Chapter 14: Chapter 14

The palm wine tapper growled again for the sixth time as he lost again. Ete Affiong just smirked while pouring himself a cup of palm wine.

"I still don't know how you do it." His friend scowled. "You must be an excellent cheater because no matter how much I look it still looks legit. I can't even notice a thing." He glares at the abandoned game on the mini stool between them.

Ete Affiong chuckled after downing a large gulp of palm wine. He frowned at the taste. It wasn't fresh.

"That's because its legit. What's up with the palm wine" he sniffs the remnant in the cup.

"Can't you tell it's not fresh."

"Yes I can smell that, apart from that, it taste funny." Ete Affiong poured in some into the cup and extended it to him for a taste.

"Indeed?" He took it and sipped a little, savoring the taste. "Chai! My son had finally done it." He cried in exclamation and spits the drink.

"Why? What did he do?" Ete Affiong rushed out, his voice holding an edge of panic.

"He has finally succeeded." He ignored him placing both hands on his head as he moved it to and fro.

"What is it? What did he do?" He was full on panicking. He had leaned forward as he waited for his trembling friend for an answer. His eyes were unseeing as if lost in a far away world.

The palm wine tapper swiveled his head to Ete Affiong and fixed him a look. A desperate one.

Ete Affiong gulped. This was not good.

"We've been poisoned." Was his next word.

"What?" He whispered taken aback. Just like that? He just couldn't believe it. He didn't feel weird. Apart from the weird sensation he felt in his mouth, nothing felt amiss

"My son has poisoned us. Éyen mi ànwod oo" Tears had pooled in his eyes. He resumed shaking.

"With what? What did he put?!" He yelled, Ete Affiong felt tempted to call his wife in case...no! He refuses to think about it.

"He called it preservative..."

"Preservative?" Ete Affiong interrupted, his eyebrows were furrowed. He remembered that, he had once seen something like that with Chief Ifiok.

Ete Affiong exhaled in relief. His stiff shoulders went slumped.

"Yes. He had gotten from a friend who just returned from the city. He had said to put it in the palm wine but I refused knowing it was a type of poison called preservative. I-I never knew he had put it without my knowledge." He sniffed and raised both hands helplessly.

"My friend. It's not poison."

"Its not?" He paused with a frown.

"Yes. Its a preservative."

"I know that. That was the name of the poison." He shot him a stupefied look, still not getting his point.

Ete Affiong sighed and shook his head. Ignorance is a disease.

"Its not poison. A preservative is a chemical which when added to food substances prolongs its usage by preventing it from decaying while still keeping it fresh."

"Are you sure?" His voice held doubt.

Ete Affiong nodded then frowned. "But why would he put preservatives in a palm wine?"

"I told you it's poison."

"No. Not that." He waved him off. "What I mean is, palm wine itself can naturally be preserved, due to its ability to ferment, when it does, it becomes alcoholic and alcohol is a natural preservative."

"But palm wine is not powdered."

"Yes. Preservatives comes in two forms. Liquid and powdered. Some are naturally occurring, some are synthesized."

"Oh...okay."

"I am guessing just like you, he had no idea that palm wine doesn't need a preservative. I guess ignorance runs in the family." He finished with a smirk.

"Haha. Very funny." the palm wine tapper scowled heavily while shooting him a glare.

Wanting to change subject he diverted to another news. He felt ashamed that as a palm wine tapper, he knew very little about it. It really bruised his ego.

"So..." He began. Ete Affiong lifted one eyebrow.

"Did you know that the old man had finally gone to meet with his ancestors?"

"Indeed? About time."

"Aren't you a bit cruel? Death is not a good thing." He quirked his lips in disapproval.

"Please, he's old enough to die. He wasn't living anyway, merely existing. How did he die anyway?" He adjusted his sitting position into an upright one as his stomach growled loudly. He was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. He wondered if his wife had not prepared anything. It was late afternoon and still he couldn't smell the familiar aroma of okra soup.

"He had withdrawal symptoms, apparently he couldn't live without his snuff. You know how he usually gets" he shrugged "We had no idea it was going to be his last episode of dramatically fainting."

"Ah! So he had fainted for life." Ete Affiong nonchalantly said, there wasn't any need for mourning. The old man was bound to die some day. He had lived long enough. 84yrs was long enough. Not many lived to see it.

"Apparently so" he grimaced. "Ehe! He exclaimed suddenly. Papa Affiong stilled and shot him a look.

"What is it again?" He huffed

"You didn't tell me you've given your daughter out in marriage. Was that why you had refused my offer." He folded his hands and gave him a condensing look.

