Courting
The lovers roamed around the village like free birds visiting places of excitement, bird watching at sanctuary, botanical garden and swimming in the stream villagers were amazed but excited. “On the hold he can love? Look at the beauty queen quite contented; that is happiness it is not about wealth or status, she has rejected many suitors of means; I am quite excited with their love affair, I am amused,” Ndey Njome posited and Ndaxte concurred.
Sour Grapes
Gore is ashamed of himself and has taken this courtship as an affront to his status and personality in soliloquy he lamented.
“Why did Deg spat me at my face? What has Ndigi get which I don’t? I am more handsome, affluent, more self-esteem and self-respect, my dad was richer than his, then why? Why?” He kept asking himself which infuriated him all the more. He continued:
Sandigi is ungrateful, what have I not done for him? How can he put sand into my ‘chere’? That cannot be, no! No! No! I’ll fight them with everything possible within my reach, I’ll frustrate their every move; traitor.” He spat at the ground.
“If I don’t have her nobody will!” he swore.
Deg brings Suitor Home
Majula was stunned when she saw her brought Sandigi home and she is displeased. After they both greeted her, Deg introduced him to Majula.
“Mom, this is my friend. I’ve brought him home to greet and get acquainted to you.” Then she turned to him and said:
“Honey relax am going in to prepare something delicious for you to eat.”
“Okay.” He replied back.
“How did she call you? Is that your name Honey?”
Ndigi laughed and said:
“No this is how we address each other, we love and are fond of each other my name is not honey but Sandigi.”
She brought in a stool and bowls of stew and rice and served him a plate of food. She smiled as Ndigi started to eat and enjoy his food, it amused her and she asked:
“Do you like it?” Munching and licking his fingers he answered;
“Like is an under estimation. I love it and you are a very good cook.” He smiled.
“Eat to your satisfaction and I can always add more.”
Majula frown and is disgusted to watch Ndigi devour his food as a hungry lion but he is not disturbed as he enjoyed his delicious meal; a meat stew with boiled rice which he has not eaten for quite a while.
After devouring his meal in a short while, he said;
“You have a beautiful compound here.”
“Eh hee! A beautiful compound indeed!” she commented with scorn.
Deg watched on very amused that her lover does not pretend but is quite himself.
“Where are you from?” Ma asked.
“I am an indigene of this community from the Sonko clan, to be precise, but my parents are late since I was a boy at 5 years of age.”
“What do you do for a living?”
“I am a farmer and I also do odd jobs in painting, brick laying, masonry hunting, wood selling and anything that can earn me a decent income, I am in for it.’
Ma frowned. Ndigi left thanking them for the delicious meal while Deg conveyed him to the gate.
Deg Comes back
Ma was infuriated.
“You are blind in your mind, why this pauper again? The other day it was a monkey and today a baboon, what’s wrong with you? Are you born with the poverty spirit? This animal you’ve brought into my home have devoured my food which meant for few more days and I am feeding you. Are you being fair to me? He has not given you anything in return, you have rejected all your rich suitors and instead bring me another chimpanzee, and what do you take me for, a fool?”
“Ma this man is different. He does not have cash but my spirit chooses him. I love him and he is the man I would marry.”
Ma got infuriated and threw her shoes at Deg;
“Never! Over my dead body would you marry his poor fool! I’ll be damned to allow you make me a laughing stock in the village. I am going to exorcise the poverty spirit from your body and soul,” she yelled.
The Rich Suitor
“Amadou Wurri came to pay us a visit with his friends. He said he wants to see you before he returns to Germany and you deliberately disappeared and only coming back at night to avoid him? You’ll marry him and not that pauper of a man.”
“You better marry him since you are single as dad has died but not me.” Ma ran after her but she got lost.
“He has given you chop and follow but it will never happen, not here anyway while am alive. It can’t happen!” she yelled.
At their Love Nest
“Majula does not like me, will it work?” Ndigi asked.
“Don’t you worry as it is always said ‘love conquers all’. Are you not going to fight for your love?” He nodded his head;
“Of course! With my beauty queen besides me, nothing is impossible and we have done the impossible. Who would have thought that the squatting man won the trophy from all those standing at the mountain top? God is with us and I am confident.” They kissed each other and continued their chatting.
“Take me to your house.” She demanded.
Surprisingly Ndigi asked;
“My house?”
“Yes your house where we can relax and converse more and plan for our future.”
Sour Grapes
Gore trailed their footsteps and eavesdrop their conversation.
At Home
“What about if Majula finds you here?” Sandigi asked.
“Ma has to calmed down because she married the man she loves, my dad, and still refuses to marry saying she has found no man to replace him in her heart then why should she want to sell me to money ritualists, traffickers, you name them; my love is not for sale, you are the man I have chosen, you and you alone, God is with us as we have not offended anyone. Let them leave us alone. Let us chat and plan for our future.”
To be Cont.
