PART 3
Scene 1
At Papa Edu’s compound
NNEKA
Mama… mama… mama where are you?
MA CHIEMEKA
Nneka what is it again this time?
NNEKA
Mama please it is something important. Please let’s go inside where nobody can hear us. I have some important information for you.
MA CHIEMEKA
This child, you have again! So what is it this time? Please I think I have had enough shock these two past weeks. Since that day your father told us about the impending doom, you know that I have not recovered from that shock. Now have you come to kill me finally?
NNEKA
Mama you know very well that you are not the only one suffering. The whole issue has affected everyone in this house. Look at us; we have lost our appetite for food in this house. We don’t even converse much any longer in this house. Edu and Chiemeka are hardly seen at home these days!
Even my friends are beginning to complain and wonder. Some said I’m growing thinner and thinner. In fact there is this sadness coupled with the growing sense of fear and danger that is always hovering around the corner since that day that papa spoke to us. I don’t know if you have observed that papa is hardly at home these days… and that is even why I want to speak with you.
MA CHIEMEKA
Hmm. You and your father again!
NNEKA
Mama, please listen and answer me. Have you noticed that since that day papa told us about his predicament, he is no longer staying at home like he used to do when he started his leave?
MA CHIEMEKA
So? Nneka, what is that again this time? What are you driving at? Are you insinuating something? Is there really something you want to let me know?
NNEKA
Yes mama but you have not answered my question.
MA CHIEMEKA
Hmm! Of course he is hardly at home nowadays but that is not strange. After all he is out there trying to find help. And I believe you and I know that is exactly what he should really be doing. In fact, that is what all of are supposed to be… well, should be doing right now instead of trying to scare others.
NNEKA
Mama, are you sure you are ready for what I am going to say?
MA CHIEMEKA
This terrible child, you will not stop surprising me. What do you want to say? Say it! Say it now and stop trying to blow the alarm whistle once again. I think we have had enough of our own share of that type of…
NNEKA
These two weeks have been so terrifying for all of us, you know?
MA CHIEMEKA
Yes.
NNEKA
That is the reason why I don’t want to introduce another angle to this whole issue at hand in such a way that will aggravate the whole matter but in this case I think I have to tell you!
MA CHIEMEKA
This is getting serious. Now Nneka, tell me… what is the problem? Wait… come here girl! Tell me the truth. Are you pregnant? Come here let me have a closer look at you…
NNEKA
Mama please stop! I am not pregnant but what I want to tell you will shock you. It shocked me when I discovered. I know you have high B.P. and that is why I am afraid.
MA CHIEMEKA
Nneka my dear, please come. Tell me what happened. What is the problem? Is it your father? Or is it Chiemeka? What has he done now? Is he in any police case now? Or is it Edu? Who is it this time? My dear, please talk to me. I am all ears now.
NNEKA
Good. Now I think I have your full attention! So mama will you please answer my question now? Have you noticed that papa is hardly at home these days?
MA CHIEMEKA
What is this all about? Of course I have noticed!
NNEKA
And what do you think or say could be the reason for that? Don’t you think it’s strange?
What do you think must have led to this behavior?
MA CHIEMEKA
Hmm! Nneka what are you getting at? I told you before. I believe he is seeking for help somewhere… anywhere…
NNEKA
Mama, but have you ever bothered to ask him how far he has gone in getting this so-called help?
MA CHIEMEKA
My dear, why are you bringing up all these? Of course I think I have asked him several times but wait… you are even supposed to be the one asking him those questions. You know you are his wife… the one that is closest to him?
NNEKA
I see.
MA CHIEMEKA
What is it you see? This girl, stop playing with me. I am not ready for that—right now. I think you should know that by now…
NNEKA
Well… mama please listen to me now. Papa is not seeking for any help. I think Papa is seeing another woman!
MA CHIEMEKA
What?! What did you just say? God punish you for saying that! How on earth can you say such a thing?
NNEKA
Well you see now! That is what I’m saying. I don’t know how to break the news to you but since it’s out; it’s out!
MA CHIEMEKA
Come… come here Nneka. Come and sit down? What did you just say, my dear? Come again, please! You said your father is doing what…?
NNEKA
Mama I said that papa is seeing another woman.
MA CHIEMEKA
Haa! Lord have mercy! What is this world becoming? No, no my dear, no, it’s not possible! No! No way! It’s a lie!
NNEKA
Mama it is true. I don’t have any reason to tell you if it is a lie…
MA CHIEMEKA
This is serious. How did you find out? Who told you?
NNEKA
Mama to tell you the truth, it was also strange and shocking to me when I discovered. Mama, I know you’ve always said I like papa so much and it’s true so I guess you will understand when I say I so much concerned and so afraid for him since that day that he shocked all of us with that horror tale. I became so troubled when it appeared that there was no help coming from anywhere.
I was desperately praying that somehow we could get help. That has not happened up till now. I am also aware of how deeply troubled you have been in the past few days. So the fact is the whole terrible situation has affected us all so much.
MA CHIEMEKA
So how does that concern this very disturbing news that you just told me now… that your father is seeing another woman?
