C3 Chapter three

Alfred took James to his bungalow where he lived with, his wife, Nkechi who stood chewing a gum which was her second nature and his daughter kodili. They have a servant called Lucy who was an orphan. Lucy who was a fair girl with little mouth and oval face was very comely as a maiden. Kodili who was actually treated as the princess of the house although she is pretty faced and fair skinned on her own side but very saucy. Despite the fact that she is sixteen, it was obvious to everyone in the neighborhood that she was no longer a virgin. What pissed people off about her was the way she treated Lucy like a foot match.

Nkechi on her side was the architect of their daughter’s cruelty. She was never kind with words when it gets to Lucy. The worst was that although Lucy was a nineteen years old adult, she used to beat her up like a kid after which her precious daughter will take all the time in the world to mock her. Her daughter also has the habit of accusing poor Lucy falsely. Just like the day, Lucy caught her kissing a teenage guy in the garden. Lucy could not believe her eyes coz kodili is still a kid and as such should not be seen in such act. She swore to tell her mistress but kodili pleaded with her. She turned deaf ears to all her pleas and reported her to her mom.

Truly, nkechi was shocked and asked for kodili’s presence at once but when she came she turned the whole story around, saying it was she who caught Lucy with a guy doing something extremely intimate in the garden and when she swore to report her, she wasn’t moved at all, adding that she did not know that she already has plan. There was this pure innocence that she usually wear on her eyeball in order to escape judgment. Her parents always fell for those eyes and that very day, nkechi fell woefully for it to Lucy’s awe. Lucy bore in mind that she was a sinner by being an orphan. In addition, Alfred was the kind of man who can never be perturbed if his servant girl was living or dying. What a world!

When James entered their living room along side of Alfred, he noticed the tense in Lucy’s voice when she greeted him. Kodili’s greetings was cheerful and lady-like.it was obvious to him that Lucy, the girl in apron was really a girl in apron. Being so observant, he asked the woman of the house correctly after they had exchanged greetings.

‘Is she the house help?’

Nkechi laughed before replying;

‘Yes sir, her name is Lucy and she will always be at your service’

‘and the princess behind is your daughter I guess’

Nkechi chuckled before uttering another word;

‘You are very correct sir’

‘She looks everything like you. Your complexion, everything.’ James stressed.

Alfred, who was listening, came to realize he was supposed to offer his guest a seat.

‘Jim, please do have a seat’, Alfred offered politely’

‘Thanks bhai’, James said in reply. Nkechi and the girls hurried off to the kitchen to in order to get their special guest something African, something very crunchy.

‘After all said and done I feel Africa has its charms. The weather, the kind of houses around, this portrait and the calabash staring at my face has reminded me that there are lots of museums I must visit in this country’, James said and Alfred laughed it away.