Melon Soup

It was an interesting Sunday afternoon. This one wasn’t like the others. Today we had a lot of visitors and luckily my dad was in the mood to entertain visitors. How did I know he was in the mood ? The atmosphere was different! He was excited and telling everyone about all the interesting things that happened in the past week. He was also cracking a lot of jokes. However, there was a reason for his excitement this afternoon.

I had just represented the children’s class in the Children’s Harvest presentation in church. Nothing made my dad proud like seeing myself and my siblings take the front stage and show confidence. Unfortunately, none of us grew up really outspoken like he’d have hoped.

“Amadi if you see the way Ezinne sang in church today. I didn’t know I had such talent at home. Infact these children have really impressed me. Seriously o! I am highly impressed.” My dad said to his brother while I listened on in the kitchen.

I was prepping for my mum to dish out the food for the guests. She said I have anya kwu so she didn't let me share food until I started earning money and seeing life proper.

"Ezinne!" My mum screamed. Technically she didn't scream but my mother’s voice can tear down a roof so she always sounds like she's shouting.

I dragged my feet to meet her while adjusting my clothes to make sure there was nothing to be scolded for or about.

"Nne biko put food for your daddy and his brothers then I will put the rest by myself." I nodded and walked away.

This woman has obviously seen gist and forgotten herself because just yesterday she beat me for serving too much soup for everybody in the house.

Anyway, I finished dishing out the food and was about to start taking the plates out when my mother walked in and screamed.

"Ezinne iwu visitor? Don't you know that your dad ana like his stew n'elu the rice??" She yelled.

"Jesus! Mummy I forgot' I said realizing the mistake I made while I wandered away in my thoughts. My dad likes his rice and stew served separately but because I was serving 3 people at the same time and busy ranting about my mum, I forgot the way he liked it served.

"You have wasted that food now. Who will eat that food now, this girl?" She said while shoving me to the side to make her way to the cooker to serve everybody else.

I offered to eat the food even though I actually wanted to eat the egusi soup my mum cooked yesterday night with garri. That turned out to be my biggest mistake that day.

"You want to eat this big plate of rice??? Ehn Ezinne? Are you sure you didn't put this thing like this so that you will eat it? No Ezinne answer me.." My mum started.

She has issues with my weight so whenever I eat around her, it's like I am walking into fire.

"Ezinne I'm saying this thing now but it's like my mouth is smelling. Look at your stomach this girl! When you now start giving birth to your own children, how will it now be? At your age, I was very slim. My nickname that time was selenge baby"

"Everyday garri and rice. I don't want to see your mouth near garri for one week. Inuru ihem kwuru?!" She warned.

"Yes mum." I answered while sobbing and scratching my legs and hair. My eleven year old self had gotten used to the scolding but what I wasn't going to get used to was threatening my belly. I liked garri and soup too much for that. That was the only reason I was genuinely sad.

Evening came finally and everyone left and Rose, the housekeeper, washed the plates and cleared the kitchen just in time for dinner.

Dinner was my daddy's special spicy noodles with plenty onions and sardine.

There were days when we all ate from the same plate - a big bowl mainly for my dad. Those days were Saturday mornings and evenings, when my dad cooks and when they buy suya or nkwobi or anu agworagwo.

We were eating together today. While we were at it, my dad decided it was the perfect time to tell us all the things Uncle Amadi told him about his son's achievements. I am a year older than the son so you can tell what most of the night was about.

"Daddy I'm going for a debate outside school on Tuesday." I blurted out in between my dad's trip down memory lane to his days in Class 5. I had to at least mention one achievement to save myself.

"We had an intra school debate and they picked the best 3 to represent at the inter schools debate." I continued.

"Inukwa o! That's great, my daughter. Among the best 3, were you the first or second." He asked.

"I_" I started to answer but he cut me short.

"Don't worry I know you'd be the chief speaker on Tuesday. Ada Ukwu! Adam! Don't worry, just mention any soup you want on Tuesday morning and before you come back, we have prepared it for you. Ada Ukwu!" He said as he walked away from the dining room, smiling so hard.

"Yes dad! Daddy thank you!' I squealed as I took a quick glance at my mum whose threat will now be put on hold for my treat. Of course she was happy about the debate so she completely forgot about her no garri all week rule.

This felt great and all but the only issue was that not only was I not the chief speaker for the debate, I was not even speaking at all. I was only tagging along as a contingency plan just in case someone canceled or missed their lines.

However, I wasn't about to tell him the truth and jeopardize my only shot at eating egusi that week.

In my defense, I tried to talk but he didn't let me.