Chapter 8: Chapter 8

I love you...

I love you...

Those words kept resonating. It was so loud he wished his auricles didn't pick up the sound waves and localize it.

It hurt his ear drum, his auditory tube couldn't equalize the pressure.

Those words, so beautiful, meant to uplift the heart. It tore at him from the inside and left him vulnerable instead.

Those beautiful yet deadly words bore a hole in his heart.

He held his chest and squeezed the skin as if to pull out the throbbing heart. It constricted painfully; the pain unbearable.

The pain of a broken heart.

He choked a cry.

He didn't understand.

He couldn't understand how just yesterday when he had finally decided he'll pursue her; now here she stood in the arms of his rival already confessing her love.

It broke him.

The wells in his eyes broke loose. A tear escaped.

Then another.

More fell.

He was crying; and over a woman who had never even glimpsed his face. He felt embarrassed that a woman could hurt him so and she didn't even have a clue.

He cursed himself.

He cursed Edem.

Still, he felt no satisfaction. He felt defeated when the battle had only begun; he was just starting to make use of his instrument of warfare, instead he was apprehended from behind and struck down.

Damn love!

Damn these fire woods! He kicked a log ignoring the throbbing sensation it brought to his toes.

Damn Uyai for raising his hope; for making him believe he had a chance. Damn those city books he had read.

Damn...

"My daughter is sure to get a proposal come next year." a lady spoke as two middle aged women appeared with matted baskets containing their harvest. He recognised the woman who spoke.

It was her mother.

The mother of the one he had vowed to woo. The one who was now in the arms of another man.

"What if it doesn't come? And if it does come, but its from Etai Nyang, the neighbouring village, would you be willing to give out your daughter?" Effiong paused and his ears perked up when he heard the other woman speak. He looked to the direction Affiong and Edem was to view their reactions; if they had heard the question asked. He couldn't deny that he was also curious to hear her mother's reply.

But when he looked, he found the spot empty; devoid of the two who just few minutes ago where locked in an embrace. Effiong felt the familiar thud in his chest as he recalled the scene he had witness; the women now forgotten as the scene repeatedly replayed in his head.

"...course! If he's won the price of the highest and biggest yam harvester, then why not?" The voice was coming closer, and it drew him out of his reverie. He quickly gathered his thought and looked at the firewood that had fallen off his hands. He started picking up the logs in a hurry, but thought back on it as they appeared closer. He knew he had to leave immediately, so he threw them back on the ground and hurriedly ran into a mini bush and hid himself.

"You mean like Mfon?"

"Yes."

"Really? You have no qualms of giving your daughter out like that even if its to a man like that fellow that won the last one?"

"Of course. Why would I hesitate? Don't you also think that Mfon was lucky?"

"Eh-eh. Frankly I don't. Have you forgotten their tradition; how different it is from ours. How do ever imagine she would cope when not used to it."

"You speak in riddles my friend. What tradition? How different is it from ours?"

"Have you forgotten that their men are still taking more than one woman as wives?"

"What is wrong with that? Didn't our forefathers operate in the same way? All was well then, I can't see how it'll be any different now." she simply shrugged and Effiong sighed when they disappeared from view and he heard their voices no longer.

***

"Eka Affiong(Mother of Affiong), did you think our forefathers were happy? Why weren't they satisfied with just one wife if indeed they were happy? Have you ever thought of our mothers how they felt sharing their husbands? Or rather put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if Ete Affiong brings home another woman? Would you be willing to share? Besides, what do you think is the cause of many family problems like the fight over a piece of land?"

Mama Affiong paused. A frown marred her features as she thought of her question. It didn't please her one bit thinking of her husband bringing home another woman. Over her dead body!

"Just think about it." her friend and neighbour said when she couldn't produce an answer; deciding to keep silent. "You want the best for your daughters don't you? Don't let the beauty they inherited from you get wasted." she chided with a smile.

Mama Affiong smiled back albeit solemnly.

"Bye bye my friend. My regards to your husband." she waved and turned to the opposite direction where her house was. "Ehe,"she turned.

Mama Affiong paused. "What is it?"

"Please tell my husband to come home, that I have prepared his favourite palm kernel soup."

"Okay oh...Our men are addicted to playing games and arguing over chieftaincy titles but become subdued when it comes to their wives cooking." She laughed.

"Of course na. How can they resist." They both laughed.

***

"Remind me again why you are a man? How come you've never won in any of these games?" Ete Affiong boasted to his opponent after his fifth win.

"It's just pure luck that's all." he retorted with a glare.

"Ha! just pure luck? Ete admit it. I am a good player and you're a horrible one. Your moves are so easy to predict, don't you even think before you play? See my good self giving you ample opportunity to discard my players and even win. But with your level of wisdom you were blind to all that. So when you tell me you were better in your youth, Ete its hilarious to imagine. If at all you did win, it was out of pity. Indeed that's how horrible you are." he laughed hard

If a glare could kill, Papa Affiong would be six feet under.

"Husband, leave him alone. These your words would kill you one day, sometimes I wonder how many enemies you have managed to make. Please be careful oh..I can't lose my husband just because of his running mouth hmm." she chided as she caught her husband thoroughly mocking the man whose looks could melt even the hardest metal.

