TEARS OF A HELPLESS WOMAN
EPISODE 23
“Stop crying honey let’s go to my house we need to talk” he said.
I wiped my tears and let go of him. Atusaye pecked my forehead before escorting me to my car.
“Please just drive behind me” he said.
Atusaye took off and I followed him behind steadily until we reached at a beautiful house. I was amazed but i kept my cool. The house was beautiful inside, he had great choice. The interior decor was superb.
“Honey take a sit. Can I get you anything?” He asked me.
“Yes … Water…” I said.
“OK I will be right back” he said.
I sat waiting patiently and he brought water on a tray with some juice and snacks.
“This is your house too.. Feel free” he said.
Those words got my heart dancing.
“Thank you..” I responded.
“My sister and her husband moved, I should have mentioned” he said.
“Oh… Actually I was wondering why you didn’t mention” I responded.
“A lot was going on through my mind at that point… Where do we start from?” He asked.
“anywhere am listening..” I said.
“Mwansa I know I was too fast and I may be even now… Please stop me if I start rushing you. I had just never felt so complete, Claudine used to drive me crazy and meeting you just felt like an answered prayer” he said.
“Talk to me honey…” He said.
“I don’t know what to say. I’m just overwhelmed” I responded.
“Mwansa do you believe in the power of love? He asked me.
“Why do you ask?” I responded
“Do you believe love can make one do crazy things?” He asked.
“I do believe in love am just not sure about the riddles” I said
“I truly loved you Mwansa and I still do” he said
“I know but I was so scared. I had always been an outcast and here I was being loved by someone like you, it scared me” I said.
“Mwansa you’ve never been an outcast to me, I’ve always loved you. God didn’t see you as an outcast either, that’s why you are now a great writer.
” you know about my book?” I asked in shock
“Who doesn’t?.. Its really good” he responded before going to get his copy of my book.
“God has been great….. Every step of the way” I said.
“Just give me a minute, am coming” he said before getting up again. I was wondering what he was going to get this time
Atusaye showed up a little while later and he asked me to get up as we would be going somewhere. All attempts to get him to say where we were going failed so I watched him patiently.
Atusaye had been driving for almost an hour and I still had no idea where we were going.
Finally we got to a house where he pulled over.
“Let’s go in honey” he said.
“What are we doing here?” I asked him.
“Honey lets go in” he said again.
I slightly opened the door before I changed my mind.
“I don’t feel comfortable, please go-ahead” I said
“OK I will be back” he said.
It wasn’t long before he went in that Clara came out. My heart skipped, I didn’t know what to do as she approached the vehicle. Clara had a child on her back and I figured she was now a mother.
How would I explain my running away?
Clara came straight to open my door.
“Mulamu tuleyeni mu nganda. (Sister in-law let’s go in the house)” she said with a smile.
“How are you?” She added.
“Am fine…” I responded as I came out of the car.
Clara hugged me like a sister and I felt welcome. She didn’t treat me like a maid neither did she act surprised that Atusaye had brought me to her.
“Its been long… We missed you dearly. You couldn’t even call??? We only heard about you through Atusaye when he complained” she said.
“Anyway let’s go inside.. Will talk more.” She said.
Before we could make our first step she stopped me and asked if I had a chitenge (zambian wrapper).
“No I don’t, “.. I responded.
For a moment I wondered why she asked me that. Maybe she didn’t want me to meet her husband dressed in jeans.
” OK here have mine, you know being the first time you are visiting your mother in-law …. ” she said.
“Mother in-law? She’s here?” I asked in panic as I quickly tied the chitenge.
“Yes dear, this is her home. Wait.. Did he not tell you that you are coming to see her?. I’m just visiting here myself” she said.
The look on my face said it all. I was so nervous.
“Don’t worry dear, Atusaye is crazy how can he scare you like this?” She asked me as we walked.
“My aunties are also visiting. But don’t worry my mums family is very nice. Atusaye is probably just excited about you meeting mum.. Mum has tirelessly heard about you.. In fact we have have all heard about you tirelessly” Clara said.
“I don’t know what to do” I said nervously.
“Listen dear when we get to the door just kneel and when we walk a few steps again kneel” she said.
“Oh Lord… Can you at least first call Atusaye I need to talk to him” I said
“Oh come on.. I know those are your nerves talking, just do as I say” she said with an assuring smile
I was so upset with Atusaye, what a way of welcoming me back into his life. If I did not love him so much I would have slapped him. The very first day and I was already going through such stress of meeting in-laws.
Clara and i reached the door and i knelt down with my head facing down.
I heard women ululating and money was dropped in front of me, Clara whispered that we had to walk and I got up. We walked a few steps and Clara said we kneel again. I followed the procedure until we got into the living room where she asked me to kneel before the chair and money was put on it before I sat.
“Mwansa water will be brought before you, don’t drink before money is put. And just take a sip” Clara whispered.
Just like she said a glass of water was put on a table before me and some money was put on the side. It was then that I took a sip of the water.
Some words were uttered basically to welcome me and some praises were said. All this is tradition carried out when a bride to be meets her in-laws.
“Dear we can go, don’t kneel just walk slowly outside” Clara whispered.
I left the house and straight away got in the car .
“You can talk now” Clara said as she burst out laughing.
I was still stiff and just smiled.
“Your brother is something else” I said with a smile.
“He really is, don’t worry I will shout at him on your behalf.” She said.
Atusaye stepped out of the house counting some money in his hands, obviously the money I made.
“Huh baby we are rich he said as he entered the car.
I felt like I could slap his face black and blue right there and then.
” if I did not love you so much I would have slapped you” I said.
He obviously found it funny because he burst into laughter and Clara laughed too.
“If I didn’t know better I would think you are not the Mwansa I saw in there. You were so humble” he giggled.
I gave Clara her wrapper and she invited me to visit her house during the week for lunch which I agreed.
“Please let’s go.. I’m starving” i said to Atusaye.
” i finally get to spoil my woman, .. What do you want for lunch honey?” He asked.
I looked at him with a frown before responding “nshima!”
“By the way let me have my money before you use it” I said.
“OK my African queen… Nshima it is” he said
“My money…” I reminded him again.
“Pull it from the pocket” he said as he reversed the car.
“Ah… Its fine then you can have it” I responded.
“You are principled ayi? Your friends would have grabbed it with everything else in the trousers” he giggled.
We both burst into laughter before waving at Clara.
” here you go bakashi bandi (my wife). You worked for it” he said as he handed me the money.
And off we went for our first official date. Yes to have nshima on our first official date by a mini restaurant in town. I chose the location and he agreed.
The restaurant wasn’t fancy at all but we enjoyed every moment of it as we had nshima with boiled chicken and okra. We had both experienced the good life but this was better than it all. Its that simplicity that made it even extra special.
“Honey if we are ever broke.. I know I will forever trust you to be by my side” Atusaye said as we ate.
“In poverty and wealth.. I will certainly be” I said….
What can I say?.. I just love this man.
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