“Bew ak Hebate!” Part 7 (Vain Pride and Prejudice)

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By Amie Sillah Siga She travelled to the U.K to personally inform her mom about arrangements so far. ItMarriage has to be well coordinated to enable her mom Njombat to attend by taking few weeks casual leave. Njombat is a psychiatric nurse and has not visited the Gambia for the last 20 years; Njombat is excited and intends to bring along some friends who want to film African Wedding. “Mom everything on course,” she explained. Njombat    “Get a Wedding Planner to ensure everything is on course, you can also use your friends and cousins to be on board to assist the expert; I don’t want to be embarrassed, do you hear me?” “I’ll do my best,” said Siga. She also did some last minute shopping. Pays a Visit to Njiils    She came and humbled herself by stooping before her aunt. Njiils “Get up! You are embarrassing me; what is it?” Siga “I offended you the other time by making a silly joke, I’m sorry for being so flippant. I travelled to U.K to put the final touches to our wedding plan, my mom is coming with some British friends to grace the occasion and she advised me to employ the services of a wedding planner. Can you help me find one?” Njiils “I can find you one my friend Yaate that is her job.” Siga “Thank you very much and what should I have done without you? And one more thing, since I returned Lams is avoiding me and does not take my calls when I protested he complained that I nag too much and is pestering his life; should I go ahead with this marriage? I am scared that Lams’ love for me is very much dwindled.” Njiils “My love, don’t say that Lams loves you very much, it is just apprehension before you get into the unknown, butterflies in the stomach we all have passed through it; I’ll go and talk to him, be cheerful.” Siga “Thank you very much and please do because if this fails not only me but my mom’s hypertension can kill her.” Njiils “Don’t say that, be optimistic, I’ll talk to him.” Siga left with high hopes that Aunty Njiils will fix it. At Lams House As soon as he saw her he started to kiss her but Njiils stopped him. “No! No! No! This cannot continue I am ashamed of myself my niece has great confidence in me, how can I stab her at the back? Please we have to stop; we are hurting our love ones.” Lams “Do you really want us to stop? Answer me with honesty.” Njiils She kept the silence but Lams insisted; “I don’t know.” Lams “As for me I’ve made up my mind, I don’t love Siga and I can’t marry her, with you around I can never be faithful to her and that will be wickedness, it is very painful to her but it is better for the pain to come now than later when she will be marrying a mirage.” He jumped and kissed her passionately and they ended in bed. They said soothing words to each others’ ears, sang love songs, had fun to escape the troubles of the world. “We have to elope I don’t want you to go back to your husband; I am ready, let’s go.” Njiils disentangled herself and rushed home. At Home She found her husband wide awake and as soon as she tiptoed into the sitting room he cautioned her; Abraham “Where have you been? The children were asking after you especially when there was a break in.” Njiils “Break in? Where was the security?” Abraham    “Had you visited them that wound not have happen? You would then have checked on the security,” he raised his voice. Njiils “I visited my dad.” Abraham “I rang your dad but he said he has not seen you for months, sweet heart what is happening?” Njiils is ashamed of herself. “Are you seeing him?” She hesitated but later told the truth. Njiils    “I am seeing him and in fact slept with him; he is the one I love, forgive me, let us divorce because I am not being faithful to you and I don’t want to continue being an adulteress.” She felt a great relief by telling the truth. Abraham He is shattered but does not want to let go. “But he betrayed you in the past and went and married another woman; let us not destroy what we have, it is genuine love until he appears and destroy it all, please!” He stooped in front of Njiils. Njiils “Let’s keep the records straight, he was never married to anyone in fact he named his business after us, all what happened was my dad’ and sisters’ manipulation my father has in fact confessed his sins. I am very sorry, my heart and soul is with him.” Abraham “What about our daughter? I think we can still go away from here, if you don’t see him you’ll forget about him; let us give it a try, I’ll not divorce you, I still love you.” Njiils is trapped she thought by spilling out the bin Abraham would let go but he refused, what was she going to do?” At the Church The Pastor called out all the people who were courting and have to marry in the month and among the top list was Lama and Siga. They came out and he asked the congregation to pray for them. Njiils and Abraham sat at the front row but when they stood up Njiils was silent and not praying for them and constantly Lama looked towards her direction and Abraham noticed and is very uncomfortable. The Unavoidable As usual Njiils paid him a visit again and as they kissed each other Siga came in time and caught them kissing and fondling, she exclaimed and dropped her glass of juice crashing upon the floor. Siga “What! Are my eyes failing me? No! Mrs. Abraham! So it is you the woman distracting my fiancé? What sort of snake in a green grass are you?” She started to mimic her. “Yes I’ll talk to him, it will be alright, Lams will marry you; how can he marry me when you are serving him day and night neglecting your marital duties to my wonderful uncle, I knew it when I saw you the first time, both of you could not resist each other your actions betrayed you; shameless adulteress! You have tied my uncle at your apron; please leave me to marry my husband! The church will hear about it if you don’t leave him, shameless woman.” She spat at her. To be Cont.  ]]>