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Episode 31

darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that,hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that- Dr Martin Luther King Jr
I looked at the old man in pity and felt myself biting back the urgue to scream.I felt sorry for myself, had I reached that stage whereby old men looked at me as a suitable bride for themselves instead of their sons?
“Baba I think you should be going its getting dark,” I spoke with the mastery of my remaining patience.
“don’t think for a moment that am joking.please give me a chance. if you ever change your mind,call me,” he paused to give me a piece of paper with his number written on it but I refused.my biological clock was ticking yes but his had long ceased functioning. it was better to spend my days as a single mum forever than signing my womanhood days off to this old cargo. maybe if I was old and widowed, I could have revisited his proposal.
I walked back into the house and strapped Laurent on my back,locking the house and took Amanda with me. I started off to my uncle’s house leaving the old man standing outside. I had one or two words to give my uncle,he knew too much about me because we were related but that didn’t give him a licence to broadcast my private life with every available ear. some men were loose mouthed, after having one too many of liquor with friends they tend to completely lose themselves. it was getting dark, my uncle’s place wasn’t far from our house. anger was boiling inside me and I prayed that I would find him home before he left to spend the night at one of his mistress’ houses. he sure had some growing up to do.

I found his wife in the kitchen and she said he was inside the house. she could see that it wasn’t a social call. I found him sitting on his wooden chair bare chested and dozing. I made some noise signalling my presence. after an exchange of greetings, I didn’t waste time but to ask him if he knew an old man who had lost his wife a year ago.in the thick of things I had forgotten to ask him his name or perhaps he had said it and I wasn’t listening.
he didn’t seem to remember until I told him about his friend at the lake. he immediately knew him because everybody knew Kondowe who almost spent all his days at the lake,his wife sometimes brought him food there. I gave the description of Kondowe’s old friend without front teeth and he recognized him.
“woow that’s Mr Chirwa, he owns part of the rubber plantation. he is a good friend of Kondowe.” well finally we were going to be on the same page.I thought.
“so you thought it wise to tell Kondowe so much about my love life?” he seemed quizzed by my question .
“it was nothing serious,he knows because he is my friend. ” I couldn’t believe it.
“its because of your useless story telling that am getting marriage proposal from an old man.”
” wooh
wait 
wait. Mr Chirwa wants to marry you?” I nodded. “then I have just hit a jackpot because that man’s purse has a gold lining.” before I had a chance to answer him my aunt interrupted me “consider yourself lucky my dear, that man is an answer to every woman’s dream. ” these people got to be kidding me.marrying that man would be my worst nightmare.
“uncle you can’t say that. this man would never be my husband. money is not everything,”I was defending my heart.
“you didn’t seem to dislike it when I was giving some to your mother,now I understand Mr Chirwa’s motive towards helping your mother .” so even my mother was part of selling me off to slavery? this man had acted as if he had just got to know me that afternoon.
“pass the message that I dont want him.” before I rose to go, my cousin Melina entered holding the back of her head with her hand crying.

“oh not again,” I heard my Aunt murmur beneath her breath. she was the youngest of his children.
“what is it again? can’t you shut up? you are making noise ” my uncle didn’t take lightly to such an interruption.
“Jacob has hit me again Papa” Melina said.
“that man will kill you one of these days,”aunt said walking back to the kitchen.
“who asked for your opinion witch.” I was beginning to forget my own issues.
“stop calling my wife that and go back to your mother. it’s true if you are not careful that good for nothing husband of yours will kill you.”
“What now Papa? I don’t know why you still cling to that barren thing,”the sarcasm for her step mother was evident.
“that’s why I didn’t promote your mother to my second wife, she has a lousy mouth and you are becoming more like her everyday no wonder you are a punching bag to your husband. go away before I do more damage to you.” I wanted to laugh,Melina went back without a word. I decided to leave too because my uncle was in no state to continue talking.
back home I found my mother and sister back. they had a fruitless journey because Anya Jere was not there. I didn’t mind about how tired she was and went ahead to ask her about Mr Chirwa.you can’t believe her answer. she said,”am happy for you my dear, you have just won a ticket to steer us away from poverty.” I was so disappointed in her,was that what she thought of everything? some people would sell their souls to the devil for the love of money. as for me I didn’t want to end my youthful days abruptly to such mockery of a marriage. we needed money yes but I didn’t want to be the sacrificial lamb of the family altar.

my phone rung,it was Peter. I let it ring for sometime before pressing the reject button

