Chapter 4

"He is not known, and nobody knows why she married him. And besides not even a single penny was paid on her head for dowry". The second woman replied.

"What are you telling me. So what did the father do about it?" The first woman asked again.

" Nothing. What can he do now that he's getting old?. If it was in his youthful age, his daughter would not have insulted him in such a manner". The second woman replied.

As the two women were still discussing, I came a bit closer to them.

"Wait my dear, you are too beautiful. Take this", the first woman said as she stretched forth her hand and offered me money.

"You are very beautiful my daughter. Take this as well", the other woman gave me money as well.

I collected the money, thanked them and went on to meet up with my mother-in-law who was far way discussing with her friends.

"My dear friend Elizabeth. You are really taking care of Jordah. See how her beauty keeps increasing every single day. And also I really love her dress". "Monica" one of mother's friend complimented her.

I over heard their discussion, and smiled with my eyes. The clothes I was wearing were actually the clothes my late mother had given to me, especially to attend great occasions. The cloth grew older and prettier. It was quiet a very expensive cloth which was hard to be seen in our community.

The cloth actually showed that my father was a very wealthy man. After so much drama at the market. I came back home very stressed. I thanked my stars that I had prepared two set of meals earlier doing the day. All I did was to warm the food, dish it out for Cletus and Elizabeth; and off I went to bed.

The next day, news got to us that the farmers that have at the farm for two days now, were attacked by gun men. And few of them were injured why some were shot dead. Hearing this news wasn't just pleasant to me, so I decided with Cletus that he won't be going to the farm again.

I decided that we both should start our own trading business. Cletus agreed to it with out a second thought, for it has always been his heart desire not to be far away from me. I and Cletus began trading fishes.

At times we would trade yams which we bought in large quantities from our neighboring communities. The fish business wasn't that profitable to us, because buyers would always prefer My father's fish to ours.

Although I was not making enough money for myself, but I was very happy to see how my father efforts and skills was been appreciated in our community and beyond. The harvest for the period wasn't that good, so yams were very costly to buy. I and Cletus couldn't afford to buy yams in large quantities anymore. And we couldn't keep on as rivals for Adolphus fishing skills.

I wondered of what else to do, and then we discovered that our community wasn't doing well in the cray fish aspect; for our rivers had more of sea fishes than crayfish. We then decided to go as far as a community that was a 2 days journey away from our community, to buy crayfish in bulk quantity and start selling to our community.

The business was quite a risky one, for most of the boats do capsize doing the long journey. But it was very profitable for the two of us. We were the only ones in our community that deals with the crayfish business; so our profit was more like ten times the actual amount. The business was going quite well for us, and we even started saving up for my dowry until people started seeing the profit in our business and began venturing into it.

We weren't the only ones into the crayfish business anymore and as such our profits was not as heavy as it was before. I wondered why the market women would begin to leave their trades to another trade; they were all enemies of progress.

I and Cletus decided not to cartoon with that business as the number of women venturing into the business kept on increasing every single day; and as much it’s just a matter of time before profits fades completely from the business.

Luckily for me, I and Cletus already saved enough money for my dowry; so we fixed a perfect date to go visit my father. The message was passed across to my father, that Cletus and his people would be coming to pay my dowry, while I got myself prepared to go over to my father's house and await there arrival. Adolphus my father was mixed with emotions. He wasn't happy of my previous display, and the type of poor background I was marrying into.

But he was also happy that I was returning home after so many months, and that , to do the right thing. He made preparation for my arrival and also for the coming of my husband. Cletus and Elizabeth made preparations for their coming, and bought all the items needed for my dowry.

Three days to their coming, I went back to my fathers house; for I am not supposed to be in my husband's house or come along with them to pay my very own dowry. I had to be at my father's house while they come and take me home.

My father in regards to my coming killed his biggest fish and goat, which he used in preparing different types of food for me including my favorite.