So We Got Married

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 11

The car came to a screeching halt. I dashed out of the car and rush to the side of the woman I had narrowly missed hitting. Her things were now scattered by the side of the road and from the look of it i had stepped on a lion’s tail. I started by picking up everything and placing them in the bag that they had initially been in. It’s was good thing it was night time, no unnecessary crowd had gathered

. The older woman stood arms akimbo saying how young people nowadays were so reckless and it was made worse by the fact that we were able to make money at a young age.

I finished placing everything inside her bag and said the only thing I could,

“I am so sorry.”

“You should be good for nothing…..” She hesitated when our face met… “Were you crying? Are you okay?” The sarcasm in her voice replaced with concern.

“Yes I am fine, I should be asking you that question.” I said.

“Clearly am fine, but you aren’t.”

“I said am fine.”

“If you say so.”

We stood in awkward silence.

Should I offer her money? A ride?

“Where are you headed?” I asked still not sure if giving a ride to a stranger was the best move.

“Don’t worry about me, I will manage just fine.”

“I insist, I think I owe you that much after almost killing you.”

“Am headed for Eden Church.” She said shrugging

“Are you serious? That’s my church. It’s just on the way to my place.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” She said less enthusiastically.

Taken a back I rushed to open the car door for her

. She entered and soon enough we hit the road. We drove all the way silent. When we reached the church, I stopped the car and went over to open her side of the vehicle. She came out clutching her bag and we both headed for the main entrance.

It was locked. I tried going round but all doors were locked.

“Nobody is here.” I told her.

“Why did they lock the church?”

“I don’t know.”

“I thought you said you go to church in here.”

“I do, I started just recently, I wouldn’t know why they lock it.”

“Mmmmh.”

This lady had supper attitude.

I stood there not sure what I should do next.

“Thanks you can go now.”

I stood still staring at her.

“Come on, go. I’ll be fine.”

I flex my eyebrows in disbelief and started to walk towards my car but my conscience wouldn’t let me. I retreated back to where the lady was.

“Are you always this stubborn, go home child and let me be.”

“I would sleep better if you come with me, you can come to the church tomorrow.”

“Come on child am fine.”

“No you are not, you are about to spend a whole night outside in the cold, let’s not forget you are a woman.”

“You think you know me?” She asked displeased.

“No I don’t, but you are like my mother and by doing this I would like to imagine that someone would do the same for my mother if she needed help while i was not around to offer it.”

“Alright.”

“I just need you to promise me one thing.”

“What?”

“That am safe.”

She breathed out heavily. “Yes you are safe, am not trying to rob you or anything.

“Let’s go then.”

Forget that I said I would not cook.

Crazy woman made me cook. She could not have none of my chicken or fries. And she made me eat the food with her so I had none of my chickens or fries. We barely talked during the meal except for occasional weird glances at each other.

When we were done, I did the dishes. Charity wanted to sleep on the couch but after ten minutes of back and forth we finally arrived at a consensus. Bedroom it was. I carried her bag to one of the guest-rooms. I came back to get her and found her standing there staring at Uri’s photo.

“Where is your husband?” She asked.

“Not here.”

“Where is he?”

“I don’t know, we are separated.”

“Is that why you ruined your make up with tears and almost killed me?”

I shrugged.

“Let me show you your room.”

We walked in silence. Its occurred to me that silence was the best conversation that could be held between me and Charity. I opened her bedroom door and let her in.

“You can take a bath. I will bring you sets of clothes you can use for the night.”

I went and took some of my mum’s clothes that were in the house and brought them to her. She still had not stepped into the bathroom. Instead she was silently seated on the only seat within the room. I handed over the clothes to her.

“I will leave you now Charity.”

“Thanks for everything, I know am quite stubborn…. who am I kidding… I am very stubborn. It has gotten me out of a situation or two so I keep up the act.”

“No worries.” I said flashing a smile.

“So that’s it?”

“Yeah?” I said unsure what she meant.

“I mean you guys are separating and that’s that?

“Yeah, I wish I could open his mind and change it but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. There is not much that I can do.”

“But there is something you could do.”

“What? Kidnap him and force him at gun point not to divorce me? I asked sarcastically.

“Yea that’s sound like a great idea.” Charity said leaving me contorting my face in disbelief and worry of the sanity of my house guest.

“No vigilante, you could pray.”

“Oh that!”

“I thought we were saved in this place?”

“I am, just that I have not gotten around to doing it.”

“You have been saved for two weeks, best guess two weeks after the divorce started and you haven’t prayed for your marriage? Are you kidding me right now?”

“I wish I was.”

Charity sighed.

“You know sometimes people spend a lot of time thinking about praying for something instead of directly praying for that thing.”

“So what are you saying?”

“Do you still love him? Do you want your marriage?”

I nodded.

Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame (The one who wants what is under the bed has to actually bend to get it)

“Goodnight Charity.”

“Goodnight.”

I went into my room and spend almost thirty minutes in the tub.

Read ” Made ” by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

. Soaking in the tub was my all-time favourite relaxing techniques. I felt sore. My head felt heavy, my throat sore from screaming at Uri earlier and my whole heart and body synced trying to internalizing the shock of being left, the shock of having my heart broken when I had least expected it. Nobody ever sees it coming.

Seeing Uri happy like that without me hit me somewhere deep. I wanted him to be miserable. Maybe one of these days he would come back to his senses call me to say that it was a mistake and that he missed me so much. He could not wait to be with me. The more I thought about it the more depressed and hurt I felt. My stomach twisted in agonizing knots. I wanted to scream for the whole word to know that I was in mad pain.

I stood up from the bath tub changed into my pajama and went into the empty bed. I killed my lights and stayed on top of the covers facing up in the darkness while wallowing in my pain.

“You know sometimes people spend a lot of time thinking about praying for something instead of directly praying for that thing.”

What Charity said came back to mind and despite myself I rolled of my bed and knelt beside it.

I needed to feel something.