In another part of Hilltop, six happy kids were having the time of their lives. They had been brought to the Park by Aunty Kate to have some fun. She had brought food and drinks along so they could have a picnic. As she watched them play, her heart ached for Nwabu, Christy and Bliss. The other three were her own children Ed, Rose and George. She silently prayed for the children to be able to bear the pain when they learn about what happened two weeks earlier.
As soon as they got home from the picnic, she told the children that they would all be making a journey to the village. They were so excited about it. It seemed that this particular holiday was so different and full of fun.
The next morning, the maids helped the children to get ready for the journey. As they came downstairs for breakfast, they saw someone they had not seen for long.
"Daddy! Daddy", cried Bliss as she rushed into her Daddy's arms. Nwabu and Christy also rushed over to greet the military man who found a way to hug the three together. He extended his hands to Ed, Rose and George who were standing by the side unsure of what to do as they were not used to him. By the time he brought out toys, however, they warmed up to him.
A few hours later, three cars were on the way to Pillar Town, moving in a convoy. Aunty Kate was in the same car as the children, Ada and her siblings were in another one, while Nwabu's father, Phil, Uncle Ben and Grandpa we're in the third car. The children could not understand why Grandpa had bandages on one hand and one leg, with the hand in a sling.
The children preferred to be with Aunty Kate in the same car, as she was fun to be with. They could sense that Ada and her siblings were not as cheerful as they used to be. However, Aunty Kate observed that Christy was not her usual self. She seemed to be lost in thought.
"Christy my girl, are you okay?", she asked.
" Please, Aunty, what is the meaning of Obituary?", asked Christy. Aunty Kate was silent for a moment. Then she asked, "Where did you hear that?"
"Last night when I was watching the TV, I heard them say 'Obituary Announcement', and I thought I saw my mummy's picture, but before I could look very well, you called me to the kitchen."
"Is that so? Never mind. Let's talk about that later okay?"
"Yes, Aunty", replied Christy.
As soon as they got to Pillar Town, they were welcomed by so many aunties, uncles, cousins, and other relatives most of whom they have never met. Not long after, the six kids from Hilltop were playing and laughing with other children. Nwabu asked one of his new friends for a dictionary as he wanted to find out the meaning of the word 'obituary'. He had noticed Aunty Kate's reluctance to tell Christy what the word meant, so he wanted to find out the meaning and tell her. However, when he found out the meaning, he understood why Aunty Kate had avoided talking about it, and he realised that he would not be able to tell Christy about it. "So, this is the reason we haven't seen Grandma for this long?", he wondered.
Towards the evening of the next day, the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance. The kids wanted to go out and see what was going on, but they were not allowed to. As the sirens got closer and became louder, there were shouts of people weeping and wailing as Grandma's corpse was brought to the family house for lying in state and wake keep.
While the kids were trying to peep from the window to see what was going on outside, they saw Ada, Phil and others weeping while people were trying to hold them back. The three kids and their cousins began to cry. Nwabu already knew what was going on, but Christy and Bliss were crying because they saw others crying... That is, until they heard Ada saying, "Ah! Mama why did you die? Why did it have to end like this?....."
"Eh? So Mama is dead?... So I will not see her again?", Christy asked because she remembered that one of her classmates had once told her that since her father died, they never saw him again...
Her questions seemed to bring the others back to their senses. The secret is out, but the baby of the house would still need time to grasp the full meaning of what happened. They had their own pain to deal with, but more than that their little sister and the other two would need extra help.
Aunty Kate did all she could to help Ada and her siblings through the most difficult time of their lives. With her husband's help, Grandpa was transferred to a branch of the Insurance Company that was close to Pillar town. The three little kids were enrolled in a school in Pillar Town, and thankfully, they were able to adjust to the environment. Ada's husband had to go back to his station to resume duties, while Ada went back to her school to finish up her studies. The restaurant had to be closed, and her sisters decided to apply for jobs that could allow them to pursue part-time programs so they could further their education.
As time went on, they were able to get over the pain of Grandma's death. Everyone in the family became more prayerful, and no longer took their night dreams for granted. Perhaps, things could have turned out differently if they had put more effort spiritually...but they could not turn back the hands of time.
The events of the past few weeks left a big impression on the three little kids. We could just say that they were the major reason Nwabu made up his mind to study Pharmacy, Christy wanted to be a Lawyer while Bliss said she would be a medical doctor.
THE END
I, 
Thanks for reading.