Pulse logo
Pulse Region

Whiffs of happiness

Nneoma walked by the woman who sold local spices in the market, but the soothing aroma called her back.

There was this

The Summon

Nneoma used to have this glow that guided her gait before she left the country; it was as though light was snuffed out of her shine, and she just went about, idly.

Her mother noticed it before she walked up to them at the airport. Her mother insisted on coming with the rest of the family to pick her up at the airport, because it was more than twenty years since she last set her eyes on her daughter. Before they left for the airport, she was too scared that she might not remember her own daughter.

When the voice announced the arrival of their flight, her heart skipped. Her mother’s eyes searched and searched for a familiar face in the crowd, but she could not pick out her daughter’s face. It was only when Ikenna touched her hands, and said:

“Mama, look! There she comes.”

Read Also: A thick slice of love.

She looked up, but didn’t see, she only saw a woman who walked towards them. She had to use her lenses, and then, there she was, her Ada, her first fruit. She looked closely, but there was nothing to see. Her mother only saw a woman who had lost most of herself. There was no ripeness of a woman expecting, a woman with child or the one who had brought forth children in her. Her daughter looked like the stock fish Mama Kalu sold to them at Kenyetta market. No! This could not be her Nneoma? Something was wrong somewhere. Nneoma’s mother was in doubt, until the image walked up to them, came closer and buried itself in her arms.

“Mama, your daughter is home.”

The tears on the brink of her eyelids were hot and dropping. She could not believe her ears. The air around her daughter gave off a strong whiff of rejection, bitterness and abandonment. Nneoma’s mum knew that she made the right decision, when she summoned her daughter home.

A Daughter in Great Need

Everyone wanted a piece of Nneoma; people came and went: neighbours, family members that lived in the city, and some old friends that she informed of her return. Nneoma’s mother stood afar off, and studied her daughter, closely. She was too patient because, when the visitors were gone, she would have her treasure, all to herself. There was no rush, because Nneoma was home to spend time with them.

As everything went on, Nneoma’s mother was surprised about one thing: she hadn’t touched her phone for once. Where was Edison? Was she not going to inform him that she was home? Nneoma’s mother feared the worse. As a school teacher, she was not ignorant of the fact that divorce was their medicine over there. A colleague of hers came to work one day, and told her of how her son divorced his wife.

Read Also:One pound and a shelling.

The boy had killed them, because he took them all the way to marry, but few years into the marriage, he had already started calling and complaining about his wife. His parents tried every means to appease him, but his mind was made up. Mrs Rose came crying the other day that her daughter’s husband all of a sudden divorced her daughter, because she refused to work few hours in order to take care of their kids. She strongly believed that children of these days were born without patience. She hoped that Nneoma’s case wasn’t the same.

Not too long, their house became empty, and she called her daughter to her side. Nneoma knew exactly why she had been summoned, she didn’t wait for her mother to ask before she broke down in tears. Her mother felt nothing far from pity for her.

“Nneoma, look at me. Tell me everything.”

By the time Nneoma was done with her story, her mother knew that she had to act fast.

“Do you know what? Why don’t you stay more, and nurse yourself and your soul back to life. Your time here will allow you think of what to do.”

Nneoma stopped crying, cleaned up her face, and hid her face in her mother’s chest.

The Price of Spice

Nneoma’s mother spent time to nurse her daughter back to life: she counselled her on the need to stay patient and thankful,  she cooked for her, using the local herbs and spices, and made sure she got adequate rest; it helped her pull her mind away from her troubles. By the time Nneoma was ready to leave, she looked more nourished. She could look herself in the mirror and smile. Her mother taught her self- love. Nneoma was ready to go home, and face her demons.

Few days to her departure, Nneoma decided to do some shopping, because her colleagues, neighbours and friends were expectant of stuffs from Nigeria. She came across a woman’s shop, and got entangled in the web of spices she sold; they smelt like the ones her mother used to cook for her. The woman looked at the younger woman who stood in front of her shop, it was obvious that this woman lacked, and was in need. She came closer and asked:

“What can I give you?”

Read Also:The pen and the bullet.

A look at the spices made Nneoma remember Edison, and the night he came home with the divorce papers: he was having an affair with his secretary. Nneoma looked at the old woman, and said:

“I don’t know, but can I have my husband back?”

The old woman went back to her table, and started mixing. What she mixed gave off soothing varieties of aroma, that Nneoma carried the whiff with her, even as she waved goodbye to her mother at the airport, and so many years later, when Edison got rid of his secretary and she had their first baby.

Written byUdemezue, Oluoma

Udemezue, Oluoma loves to read and write, you can catch her on udemezueoluoma@yahoo.com, udemezue, Oluoma Judith –Facebook,  oluomaudemezue on Instagram, and @Udemezueoluoma on Twitter.

Subscribe to receive daily news updates.

Next Article