Under the Udala Trees

The narrative flashes back to Ijeoma’s initial sexual rejection of Chibundu. On her wedding night, Ijeoma feels like a snail. She stands by the window in her wedding gown until Chibundu falls asleep.

Adaora knocks on the door after Ijeoma has finally changed into her nightgown to talk about her “first night as a wife” (236). Ijeoma is vague and her mother believes she is happy. In the kitchen, Adaora asks about grandchildren.

The second night of marriage, Chibundu tries again unsuccessfully to have sex, but says he’s willing to wait until Ijeoma’s ready. She realizes she never will be, and stops resisting him.

Ijeoma describes their flat in Port Harcourt as having many structural and aesthetic problems, as well as being far away from Aba and Ndidi. In the beginning, they try to fix up the place. Chibundu is hopeful and helps cook yams while Ijeoma cooks snails. He says that having a child will solve their problems, and abandons dinner to try to get Ijeoma pregnant. 

After six months of marriage, Ijeoma feels restless. Over the phone, her mother says Ijeoma could be depressed. Adaora comes to Port Harcourt, sure that the hard work of fixing up the flat will cure Ijeoma’s depression.

While cooking, Adaora tries to convince Ijeoma that married life is a blessing. She recommends changing the menu and cooking different things and taking up sewing. With Adaora’s gift of a new sewing machine, they make curtains, a sofa-cover, tablecloth, and more. Ijeoma learns that she enjoys sewing and Chibundu likes the household improvements.

A week and half after her mother arrives, they head to the market and Ijeoma throws up on the side of the road. Realizing she is pregnant, Ijeoma retells the story of a snake that uses a crocodile to cross a river and then eats it. She feels like the crocodile, unaware of the snake until it is too late.

After dreaming of Ndidi in a field and in the “double-functioning construction of a church in Aba” (251), Ijeoma writes letters to her. She wrote letters shortly after they moved, but never received any replies.

Occasionally, Ijeoma asks her mother about Ndidi over the phone. In response, Adaora complains about a bum who has camped out in front of her store. Ijeoma sides with the homeless man, arguing that he may have no other place to go.

Ijeoma only sends some of the letters she writes to Ndidi. The others, which describe daily life and dreams, she hides in a chest.

Ijeoma watches the sunrise after a night of fighting with Chibundu. Before the fight, she asked about a change in his mood. He answered, “everyone seems to be sad and depressed” (256), but he is determined to be happy.

In the morning, the baby kicks, and Ijeoma prays for happiness. She irons and cooks for Chibundu. He rushes through breakfast, leaving for mysterious appointments.

After Chibundu is over an hour late coming home, Ijeoma calls his office but gets no answer, so she decides to eat without him. He returns with things for the baby and gives her a letter.

Hoping it’s from Ndidi, she waits to open it. However, it turns out to be from the grammar school teacher and his wife, congratulating her on the pregnancy. She feels like Ndidi has abandoned her; that night, she writes a letter trying to banish all thoughts of Ndidi.

As Ijeoma is preparing a stew, she goes into labor. She calls Chibundu, and he says he’ll get a taxi from work and pick her up. While waiting for him to arrive, she collapses on the kitchen floor. He takes her to the hospital and she delivers their daughter, “feeling [her]self empty out, like the way a river empties into the sea” (262).