Chapter 40: Chapter 40

There was a Christmas tree at the Second gate. It was placed on a high concrete stand and was high enough to be seen even from the outside of the compound.

Kamsi and Mark travelled to the village on the same day that was the Christmas day. Mark did not make movements like they were going to embark on the trip but Kamsi knew they never celebrated any of the end of the year festivals outside home. She was ready; she packed a box before that day and waited.

It was the night before Christmas when she thought that they would celebrate Christmas in Okigwe that Mark shifted closer to her in bed. He lay behind her for a while like he was running the words he wanted to utter over again in his head. He then placed a hand lightly on her protruding belly and brought his lips close to her ears.

"Are you sleeping? " He asked.

Kamsi placed a hand over his in reply and he sighed.

"We'll travel to the village tomorrow," He said and waited for her response but she said nothing.

"Baby? "

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? " She asked without turning to look at him, "You are going alone."

"I'm sorry. I had to put some things in place first. Even for me, it's not planned.  I just feel that since we can make it tomorrow to celebrate Christmas with the family, we should," He said, all hurriedly like a rehearsed speech, he did not want to forget any word.

"We don't have to go early, " He continued, "We can leave in the evening or at noon so you would have time to pack. "

He rubbed a hand on her arm to gain a response and she replied, "I have heard you."

"Thank you. I love you," He replied,  hugging her closer to himself  to sniff her newly relaxed hair which still smelled of relaxer, conditioner,  a little scent of coconut and a little scent of  shea butter.

Kamsi was familiar with her husband's village house. She knew who owned each duplex in the compound. Her first Christmas there, Mark had taken her round  the large  compound, pointing to each building and telling her who owned which. She nodded all through the tour, noting the names. Most of the owners of the buildings were not in the country but the lawn outside their houses were still trimmed perfectly.

She  was familiar also with the tradition of going to each of their houses at night to greet them. The only people she greeted when she arrived  were  Mark's parents. They were seated in the living room when they arrived in the evening.

She knew Michelle and Joseph were around, their Jeep  was parked outside. She did not go to their room to look for them even though it was in the same house.

Mama climbed up the stairs with her after Mark who was carrying their boxes up to their own  room.  She settled on the bed looking around while Kamsi unzipped her box to arrange her clothes on hangers.

"I had them change the curtains for you.  Hope you like it? " She asked.

Kamsi looked around the room with a smile, the curtain was changed to a lemon curtain and still effortlessly fit in the white painted room. She could not remember the last curtain that had been in the room but this one was beautiful and could have been better than the former.

"I like it, " She nodded, happily looking at Mama who seemed pleased with her work .

Mark came out from the restroom. His white vest had splashes of water on it like he did not dry the hairs beneath properly.

"Hope this one is treating you properly? " Mama asked, eyeing Mark. He laughed and walked to his box.

"He is, Ma, " Kamsi replied after a short laugh.

Mark picked a T-shirt from the box he threw on the table then turned to the women in the room.

"Let me do a census, " He said, quickly throwing on his T-shirt.

It was Mama that laughed.  "You  won't really find much people at home. They must have gone to watch football." She said. "You know, Iheanyi is hosting this year's inter community match ?"

Mark nodded uninterested in who was hosting a football match, "That's a good thing," He said before exiting the room.

A brief silence followed  before Mama asked, "Do you eat at all? "

"Yes, mama," Kamsi replied laughing.

"In that case, you will eat more this time. "

Mama heard noises coming from outside and looked out from the window. Mark was carrying in bags of rice , cartons of tomato and other provisions he came with into the house with the help of three other young boys who were his cousins.

"Weevils will eat my rice with me," She said turning to Kamsi, "Joseph and Munachi also arrived with rice bags as if they wanted me to open a stall."

Kamsi laughed, looking at the lamenting woman. "Mama, you can always give some  to people that need it " She suggested.

