A LETTER TO YOU: Chapter 1 – 10
A LETTER TO YOU
CHAPTER NINE.
Author : Okegbemi Ebenezer.
Kelvin stood there looking at my mum, she kept on shouting and in no time neighbors started gathering in our compound. Those that were not even in love with our family entered and instead of helping to ease the situation were compounding issues.
“I knew it that this will happen one day” One of our neighbors said to those that care to listen.
“This boy named Kelvin is the black sheep of the family, the way there father handles them is not helping matters either” He added.
“And they called themselves Christians, they will be disturbing we that even smoke weed as if we are going to hell” A young guy added.
“Don’t mind them, or is it not the so called Christians poisoning themselves now” Another woman standing added to what the young man had said.
I was looking at the crowd, while my mother was screaming at the top of her voice, I knew she is not happy with the crowd present but she can’t help it. The death of my father really pained her a lot. She held unto him telling him all the promises he made but she was just wasting her effort on a dead man.
“Call the police and tell them about the incident” A man said to my elder brother who just stood speechless looking at what was happening. He could not believe the incident.
It look like a dream to him. I moved closer to him to ask him what we should do next but what he said shocked me a lot.
“I don’t think Kelvin poisoned daddy, if the food was poisoned then it must be the cook” He said to me.
“What!! Are you saying that I killed him” I asked him as if I didn’t know
“Am not saying so but it just like a surprise to me” He said and left my side.
The ambulance came and my father was taken away to the hospital and after three days he was buried.
My mother was no longer herself after the incident. I was complaining of her attitude towards us but with what happened she became a total stranger. She does not even like to hear anything about Kelvin. Anytime she was talking and Kelvin was there, she will ask him questions which would make Kelvin to start pleading with her and telling her he did not know anything about what had happened.
“But why did you poison your father, why. I should have allow them take you to prison, you don’t worth it to be called my son. For you to do that to your father, it is a big disgrace.” She will say to him.
But we all thought that was the end until one evening two policemen showed up and requested to see Kelvin who was in his room.
“Are you the son of the deceased” He was asked.
“Yes, am Kelvin” He replied.
“Your attention is needed at the station, so please come with us” They said to him.
“What happened and to where” My mother asked them.
“For the murder of his father as we were able to detect that he died of poisoning and with testimonies coupled with information you provided it was discovered that he had threatened his father of killing him before he died’ The police said to us.
I was speechless including my mother and Kelvin himself. As I was watching, the voice came again and speak silently this time.
“You have really achieve a great job, the next target would be revealed to you” It said to me and laughed hard.
“Never, I will not” I screamed and it drew the attention of my mother with the police men to me as they were shocked.
“Are you alright” One of the police man asked me and ordered Kelvin to follow them, he was on his singlet and boxer. He was not allowed to dress as he was forced into their waiting van.
“Mummy please have mercy, help me beg them” He shouted as they were pushing him.
My mother could not watch him as she was crying and cursing herself.
‘But why me, God , why am I suffering like this” She talked to herself.
Little did she know that our trouble just began. A day after the incident some distance in-laws from my father side started showing up. I always thought we don’t have any relatives because my parent never mentioned that to us. We were still thinking over that of Kelvin when we heard a knock on the door.
‘Who is there” I asked
“Your uncle” he replied.
I opened the door waiting to see just one person when about five of them walked in.
“Welcome sirs and ma” I greeted them
“We are good my daughter and how is your mother” He asked me.
When my mother saw them I noticed she was shocked and angry with their presence.
“Are you surprise that you are seeing us” Baba kekere asked my mother.
She did not reply him. She was just looking elsewhere as they were taking their seat. I was watching as I did not understand what they meant with the show of attitude.
“Don’t be confused, we can see that your children are all grown up, despite the fact that you kept them away from us. Since you married our brother, you made us his enemy and now that he is gone, we think it is the right time to settle some matters.
My mother was eyeing him as he was talking on behalf of the others who were giggling. They did not even ask about my brothers nor even sympathize with my mother over the demise of my father.
“You see, we are here to tell you what the custom of our people demands” Baba Kekere said to my mother.
“Which custom, baba” My mother found her voice.
“In our place, when ones husband dies, his property is shared by his relatives with the exception that…” He was cut short by my mother.
‘Which property, you must be joking. Oh, I think you want war again, are you people human , your son died and all you think of is his property” My mother shouted at them.
“Enough woman, so you want us to forsake our tradition because our son is dead, was it not you and your son that connive to poison him” Baba Kerkere asked her.
These words struck my mother that she began to weep silently.
‘Who said I killed him” She replied.
“See we are not here to argue with you, we are here to make our demands know. His property are to be shared among his relatives with only one exception” Baba Kekere said while others supported him.
“What do you people want from us. It has been twenty years now since we left you because of your trouble about my delay in giving birth. You don’t even bother calling to check on us but now you are around when my husband is dead to claim his properties” My mother shouted at them.
‘Okay, but you can save yourself of that, only if you agree that you marry one of us” Baba kekere said to my mother.
I was shoked, what kind of tradition is this, my mother should marry this ugly looking people.
‘Never she can’t” I voice out.
“My daughter, please stay out of this, it is the elders talking not you” He said to me.
“You can shut her up, please, she is matured enough and can see what you are trying to do, you people are just wicked” My mother said to them with tear in her eye.
“Oh, wicked but we are not, you just marry me and all is settled” Baba Kerere said to her.
“Sir, you are not responsible” I shouted at the man.
That was another grave mistake I made, I never knew these people were desperate and could do anything. Instead of Baba Kekere to be annoyed he just smiled at me.
“Am sorry my daughter, but am not what you called me, do you know my last born is older than you” He said .
‘Shut up, Then why are you interested in my mother, you brothers wife” I replied him.
One of the relative insulted me for talking to him that way but the spirit inside of me was just voicing out and insulting them.
“Leave her, if you give a mad person digger to bury his mother, he will not hesitate to cut her into pieces” He spoke in proverbs.
‘If you are cursing my daughter, it goes back to your head” My mother defended.
“The dog that will get lost will not hear the whistle of the hunter” Baba Kekere added and wanted to take his leave.
“You are seeing me now but when next you see me, you will not live to tell” He said to my mother and left with his people.
“I reject it” My mother said to her but we just claim to be Christians we are poor in prayers.
After they left, my mother hugged me for standing by her but hissed at my elder brother who didn’t say a word throughout.
‘Idiot, your sister is there defending me, you are here standing like a dummy.” She said to him and hissed.
That night something unusual happened.
To be continued……
A LETTER TO YOU: Chapter 1 – 10
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