A secret

Umunnakwe, the father of Anderline was a very poor palmwine tapper in Umunnakwe, Nkwere. He was a renounced traditional drummer. He was very talented and famous that he was loved by many. His wife Uloaku was a very lazy woman, she doesn't like doing job. She sits down in the house waits for her husband to return and bring food.

"it's not that she is beautiful, she is not hardworking too. What is she good for, nothing," was people's gossip. Anderline his first daughter had been in
relationship with Godwin. Godwin was a native of Umunneochi, a village far from theirs. They had gone far in that relationship, so one day Godwin came to Umunnakwe's hut to declare his intention. Because Umunnakwe despised anyone who is from that clan. So, he rejected the introduction drinks which included, palmwine, Schennaps, aligator pepper and other things.

Umunnakwe rejected those items with the excuse that his daughter was not ripe for marriage.
"you are pregnant here you are trying to challenge me. You want to make mouth with me, right," said Chima. Chima was the first son of Umunnakwe.

He would have kept the secret if not that she quarreled with him few days later after the suitor's visit. She had confided in Chima earlier about her pregnancy and Chima was aware Godwin was responsible because she reposed so much confidence in Chima even the introduction visit, he knew. "Chima why did you have to keep this away from i and your mother?" Umunnakwe asked. "he is responsible for my pregnancy," she said after much persuasion and pressure mounted on her. "who is he," asked Umunnakwe.

After much hesitation, "Godwin, that was why he came with his people to see you. I gave you my consent but you said you didn't want them,"she said. His father blamed her because if she had told him earlier, he would have no option than to welcome them.

He had already rejected Godwin, nothing else had to be done than for him to allow her daughter live with the pregnacy. Umunnakwe never regretted his action because Anderline had been supportive to the family with her Designing job and couldn't afford to lose her support so, Umunnakwe was not in a hurry to give her out in marriage. But he never saw that coming.  "She has given birth to a baby boy," Uloaku broke the news.