym more often now. He looked younger, he shaved his beard recently - she could tell. Richard
was handsome in a rough way. He had a big pointy nose and light brown eyes that matched his
complexion. He was 6 feet, 5 inches, very tall, and unlike her she was 5 feet 6 inches. Their
friends often teased them especially Ama who sometimes had to stand on a stool to kiss him
properly. Richard had big feet and arms, now that he had picked up an interest in body building;
he looked like one of the bouncers in the club he takes her to in Port Harcourt.
“He started going to the gym and he never told me about it.” she said to herself.
She couldn’t imagine been with anyone else, mentally, emotionally and physically, he has been
the first and only man she had ever known. She remembered the first time he made love to her,
nine years ago, one would think after a long time the details would be less poignant, but it was
fresh like it happened yesterday. Richard waited till she was nineteen years old. Ama made
romantic plans that day. She lied to her parents she was spending the night reading for WAEC
with Pamela her best friend. She got rose petals, Richard’s favorite wine and lingerie.
Unfortunately all did not go as planned because Richard was just too big for her. When he lay on
top of her, her head was proportionate to his stomach. There was so much pain, Ama felt as if
shards of sharp razor blades were cutting into her. It couldn’t happen that night. Richard
wouldn’t bear to see her in so much pain, so they stopped and tried again, for several weeks, till
the hymen broke and she bled. Sex was still not pleasurable for her for a while. Her body finally
welcomed the change and got accustomed to Richard’s body then there was pleasure.She remembered the tinniest details of the first time she orgasmed. As she lay under the sheets
naked, her nipples became hard and pointy and her breathing was faster, she wanted him, she
wanted Richard, the way he suckled her nipples, grabbing her full youthful breast in his palm,
kissing her all over, on her neck and in between her legs. He loved to suck her, he sucked her
like she was honey, and she dripped like an over filled honey comb. He sucked till she screamed
his name. She climaxed calling out his name “Richey” with so much pleasure. He then slipped
into her effortlessly - she was wet all over even soaking the bedspreads. He moved gently
forming a melodious movement like Beethoven’s score, and he would whisper her name
savoring her goodness, his strokes came faster, the melodic rhythm changed he was climaxing
and so was Ama. They both screamed and grabbed on tightly to each other, in these moments she
could swear she saw his soul.
Ama whimpered under the sheets, she made herself acme all the while thinking of Richard. She
put her face into the pillow and screamed and started to cry. Her cries were muffled in the pillow
“why Richard” she screamed “what did I ever do to you?” Ama was exhausted from crying she
didn’t know when she fell asleep.
The next morning it seemed like the sun had forgotten to take over from the moon, the rains
threatened to fall again. Ama was all set up to go to air force barrack. Ichechi was ready to go to
her school that she owned and taught in. Ekanem slept all morning he was a wealthy retired army
officer. He had properties he rented out in Port Harcourt and Lagos, and businesses in Calabar.
He was more than able to take care of his household; but Ichechi would not stay idle, she loved
to teach. Ama met her mother in the sitting room picking up books from the book shelve.
“Sleep well?” Ichechi asked.
“Yes mother… where dad is?” Ama responded.“He is still sleeping, you know your father, he is snoring the morning away and he’d wake up
and go to the golf club.”
Ama was chuckling and responded.
“Mother, you sound like you are jealous, you are the one who wants to keep working, nobody
forced you, leave him to enjoy.”
“I can’t stop. He deserves his enjoyment. I like your gown; it shows your beautiful legs. Going to
see Richard this early morning?”
“Yes mother” Ama responded rather reluctantly “Can I drive the Peugeot?”
“Yes you can, the key is my brown bag” Ichechi called out to Ama who was already heading to
her mother’s room, although Ichechi never slept in her room, she had it for her endless amounts
of children’s books, her clothes, shoes and bags. “You will find a spare key to the house in there
as well.”
Ama drove the Peugeot 305 along the streets she wasn’t quite used to. They moved down to Port
Harcourt from Abuja immediately after she gained admission into the University of Benin, so
she spent only a few holidays between Port Harcourt and Calabar. Her mother was from Port
Harcourt and her Father was from Calabar although they were both South-South states their
cultures were divergent and it was a beautiful experience growing up. They switched villages
every year to spend Christmas and the experience was always exciting for them. The languages
were different; her mother’s people spoke Ikwerre. Her father’s people spoke Efik. The meals
were contrasting too, in her mother’s place most of their soups were watery, pepper soup like,
while her father’s place their soups were mostly vegetable full. The only thing they had incommon was the fisherman soup and they loved sea foods, from shrimps, to lobsters, crayfish,
prawns etc.
Ama had little make up on. She let her natural beauty show; she knew she was beautiful her
mother made sure of it with her constant praises. She applied lip gloss, loose brown powder and
mascara to accentuate her full eye lashes. She wore a short dress that showed her legs the way
Richard liked it; he used to say “your legs are so beautiful; if not that your lips were not on your
face, I would stare at your legs more”. Ama was driving slowly on the streets and waving at
kiosk owners she had one time or the other bought something from. Ichechi drove passed her in
her Black Rav 4 vehicle she loved so much. “Honk honk” Ichechi pressed her horns and waved
at Ama.

