life above all episode 2 &3

LIFE, ABOVE ALL

Episode 2

“Each betrayal begins with trust.”

GANIZANI

I was peacefully sleeping that morning when I was suddenly awakened from my sleep by someone roughly shaking my shoulder.

I sprang upright only to find it was father, my siblings and I hadn’t seen him for a month now.

I rubbed my eyes and stretched my long arms, ‘Yes father!’ I said

‘You need to wake up and start cleaning the house, I have people coming over for lunch,’ he said
‘What people?’ I asked.

‘You will see them once they arrive, in the mean time just wake up and start cleaning. The house should be spotless,’ he said
‘Okay, I shook my head.
‘And make sure you all look clean and presentable. I am going out but I will be back shortly.’

I leapt out of bed and walked into the bathroom where I splashed some water on my face and brushed my teeth. Afterwards, I walked into the kitchen and prepared breakfast as I did every morning.
I set the table and woke the girls, as soon as they finished eating, I asked them to take a bath.

I washed the dishes and cleaned the entire house in an hour. I also cleaned the whole back and front yard. I took a bath too and we sat in the living room watching television.

Father walked into the house about an hour later, it seemed he had gone shopping because he was carrying a lot of plastics in his hands. He had come with Brenda, his elder sister’s maid.
‘Auntie Brenda will help cook lunch today,’ he said
‘Okay.’

Auntie Brenda walked into the kitchen and started preparing lunch, by 14: 00 the house was packed with dad’s relatives, they were acting a little strange but none of them told us what was going on.

I had this sinking feeling in the pit of my belly but I tried to ignore it that this day wouldn’t end well.

My Sisters and I were in my bedroom, Thoko was fast asleep on my bed but Tiya kept pacing back and forth.

Shortly after, Auntie Maria walked into my room and asked us to join the rest of the family in the living room. I woke Thoko up and we followed my auntie into the living room. We sat on the couch across from dad.
He was clad in a blue chitenge shirt and jeans.

About thirty minutes later, we heard singing and my aunties started ululating. Auntie Marie opened the door and a lady covered in a chitenge was led into the house by some women.

‘We welcome you all,’ my auntie said by putting some money on the floor.
The women ululated at my auntie’s gesture.

My sisters and I watched the events of the afternoon unfold as passive participants. Later on my father was asked to unveil the woman so that we could all see her.
She was wearing a dress similar to dad’s shirt she had her gaze downcast and both hands on her lap. Father put some money on the floor next to her and she clapped her hands twice.

When she finally stood up with the help of father, I instantly recognized her she was a friend of the family before mother’s death- Auntie Stella.

There was more dancing and ululating then afterwards lunch was served.
***
Later that evening, after everyone had left (except for Auntie Stella) we gathered in the living room waiting for answers from father concerning what we had just witnessed.

‘Children!’ Father began, ‘you know it’s been a while since your mother died and it’s not good for a man to be alone hence I have brought in your auntie Stella as my new wife. Your step mother,’ he said
Auntie Stella smiled

‘You can’t be serious!’ Tiya said standing up, pacing.
‘What the hell? What is all this?’ I asked

I seriously didn’t expect father to bring in a new wife five months after mother’s death. What’s more painful is that he has married mum’s old friend. This woman was a regular visitor in this house before mother died and mother always treated her with so much love and warmth.

‘Listen..,’ father started but was cut off.
‘You can’t be serious,’ said Tiya, ‘it’s just been five months how could you do a thing like this?’ she asked.

‘I don’t owe any of you an explanation, Stella is my new wife deal with it.’

‘And to think mother loved you? You are an excuse of a man,’ Tiya Screamed
‘And you,’ she turned towards Auntie Stella, ‘mother trusted you,’ she clicked her tongue. ‘You are nothing but a common prostitute, hule,’ she screamed clapping her hands. ‘Hule!’

