(A lot happened that night...)
It was a silent morning, and the sun had just thrown its sleepy face out of the sky. Ebuka peeped from a space in between the silk curtain that graciously spread across the wooden window of his room. As the custom was, he was the first to sleep and the last to rise from bed. The day was still young, about 7 o'clock. But Ebuka was feeling like he was still under some sedative spell. Still, he struggled out of bed musing over what the new week had in store for him.
He was barely a minute into his soliloquies when his ears got attacked by the early morning haiku of Suku. Suku had developed the tradition of singing into the day, that was how it greeted everyday. Although Ebuka never enjoyed the singing he had to put up with the eternal whisper anyway...Suku was no ordinary parrot. It was no natural bird. Ebuka had learned to trust its mood swings. There were days Suku kept quiet, and stayed mute no matter how persuasive one may be for suku to sing or speak.
Such days were hardly productive for Ebuka. He grew up to study and trust Suku's deep revelations and foresight. A reason he takes Suku everywhere he goes from his second year in college. In return he caters for Suku like a mother caters for a child. Suku on its part never goofed in its predictions. It didn't only serve as a source of direction to Ebuka, it was a source of spiritual guidance.
Been three years now that Nwokocha chukwudi Samuel died. Ebuka was not prepared for the loss and prayed fervently to God to spare his life. He now understood the role and place of a father in a home. Prior to his father's illness Ebuka was always at logger head with his father. Both never seem to gel in their thoughts and decisions. It was more like thinking
from two different angles of a triangle.
Mr. Nwokocha was a building contractor cum farmer who did everything possible to make life easy for his family. Three boys and a girl he had from his bereaved wife who died after giving birth to Ebuka. This was one of the sins he never forgave Ebuka for.
Mr. Nwokocha loved his wife to the point of death, the chemistry that existed between himself and his wife was jokingly compared to that which existed between Romeo and Juliet by his friends. And it was no lie he was fond of his wife. Mrs. Margaret Ngozi Nwokocha was a beauty to behold.
She had the beauty of the sun and a stare that brings peace to a troubled soul. She was a brilliant teacher, business woman, great mother and wife before her untimely death. An occurrence that left Mr. Nwokocha bed ridden for weeks. He did recover from the shock of losing his beloved wife but he never recovered from the void and emptiness she created in his heart. Life was difficult and he could only wish for better days...days that always seem out of reach.