When Ladies Organize A Party| Creative Nonfiction #63

<div class=>"text-justify">

Every December 26th is a great day for all of us, the children of my mother. She celebrates her birthday on this particular day and we, the children, have over the years ensured that we give her a memorable event to Mark this day. This year seems a little different because the economic situation in our nation has dipped our pockets, financially.

Chichi, my immediate younger sister who has played the role of organising the party, has not started her usual antics of calling us one after the other to find out what we shall be contributing towards the birthday party. I didn't expect her to call either, knowing that many of us may not be able to meet up financially.

Fu Zhichao

Instead, she posted on our family social media platform that our mom was already appreciative to be alive.

All we need to do is come home during the yuletide to give her a befitting celebration. The party may not be necessary.

Chika said lightly.

Before the said date, we all started to converge at our mom's place. The house is big enough to house all of us with our nuclear family. I was the first to arrive first, with my wife and children.

Then my other siblings started coming, and by the 24th of December, the whole house was full, with all my siblings already at home.

Daddy! Daddy!!

My niece called out to her father, my younger brother.

Yes baby? Is anything the matter?

He asked.

Is Grandma celebrating her birthday after Christmas?

This question caught my attention. I started wondering, how did this little girl come to know about the birthday? Have they been discussing it?

Yes. Her birthday is on the 27th of this month.

The little girl became so happy. And started hoping and in a rhythmic tone singing

We shall party! We shall party!!

Since we had nothing coming up, I just let it pass. But in the middle of the night, when I was already fast asleep, I became so pressed that I needed to ease myself, only to find that my wife wasn't by my side on the bed. Because I was so pressed, I had to visit the lavatory and on my way back, I decided to check her in the living room. To my utmost surprise, she was there with other ladies.

Are you guys planning a mutiny?

Shocked. My wife was the first to respond.

Come over darling.

Perhaps they had planned that if any of us woke up and caught them having the conversation, such a person would become a part of their arrangement.

Now that you have seen us, you are automatically a member of the group.

I was stunned when I heard that statement but I had to play along.

What are you guys discussing this late?

They signalled me to lower my voice, in such a manner that they did not want other family members to hear what was being said.

Alright. We are planning a surprise birthday party for grandma.

At first, I wondered how they could do that without carrying the men, their husbands along.

So, what are you bringing to the table?

I asked, wanting to know what they were all up to.

We are done planning everything before you bump into us. We have planned to book a DJ and to prepare small chops with drinks and we shall buy a new fabric for grandma.

Askar Abayev

They did not specify the part I was to play, so I mentioned it to them.

Where do I come in all these?

Lydia, one of the ladies, a wife to my third brother said:

We have everything figured out. You just act like you know nothing.

I nodded in affirmation and returned to bed, waiting for my wife to come to explain how she would venture such secrecy without considering telling me.

It's a ladies thing. We just want to play the role, nothing more.

With that, I accepted and went back to sleep in peace. In the morning, before my mom woke from sleep, a trumpeter and talking drum player had already come around and a cake with other gifts was standing at her doorpost. I accompanied them into her room as the acapella music rend the air and she rose from bed, wondering what was happening. We all chorused:

Happy birthday to you, mom!!

After this short drama, the ladies were seen busy cleaning and decorating the living room as the DJ started to set up his stand. Before long, the atmosphere in our house has become a party frenzy.

The children came out from different directions and took the space in the living room as a dance floor, and Grandma joined them. Before you knew it, everyone was making one dance move and the whole building went agog.

I can tell you for free that it was the best birthday party we ever put up for grandma. It wasn't a surprise to me anymore when the small chops were served. My brothers were taken aback. They never saw it coming as the ladies had taken over. At the end of the day, we came to accept our fate on how the birthday party was organised.