"Don't mind her, she's talking as if I gave birth to her grandmother" Edinam said as she turned to look at the oncoming Dzidedi
"Eii, maama, you can talk"
Akpene said amidst laughter
"Oh, leave her alone" Dzidedi said as she got closer to the trio, she did not have to move a lot of steps since the kitchen was nearer to the front of her room.
"People even think your mum is my first born"
She added, as she made her way into the kitchen.
"Mama, aren't you being energetic right now, than you were earlier this morning?"
Amenyo asked trying to hide his laughter.
They knew exactly why she was heading to the kitchen, and the reason why it was funny was because she was not feeling well since yesterday's evening, and she only started to get better this morning, but when she heard about the game her son brought, she just seemed to be fine.
"Akpene, didn't you take her food to her room?" Amenyo asked trying harder to not laugh
"Of course I did" replied Akpene
"I added water too, the one she'll wash her hands with and the one she'll drink"
"Then what is she going to do in the kitchen"
"If you are asking me, who —"
"Your grandfather"
Dzidedi replied Amenyo, cutting Akpene short
"I'm going to do your grandfather" she added with a chuckle and entered the kitchen.
Edinam was just laughing at what was going on.
"She's going to say she'll cook today's meal, who will bet?" She asked
"No one mama" Akpene said laughing
"We all know" she added.
"But isn't she unwell?" Amenyo asked
"Is that part of any of your businesses?"
Dzidedi asked as she stood at the entrance of the kitchen. She had checked and confirmed what she was hearing from her room was true, and she had already decided she was going to cook today's meal,even though she was not feeling well, and she still had a day left to the week she'd overlook the cooking for the family.
"Edi, I'm helping you cook today"
she said, as she walked towards Edinam, and the kids.
"You always help me cook" Edinam replied.
Even though cooking for the family was shared between the two women, it would be difficult for a visitor to know it was shared, since they were both always in the kitchen together.
The only thing was, when it was your week to cook for the family, the other got to help you, and you mostly got to decide what the family would eat, even though they would still ask Efo Ganyo.
"Okay, then you'll help me cook" Dzidedi reconstructed her sentence.
There was a burst of laughter.
"Mama, do you know you can be kidnapped with a deer?" Amenyo asked laughing
"easily"
"Very easily" Akpene and Edinam added simultaneously
"You people should leave me alone" Dzidedi replied laughing as she headed to her room.
"By the time you'll be back from the farm, food will be ready" she added as she entered her room.
She had an obsession with venison .
It's her favorite meat, and she always said you had to pay careful attention when cooking it, to bring the best taste out of it.
"If you steam it too long, it will become too soft, but you have to steam it so that it'll be between hard and soft" she would always say
"And I like to always overlook the cooking of this wholesome threat, since I know the best way to cook it" she had never forgot to add.
"Your mother is not sick anymore because of a deer"
Edinam said to Amenyo as she laughed and headed to her room
"Mama, you also came out of your room because of the deer"
Akpene said after her mother.
"It's a lie, I wanted to fetch water for your younger brother"
"where's the water?"
"Where's the water?"
The siblings asked simultaneously
"leave me alone"
Edinam replied as they burst into laughter, and she entered her room.
"Big mama, go and take papa's food and let's be going"
Amenyo said to Akpene as he readied himself to depart to the farm with his younger sister.
"Okay sir"
She replied and entered the kitchen and brought out food that was already prepared and served by Edinam earlier. Amenyo remembered he had to take something and entered the kitchen after Akpene came out, but he came out empty handed, expect the sack on his shoulder.
"I thought you said you had to take something"
Akpene asked
"Let's go, I can't remember the thing"
He replied and off they went.
….
"You know the big moon is coming, and they'll be dance at the square right?"
Amenyo asked as he stopped for Akpene to take the lead. They were nearing the end of the village and about to enter the path leading to the farms. It was only right for a man to walk be behind when walking with a woman in these single pathways because it was believed if a trouble would befall them, it would start from the back where they would hardly notice anything, and the men's survival instincts are far better than that of the women, and they would be able to protect their women. It was their responsibility to protect the women anyways.