"Ah! Wife you're back. Don't mind our banter. It is only playful. Isn't it Ete Okon?"

"Ha..Ha. You are lucky my rifle is not with me, trust me, you'll be one of my best games ever. The one thing I know am good at." he smirked, his eyes twinkling defiantly.

Oh..oh..seems my husband had gone too far.

"Don't mind him Ete Okon. He's not any good like he claims. He's never won me in a game before." she winked

If she was trying to make him feel better, she was failing miserably, if her husband couldn't win her, how much more him, she would destroy his reputation in a heartbeat. Imagine, being beaten by a woman in a game cherished by men. Unless of course Papa Affiong lets her win. It was plausible, but he had little doubts. Papa Affiong never spared anyone when it came to a game, especially when a price was involved.

"Indeed?"

"Of course. Haven't you heard what a man can do a woman can do better?"

"Who says so, if a woman can do better, then a man can do best." Papa Affiong replied his wife.

"Whatever you say husband." she waved him off with a smile."Err...Ete Okon, your wife says you should come home that she had prepare your favourite dish."

"My favourite dish? Could it be palm kernel soup?" he asked hopefully, already his mouth began to water.

"Yes. Your wife knows you be..."

He drowned her voice and didn't even wait for her to finish, when he high tailed out of their hut without so much as a good bye.

"Err...your slippers." she said when one fell off his foot. He didn't even look back, his mind very far away. She went and picked the tattered slippers that looked like it'd been passed from generation to generation.

"Come wife. Leave it there. He'll come for it when he's blessed with a blister or two." he laughed, wrapping his arm around his wife's waist

"Men! You guys are characters." she sighed.

"Indeed. The world would be boring without us don't you think?" he placed a subtle kiss her on the cheek and she lets out a giggle

"If you say so."

"Tell me wife, why Affang soup?"

"Ah.ah..dear, you can't be eating just Okro. Wasn't it to your liking." she frowned concerned.

"Of course I enjoyed it, my mother cooked it." he shrugged casually

"Mothers boy." she chided.

"Aren't we all?"

***

What are these two doing again, and how come I haven't seen Effiong?

Uyai looked at Affiong and Edem as they sneakingly held hands and smile stupidly at each other. She crept slowly and soundlessly behind them as if on a mission, what was missing was a binocular; she felt like a monitoring spirit. As she walked she paused briefly to pick up fine stones, the kind of stones that David must have chosen to fight Goliath. She frowned as she thought of her own Goliath gallivanting with her sister. Traitor!

She picked up five good stones. She had heard David used five. But just in case, she picked up another. She was a girl, David was a boy; so she had every right to pick up six quality pebbles.

"My love..." Affiong began.

Say what?

Uyai was shocked. Love? Affiong was already in love with Edem? And under her nose? Just when? It was only yesterday they met, so how come?

"...why can't you come tomorrow?" she whined

"Dearest, I would love nothing more than to be here tomorrow, holding you in my arms like this." he consoled, his face contorted in feign sadness.

Uyai scowled. She angrily caressed the stones in her hands itching to become the one that would fall Goliath. In this case, Edem.

She waited for the ample time, even though her every being wanted to say 'Come out Edem! Face me like a man, how dare you try to woo my sister? Though you come with flattery words, I come with the power invested in me by my grandmother and in my family's reputation and these fine stones. You uncircumcised man, I'll castrate you and feed your genitals to the pigs and fowls of the air.'

"But I will miss you so much. What about the herbs you'd promised you'll bring?" she frowned.

Herbs? Sister was asking for herbs? Not yams, but herbs. Not even jewelry, herbs. Goodness herbs!. That dull greenish plant. Sister had completely lost her marbles; she had been bewitched.

Uyai shook her head. She couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. Who was this woman posing to be her sister? What had Edem done to sister? Her sister was gone.

Uyai mourned the loss of her sister; her superficial sister, who fell in love with your wealth, the prices you've won, your strength. Now she stood wasted, yearning for the one with herbs. Herbs! For goodness sake.

"How will I fail you? Anytime I come see you I would bring one for you." he says.

"Can't you be here tomorrow?"

"Come here." He pulled her into his arms leaving no barrier apart from their clothing.

Uyai couldn't resist.

She threw the first stone.

And missed.

Those two heard the rattle but chose to ignore it.

"...you know I come a long way."

"Yes I know." she nodded, pressing herself further into his chest as if to become one.

Uyai threw another one.

She didn't miss.

It struck him right on the nose.

Why not the forehead? Stupid stone.

"Aww! Where did that come from?" he groaned as he rubbed his nose.

"Are you alright? It must be from the tree." They both looked up and behold they were standing under a palm tree.

'Nice save' Uyai thanked the tree.

"Let’s leave here." Affiong suggested and Edem nodded.

No! Don't leave!

She watched as the two left the spot and stood somewhere else. Uyai grinned wickedly. It wasn't a spot that would hinder her David-Goliath activity.

She held the third stone.

She pulled her hand back and with force swung it towards Edem.

She missed him.

But she didn't miss Affiong

Oops...