"Eh...come again?" Ete Affiong quirked his eyebrows.

"I mean your daughter is betrothed."

"Since when? Who fed you such stories?"

"Why bother denying it. The whole village knows, and all this while I thought my son had a chance." He snorted.

"I beg your pardon? What is this about the whole village knowing that my daughter is engaged? W-What--how come am hearing this for the first time." He scoffs. "Stop with this your joke." He waved him off.

"Ah ah. What are you trying to say? I have even seen the two of them together." He argued.

"The two of who?" He became defensive.

"Affiong and her..."

"Affiong? That's impossible" he quickly shook his head. "Something is wrong somewhere. Affiong engaged, since when? When no man had come to seek my permission concerning her. It is not my daughter. You must have been mistaken." He frowned in contemplation.

"Are you saying I don't know your daughter? I am not blind. I've spotted them more than once." He huffed.

"I can't believe what you're are saying. I won't believe it." He rushed out. He must call his daughter. "Uyai!" He yelled.

"Yes Papa." Her voice echoed from wherever she was. Papa Affiong waited till she arrived and stood in front of them.

"What is this I am hearing about your sister?" He asked while tapping his feet.

"Sister? What about sister?" She said, nervously twisting her hands behind her back.

"You see?" Ete Affiong turned to the palm wine tapper and raised a daring eyebrow. "Even my daughter has no idea about what your spewing."

"Well if you don't believe me, then call her. Send for Affiong." The palm wine tapper urged, not relenting.

"You're still insisting on this your fable." Ete Affiong scowled annoyed. He looks to his younger daughter."Call your sister."

"Er...Papa she's--s-shes not at home." She bit her lower lips nervously and lowered her eyelids. Why is Papa suddenly asking for Affiong? Has he found out? No. He couldn't have. Affiong won't be so careless.

Ete Affiong anxiously turned to his friend, who only quirked his eyebrow and shrugged in a manner that said 'I told you so'

His scowl deepened. He turned to Uyai and folded his arms. "Can you tell me why your sister is not at home at this time?" Then with a growl he said "where is she?"

"S-She--w-went out." She stammered.

"I know that!" He yelled

Uyai flinched.

"Where. Did. She. Go. To?" He said slowly with gritted teeth. His eyes hard.

"Er--she went to see a f-friend?" Her hands were furiously shaking so she painfully twisted them behind her back, bracing herself for more questions.

"Are you asking me or you're telling me?" His hands had fisted. Papa was angry.

"Y-Yes. She went to see her friend." What Papa didn't know was that she went to see her man friend. She couldn't really remember Affiong having any female friends. She was a snub after all; no one was good enough for her.

"What friend?" He demanded

"I-I don't know Papa."

The palm wine tapper snorted. Ete Affiong shot him a glare and he coughed in pretense.

Uyai narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The old man seemed to know something, and that something was related to sister. What in the world had he told papa?

"Go and call me your sister now!" He ordered

Affiong you're in serious trouble o

"Er--papa what about your food? Should I bring it here?" She asked nervously.

"No, I've lost my appetite." Father's face was schooled in a hard mask. This was not good.

"Egh..." The palm wine tapper coughed. Uyai and Ete Affiong narrowed their eyes at him. He smiled sheepishly. "Can I ea...?"

"We've both lost our appetite." Ete Affiong cut him off with a hard look.

The palm wine tapper clamped his jaw and gulped loudly.

"Okay papa." Uyai bowed and turned to leave.

She had reached the kitchen to announce to mother that father was not eating.

"Why? Its his favourite."

"He said he has no appetite because of Affiong." She emitted the latter.

"Hmm..." Mother grunted.

"Uyai come with me, so you can help me..." Grandma trailed off after washing her hands in the bowl. She wiped them on her wrapper and signalled Uyai with a flick of her head to follow her. Uyai did.

Grandma had led her to the spot under the palm tree at her usual hideout. Seemed she had something important to tell her because she kept shooting nervous glances about as if she was avoiding someone.

Uyai frowned. "Grandma what is it?"

"Uyai, I've been hearing things o." She spoke lowly. "Its about your sister."

Uyai's heartbeat spiked up.

"What is it grandma?" She urged with curious wide eyes.

"People are saying things about her and the young man I saw the other day. What's his name again?" She squinted her eyes.

"Edem?" Uyai rushed out.

"Eh..him. Those gossip mongers are saying she's sleeping with him."

"Sleeping with him?!" She whispered-yelled

"Yes... and I have been observing your sister for quite sometime oo."