3 Likes

Re: The Ekanems by Redhotycecold: 4:22pm On Apr 27, 2019
Good one Man.

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 4:39pm On Apr 27, 2019
Redhotycecold:
Good one Man.


Thanks.
Re: The Ekanems by Redhotycecold: 4:42pm On Apr 27, 2019
Just keep the updates coming. wink
Re: The Ekanems by Ann2012(f): 1:16pm On Apr 28, 2019
Following

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Bridgovoks: 1:28pm On Apr 28, 2019
Interesting story and captivating
More updates, please
Re: The Ekanems by skubido(m): 2:05pm On Apr 28, 2019
Ann2012:
Following


I dey your back

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 3:54pm On Apr 28, 2019
CHAPTER 3





“I came here yesterday remember?” Ama told the security guard at the air force barrack gate
hoping he would not need to confirm from Richard if she was indeed here to see him.
“Oh yes you came to see First Lieutenant Richard yesterday, ok you can pass.” He called out to
the other guard in the control room. “Oboy! Make she pass, cleared”.
“Thank you.” Ama said as she drove in with a plastic pensive smile on her face.
“That was close” she thought. The plan was to surprise Richard again. He seemed to dislike her
surprises these days, but she was here for closure. If what they shared was over, she wanted
closure as to why.
She knew the barracks all too well, she had been coming every three months for two years, so it
was easy to navigate even though there were new artifacts and more buildings; she was very
conversant with the road to Richards’s house. Being the daughter of a retired army officer,
arguments about which barracks was cleaner and more organized amongst the air force, army
and navy was a debate that never had a resolution, but deep down, she knew the air force
barracks had more aesthetics and security than the army, but of course she would support the
army whenever the conversation came up.It was 8:45am; Richard was already at the parade ground. He would customarily still be at home
at this time, but his commanding officer was around for inspection, so he was ensuring that the
junior officers were in order. The flags cleaned and properly straightened and the quarter guard
very tidy. After the episode with Ama yesterday he felt very unhappy, his course mates could
tell, asking him if there was trouble in paradise. He has been debating within himself the best
way to tell her the engagement was over and he was truly sorry that his mother wanted him to
marry an Igbo girl. “I definitely cannot say that.” he thought. Nobody forced him to fall in love
with Cynthia, his new fiancée; he did that all by himself, so his mother was not to blame. A smile
crept up his face reminiscing the first time Mrs. Ekanem; Ama’s mother caught him In Ama’s
room. He had climbed in through the window; it was easy to access her room upstairs because of
the mango tree whose branches were leaning towards the window. Richard snuck in to kiss her
good night. Kent was always around them and made it clear they could only hold hands, if only
he knew they’ve been kissing and touching themselves for years. That night Ichechi walked in on
them, Richard ran out the window with so much adrenaline he forgot how high up he was, lucky
for him he escaped with a scratch on his calf. Ichechi insisted he came by the house the next day
to apologize to her. Richard smiled fully, “good times” he thought to himself “real good times.”
He knew Ama had not yet told her mother, if she had he would have been receiving uncountable
amounts of phone calls from her family members, from Kent especially, since his romantic
relationship started with his sister their friendship somehow fizzled out. Their different career
choices put more strain on the friendship; still they were cool, hailing each other every now and
then. Kent would have called him by now. Ola their oldest sister would have called him by now.
Richard did not quite get along with her, but she gave him his peace because he was with her
sister and Gideon the last born and odd one out, they were tight. Richard sends him money
regularly. And of course Mrs. Ekanem would have called their pastor, his mother “my deadfather too” he thought to himself. “I’m a dead man”. There was no going back now. The ship
had sailed.
Ama was sure someone was in the house; the television was so loud that she could hear it outside
“I doubt you could challenge me now.” It was everybody hates Chris showing on the Television