NNEKA
Yes. You see mama, since that very day, I started to pay extra attention to papa’s affairs. I had to because I was deeply worried. I know that different people react to different situations in different ways…
MA CHIEMEKA
My dear, I still can’t make any head or tail of this thing you are telling me right now. This is quite unbelievable. Okay, tell me. How did you find out?
NNEKA
Wait woman, don’t rush me! I am coming to that! Just listen. You see eh, to be frank with you; at one point, it occurred to me that papa could as well be contemplating suicide as a way out!
MA CHIEMEKA
Suicide?! God forbid!
NNEKA
Yes! God forbid but it is true. It is very possible. I didn’t tell anyone about this but bearing in mind that papa could possibly choose suicide as a way out, I started following him about, watching his every step, paying extra attention to him. That was why I was asking you if you have noticed anything particularly strange or different in his behaviour lately but apparently you’ve not.
MA CHIEMEKA
So how did you find out? About this woman?
NNEKA
I don’t know if you have noticed that papa has become more taciturn. He no longer complains about his food as usual. I knew that his mind was on the fact that time that was quickly running out with no solution in sight. He always had this distant look. He leaves the house very early and comes back at God knows when. I knew then that something was amiss. So my one thought was
to ask him but I observed that he was like dealing with the whole issue like, you know, how do they put it, yes, like a man, so to speak.
MA CHIEMEKA
Hmm! I am listening.
NNEKA
So like I said, I started following papa around. I don’t think he knew. And that was when I noticed this hotel… and this woman…
MA CHIEMEKA
Hmm. And your father…?
NNEKA
Yes. I noticed Papa was always making trips to this hotel. I have spotted them there more than five times in the past one week.
MA CHIEMEKA
Did you see the woman? I mean did you ever get a closer look at this woman to see what she was like?
NNEKA
Hmm mama! I did not o! You know that I was in a kind of hiding since I didn’t want them to see me. But from the little I could make out from this woman, I think she could be rich, yes, she looks wealthy and comfortable… maybe, somehow sophisticated too. I have also seen her car on one or two occasions. Hmm. She is really something!
MA CHIEMEKA
God I am finished!
NNEKA
And mama that is my fear. I think papa has fallen into the hands of some of these rich thick madams. Mama I am afraid. I later went to check them out at that very hotel only to discover from the receptionist that they don’t go there anymore. You know about all these thick madams that are still single and are ready to do whatever it takes to hook up to a man? You know what they are capable of? I think papa has just landed one.
MA CHIEMEKA
Hey! Okay, Nneka what do you say we should do? How long do you think this has been going on?
NNEKA
Mama I am not sure. Maybe weeks, maybe months, maybe even more, who knows? Mama, do you know my worst fear? Maybe this woman has agreed to help papa out in exchange for something… something like… who knows… you know, most likely maybe something like marriage!
MA CHIEMEKA
So you are already thinking what I am thinking?!
NNEKA
Yes mama! Who knows? It’s very possible and papa could have agreed to it too! But the worst part is that in this situation we have no option at all!
MA CHIEMEKA
Shut up! Who told you we have no option?! Look I am going to confront your father. Today! This very night! I must confront him. Yes! I must know if he’s well aware of what he is doing! I want him to know that we already know what he’s up to. I want him to know that we are going to stop him. Yes, he must be stopped right now… right away! Oh yes!
NNEKA
Mama I don’t think open confrontation is the best thing to do now.
MA CHIEMEKA
Why not? Why do you say that? Are you not sure of what you have seen? Do you think I will sit down, fold my arms and watch another woman snatch your father away from me… after all these years, snatch away all that your father and I built from scratch? Never!
NNEKA
That is exactly what I’m saying. But let’s look at it closely. As for now the facts don’t add up. We don’t really know who this woman is. We don’t know what her business with papa is. We don’t even know anything else except that she and papa are always seen at this hotel which doesn’t look good to me at all…
MA CHIEMEKA
Shut up! You are just a child! Tell me where this hotel is located so that I will go there to disgrace and embarrass this woman together with your father. Our people say that he whose house is on fire does not pursue rat!
Your father must be crazy! Papa Chinedu, what type of man are you? You owe your bank more than fifty million naira and they will soon be moving in against you any time from now and what do you do?
You start frolicking around with this strange woman in a hotel! Tell me, is that going to be the solution? No! Never! I think he never wanted anyone else to hear this thing, but now he has failed—totally!
Oho! Wait a minute! Now I see! No wonder you don’t want anybody to hear anything about it… because you already know what you are up to! Now it looks like everybody is going to hear it because it looks like that is really what he wants. Nneka, trust me, I am going to see the end of this thing!
NNEKA
But mama… mama wait! This is the very reason why I wanted to know if you are ready for what I was about to tell you.
MA CHIEMEKA
Leave that one! Leave me alone! How could Papa Chiemeka behave in that manner? How could he be acting so childishly? Now think about it, how sure are you that your father is in any trouble at all? Oh yes, I am beginning to wonder. Think about it, how possible is it that after putting more than twenty something years of active service in banking, he could still fall for such a cheap con like the one he claims this Mr. Roberts played on him? How come? Think about it…
NNEKA
Mama but it’s possible. You can never tell. Such things could still happen!