Episode 31 (Part B)

the human mind is an absolute wonder and very unpredictable. how do one control thoughts from popping in unannounced and sometimes uninvited. I get perplexed by the female mind. my granny once told me that it works twice than the male mind that’s why when some of these male start lying tales, we catch them midway through before they finish.
I was to make my folks see sense in what I was saying but it wasn’t hitting home. my mother was adamant to wave me off into the waiting arms of Mr Chirwa,surely I would die first before I found myself in them. couldn’t Peter have picked a perfect time of calling? my mind presently was an emotional wreck and i didn’t want to strain if further. our last parting wasn’t to die for.I was running away from him, from myself. I was afraid my heart would betray me because the last time I checked, I was still hopelessly in love.I needed time to heal, to trust myself with him again yet the dyke called Masozi stood imposingly between us. I had learnt so much from what Ben did to me.I didn’t want to play second fiddle or plan B ever to any man. I had enough lessons about men to last me a life time. I also had kids yes but I had them before meeting Peter. knowing fully well that your partner was cheating and had a baby when he was still with you was not easy to live with.the village was becoming a dangerous place to live,if I wasn’t careful I would end up in the wrong hands. I am a hopeless romantic by nature who believes in settling for nothing but true love.if money is involved then it should be a bonus not a ruling factor.
I went to bed that day so furious I wasn’t talking to my mother. Beatrice tried to tell me the full details of finding Anya Jere saga but I dismissed her saying I was tired. the only way out of this mess was to go back to Lilongwe yet money seemed a bit of a problem. starting all over sacred me. I needed to start looking for a job.
the following morning I told Beatrice to give the kids porridge who were still sleeping. I was going to my aunt’s (a sister to my mother)place. she and her husband were some of those sweet people who seem to be extinct from the face of the earth nowadays.I knew we had not been close but we used to be when i was little. they were not rich or poor but lead a life of content with what they had. I always say the highway to happiness is being content with what you have and always thank God for it,in His time and reward for your doings He shall bless you according to His riches and glory. they had four beautiful kids who had all managed to go further with their education. I didn’t blame them since both their parents went to school while mine uhmm couldn’t wait to start bringing us into this world.

I left. I wanted to bare my heart to somebody who would understand. she had an aura of authority about her that made my mother listen to whatever she said. I passed through a deserted path that lead to a church. there was a river along and the bridge that used to interconnect it to another area had been washed away.the river held some childhood memories. when I was a kid I came with my friends for a swim. the river wasn’t safe since people used it as a refuse damping site. I was busy showcasing my swimming skills to my friends when somebody announced that my aunt was coming. she told me to get out of the water but I told her that she wasn’t my mother to order me about. the nerve of me.she practically dragged me out and beat the devil out of me.as far as rivers were concerned, that was the first and last time I got in one. I was walking,admiring the breathtaking view when I heard somebody walk behind me. I looked back and saw a young man behind me. I could feel his eyes penetrating right through my back. I walked swiftly but eventually he caught up with me. I wasn’t in the mood for small talks yet it was written all over his face that he wanted to talk.
” hello. you are quite in a hurry.”he began. I answered in such a low turn off voice I thought he wouldn’t continue.

” sure I have things to do”
” are you going to work because you are so early? I could now see the road leading to my Aunt ‘s place.
“am not going to work but am going to see my aunt”
” do you stay around here?”
” no I live in Lilongwe.” I was beginning to get irritated.
” am Remo I just came for holidays at my uncle’s.am studying at Mzuzu university. ” as if I cared. I eyed him,he looked to be young and we were almost of the same height.
“am Wangu nice meeting you. well that’s my destination,nice talking to you Remo,” I spoke while entering a bamboo made gate.
“what’s your surname?”
“Banda,”I replied almost dashed inside, there was no way my Aunt would see me with him,there would be blue murder. I think I saw a look of triumph on his face as if he had won the national lottery. honestly I didn’t care.
I found her home and wasted no time in narrating the reason for my visit. when I finished she said, ” sometimes your mother give me doubt if she is okay upstairs. she can’t force you to marry somebody that old. I will come there tomorrow and sort it out once and for all.dear stop worrying yourself to death.
“thank you very much Auntie “. I took my leave. there was so much weight that had been taken off my heart, atleast somebody was on my side.
when I arrived home I was in better spirits. I trusted my Aunt to give my mother a piece of her mind.
I entered the house and my heart froze. sitting on the chair with one leg crossed on the other was Peter grinning from side to side 



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