"Grandma what is it? What have you observed?" Uyai was anxious with dread. What had her sister done? Was that why father had sent for her?

"She's been behaving funny this days, not like her usual self. She appears sickly and dare I say, sad. I can't really pinpoint it, but I think something is wrong with Affiong. I just hope its not what I am thinking." She voiced out her fear.

"Me too grandma, me too." Uyai muttered under her breath.

***

"When are you meeting my father? Haven't you delayed it enough?" Affiong asked Edem. She was in his hut, inside his room. The one he used temporarily only when he came to visit.

"Dear, you know I have to prepare well..."

"Stop. Just stop." she cuts him off "how long are you going to prepare? You said you were going to meet my father for my hand and now you tell me you need to prepare. Tell me the truth Edem, do you really want to marry me?" she demanded, narrowing her eyes at him.

He placed his hand on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. "You know I love you, and there's nothing more in this world I want to do than marry you. I just need some time." He pleaded.

"But--" she trailed off when he placed his lips on hers, caressing it with his sensual tongue and nibbling it with his teeth. Unlike like before, when she'll close her eyes to savor the sensation. Her eyes were open. She did not come here for this, there were more pressing matters she needed to discuss with him.

Apparently he was so into the one sided kiss that he moaned when she sighed. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back. He paused with his lips hovering just above hers. He went to dive in again.

"Stop." she protested strongly, and moved away from him. She turned her back to him for what she was about to tell him was something she couldn't say while looking him in the eye.

"Imá mé(my love) what is the matter?" he frowned in disapproval that she stopped him just when he was getting excited. He looked at the dent in his short and scowled. Now her back was to him.

"I-I have something to tell you." she said. He moved closer to her making sure to press himself against her bum, letting her feel his manhood. She shivered.

"What is it that can't wait." he murmured seductively and nibbled her ear.

She shrugged him off.

"It can't."

"Well tell me." He hid his annoyance. Why was she acting this cold? And why was she keeping her back to him?

"I am pregnant." She muttered lowly beneath her breath. Edem didn't hear her.

"What is it? What did you say?"

"I said I am pregnant." Her voice was stronger.

Silence. Pure silence.

Affiong's breath had hitched. She waited with bated breath for a word, a sound, anything.

But there was none.

Slowly she turned. Her heartbeat had accelerated. She turned to look at him, her lover.

Edem had gone stoic, his eyes were wide. He couldn't think of anything, not even a word. He was speechless

"Edem?" She whispered cautiously.

He didn't answer.

"Edem!" she repeated. He blinked. At least a reaction.

He finally found his voice "Y-You're p-preg..." he trailed off, he couldn't say the word.

"Yes. I'm pregnant Edem. We're going to have a child." she smiled shakily while looking at him.

Edem managed a small smile, more like his lips twitched in an attempt at a smile. A smile that could be classified as a grimace. Only, Affiong didn't notice this, she saw only the smile and was pleased that she grinned and gave him a tight hug.

"Oh Edem we're having a baby, that's why we need to get married fast. Don't you think so? I am afraid my parents would be disappointed if I show up pregnant without a husband." She kept rambling, not noticing that anytime the word 'pregnant' popped up, the man she held in a hug stiffened

Finally it seemed, she had notice his silence. She stilled and slowly removed herself from his embrace. Or her embrace, 'cause his hands were hanging limply by his side.

Affiong frowned. "Edem? You're not saying anything." she told him.

He snapped out of whatever trance he'd been in and spared her a look.

To Affiong, a very discouraging one.

"T-that's, that's wonderful." he said breathlessly, and forced a chuckle.

"Really? You think so?" she questioned doubly.

"Yes. I'll have to meet your father soon." He said frantically. His eyes roaming aimlessly about the room.

Affiongs eyes followed him cautiously.

"I'll have to marry you." he said again.

Affiong was confused at that statement. It was strangely disturbing and she didn't know what to think about it.

"I'll meet your father tomorrow." he rushed out. All this while he was not looking at her. He seemed far away, like he was here but not here, she couldn't explain it.

"But you said you have to prepare." She said.

"Yes. But there's no time."

"But..."

"You're pregnant!" he yelled.

Affiong flinched.

Realizing his actions, he shut his eyes momentarily and opened it. It had soften. "This is the best time to get married. You can't have a child out of wedlock can you?"

She nodded slowly.

"Exactly what I thought." He said and moved closer to her. "I'll be coming to see your parents tomorrow for your hand. We'll get married." he spoke softly.

Affiong smiled. Finally!