Mama nodded then went closer to her and began to help her hang her dresses because she seemed to be slow at it.

"How is your baby? " Mama asked.

She reflexly rubbed her tummy, "She's fine.  She kicked on Sunday, " She replied happily.

"For the first time? " Mama smiled at her, choosing to ignore the gender she gave the unborn child.

Kamsi nodded in reply.  They were done and Kamsi placed back her box in the wardrobe, leaving Mark's own on the table where he left it.

Mama led her to the bed and sat beside her, with a hand placed on Kamsi's stomach, she began to pray for her. She blessed the child in her womb, blessed the mother carrying the child, blessed the first light the child would behold,  blessed the hands that would contribute in the growth of the child. All the time, Kamsi nodded, saying Amen to stamp the prayers. Mama continued, blessing the first walking steps the unborn child will take, blessing the first word the child would speak, blessing  all the years of the child.

Mama left after the prayer, when the noises filled outside as people from the field began to troop in, each struggling to give their commentary of the football  match,  angry at the keeper and people who were so near to scoring a goal but they lost it.

Michelle burst into Kamsi's room with a wild grin on her face and little Ella possessively clinging to one of her fingers.

"What if my husband was here?" Kamsi asked, sitting up.

Michelle pulled her in for a hug, "I already saw him downstairs, dummy. Merry Christmas."

"Wishing you the best, love, " Kamsi replied hugging her back.

Ella waved shyly, still holding on to Michelle, "God mummy, happy Christmas," she said, quietly.

"Come here, baby," Kamsi called pulling her in between her legs,  "What did mummy do to you? "

"Somebody give me sweet and she threw it away, " Ella explained tearfully, pointing at Michelle who was sitting beside Kamsi.

"But baby, I said I would give you another," Michelle defended laughing.

"But you did not give me," Ella said in another tearful voice.

"Don't worry," Kamsi consoled, pulling the little girl into her bosom, "Mummy would give you another sweet. She just doesn't want you to collect things from strangers "

Ella nodded as if she understood then she cleaned her tears with the back of her tiny hand.

Later at night, when it was still  respectful to visit people,  Kamsi went with Mark round the houses to greet  his uncles and aunties. They did not sit but stood briefly always saying, "We just came to greet and wish you Merry Christmas . We would come around Someother time so we can stay longer with your family. "

The greetings were going alright for Kamsi until they went to Dee Ifeanyi's place. They exchanged handshakes with  Dee Ifeanyi then his wife, Da Nkechi hugged Mark, then Kamsi. She looked at Kamsi with irritation then asked even before she asked how she was doing, "Why did you leave your hair like that? "

"I could not just go through the pain of doing anything to it," Kamsi replied with a smile still lasting on her face.

The woman was annoyed like it was not just hair they were talking about. "What is beauty without pain? " She asked, "I don't like women who do not take care of themselves."

Kamsi chose to be silent and Mark was also silent smiling at the woman like she was complimenting his wife.

"Mark and you allowed her to follow you for Christmas like this? " She faced him.

"Nkechi, won't you leave the girl alone? " De Ifeanyi asked, clearly bored. He sat on a cushion, leg crossed with his phone in his hand.

Mark  went closer to her and hugged her to pacify her. He called her sweet names and led her away from the parlor . Tears stung Kamsi's eyes where she stood but she quickly looked up to stop the tears from streaming down.

De Ifeanyi looked at where she was. "Come, sit," He said.

Kamsi walked to a seat and sat, keeping her hands folded on her laps.  She gazed around the room, waiting for Mark to come out but they seemed to be in a very long discussion in the kitchen.

He later came out and they left. That was the only house they spent much time in and the last house she visited  for the night. There were two other houses they needed to visit but she went back to their own house leaving Mark alone to continue the greeting . In her mind, she trusted him to defend her absence. Maybe he would say she fell ill or anything at all but he won't lack words because that was what he did best - to lie.