Chapter 1: Ebube’s Routine 

Dinggg, dingggg, dinggg. The roosters make their normal wake-up call. Ebube’s mother woke up to the sound and walked quickly to Ebube’s room to wake him up.  “Oya, come on, Ebube, wake up!” said Ebube’s mother.

Ebube woke up and planned on waking up his younger siblings. He walks down the dark hallway to his siblings’ room and yells, “Emeka, Amara, mummy said to wake up.”

They all got up, and ran swiftly to their mom’s room to pray, as it was a daily routine in their household. They started praising and worshiping their God and got ready for the day. Ebube was only 16 years old, but he didn’t go to school anymore, because his mother couldn’t pay for his school fees.

“Mummy, I want to go live with Daddy,” said Ebube, holding his face while supporting his left arm with his left leg.

“Don’t worry, he will soon send us the money to go live with him,” Ebube’s mother replied.

Their dad left for America as he found an opportunity to start a business there and help out his family.

Ebube got up from the porch of their house, grabbed the car keys, and dropped off his siblings at school.

“Je nke oma, go well” said Ebube.

He then went to his mother’s shop to help sell her goods. Eight hours later, Ebube would go back to his siblings’ school and pick them up. Then, Ebube and his siblings would arrive home and Ebube would go cook dinner for him, his siblings, and his mother. That was his normal daily routine.

Chapter 2: Turning Point

Three years later, Ebube’s mother and her family traveled to America. They were saving up the money they got from their father and her shop. They arrived in Bakersfield and met their father.

Ebube was stunned and looked lost. “OHHH MY BABY BOOO! IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME! Kedu ka i mere? How are you doing?” said Ebube’s father.

“A di mma, I am good” Ebube’s mother replied.

Ebube’s father welcomed them in and they were assigned to their rooms. Then, Ebube was given his first phone, which was an iPhone 11 Pro.

“Thank you, Daddy,” said Ebube.

Ebube was dumbfounded. It took him about two days to get used to it as he was a quick learner.

So, as the time when by, Ebube started enjoying his life more compared to how it was back in Nigeria. His father realized that Ebube had a passion for technology, so he decided to look for a college that would fit his liking. A year later, his father finally enrolled him in an engineering college that seemed like he would enjoy. Emeka was now 15 and Amara is 14. Emeka attended 10th grade, and Amara attended 9th.

Chapter 3: Sadness Has Taken Over!

Four years have passed since his father and mother died in a car accident. Ebube remained depressed while trying to help out his siblings with their college fees. Ebube always wondered when he would find a partner that could help him out.

“Why is my life like this?” asked Ebube.

He started questioning himself and had that same mindset, until the girl of his dreams appeared. Her name was Nneka. She was 21 and Ebube just turned 22 on the same day he met her. Nneka shared a similar experience as Ebube, except that her mom had died. They realized that they were the right ones for each other, so they started to date.

Chapter 4: I Have Found the One! 

“EH! OYA! MMMM! AHHHH!” The common noises her friends were making as she was dancing down the red carpet. It was the day of Nneka’s  wedding, and it was pretty large.

After the wedding, Ebube, Nneka, and a couple of her friends decided to throw a small party. Her friends and the couple had drinks and a variety of food. A couple of hours after they finished the party, they went home and fell asleep.

The next morning, Ebube wakes up to Nneka getting ready for work. “Ah, nwa, where are you going to?” said Ebube while yawning.

“I’m going to work, I’ll be back around 2 in the afternoon,” replied Nneka.

A few minutes after his wife left the home, Emeka calls Ebube. “Long time no see, Ebube. How fa!” So, they talked about how their lives were ever since they left each other.

It was around 4 pm, and his wife had returned 2 hours ago.

“Onye ka i na-agwa okwu?” asked Nneka.

“I was talking to my brother,” replied Ebube.

She nodded and went to their room. A couple minutes later, she went to the kitchen to go cook their dinner.

Chapter 5: My New Baby!

“Babe, my water broke!” screamed Nneka.

Ebube ran into the room and quickly dropped her off at the hospital nearest to him. “Hello, yes my wife’s water broke!” yelled Ebube.

The nurses rushed her into a room and told her to calm down and that they will get the doctor to help her out as soon as possible. Thirty seconds later, the doctor ran into her room and got some assistance to deliver the baby.

“Push, come on, you’re almost there!” yelled the doctor.

A couple minutes went by, and Ebube started hearing the baby cry.

“Are you the husband of Nneka?” asked the doctor.

“Yes, I am. Is she okay?” said Ebube, while worrying.

“No, she is now near death,” the doctor replied.

Ebube tried not to cry.

Hours went by, and Ebube with his new baby named Amara went home. Ebube then started to order the things the baby would need. A few minutes later, he got a call from the hospital, hoping that it was the doctor saying that Nneka was alive.

He picks up his phone and answered. “Hello?” said Ebube.

“Yes, Mr. Ebube, I have some good news for you! Your wife just woke up right now. Do you want to talk to her?” said the doctor.

“Yes, please,” replied Ebube.

“Ok, wait, we are going to forward you to her room’s phone,” said the doctor.

A couple seconds went by after the music played. “Hello?” said Nneka, weak to speak.

“Yes, nwa, it’s me, Ebube. I’m so excited to know that you are okay!”

“Babe, how is the baby?”

“She’s good. I’m busy making her food.”

“Ok, they said I will be able to go home tomorrow!”

“Ok, I’ll go and pick you up.”

“Alright, love you!”

“Love you too!”

Chapter 6: My Daughter’s First Day of School! 

“Babe, get up. We need to get our daughter ready for school,” said Nneka, getting her clothes on.

“Okay, I’m going to get ready, then drop her off. You just get her ready,” replied Ebube.

“Okay,” replied Nneka.

It has been 7 hours since she went to school, and it was time to go pick her up. Ebube gets dressed and drives to Amara’s school. Amara spots Ebube and runs towards him. Ebube carries her and proceeds to their car.

That was their daily routine until she turned 13.

Chapter 7: Unexpected Death Has Reached Me!

Ebube and his wife both went out to their friend’s party. Amara was at home alone, with no companions.

“Amara, stay safe and don’t open the door for anyone unless it’s one of your friends that decided to come over,” said Nneka as she and Ebube were leaving the door.

“Ok!” replied Amara.

Then, both parents were reported dead on the news that night. Amara sat there, worrying.

“Please, let it not be my parents, please.” said Amara.

The next day, Amara woke up to a nearby neighbor with a basket filled with snacks.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

She ran to the peephole on the door and saw one of her neighbors. She opens the door and receives a gift with a letter in it.

“Sorry for your loss. Hope that the letter will cheer you up.” said the neighbor as she left. Amara quickly closes the door and runs to a nearby couch to read the letter. It said:

Dear Amara,

I saw on the news today that it was your parents that died in that accident. Sorry for your loss and I hope that those snacks would help cheer you up from such misery. 

Sincerely,

Your Neighbor, Mary

Amara sobs and ended up staying home that day, on a call with one of her cousins.

Translations

Oya! – Come on. (broken english/pidgin)

Je nke oma. – Go well.

Kedu ka i mere? – How are you doing?

A di mma. – I am fine.

Nwa – baby

How fa? – How are you? (broken english/pidgin)

Onye ka i na-agwa okwu? – Who are you talking to?

TO BE CONTINUED ON

“The Life Of Amara”