MA CHIEMEKA
Shut up! I know that is what will come out from your mouth but like I said you are still a small child. Reason… Nneka reason with me. I told you that you don’t know your father. In fact, you don’t know men at all. Can’t you see the game he is playing? You mean you cannot clearly see the handwriting on the wall now?
NNEKA
Mama I think you are taking it too far!
MA CHIEMEKA
My dear, trust me, you are still a small girl. Of course you cannot see it now but let me tell you what is really happening! The way I see it, your father is getting ready to marry this other woman. May be she has been his concubine all these years and no one knew and now she is ready for the grand entry and she has started disturbing him about it.
So what does your father do? He comes home and cooks up this long and strange tale of what happened or did not happen to him at his work place. Think about it, think about it my child, your father with all those years of experience! No, seriously, think about it now, how possible is it, how? How much did he say he was expecting to get from the deal that he willing to take such a great risk? Just five hundred thousand? Is that not laughable? You see what I am saying?
And even the bank, are they fools? Your father is under their payroll, he declares his assets to them, they know that he is going to be completely unable to pay back in any case things don’t go according to plans and they still went ahead to grant him his request! Haba! You see my dear, like you said, it doesn’t really add up. Not in any way!
Look let me tell you what I think is now happening. Your father cleverly and successfully creates an atmosphere of fear and worry around here. While we are worrying ourselves to death thinking on what to do to save our necks, he is busy getting ready for another love affair. And of course, he has the best excuse in the world to be seeing this woman now after all he’s out there seeking for help from anywhere… Next thing you know, he will come and tell us that some nice woman helped him and rescued him when he had no hope and naturally he’s expected to repay her goodwill. Hmm! Men! You don’t know them! You don’t know what they can do! They can never change!
NNEKA
Hmm! Mama I never thought about it that way o! True, I never saw it that way!
MA CHIEMEKA
You wouldn’t. That’s why I said you are still a child. Just watch what is going to happen. Your father will later come out to make this announcement to us. He is going to tell us that there is this woman that helped him out when he was in great distress. He will present this ‘queen’ to us to see. He will make us see her as the ultimate savior of all of us. And to pay her back what we will do is to support whatever their next plan is. And you I and know what that is most likely going to be! Ha! Papa Chiemeka, even at this age you are still ready to play this type of game! Men! Fear them!
NNEKA
Mama it is strange o! Wait mama, are we sure this woman is not using jazz on papa?
MA CHIEMEKA
Who knows? That is the reason why I said that I am getting to the root of the whole thing! I cannot be in the river and allow lather from s
oap to fill my eyes. Never!
NNEKA
So mama what are you going to do?
MA CHIEMEKA
Nneka, what I am going to do is that first you will tell me where I can find this woman and your father. Next I will go and make sure that I put a quick stop to whatever they are doing or planning. Leave that to me!
NNEKA
But mama… this woman… what if she is actually trying to help papa? Don’t you think that this line of action of yours will be like throwing spanner in the works?
MA CHIEMEKA
What?! I can’t believe you are saying this! Are you not the one who saw her? Are you not the one that saw them going in and out of a hotel? Are you not the one who came to me to tell me all these? Why are you now hesitating or does it mean that you don’t know what you saw again?!
NNEKA
Mama, that is why I am afraid. You see eh, I am the one who saw her but remember I told you actually I only saw a glimpse of her. What they are discussing or doing, we are yet to find out. And now, it looks like you are about to scatter the whole thing.
MA CHIEMEKA
This child, you will never stop amazing me! First you tell me that your father is seeing someone; I tell you I am going to stop whatever plans your father has with this woman, next thing you are telling me to think about it again because you don’t know for sure what you saw. Ha!
NNEKA
Mama what I am trying to say is that you should apply caution. If I were you, I will not confront papa immediately. Rather, I will prefer to look into the matter deeply, I would…
MA CHIEMEKA
Yes I understand that’s what you are saying but listen to me. Okay, this is what I am going to do. I will call your father, maybe today maybe not; I will sit him down and have a heart-to-heart talk with him. I’ll ask him who the woman is. I will then ask him if he knows what he is doing. I will find out for myself what he is really up to. I hope you are satisfied now?
NNEKA
I think that’s better. So when are you going to talk to him? You know he will want to know how you even found out about them in the first place?
MA CHIEMEKA
If you are wondering if I am going to mention your name, I won’t. I will talk to him tonight when he comes back from who knows where…
NNEKA
And the boys, are we going to tell them? I will not like them to hear about it especially that horrible Chiemeka!
MA CHIEMEKA
Why are you so worried now? Is it because it’s your father we are talking about now? Don’t tell me what to do because I know exactly what I am going to do.
NNEKA
Mama you make me afraid. Oh, God, what is happening to us? What is becoming of this family after all these years we’ve been as one? Please, God saves us now. We need your help…
MA CHIEMEKA
My dear don’t worry. Just leave everything to me. I am your mother. Trust me!