Blessing

Chapter 23

241 23 lessing had more reason to ask similar questions some months later, when Joseph came home from the North where he had spent the majority of the last two years to collect his belongings, all his belongings. ‘This marriage is over, Blessing. Don’t think this is a rash decision. It is not. I have carefully considered the matter and would have made room for polygamy, only I cannot accommodate two wives. I am practising what I preached when your aunt warned me about sticking to one wife.’ ‘How could you even think of polygamy when we had forfeited that option?’ Blessing asked, stunned. ‘We signed that our marriage would be in accordance to the laws and customs of the Nchumuluh people. What do you think that means?’ ‘Where are you heading?’ ‘Where you know I will land.’ ‘I don’t know what you are talking about and I don’t want to know. I—’ ‘Whenever you are ready to face the truth all you need to do is go to your protective aunt,’ Joseph mocked. ‘Poly or mono, it does not matter. What matters is that—’ ‘Don’t drag my aunt into ... into whatever it is you are talking about.’ ‘You see, you would not even listen to me. —what matters is that I signed a renewable contract with you, meaning it always has been repealable. I just came to collect my stuff.’ He walked into the bedroom and started assembling his belongings. Blessing met him in the bedroom. ‘So you really want to go. What about your children? You have not seen them for so long yet you want to walk in and out of your house without even asking about them?’ she asked in a quivering voice. ‘I know my children are spending the holidays in the village with your mother. When I want to see them I will not pass through you.’ B 242 When he noticed Blessing had her eyes fixed on him, he said, ‘Pretend I am not here. Just go about your business as always. Before you know it I will be out of your way.’ Like a lunatic, Blessing flew to the bedside table, opened her handbag, picked up her purse and went past him like the wind. As she walked out of the house, Joseph called out, ‘Don’t bother to bid me farewell. I will have evaporated by the time you return.’ ‘Mefo. Mefo.’ Blessing murmured as she stood at the kerb waiting for a taxi. Mefo had warned her that the pot inside which food is cooked always remains behind the fireside, that it never goes to the table. She had told her that men always leave the black pot and go and eat inside a clean plate. She had told her to keep her eyes open when she walked with men, if not they will use her to cook, but the very men will refuse to eat from her because she was too dirty. ‘Mefo, you told me to think ahead of men,’ Blessing said, ‘but what did I do? I let Joseph move faster than me. Why did I not even realise that his absence and financial detachment were a portent of this horror that has been unveiled today?’ Entangled in her thoughts, Blessing remembered little of the taxi ride to Aunty Angela’s house. It was Saturday and the two boys who now lived with her had gone for Bible Study in church. Her husband had gone to the Nchumuluh men’s meeting, which was held on the first Saturday of each month. The environment could not have been more convenient since Aunty Angela was home alone. ‘Ble, what is wrong with you? Why are you dressed as though some trouble chased you out of your house before you had time to take off that old Kabba or arrange the headscarf almost covering your eyes? Come and sit down? Are the children okay?’ ‘They are alright, Aunty,’ Blessing said. She was now sitting next to her aunt on the sofa. ‘Hm, Aunty ...’ she clapped her hands and then wedged the left one between her lap and her chin to support the weight of her head. ‘Ble, you scare me when you behave like that. What is it? Come out with it. Has anybody in the village died?’ ‘Aunty,’ she said calmly ‘go and bring that marriage certificate so we have a close look at it.’ [3.145.163.58] Project MUSE (2024-04-25 14...