I was coming back from fetching water when my mum ran to meet me. She took the water from my head and helped to bring it into the compound.

I was wondering what was going on.

“Ulo my daughter, I hope the gallon of water was not too heavy?”

I looked at my mum, and didn’t know what to answer. I was wondering when 20 Litres of water became so heavy for me to Carry. She was the one that always told I and my siblings that our mates carry 25 litres gallon to fetch water.

“My dear please come and sit down. I know you must be hungry,” she told me.

I stood and kept watching her with a corner of my eyes. What was going on was too real for me to believe. My mother loves us, that we know. But she is strict. Some of the things that she was displaying that afternoon was not her character at all.

“Mum what is going on?” I asked.

“I don’t understand, ” She said, looking at me for explanation.

“Coming to carry the water from my head, telling me that a gallon that contains 20 Litres of water is too heavy for me to carry, telling me to come and sit while asking of what I would eat. Mummy all these happening at once is strange. One of them can happen in a month. But for all to be happening at the same time, it is strange.”

My mum started laughing.
“Uloma you are funny. One of the things that make me to love you is that you are intelligent. But then, you got that intelligence from me.”

“You are right mum. But you are yet to tell me why you have been so nice to me since this afternoon.”

“Ha! Ulo. So you mean that your mother don’t use to be nice to you?”

“No mummy. I just said that you added Jara to it today. I mean your are being too nice.”

My mother started laughing again.

“This child you will not kill me with laughter. But you are right. Something actually happened,” My Mum confirmed.

“Mummy what was that?” My younger brother; Ejike asked in excitement.

“What is wrong with this one. I’m I discussing with you. Get out from here, pick the broom and sweep all the rooms,” my mother commanded.

“But mummy you were asking if we are hungry.” Ejike reminded her.

“Who asked if you are hungry,? If you don’t leave this place right now, I will give you a lasting mark.” Mummy reprimanded him.

My younger brother murmured some incoherent words and stood to go.

” Who are you murmuring for? ” my mum asked in anger. She picked one leg of her slippers and threw it on him but he dodged it and ran away.

“Mummy please forgive him”I pleaded.

“My dear I will. Though it is because of you. I don’t know why your siblings cannot take after you in in behaviour. They are bent on giving me headache. If all of them can behave like you. I won’t have any problem in life.”

I wondered what was going on . My mother can never agree that someone is doing well , no matter how you try. I wondered why she was being good to me on that day.

“Mum what is going on?” I asked again.

“My daughter, I just realized that I have not rewarded you enough for how obedient and loyal you have been to me and your father. Every first child is the one that sets example for the younger ones. If the elder one is wayward, that is how the younger ones will be. But look at you , because of the way you respected yourself, your younger ones are following suit. My daughter, I appreciate all that you have been doing . God bless you”

“Amen!”

“Do you know Uremma?” Mum asked me.

“Which Uremma? Is it the one that is pregnant?”

“Ofcourse, the unfortunate Uremma. She has finally told her parents who impregnated her”

“Really?”

“Yes. She said it was Monday, the drunkard”

“Mummy tell me that is a lie,” I said out of shock.

“My daughter, that is the truth. They have carried her to Monday’s place . The mother had been crying since morning”

“What a disgrace!”

“My daughter, you can say that again.
May I not come in contact with such daughter. May mine ways and hers not cross. I don’t wish even my enemies such a disgraceful child like Uremma. It was actually because of her that I remembered that I have not really been nice to you the way I ought to . But I promise to make it up for you, do you understand.”

“Yes mum, thank you ma .”

“Please go and wear a better clothe. I want to take you to the market,”

“Mum what are we going to buy?”

“I need to get some clothes of you. It’s part of my token of appreciation for all that you have been doing for me.”

“Mummy this sounds to really to be true,” I said in excitement.

“It is real my daughter. I am out to make you happy. God will also help you to continue to make me happy. You know that one good turn deserves another. Is it not so?”

“It’s so ,” I replied.

“Thank you so much my intelligent daughter. God will give intelligent and beautiful. children like you.”

As I was going to wear my clothe, Ejike came to meet me.

“Sister Uloma, what do you think about the drama that mum has been acting this afternoon?”

I was taken aback by what Ejike told me.

“You think so?” I asked.

“I know so. Mum is up to something. I pray she doesn’t sell you at that market that she is taking you too. ”

“Ha!, Ejike. That’s was so harsh,” I reprimanded him.

“You are right. There might be an exaggeration in my statement but then, Mummy is trying to offer you a bribe. Whatever, you swallowed now, you will surely vomit it. I feel that there is something that she is planning to do that she doesn’t want daddy to know. That is why she is offering you gifts. By the time you have gotten new clothes, you will not be able to say what you see.”

“Ejike I think that you are right. Mum is surely cooking something. But I will not eat it with her. How I’m I going to escape her now?”

“Let me think of a way of escape. ”

Ejike was silent for a while, then he whispered to her sister,” I have gotten an idea”

“Let me hear it ” I told him I excitement.

“Let’s stage a fight, then you will pretend that I wounded you,” Ejike suggested.

“Wow! Perfect,” I hailed him.

Almost immediately, I started shouting

“Ejike, I am not your mate,I will wound you,” I threatened.

“What is happening there, Her mother asked.

“Ejike is fighting with me. Ha! My leg! My leg!”

My mother rushed in to see what was going on. Immediately Ejike sighted her, he ran away.

“What is happening to your leg?” Mummy inquired.

“Ejike hit my leg. I’m in pain. I need to lie down and sleep,” I told her, while pretending that I was crying.

“Ejike, you have hit the drum of war. You will come and meet me later,” she threatened. Then she turned to me .

“My daughter please, you have to manage the leg o, so that we can go where we wanted to go.” My mother told me.

The story continues….