and that was Chris talking,
“Wait I have a new idea.”
She wondered why Richard increased the volume so high. On her fourth knock the door opened
revealing a young light skinned and somewhat tall lady.
“Morning… how can I help you?”
That was Cynthia and Ama was sure she had seen that face before. It was the girl whose pictures
was all over Richard’s phone and they had a big fight about it, but that was three months ago
when she was last here.
Richard left his phone in the sitting room to use the bathroom. Ama knew the password to his
phone; she always said that if he could hide his phone from her then they couldn’t trust each
other. She hardly ever goes through his phone, but on that day she did. As she scrolled through
his gallery, Cynthia’s pictures were everywhere so Ama went on to read their conversations and
what she read was heart breaking.
“Who the hell is Cynthia?” she screamed out to Richard who rushed out of the bathroom with a
towel around his waist. He saw Ama with his phone and knew that she had found out about
Cynthia, so he knelt down to beg.
“Baby she is just a friend believe me.” Ama had tears rolling down her cheeks already.“Her pictures are all over your phone, even more than my pictures, you both have been chatting
for the past four months every single day! Jesus Christ Richard, you have been cheating on me!”
Ama tried to smash his phone; she hit it hard on the floor and stormed into the room.
Richard begged, deleted all Cynthia’s photos and conversations in her presence. Ama believed
him, she had to, there was no crime he would commit that she wouldn’t forgive him of, he was
her all in all. And he committed a lot of crimes, and she forgave him a lot of times the question
that remained unanswered was- if she did things that hurt him, would he forgive her so easily?
That scenario never happened because Ama would not bring herself to do anything that would
hurt her sweetheart.
There she was, this Cynthia girl, wearing her fiancé’s shirt, opening her fiancé’s door, increasing
the volume of her fiancé's television too high. Richard did not get rid of her. As Ama stood there
looking at Cynthia who had stolen her man, she tried to compare their physical appearance, she
was taller than her, only by some inch, they were both light skinned, Cynthia had a flat nose and
Ama had a pointy nose with high cheek bone. “I am more beautiful than her” Ama thought to
herself, but the reality was that Richard had left her for Cynthia.
“I am here to see Richard.”
Ama said out loud, drawing confidence at the fact that she was more beautiful.
“I remember you.” Cynthia said excitedly “You are Richard’s ex, oh please do come in.” Cynthia
opened the door wider to let Ama in.
“She even has an igbotic accent, what an insult” Ama thought “Why is she acting nice”. Did she
hear her correctly, ex she said?“I am not his ex; you see this ring on my finger?” Ama paused; raising her left hand to Cynthia’s
then said “you are in no position to call me that ok.”
Cynthia smiled.
“I was frying plantain and scrambled eggs can I get you some.”
Cynthia opened the door wider so that Ama can pass through. She hesitated at first, and then
stepped up the pavement; she mentally tried to summon some strength even though her heart was
beating out of rhythm, Ama walked into the living room, a house she was all too familiar with.
She looked around in awe, the house she had cooked and cleaned in, the house she turned into a
home, the house she had dreams of raising her children in, the house, is now been run by
someone else.
“Listen here Cynthia… yes I know your name, this is my house ok, and that shirt you have on I
bought it for Richard, me Ama.”
Ama blurted out, a little too confrontational, she immediately regretted what she said because
Cynthia was nothing but nice to her, for all she knew the man must have played them both.
“Ama, please calm down, let us not fight over a man, we are both too educated for this. Let us
eat and watch some television, I will call Richard to come home and we can clear this mess up,
ok?” Without waiting for a response Cynthia walked into the kitchen to prepare the food leaving
Ama standing at the passage to the sitting room. She was trying to comport herself and gather her
self-esteem.
“Let us eat and watch some television, I will call Richard” Ama mimicked Cynthia. Cynthia
walked with grace and confidence and talked the same way too; Ama thought that perhaps that
was why Richard chose her instead.

