By Amie Sillah
Jonsi
She developed into a matured young woman despite her young age; she confronted Aina and told her off.
“Hi you! Out of our bedroom and now! Go to your husband and leave mine for me and do it now or else I’ll shout and call the neighbours upon your head!”
Aina
She is taken aback;
“So she can talk and is bold as well?”
Antu
“I am equally surprised! Who is encouraging you to rebel against me your husband?”
Jonsi
“That question is irrelevant, you have been taking me for granted for so long but I am awaken and no more will I take any nonsense from anyone; you are engage in an abominable act and it is wrong before man and God.”
Antu
“Come here and take her place.”
Jonsi
“You know I am breastfeeding the twins and I cannot sleep with you but that does not give you the reason to come right in front of my eyes to fornicate with a woman not to talk of a married woman and your friend business partner’s wife for that matter.”
“You have change overnight and I must find out what is responsible; you don’t go out and you are always in so where are you getting the radical ideas to challenge me? I suspect the culprit it must be the security guard Umpa who must be radicalizing you behind my back, I’ll deal with him.” He swore.
Aina
She tried to brain wash her.
“You are just a kid who is supposed to be at school but not in a man’s house breeding children like an animal; how old are you?”
Jonsi refused to answer her.
“Take or leave my advice never fight for any man it is not worth it always try to beat them at their game, they are never faithful to us why should we be faithful to them? I know my husband is playing around why should I not when I would have fun and gain some material wealth? What is good for the goose must be good for the gander.” She reasoned trying to justify her action but Jonsi refused to buy the argument.
Jonsi
“Get out of our bedroom, our house and our lives, I disagree with your reasoning men and women are different society allows men to flirt but jeers against women who do likewise; I saw the double standard but that is beside the point even though my husband is a flirt but I’ll not be because I am not a sex object to anyone I have my dignity and self- esteem to protect and I want my children when they grow up to be proud of me as a virtuous woman and no man or woman to stand up and insult me or my children but what about you what name are you making for yourself or your children? You reasoning are a non-starter gets out of our room before I become physical.”
Jonsi hissed and made the bed.
Antu
He physically assaulted the security and accused him of indoctrinating his ‘innocent wife’. He denied it but he vented all his frustrations at him.
“I know you are the one indoctrinating and encouraging my ‘innocent wife’ to defy me, she is isolated from the outside world she does not even go to market not to talk of friends, where is she getting these radical ideas?”
Umpa cried profusely and denied the allegations.
“Bring the Bible or ‘jalang’ as a traditionalist and let me swear according to my faith or your belief, I never discuss anything with your wife.” He swore.
He came back to Jonsi and asked her where she got radical ideas.
He took out his leather belt and threatened to flog her mercilessly if she does not start to talk.
“Speak out and now!”
Jonsi
“He did not teach me anything leave him alone!”
“Then you have to tell me who taught you to defy me?”
He threatened to insert egg into her sexual organ.
“In my village that’s what is done if a raw egg is inserted into you all your secrets will be revealed whether you like it or not and that’s what I’ll be forced to do.”
Jonsi struggled for such a barbaric practice not to be done on her. Then she was forced to speak out.
“I saw a film on women/girls empowerment and how to fight patriarchal power control and say no to gender base violence by knowing our God given rights.”
Antu
He sat down on the settee and reflected then busted out;
“You have no rights under my roof I am your husband who shall be obeyed at all cost I married you and paid your bride price, do you hear me?” He flogged her mercilessly.
Attempted Suicide
Her parents abandoned her to her fate, Naa empathized with her full stop her hands were tied; Baa is now an indentured slave to Antu; as for her uncle she did not even bother to tell him anything because she knows where his loyalty stands. What option is open to her?
She hung a rope and tied it onto her neck as she was about to push the chair Dalla entered the bedroom and shouted for help.
“What! Why should you do this to yourself? What about your twins? They need you growing up, I am now a family friend and especially attach to you as my personal friend I have seen a great potential in you and I am speaking to Antu to enroll you back to school. Then why such a cowardly act?” She phoned Antu while she rushed Jonsi to hospital in her own car.
At the Hospital
She was in coma for three days and was put on drips but when Antu wanted to inform Naa Sorgi kicked against it.
Sorgi
“What can my sister do which we cannot do? She will be disturbed in her business at the village let us deal with it as a family and later inform her when the problem is solved.”
To be Cont.