"Are you telling me or you are asking?"
Akpene asked as she took the lead, giving her brother a little shove in his abdomen with her elbows as she passed.
"Also the King said he'll be having visitors from another village"
He ignored her question and added
"Eh, eh?"
Akpene looked surprised
"And we are supposed to dance in front of these visitors?"
She asked as she stopped and turned around to look at her brother, balancing the Kusi with the food on her head. She was already becoming excited.
"I don't know, maybe you'll dance behind them"
He answered with a chuckle.
"Oh, tell me please"
She pleaded
"Who are the visitors anyways?"
she added
"How am I expected to know?"
Amenyo asked
"How did you know they were going to be visitors?"
"A friend told me"
"Senyo?"
"Yes"
"And you didn't bother to ask him who they were?"
"You can go and ask him yourself"
"You are a very bad person"
"I know"
They continued to argue untill they reached the farm. It was a maize farm, surrounding a big tree. The under of the tree was cleared very well, that they usually spent most of t by heir resting times there even though they had a farm house.It had very big branches and casted a shade where it didn't matter where the sun was, there'd never get hit by sunlight.It was surprisingly short for its big size.Under the tree rested a tired Efo Ganyo, he was actually waiting for the food.
When they reached where Efo Ganyo was, Akpene dropped the food after greeting her dad
"Amenyo caught a deer today"
She said, after bringing the food out of the Kusi to serve her father.
"Who asked you?"
Amenyo asked as he took a machete and entered the maize farm to bring some fresh corns to roast.
"And two rats"
Akpene added, ignoring her brother.
"Was that why you were late today?"
"Not really, mama Dzidedi got well immediately she heard there was a deer"
She replied
"It was so funny, she even said she'll cook today" she added.
"It's still the reason why you came late"
Efo Ganyo said feigning a frown.
"She thinks she's smart"
Said Amenyo as he came back from the farm with some corns and few firewood. He started to set a fire on which he'd roast the maize.
"Dad,am I not?"
"Which of the traps caught the game today?"
Efo Ganyo asked Amenyo as he dug into his Akple and abobi tadzi, seemingly ignoring Akpene
"The ones near Nsuo fita"
Amenyo answered.
"During these times of the year, the traps near the stream hardly catch big games"
Said Efo Ganyo
"Is it because of the rain?"
Akpene asked
"What do you know?" Asked Senyo with a chuckle.
"Don't mind him, it's because of the rain" said Efo Ganyo
"During the rainy season, there's a lot of water in the deeps of the forests so they don't come near nsuo fita to drink water often, but in the dry season when the small water bodies dry up,and there's competition, that's when most of the animals that can stand competition come to Nsuo fita in the nights to drink water."
He added and continued eating
"I'm just a great hunter"
Amenyo said as he passed a corn to Akpene who was squatting beside him.
"Thank you"
She said and went to rest against the trunk of the tree
"But I think you were just lucky the traps caught that deer"
She added
"I told you I shot that one myself"
Amenyo argued back.
"Oh I forgot", said Akpene realizing she would not be able to teae her brother as she wanted to
"hahaha, you don't even have a retentive memory"
Amenyo said.
"Have you never forgotten anything before?"
Akpene asked pouting
"Me?? Never!! I don't forget anything "
He replied boastfully
"Where's the cowries I asked you to bring?"
Efo Ganyo asked remembering he asked Amenyo to take some cowries from his room along with him when coming to the farm. He wanted to pray and thank Sobgolisa for giving him a good return in farming this year, and ask him to be with him during the harvest seasons too.
"Oh, oh!, I forgot."
Amenyo said remembering he wanted to take something and forgot what exactly he wanted to take along with him.
"He was looking for it in the kitchen"
Akpene said amidst laughter
"But he doesn't forget anything"
Efo Ganyo said sarcastically
"Remember to bring it tomorrow, so that we can pray and ask Sogbolisa for guidance.
"okay dad"
"Me?? Never, I don't forget anything"
"Akpene, I'll beat you"
They was a burst of laughter from Efo Ganyo and Akpene.