At the home of the Onuohas, the entire family gathered around the kitchen table to enjoy the delicious meal of beans and chicken stew that Beatrice had cooked. Chisom was the only one missing, as she had stayed overnight at the Chimas'. They eagerly devoured the meal, savouring each bite and using thick slices of bread to mop up the flavourful stew.
'Mum, you're truly the best cook,' Daniel praised Beatrice as she cleared the table.
'Well, why don't you bring Audrey over so she can taste my food?' Beatrice suggested, and Daniel smiled at the thought.
As the kettle on the stove began to whistle, Beatrice hurried over to take it off the heat. She retrieved two pieces of thick china mugs from the cupboard, filled them with the hot achara tea, and added some sugar. Placing the cups in a tray, she carried one to Leonard, who was now sitting on the living room couch, engrossed in reading a newspaper. She placed the mug on a side stool beside him.
Leonard reached for the tea, taking a brief sip as Beatrice brought the other mug to Daniel, who was still sitting at the kitchen table, absorbed in his phone.
'You should drink your tea and head to your shop. You can't always rely on your salesboys and girls,' Beatrice advised, placing the cup in front of him.
'I will, but for now, I have some ironing to do,' Daniel replied, stirring his tea with a spoon before taking a sip.
Once he finished his tea, Daniel spread a blanket over the kitchen table and covered it with a sheet. He plugged the iron into the socket by the wall. The electricity had only been fixed a few months ago, and Daniel wanted to take advantage of it by ironing his clothes every day before heading to the shop. Since electricity supply in Nigeria was unreliable, people made the most of it whenever it was available. Having running water in the kitchen was also a blessing as it saved them from the hassle of searching for water. Daniel dampened his pale blue shirt, neatly placing it on the sheet while he waited for the iron to heat up. However, his thoughts drifted to Audrey and how she would react if she found out that Chioma already had a boyfriend. He didn't blame Chioma; instead, he placed the blame on Felix for being too overbearing and never giving Chioma a chance to explain things properly.