2 Likes

Re: The Ekanems by skubido(m): 5:35pm On Apr 28, 2019
Nice wan


Tanks for the update

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Ann2012(f): 6:05pm On Apr 28, 2019
Na wa oooo

Thanks for the update

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by FantasticJ: 8:33pm On Apr 28, 2019
This is nice. Well done Op

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by moseph(f): 10:33pm On Apr 28, 2019
very nice.

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Bridgovoks: 3:56am On Apr 29, 2019
Thanks for the update
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:37am On Apr 29, 2019
skubido:
Nice wan

Tanks for the update

Thanks.
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:38am On Apr 29, 2019
Ann2012:
Na wa oooo
Thanks for the update


Your Welcome.
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:38am On Apr 29, 2019
FantasticJ:
This is nice. Well done Op
Thank you.
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:39am On Apr 29, 2019
moseph:
very nice.
Thanks I appreciate.
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:40am On Apr 29, 2019
Bridgovoks:
Thanks for the update
Your welcome.
Re: The Ekanems by Redhotycecold: 9:27pm On Apr 29, 2019
Good Work

This has got to be one of the best lit work on Nairaland. I can see you really took your time to write this.

Keep updating please. grin

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 9:25am On May 01, 2019
CHAPTER 4



Richard suspected that something was amiss. Cynthia called to tell him to come home; even
though she sounded calm there was urgency in her voice. He tried to place it, what could have
been the urgency. Cynthia had a way with words, there was something about her voice even
though her English was padded with thick Igbo accent, and she spoke well. She was born and
raised in Nsukka and then left for England to do her masters in psychology and she had stayed
there for over eight years, yet she sounded very Nigerian it was one of the mysteries about her
that he loved. Yes he loved her, the love he had for her was different, more mature, and less
intense than what he had with Ama. He drove feeling apprehensive and hoping that whatever it
was, it was minute.
Richard stood by the door to his house for over a minute before he knocked. Cynthia opened the
door and smiled at him.
“Welcome, come in.”
“Phew” Richard thought, everything was normal; maybe she was pregnant and did not want to
say it over the phone. As he walked into the living room, then he saw Ama. They both stared at
each other, Richard had a look of utter astonishment, and Ama had a look of disgust and
disappointment, she was about to cry.
Ama walked towards him and slapped him with all the strength she could summon“Traitor! Liar! You are a Devil Richard.”
Richard just stood there looking at her; he was shocked at her outburst and the energy in her slap.
“Can we all just sit and talk?” he said trying to sound like his pride was not wounded .He was
embarrassed that the woman he once loved and the woman he now loved were in one place at the
same time seeking explanation.
“Yes we can.” Cynthia said pointing to a sofa for Ama.
“How can she be so calm?” Ama thought.
They all sat down, Richard sat on the biggest sofa in the middle of the two small sofas. Cynthia
took the one by his right and Ama took the sofa by his left. After two minutes spell of silence
Richard spoke;
“I did not lie to you Ama; I never lied to any of you. Baby girl I am sorry that you had to find out
like this, what we have shared for nine years is special to me, it is nobody’s fault that we have
grown apart, I am truly sorry…..but our engagement is over.”
Richard’s heart was beating out of rhythm.
Ama stood up and stared at him with so much rage that if her eyes could shoot out lasers he
would have burnt to ashes.
“We grew apart… We grew apart? When did the growing apart happen, Richard?” she retorted
“You are liar and a bastard, you deserve nothing good!”
