The Land Of The Rising Sun: Chapter 7: Home Again

CHAPTER SEVEN Home Again The dusty road into Ubakala stirred memories with every step. Before I reached our compound, my mother rushed towards me. "Amaka!" She wrapped me in a warm embrace, and for a moment, the long journey from the North no longer mattered. My father stood nearby, trying to hide his relief behind a stern expression. "You stayed too long among strangers," he said. "A daughter should not keep her family waiting." "I am here now, Papa," I replied softly. Before he could answer, my younger sister laughed. "Look at her! She now walks like a city woman." The compound erupted in laughter. I was home. The days that followed slipped into a familiar rhythm. I helped my mother around the house, spent time with my sister, and visited neighbours who welcomed me as though I had never left. None welcomed me more warmly than Mama Emeka. "So you've finally remembered you're from Ubakala?" she laughed, pinching my cheeks. "We thought the North had stolen you from us!" "I've come back for good," I replied, making everyone laugh. As evening fell, the men gathered around the village radio. Every broadcast carried troubling news. Some believed the crisis would soon pass, while others feared the country was changing forever. Listening quietly, I remembered Ndubuisi's words on the bus. "We're living through the last days of the Nigeria we once knew." For the first time, I wondered if he had seen something the rest of us had not. A few days later, while helping my mother indoors, I heard a familiar voice greeting my father outside. I stepped into the compound... ...and stopped. It was Ndubuisi. He had come to the area on family business and decided to visit after learning that Ubakala was my home. Neither of us had expected to meet again so soon. My mother noticed the smile on my face. Mama Emeka noticed it too. She burst into laughter. "So this is the young man who has been hiding inside your smile!" "Mama Emeka!" I protested as everyone laughed. Ndubuisi smiled shyly but said nothing. After spending some time with my family, he prepared to leave. I walked with him to the edge of the village. "I hope this won't be my last visit," he said. I smiled. "Now that you know the way to Ubakala, that's your decision." He nodded and continued down the dusty path. I stood there until he disappeared from sight. When I turned back, my younger sister was standing behind me with a playful smile. "Should I call him back?" Heat rushed to my cheeks. For the first time in a long while, I laughed without worrying about tomorrow. Behind us, the village radio crackled with another evening bulletin. No one realised that the peace we enjoyed was quietly slipping away.

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