Mama

A Short Story

Mama washed me, dressed me in the new clothes Papa had bought for me. She then weaved my hair neatly and beautified the cornrows with beads. She worked in silence wearing a sad expression and I did too. Today was my introduction day. My in-laws-to-be were coming to see me and Papa was most excited.

Marriage was the last thing on our minds but we couldn't oppose it.

Papa had ten wives, two left him and remarried other men. He married my mother when she was fourteen and she had me when she turned fifteen. She had my junior sisters a year after. She is the seventh wife and the youngest wife by age and is considered the lowest wife because she didn't have any sons. She had never been treated fairly by other wives and hardly got any attention from my father but she never seemed too bothered about it. She always taught us to be patient and loved my sisters and me dearly. She never complained to Papa nor was she demanding or stubborn even though she received little or nothing from him.

Yesterday was the first time she openly talked back at Papa. He called a family meeting in the evening after supper and announced that I am to marry his friend and colleague, Aguata. It was very obvious that this was a business arrangement because papa owed Aguata a huge sum of money, maybe he was trying to use me as a form of compensation.

Mama stood up immediately and shouted, "But she's not yet fourteen".

"She has seen her first blood now hasn't she?", He replied nonchalantly.

"It is not right please I beg you... My husband, please! He is old enough to be her father", She was crying now.

"And am I not old enough to be your father?", His voice cracked a little and we could tell that he was getting angry.

Mama only nodded and hugged me tightly. There was a lot of noise now coming from the numerous children that Papa had. My sisters and I were of no value, that we were aware of. There were many daughters in the household already. All my step sisters that were born before me have been married off but none of them as young as I was. Papa didn't like the idea of having many female mouths to feed. He didn't even know my name until last night. I was simply known as Ada nwunye asaa, the seventh wife's first daughter in my language.

Later that night Papa called my mother in and beat her mercilessly after which he gave her the dress he had bought for my introduction. She was quiet when she came into our hut but then I saw something in her eyes, anger, determination and overwhelming love for my sisters and I. She called us together and began packing the little clothing we had. We were surprised and we began asking questions but she didn't answer. She packed furiously and tied everything into one of her wrappers.

When she finally answered she said, "You would go to my brother's place tomorrow by this time".

She then raised our sleeping mat and brought out a few coins she had been saving and handed them to me. I looked at her sadly and she nodded at me. My sisters began to cry again. I went quietly to the side of the hut where mama kept her cooking utensils and laid down. I began to wish I was born a boy so maybe mama would receive the respect she deserves. I was helpless and I knew it so I began to curse everyone who had treated us badly. I cursed papa, his other wives and my step-siblings, I cursed my gender and the day I was born. In my bitterness, I could still hear my sisters sobbing. None of us could sleep throughout the night.

"They are here" one of my older brothers came to inform us.

We left the hut and went to the courtyard where my family and the family of my in-laws sat waiting. When we came out everywhere went silent. At that sight of everyone, I suddenly felt dizzy. My legs failed me and my knees jolted but mama held me tightly so I wouldn't fall. My sisters followed quietly behind.

The whole ceremony went by in a blur. I couldn't see because of the tears that constantly filled my eyes. When I was formally introduced to Aguata, he pulled me to sit on his lap, grabbed my breasts possessively and made a crude comment about how I would be good for childbirth. As I screamed out in fear and pain, I searched the crowd for someone who would defend me but they were all laughing and hailing him. My eyes caught mama's and she looked away. Her face was swollen probably from the beating she'd received the previous night and the tears she had shed. I closed my eyes tightly and waited for the ceremony to end.

As the food and wine were being served, he finally let go of me. Mama came quickly and took me inside. I changed out of my new clothes and gathered our belongings including the money mama had given me. She didn't say much and she had no need to. Time was limited and we had to work fast. My sisters and I followed the lead meticulously packing and remaining as quiet as possible. Everyone was busy enjoying themselves and drinking Papa's fine wine so we had to leave before it would be discovered that we were missing.

Following the road that led from the back of our hut, we walked briskly, breaking into a run after we were far away from the huts that made up Papa's compound. When we thought we had covered a reasonable distance, we slowed our pace to conserve our energy. My sisters were frantic and I had to struggle to keep them calm. Mama led the way like a soldier breaking branches and clearing a path for us. She had decided that we stay off the main road leading to the outskirts of the village. If any villagers caught sight of us, papa would surely find out which direction we were headed.

We hadn't gotten deep into the forest when we heard them. They were shouting, holding sticks and running like wild dogs. We didn't need anyone to tell us that the search had begun and we panicked. They got closer and closer, their screams louder and louder.

Mama turned to me and said "Go! Take your sisters and go to my brother's house, don't stay too long there because they'll come looking for you there. My brother, he'll know what to do ".

And with that, she turned and started going back towards Papa and the search party. My sisters struggled to grab her wrapper but she simply pushed them away gently and smiled at them. We bent low in the bushes and watched her as she walked back.

We could tell that she had met them at the road when people began screaming,

"Witch, There she is!"

"Abomination!"

Suddenly it went quiet and Papa's voice was heard above the murmuring. He was asking about us. Mama's voice was low so we couldn't make out what she said and next we heard her screams. I struggled further to look through the bushes, closing my mouth tightly with my palm for fear of screaming out for mama.

What I saw made my mouth drop. Mama's face was bloody and when Papa picked her up like a piece of rag. She looked in my direction, our eyes caught for a moment and then she looked away. I knew what would happen but I couldn't get myself to think of it.

Grabbing my sisters, we turned towards the thick forest behind us and ran.