The Ankara Lady

13

"Big chichi, I want biscuit." Hannah had been nagging her for days. Was this the after effect of being cooped up with her grandma?

So she quickly made plans to enroll her in her school's summer lesson.

"Be a good girl." She waved goodbye to her after handing her over, but she was already skipping down the road with Sandra, a happy smile on her face.

Her stomach gave a rumble, then she proceeded to eat her morning meal she carried along.

The sun was high in the sky, fiery and hot when Fred came walking into her shop. A good day and he whisked her off to Pleasure park.

She couldn't remember when last she'd gotten such a pleasant surprise so she did not mind his intrusion and paused her work, locked up her shop and followed him. The bus ride was lovely, sweet in its own way. But she felt a kind of trepidation, like something unusual was going to happen.

In the mouth of the famous park that stood gloriously, they walked slowly past the shops dotted in the park, ice cream cups and tiny spoons in their hand. They walked past people dotting the environment, the green plants, the flowers scent spiraling into their noses. When they got to the slides and swings, they stopped, the wind caressing her and him together.

Chinonye thought of how much Hannah would have enjoyed the outing, but she was not yet ready to bring Hannah and Fred together yet. So she savored to silence, drinking in the breeze and just licking ice cream.

Fred was the first to speak up. "The weather is so beautiful today." He walked further and paused in front of a bench. She followed him and they sat side by side.

"Yes, it is." Chinonye, who did not understand why he looked so nervous ate her ice cream rather slowly. He was emitting waves of unease and she was trying her best to look cool.

"My parents want me back home," he whispered.

Chinonye paused, the little ice cream spoon halfway to her mouth. "What?"

He looked up. "Yes. My parents want be back home. Apparently, they have had enough of my little teacher stunt and Dad wants me to run the wood business."

"Wow," she finally said. "So you're going to go?"

"Yes. I've worried the old man too much to stay."

"So. . ." she trailed off, searching for what to say to stop the growing silence. Her ice cream was melting so she occupied her mouth with the vanilla and chocolate goodness.

Then like a sudden wave, his voice broke the silence and crashed on the beach.

"Marry me!" he blurted out.

There was a very long, awkward silence as Fred turned to look at her. Her heart pummeled, the ice cream cup weightless in her hand. Her mouth squeezed shut for a minute, her legs felt like jelly.

What? What? Her mind was screaming, sirens blowing off.

"Ed," she started, sounding cooler than she felt.

"See, I know it's very sudden, but I will give you time."

She looked at him, saw the desperation. His face was pleading, his smile tight, expecting rejection yet wanting to be accepted. Would she accept it out of pity? But still, she looked at him. He was handsome and good, but she knew deep down that he was not hers. Slowly, the warmth she was used to feel for him dissipated, evaporated and mixed with the wind. The smell of him felt bland instead of how enticing it used to be.

"I have a daughter." She played out her cards. Let him see why she was stalling.

He looked at her and rubbed his face, arms taut, muscles contracting. "I know."

Her mouth flew open, not caring if a fly entered. "You know?"

"Yes. I know."

"But. . .you've never mentioned it." She was losing her focus. Grasping for a way out of the move she'd made, like a card player who wanted to reverse her move.

"Yes. You know, we can always work things out." He too was grasping to hold it back; hold them back and play his own card.

"What do you mean?" But she was smarter than that. She squeezed her ice cream cup. He was trying to play her.

He gave her a pointed look. "Marry me and the rest will fall into place."

Her eyes left his, as realization washed over her. He was evading, he did not want Hannah. He wanted her, and he wasn't even trying to hide it. Everything will fall into place? Who did he think he was talking to, a child?

"I need a man who is willing to accept the both of us," she said.

"Who says I'm not that man?"

She gave him a sad look. "I'm not sure you are."

She stood up and fumbled with her purse, the tears threatening to spill. But she swallowed it in, pushed her chin up, He stood up too and for once she was grateful for the one inch she had on him; grateful for her height.

"You can't just leave me hanging! See, if you want time, I'll give you." He looked pleading. But she saw through it. How had she not seen it?

"I'll pay you for the website. No, I don't need time. You'll never accept her, and she is a part of me."

With that she walked away, leaving him standing with his mouth wide open.

The tears were held at bay until she got home. That was when she remembered she had forgotten to pick Hannah. So she went back to Hannah's school that was close to her tailoring shop and picked her up.

"Big chichi what's wrong?" Hannah asked, clutching her hand.

"Nothing."

But she spent the night on her couch, not wanting to disturb Hannah, and cried till she felt dry. Why was it so hard some days? Why did it have to be?

She should have been flattered that Fred, her long time crush, wanted her to marry him. But she knew she could not.

Otokini's face popped up in her mind, and she bit on the pink cushion to block out her scream. Frustrated tears rolled down.

If only her course mates could see her now. The Ankara Lady, pioneer winner of the title, living all alone with a five year old daughter, they'd laugh. She stood up, and the sound of tinkering and arranging filled her flat, accompanied by the sound of Mummy Clara's night prayers.

She could not control herself. As the memories came pouring, so did her hands keep arranging.

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Guys, I have important stuff. Please read!

1. This book came 3rd in The Mornachy Awards. That's a start. ☺💖🍻🍾
2. Do you know why Hannah calls her Big chichi?
3. What would you do if a guy asks you to marry him like this?
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