Ama stormed out banging the door behind her.
Richard just sat there feeling stupefied; Cynthia walked to him and pecked him on his cheek. She
understood the situation of things, he couldn’t marry her because his mother did not approve andaccording to Richard he had tried severally to subtly tell Ama they were not going to end up
getting married; but she pretended not to notice and pressed on. Cynthia hated the fact that tribal
bigotry had come in the way of what he shared with Ama, but there was nothing she could do
now, they had both fallen in love with each other.
Richard’s mother was despondent when she heard that Richard had engaged Ama. She put extra
work into finding an educated Igbo girl. All her friends were in search of one as well. Richard’s
mother liked Ama, and she was a good girl but was not Igbo. The idea of her son marrying a
Calabar girl was absurd to her; her first son was to marry from their place it was tradition.
During that time Cynthia had just got back from England and her aunt was Richard’s mother’s
friend so they hooked them up at a mutual friend’s daughter’s wedding.
At first Richard thought nothing of Cynthia; he knew that she was well educated and well-
travelled, everyone knew about her father, Mr. Okonkwo, the first man to own an oil well in
Nkerefi Enugu state; they were a wealthy and humble family.
When they started speaking at the wedding Richard thought her to be very mature and soft
spoken with a great sense of humor. There was an air of tranquility about her, he was tripping.
Her English was fluent although thickened with Igbo accent like Ede would thicken Oha soup,
he enjoyed their conversation.
“How come you sound so Igbo…I mean no offence, but for a Nigerian to be overseas for almost
eight years, it is surprising to find them without a genuine or forced “Americanized” or “British”
accent” Richard asked.
Cynthia laughed out loud. Not taken-aback by the question. She knew people were thinking it,
especially when they find out, she spent a long time in England.“It is almost as if our people are disappointed with me… I mean I see the way the others look at
me, and wonder if I actually lived in England. Richard I was born and raised in Nsukka,
everyone around me speaks Igbo, I studied at the University of Nsukka, yes I went abroad but I
am not sorry for refusing to change my accent, I was already an adult with a high level of self-
awareness. I felt more genuinely myself without the load of the in quote “British” accent.
“Wow” Richard thought. That was the beginning of their friendship and it blossomed.

4 Likes

Re: The Ekanems by Remite011(m): 11:15am On May 01, 2019
following is a go

am here now
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 12:45pm On May 01, 2019
You can also read this book on the Okada book app or visit https://okadabooks.com/book/about/the_ekanem_s/19132
Re: The Ekanems by skubido(m): 4:54pm On May 01, 2019
Tanks for the update

1 Like

Re: The Ekanems by Ann2012(f): 6:14pm On May 01, 2019
Thanks for the update

But Richard should have at least explained to Ama instead of her finding out this way
Re: The Ekanems by aprilwise(m): 3:37pm On May 02, 2019
It still fresh in my memory how my ex broke up with me after graduation from university. After so much love we shared. It hard to move on without the on you love. Ama will overcome.

5 Likes

Re: The Ekanems by Wendybrown(f): 7:45pm On May 02, 2019
This is very relatable. Nice work
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 8:29am On May 03, 2019
skubido:
Tanks for the update
Your welcome.
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 8:31am On May 03, 2019
Ann2012:
Thanks for the update

But Richard should have at least explained to Ama instead of her finding out this way


Maybe he would have if she didn't show up unannounced.
Re: The Ekanems by Giddy11513: 8:32am On May 03, 2019
Wendybrown:
This is very relatable. Nice work

Thank you.

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