‘Tiya,’ I held her hand, afraid of what father would do to her. I didn’t have the guts to speak back at him like she usually does. My sister is a little too rebellious for her age.

She eased her hand from mine, ‘Leka che nikamba nibahule aba mai.’

Father jumped to his feet and slammed his fist across her right cheek.

She groaned in pain.

‘This is my house and I will not allow you to talk back at me like that,’ he said, his face contoured, sneering angry.
‘You will not silence me with one slap,’ she growled
He grabbed her by the chin and jerked her face towards him’ You will respect me in this house.’

‘Darling, she is just a child please let her go before you hurt her,’ Auntie Stella said

I looked at her and shook my head, hypocrite that’s what she was. I bet my mother must be turning in her grave because of the unexpected turn of events.

‘Please,’ she pleaded with father.

He let her go and backed away from her.
‘I have made my decision and you all need to live with it. Stella is your new mother therefore you must give her the respect she deserves.’

‘Never!’ Tiya yelled and with that said she was gone. Father wanted to run after her but his new wife stopped him.

‘She is just a child,’ she said to him.

He looked at me, ‘Talk to her.’

I silently carried Thoko in my hands and left the living room.

‘It can’t be,’ Tiya shrieked, ‘How could he do that to mother?’ Her voice was deep and dark.
‘He has made his decision there is nothing we can do about it.’
‘So we will just fold our arms and watch her take over?’
‘What do you expect us to do?’
‘Fight back, kick her out of the house if need arises.
‘Tiya!’
‘No Ganizani, this time around I will not listen to you. I will fight back.’
There’s was no use fighting with Tiya, her mind was made up. There was going to be war in this house.
****

Episode 3

‘When death takes away your mother, it steals that word forever.’

