Ada sat on a bench in front of her hut looking out, it was a cool evening, the sun was casting its final rays of orange and pink as it set in the horizon. The wind blew gently, swaying the leaves of the trees that surrounded her home. She was so lost in her thoughts, she did not see the person entering her compound, neither did she hear the person's greetings. She only came to when she felt a large hand on her shoulder, a sensation that caused her to jump out of fright but the familiar face she saw had her sitting again.

"Are you alright? Aru o di gi?" Esomchi asked taking a seat beside her ,"i have been standing right in front of you, calling for your attention for sometime now. You did not blink neither did you respond." He looked at her again, concern pulling his brows together.

"Our people say, a problem shared is half solved," Esomchi went on."Talk to me, what bothers you?"

Ada smiled,"Esomchi, i am fine and I am not sick. Forgive my earlier distraction. I was lost in thought. How are you? It's been a while now,  if i didn't know better i would think you had abandoned me."

"You know that can never happen," he took her hand in his and laced their fingers together. "Stop trying to distract me, it is not working."

Ada leaned against him so her head rested on his shoulder, more like his arm, she squeezed his hand in reassurance as she spoke, "i am not trying to, i'm not ready to talk yet."

"When you are ready, you know where to find me," he squeezed her hand letting her know it was okay. For sometime there was silence, it was not an uncomfortable silence rather it settled around them like a warm blanket. The wind picked up momentum  and she burrowed closer to absorb the heat he was giving off. It wasn't the first time she wondered how he was able to stay warm in the cool weather but she was thankful for it.

Esomchi let out a deep breath, his other hand playing with her braids between them. Ada knew he had something on his mind, she knew better than to interrupt, like her he needed time to gather his thoughts. "Mama was worried you had not come to visit, you should expect her, you know how she is." He began, she nodded indicating she heard. They lapsed into silence again.

"Ogadi asked me to marry her," he hurried over the words. Ada's eyebrows rose in surprise but she said nothing. He began running his thumb in small circles on her hand. Suddenly he laughed, hard and long. Ada knew that was not a good sign, still she waited.

"I told her, i wasn't ready. I want  to be independent, to make a name for myself. I want to take care of my family. I told her all this and you wont believe what she said." Esomchi absent mindedly picked up one of her braids,wrapping it around his forefinger then unwrapping it, he repeated the action a couple of times before continuing. "She said to not worry, that her father would sponsor the ceremony, that he would set me up and take care of us until i found my feet."

Ada couldn't help it she began laughing.

"Its not funny." However she didn't stop laughing even after his statement.

"Why didn't she say you should come live in her father's  house?" she asked in between laughter. Esomchi glared at her. "I know, its not funny, i had no idea you were courting her."

"I am not, we are friends. Yes she brings me food in the farm sometimes and we talk whenever we see each other but that is it. How that translates to me wanting to marry her i have no idea." He finished in a rush of breath.

Ada studied their joined hands for sometime before she spoke again, "She really likes you, have you heard of her bringing food to any other man? She is always so polite and nice to you. I am surprised you did not see all the signs, yet they say females are complicated."

Esomchi bumped her with his arm causing her to laugh again, "I thought it was a friendly gesture, honestly, you used to bring me stuff too." He paused to look at her, "then you stopped, you do not even visit anymore."

"Ogadi happened." Ada said quietly, "why do you think she does not like me? She thinks we have more than just friendship going on."

There was silence after she spoke, each was lost in thoughts. Esomchi was shocked he thought all Ogadi did was badmouth Ada,  the more he thought he realised he was not surprised, "I'm sorry, i didn't know."

Again Ada remained silent, he untangled their hands then put his arm around her, drawing her closer to his body so her head rested on his chest, before linking their hands again. "Chiemerie paid mama a visit." She began, she could feel the shift in Esomchi at the mention of the name.

"He came to ask for her permission to marry  me, more like threatened her when she said the choice was mine to make. He said he was our ticket to a better life and no one could offer me better. He said no other man was interested in me." she could here his heart race from where her head lay in his chest, his muscles shifted with anger and he began tapping his feet.

He took her chin in his hand, running his thumb across her skin," do not tell me that was why you were moody? Chemerie does not deserve you, you are beautiful, hardworking, strong and smart. Any man with a good head on his shoulders would want you for a wife."

He paused and searched her eyes for a while, what he was looking for he himself didn't know but he was satisfied with whatever he saw because he continued talking though with a lighter tone.

"He lied though, you would not believe the number of men that have asked me to put in a good word for them, even Ogadi's brother,  its just most of them are intimidated by you. Before you ask, i did not tell you about them because i felt none was deserving of you."

They lapsed into silence again.

"Thank you, i needed to hear that." Ada said and she meant it

"You are welcome," he said as he smiled into the dark. "I have good news too, my father gave me a piece of land to farm, that is why i have not been around as i use to be."

"Congratulations!" Ada cried excited.

"That is wonderful news, the gods be praised."

"I know, i know," Esomchi said with pride"I have started working on my own hut too."

Ada stared at him with her jaw wide open, she couldn't believe it. Her friend was finally a man and soon some girl was going to whisk him away.

     Hi guys, i would love to hear you thoughts on this chapter. What do you think of Ogadi and Chiemerie?

Glossary
Aru o di gi?  --- Are you okay?