Haunted by the past

Tina, presumably thought her mother wouldn’t notice her absenteeism. She stealthily walked ounces behind past her like a sly cat,

bestowing fleeting glances to be sure that her intentions wouldn’t be foiled by her carelessness.

"If I don't see Rabu today, I will die, or go crazy. This love will kill me."

She said and lingered around her father's compound. A sharp stone peels her heel and she grimaces in pain. She groans and whirls at the corner and peeks around suspiciously. Her heel bleeds profusely and she flips off the blood with her hand and licks it.

"Damn it! All this trouble in the name of love!" She muttered to herself and smiled slightly. There wasn't any human figure visible.

"You are safe now, Tina! This is the perfect opportunity. You Dare not goof around or else your nagging mother will impede your plans." A moment’s thought told her. Mauda, Tina's mother, first hides behind the door of her hut and keeps peeping through the tiny hole on the door. The position of her hut was convenient because it stood in the middle of the two other huts in her husband's compound; the bigger ones in the rear belonged to Kaija, her husband and another, to Shooca, Kaija's second wife. It was easy to identify everyone in or around the compound. She gropes out of the hut and pretends not to have seen her. She resumed her chores. Her daughter took the path behind the hut and strode towards the neighbour’s compound. Mauda left her presumed task and trailed behind her. She was determined to substantiate the rumours that her twelve-year-old daughter was straying off with a neighbour’s son.

"Today, you will have it coming, Tina. You won't escape my anger. It had better not be true or else…"

Despite her periodic warnings about her daughter’s nasty behaviour she had cultivated lately, the latter had vehemently refused to take heed of her advice. Kaija, her husband had severally warned her that if he found out that there was a gist of truth in the gossip that was floating around the village about his daughter, he wouldn’t hesitate to marry a third wife. Mauda wouldn’t wish this to happen. What if his new wife was able to bear him male children? Was this not what he had always wished for? Was it not the same reason that he had married Shooca, his second wife hoping that she would give him an heir? At the thought of this, Mauda’s mind was unsettled. She didn’t want to lose her stance in the family. If it turned out to be authentic that her daughter had diverted from the morals of the society, and Kaija learnt about it, Mauda would no longer be Kaija's favourite and would be shorn of all the privileges of being a first wife. She seldom wished for that to happen. "No, it can never happen! Somehow, I have to make sure I secure my position."

She would always tell herself. And if her daughter lost her virginity, she would be a disgrace to her and the whole community. Mauda would be a laughing stock amongst other women. If Tina got pregnant before marriage, she would be a pariah, because it was taboo. She had to do something to stop the foreboding disaster. She quickened her pace yards behind her daughter and then stealthily trotted at a slackened pace.

Mahuge's compound was some metres away from Kaija's compound. The two homesteads were immediate neighbours. It would be easy to notice all that happened around from both ends if not for the many trees and shrubs that had grown on the raised ground between the two homesteads.

"Amelia!" Mahuge called his second wife. He had just received an unannounced visit from his in-laws' side. Tony, after hearing about her sister’s new joy, couldn't wait to pronounce his abrupt visit to his in-law.

"I couldn't wait to congratulate Amelia for her newfound joy. I am sorry if I bumped into your compound unexpectedly. Said Tony with an apologetic gesture, and resumed anxiously,

"You know how long she has been praying for a male son; Two whole years of ceaseless prayers and sacrifices! At last, the gods of our ancestors have answered our prayers."

He formed a broad smile on the corner of his mouth and thanked Mandwa, his small god.

"It's true, it hasn't been easy," Mahuge said and seemed preoccupied and impatient.

"What is taking her so long?" he muttered and distended his eyes towards the direction of Amelia's hut. He ground his jaws and his gesture altered. Manage was a fierce man to whom every member of his family bestowed maximum respect. One whom the society held with much esteem because he had borne many sons and had many wives. All these distinguished him from many of his age mates. He respected the traditional beliefs and customs and therefore the gods were happy with him was a very rigid character with a heart of a beast.

"You are a true man, a true son of the land. The gods must have favoured you." Tony flatters him trying to divert him from his present worries, but the latter pays no attention. He instead pouts and peeks through the compound impatiently. The compound was destitute of any members because they had supposedly gone to clear the land near his maize plantation. Presumably, only he and his wife, Amelia were around.

Mahuge extends ounces further towards Amelia's hut and yells in a sharp voice,

"Amelia, should I come and fetch you or…"

Tina's heart palpitated in fear. The sound of Mahuge’s sharp voice set her teeth to the edge.

"I had better be careful. If he sees me here he will goad me with his tough questions. What would I answer? Nothing. I will just wet my pants!"

She talked alone like a madwoman. She raised her neck and could see Mahuge and a stranger in the compound. This was a good sign! "This must be my lucky day. I hope Rabu hasn't broken his promise. He said he would keep inside his hut and wait for me, oh Rabu! I wish you could open my heart and see how I, Tina, have designed your name on every chamber!" She thought and smiled amiably and crouched her eyes lingering around to be sure there wasn't anyone following her.

Eventually, Amelia comes out of the hut hurriedly to answer her husband's call. The sight of Mahuge made her tremble. He was boiling with fury. The furrows on his forehead deepened and the daze in his eyes implied danger. As Amelia advances the latter keeps tapping his left foot on the ground.

"I am doomed! He will batter me today." Her heart thumped fast in his chest. Tony stood dumbfounded. His in-law's temperament was alarming. When Tony saw his sister approaching, he was gripped with fear and anxiety.

Sadness clutched at his heart. "To think that I cannot instantly embrace my sister because I have to wait until my in-law permits me is devastating. What kind of tradition is this?" He muttered quietly. He had mixed feelings of anger, worry and sadness.

"What took you so long? You know I don't like waiting."

Amelia fell on her knees and cowered her whole body trembling in fear.

"My husband, I am deeply sorry. I…"

"You what?" He folded his hands into hard fists and hardly raised a hit on Amelia's shoulder when he heard Tony cough from behind. Mahuge instantly withdraws and tried as much as to control his temper

"I was breastfeeding Kanai. He wanted to sleep. That's why…"

***