***
TIYA

It’s been almost a month since father married auntie Stella, this woman has rid the house of everything that was mum’s. She has redecorated the house to her own specification and has banished all traces of mother. She even replaced mother’s living room portrait with hers.
I hate father because he seems to be enjoying life with Auntie Stella more than he did with mother. He spends a lot of time at home with her and sometimes they go out on dates.
He says she is the queen of his castle and he wouldn’t change a thing in his life as it is now for anything. He never talks about mother and he doesn’t want to hear anything about her, it’s as if she never existed in his life.
I don’t think this man loved mother because if he did he wouldn’t be acting in such a manner.
The whole atmosphere in the house has now changed this place is no longer as warm as it was when mother was alive. The house feels empty and dead.
I wish mother could return if possible because my heart literally feels like it is breaking. I can’t look at a photo of her without crying. I feel bad that father disrespected her memory by bringing in this woman. At this rate I even wonder if she will ever rest in peace, I feel like she is turning in her grave.
I had just arrived home from school on a cold Thursday evening. I was about to go upstairs to my room to change when Auntie Stella came out of the living room.
‘Tiya!’ she said
Rolling my eyes I looked up at her, ‘What?’ I spoke in a loud tone
I had made it clear that I didn’t want to have anything to do with her, why was she even calling my name. I loathe this woman with a passion the mare sight of her infuriates me.
She glanced at her clock, ‘What time is this?’ she asked
I closed my eyes, a deep frown settling on my face, this woman was really trying to get on my nerves.
‘You have a watch, why are you asking me about the time?’
‘It’s almost 18:00 and this is when you are returning home from school. Where have you been?’ she demanded
I clapped my hands together and laughed, ‘You are not my mother and you will never be so quit acting like her.’
‘I think I have tolerated you enough in this house. Enough is enough, you must learn to respect me,’ she said, in a hushed tone. She sounded serious.
I laughed again, ‘Nama hule bamafuna ulemu kansi?’(Even prostitutes demand for respect?) I asked
‘You sniveling little bastard!” she screamed at me.
‘Mtchew,’ I clicked my tongue, ‘Sinimakamba nama hule ine.” (I don’t talk to prostitutes).
I turned to proceed to my room but she grabbed my arm and I was forced to look back at her.
‘You fool, listen to me and listen very well, I am your father’s wife and I am the madam of this house, deal with it or leave,’ her voice got higher and louder.
‘Don’t you even have any shame? Mother treated you like family and you go behind her back and start sleeping with her husband five months after her death?’
‘Darling your mother is dead and the world doesn’t revolve her, everyone has moved on, I would appreciate it if you do the same.’
I shook my head, ‘I hope you rot in hell.’ I said
She laughed, ‘Your mother will be the one to rot in hell not me.’
I eased my hand from my grip and marched upstairs to my room, I was enraged. This house was slowly becoming too small for Auntie Stella and i.
‘Tiya, you are back?’ Thoko asked when I walked into the bedroom she was sitting on the floor playing with one of her dolls.
‘Yes baby,’ i bent down and kissed her forehead, ‘How are you?’
‘Fine.’
‘Where is Ganizani?’
‘He went to the market to get me some paint.’
‘Paint?’
‘Yes, teacher said we should go with paint tomorrow for our drawings in CTS.’
‘Okay.’
Since I am in my 7th grade and my exams are slowly approaching I remain at school for tuitions when the others knock off. Ganizani is doing his 11th Grade while Thoko is in grade one.
I changed my uniform into a simple purple dress it was one of mum’s favourite dresses she got it for me last year on my 12th birthday.
‘Doll do you have homework?’ I asked Thoko
‘Yes.’
‘Bring your books here and let’s work on that homework.’
She unzipped her bag and removed her homework book. We sat on the bed and did her homework then afterwards I gave her some words to read.
There was a knock on our bedroom door about twenty minutes later.
‘Come in.’
The door creaked open and Ganizani walked in.
‘Evening bro?’ I greeted politely
‘Hey! How was school?’
I yawned loudly, ‘Exhausting. The math they gave us today, lord I can’t able.’
He laughed, ‘You are complaining about grade 7 math wait till you find Algebra.’
‘I think Math will be an option for me when I go to grade 8.’
‘In your dreams.’
‘Did you buy my paint?’ Thoko asked
‘Yes baby, I did.’ he handed it to her.
‘Thank you brother.’
‘You are welcome.’
‘So,’ I began, ‘Your step mother has started bothering me again,’ I said to Ganizani
‘What did she do?’
‘She asked why I came back home late and I lashed at her, can you believe she had the guts to tell me to leave if I can’t deal with her being in this house?’
‘Tiya just let this woman be.’
‘That is not even an option, I will make sure this woman leaves this house,’ I said
My brother shrugged his shoulders and changed the subject.
****
Later that night, we were all gathered around the huge dining table having supper with dad and Auntie Stella. Must I say that dad never ate with us when mother was alive but ever since he remarried, he is always home in time for supper I wonder what the witch did to him.
He cleared his throat, ‘Tiya!’
‘Yes,’ I answered without looking at him.
‘I hear you are giving your mother a hard time?’
I gave him a quizzical look, ‘Mother?’ I asked
‘My wife Stella.’
‘My mother is dead,’ I said
He shot me an evil look.
‘You know I am talking about Stella.’
‘Stella is not my mother, my mother is dead.’
‘Stella is my wife, you need to stop giving her a hard time,’ he said in a serious tone.
‘This woman is not my mother tell her to stop acting like one.’
‘If you continue like this, I will have no choice but to take you to the village.’
‘You would take me to the village because of this prostitute?’ I asked
‘Enough!’ he slammed his fist on the table startling Thoko, she instantly started crying. Ganizani quickly scooped her in his arms and took her to the bedroom.
‘See what you caused?’ dad yelled, ‘You always manage to disrupt the peace of this house.’
‘This house shall know no peace as long as she is in this house,’ I screamed before hurriedly walking to my room.
I burst into the tears the minute I walked into my room.

To be continued