* * *
By the time Okem was completing his final year at university, I was in my second year studying for a Law degree. Still, we remained fond of each other. His school was an hour’s drive away from mine, but he always visited me once a week to hang out. We would go shopping, dining, and to the movies, and at the end of each semester, he drove me home for the holidays. My dependence on Okem increased by the day as I relied on him for everything. Our lives, and sometimes our thoughts, were intertwined. We finished each other’s sentences and understood each other’s moods with little verbal communication. He was my best friend. Strange how this boy whose presence I once rejected and rebelled against any form of friendship with, had become a major part of my life.
My grandmother noticed our closeness. She saw it as adorable at first, but over the years, as our special bond developed, she realized we were too old for our relationship to be mistaken as platonic any longer.
“How is Okem?” she asked, with her brows furrowed after she saw me lying aimlessly on the sofa during the holidays.
“I miss him so much,” I said, sighing and retreating into a dream state.
“You miss him that much?”
“Yes! He’s my best friend. And all my other friends have traveled for the holidays. Had I known this holiday would be like this, I would have stayed back in Ajidi.”
“Why Ajidi?”
“To be near him!”
She was taken aback by my response. From her expression afterwards, I could tell something was bothering her. Have I been completely oblivious to her concerns? I believed that I had been too forward with my feelings for Okem, but I couldn’t help it. It just came out. Okem had been off at school, taking his finals, and I hadn’t seen him in a month—a really long time for us to be apart. I was due back to school in three weeks, and there was no telling when I could see him again as he was extremely busy. I didn’t think I could bear it any longer, but the truth was, thinking about Okem wasn’t the only reason my holiday was turning into a dream fest. My travails in Luenah were top of mind, too. It didn’t help that I couldn’t go there on my own—I had to be summoned—a sad situation for me because I always got direction and wisdom whenever I visited. But since I couldn’t tell my grandmother about Luenah without sounding crazy, I stuck to the topic of Okem.
“Grandma, don’t you miss Okem around the house?” I asked. It was my best attempt to cover up my forwardness.
“I do. But not as much as you. I see you moping around every day, and it worries me.”
I chuckled and hid my face in embarrassment.
“That reminds me,” my grandmother continued, pretending not to notice the effect her words had on me. “Albert’s mother asked about you the other day.”
“She did?” I asked, pursing my lips.
“Yes. She did.” My grandmother was nodding elatedly. “You and Albert seem to get along really well.”
“How can you tell?” I asked, smiling in confusion, and resisting the urge to shake my head.
“It’s quite obvious.” She was grinning.
“Grandma,” I yelled in embarrassment.
“Yes?”
“Stop saying such things. I’m not ready for such talk!”
“What do you mean? What do you want me to say?” she responded, shaking her head and raising both hands to the ceiling, as though seeking answers from a divine source. “Look, Ona, you’re old enough to marry, and Okem is not on your level, so you may as well get serious about Albert instead of moping around all day. I can’t imagine anyone better for you.”
My hands had flown to my chest as she was speaking. Her words never failed to surprise me. It was unclear what she meant by “Okem is not on your level,” but one thing was clear to me. My grandmother seemed to be encouraging a relationship with Albert—a man I hardly knew.
* * *
Albert was a crown prince—the heir to the throne of Ide kingdom. Ide, the same town that throughout history has clashed with my people in Ntebe. The clashes had never prevented associations between the two towns as the indigenes had a lot in common, which also made both areas fertile ground for intermarrying. Albert’s father, the Ideme—the King of Ide—had ruled Ide for so many years, and rumor had it that he planned to hand over the throne to Albert soon. He wanted to ensure a successful transfer of the staff of office to his son, and the only way he could guarantee that was to complete the transfer in his lifetime. Judging from history, a wide range of unexpected circumstances, including attempts to usurp the throne, could obstruct such a transfer if an incumbent king dies without completing the required steps.
My grandmother saw nothing wrong with a union with someone from Ide. Albert was the most eligible bachelor in Ide and Ntebe put together, and he seemed to adore me. I thought Albert was sweet and kind and, as far as looks were concerned, he was tall, with a nice facial structure, although a little too tapered for my liking. The things he had going most for him were his charisma and his wit. He also carried himself with confidence, as is expected for his position. His good qualities, coupled with the fact that he treated me with utmost kindness and respect, encouraged me
