A SUDDEN CHANGE OF PLANS

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The next day, they had hardly finished their dinner, when another visitor arrived. Surprise! Surprise! It was Ginika, Somayina's aunt; she wore a long gown with a head tie that looked like that of an Indian guru. While Egonna looked at her silently, Ginika began to praise her and the child's robust cheeks. "Somayina looks so healthy, happy and well looked after," she said. Somayina could not understand why it took Ginika nearly two years to ask after them.

Ginika explained that it had not been her intention to leave Somayina with her this long, for she knew he must be in her way. She tried to provide for the child elsewhere, and at last she found a splendid chance for him. Chief Osisiego, a very rich relative of her employer in Port Harcourt, had a lame son. This poor little boy was confined to his rolling-chair and needed a companion at his lessons. Ginika had gone to her oga and told her all about Somayina. The man, delighted with the idea, told Ginika to fetch the child at once. She had come now, and it was a lucky chance for Somayina, "for one never knew what might happen in such a case, and who could tell-"

"Have you finished?" the old woman interrupted.

"Why, one might think I was telling you the silliest things. There is not a man in Udokamma Hills who would not thank God for such good news."

"Take your good news to somebody else, but not to me," said the old woman, coldly.

Ginika, flaming up, replied, "Do you want to hear what I think? Don't you know how old he is; eight years old and ignorant of everything. They have told me that you refuse to send him to church or school. He is my only sister's child, and I shall not bear it, for I am responsible. You do not care for his future, how could you be indifferent to such luck? You had better give way or I shall get the people to back me. If I were you, I would not have it reported to any authority; some things might be cooked up that you would not like to hear about."

"Be quiet!" Egonna thundered with flaming eyes, "take him and ruin him, but do not bring him before my sight again. I do not want to see him with wicked words like yours in his mouth." With long strides, Egonna went out.

"You have just made her angry!" said Somayina with a furious look.

"She won't be angry for long, but come now, where are your things?" asked Ginika.

"I won't come," Somayina replied. "I want to stay here!"

"What?" Ginika asked harshly. But changing her tone to a more friendly one, she continued, "Come now; you don't understand me. I am taking you to the most beautiful place you have ever seen."

After packing up Somayina's clothes she said again, "Come, child, and take your hat. It is not very nice, but we can't help it."

"I shall not come," Somayina persisted. "Don't be stupid and obstinate like a goat. Listen to
me. Your grandmother is sending us away and we must do what she commands, or she will get angrier. You'll see how fine it is in Port Harcourt, If you do not like it, you can come home again and by that time your grandmother will have forgiven us."

"I will go if that will make grandma happy again. But can I come home again tonight?" asked Somayina.

"Come now, I told you, you can come back. If we get to the city today, we can take the first bus tomorrow. That will make you come home again in the shortest time!"

Holding the bundle, Ginika led the child down the hill. On their way, they met Lamido, who had not gone to school that day. The boy thought it was a more useful occupation to hunt rabbits and look after goats than to learn to read and write because he made some money each time he sold a rabbit. He had a most successful day, for he carried an enormous rabbit on his shoulder. When he caught sight of Somayina and Ginika, he asked them where they were going.

"I am going to Port Harcourt with Aunt Ginika," Somayina replied. "But first I must see grandfather, for he must be waiting."

"Oh no, it is too late. You can see him when you come back," said Ginika, pulling the poor boy along with her; she feared that the old man and Monica might try to stop them.

Lamido ran into the cottage and hit the table with his rods in anger. Clement jumped up in fright and asked him what the noise meant.

"They have taken Somayina away," Lamido said with a groan.

"Who has? Where has he gone?" the old man asked. Monica had seen Ginika walking up the footpath a short while ago and soon they guessed what had happened. With a trembling hand, the old man opened a window and called out as loudly as he could. "Ginika, Ginika, don't take the child away. Don't take him from us."

When Somayina heard Clement's voice, he struggled to get free. "I must go to grandfather, he is calling me!"

But Ginika would not let him go. She urged him on by saying that he could return soon. She also suggested that Somayina could bring a lovely present to his grandparents when he came back from Port Harcourt. Somayina liked this prospect so he followed Ginika without more ado.

After a while Somayina asked, "What shall I bring for grandma?"

"You might bring her some nice clothes; I think she needs them."

"I know, I will bring her some soft sweet loaves of white buttered bread; she has missed them so much."

"That's awesome Somayina, let's get going!"

"Yes, we have to hurry up," Somayina confirmed, "we might get to the city today and then I can be back tomorrow with the soft sweet loaves of white buttered bread for grandma."

At this point, Somayina was so running, quickly that Ginika had to follow. She was glad to escape the questions that people might ask her in the village. People could see that Somayina was pulling her along, so she said, "I can't stop. Don't you see how the child is hurrying? We still have a long way to go." Soon they had escaped, leaving the village far behind them.

Egonna's case got much worse the day Somayina was taken away from her. From that day on, Egonna looked angrier than ever. Everybody became more afraid of her. People often remarked how much better it was that Somayina had left her. They had seen him hurrying away, so they thought that he had been glad to go. Parents would warn their children to keep out of her sight when she came down seldomly to sell her woven clothes and buy her provisions.

Only Monica and Clement stuck to Egonna faithfully because they knew the truth. Whenever anybody came up to them, they would tell them how well she took care of Somayina when he was with her. They also told them that she had mended their old house for them and was not as wicked as the villagers thought. When these reports reached the village, the people only half believed them, for Clement was infirm and old.

"All happiness has left us with the child. The days are so long and dreary, and I have no joy left. If only I could hear Somayina's voice again before I die," the poor old blind man would lament, day after day, night after night. During his time in the village, Somayina had bonded so well with his grandparents that they both missed him deeply.

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