Beneath The Thunder

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 Before Adaife was born, his wife, Nkemjika, had buried three sets of twins. It was really a painful moment not only for his wife, Nkemjika, but for him too. He couldn't even count the sleepless nights he had during the years they lost those babies. 

Every morning, he would wake up looking strong and healthy. He would take his wife by the arm and console her. He would perform some of the house chores before going about his priestly duties. People saw him as an odogwu, a strong man. He was a model in the sight of the community. Every man, especially those who were in a difficult situation, saw him as a source of solace. If Okwudili, the priest of Amadioha, could withstand the raging storm, why couldn't they?

But one thing they did not know was that every night, Okwudili had to fight those children in his dreams. His ears were filled with the piercing screams of those babies. These babies would make him lie on his belly while they painted his upper back with strokes of a cane. Whenever a stroke landed on his back, Okwudili would let out a loud groan. Most nights, he had to take a walk to the evil forest, where those babies were buried. His wife saw it as one of his priestly duties. He consulted Amadioha, the supreme God of thunder, about his predicament. But Amadioha's reply was always, "What will be will be." If he was destined to have a child, he would have one at the right time. During this period, anyone who reached the depth of his heart would understand that the man was in pain. Nwoke n'ihe na-eme; the man was going through perilous times.

Nkemjika got pregnant for the fourth time. Everyone expected it to be the same result, a set of twins. Even Nkemjika thought little about the pregnancy. However, Okwudili showered her with love. He sacrificed his time and wealth just to take care of his pregnant wife. Of course, everyone understood the reason behind this show of love. Okwudili loved his wife, no doubt. When Nkemjika had the last set of twins, his kinsmen advised him to marry another wife. After all, he was the chief priest of Amadioha. He was the seer, the eyes of the gods. He was the greatest man in Umuaga, after Eze, the king of the community. He could marry as many wives as possible. But Okwudili refused vehemently. The only woman he knew was Nkemjika. He was the father of the child in her womb. He would not throw her out of his house because of her perceived failures. No, he could never do that in his entire life. He loved Nkemjika so dearly. He was the first man Nkemjika dated. He was the first and the only man who had had carnal knowledge of Nkemjika. Nkemjika had always been there for him.

It is true that Okwudili loved Nkemjika with everything he had—body, soul, and wealth. But nobody knew the reason behind Okwudili's decision to stay with Nkemjika. The marriage ceremony of Okwudili and Nkemjika remained the most iconic wedding in Umuaga and its environs. Everything about the wedding was superb. The couple's outfits were out of this world. They were dressed like royalty. On the wedding night, every couple was expected to consummate the marriage. But on their wedding night, Okwudili couldn't get an erection. Okwudili was so ashamed of himself. He had never experienced anything like it. He, the king of men, couldn't get an erection. Every effort he made to get one was futile. He couldn't say anything. He just stared at Nkemjika, expecting her to shout at him or react in a funny way. But Nkemjika was super calm, as if nothing had happened. She saw the embarrassment written all over Okwudili's face. She calmed him down and assured him that everything would be alright. She drew him close to herself and cuddled him to sleep.

Okwudili rested his head on her shoulder. He appreciated the warmth of her embrace. However, he was really disturbed. He was  Every woman, especially a virgin, looked forward to her wedding night. Every woman wanted to have that feeling of fulfillment; the feeling of keeping herself for her forever and eternal man, her husband. But here he was, denying Nkemjika that privilege. He could not get a simple erection. He wondered what Nkemjika would do the next day. He remembered his friend, Achalla, who had been in a similar situation. On his wedding night, he couldn't get an erection. The next morning, the woman went home, and the news of his inability to get an erection spread like wildfire in Umuaga. Achalla became a laughing stock in the community. It took a while before the gossip died down, but Achalla's reputation was already damaged. He became a disgrace to manhood.

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