By Amie Sillah
Few Years Later
Jonsi did very well in school as her kids were growing very well and also going to school. She was a science student who is very good at numbers which earned her many friends, male and female. They sought for her help and in return the students from rich families would reward her handsomely and this she has to keep away from her jealous husband, who felt threatened of her youthful exuberance and educational pursuit.
“I have to be very careful with this raw youth who can be taken away from me by her youth friends. I have to rule her with an iron fist.”
Antu decided to watch her very closely.
One Occasion
Jonsi was demonstrating a lesson for one of her classmates Njegan when Antu spotted her and came down from his jeep. He startled her and she greeted him wrongly.
“Good morning, afternoon, evening, sir!” Jonsi said.
“Which one is it? Look at your time, isn’t it afternoon?”
“I am sorry sir!” Jonsi said.
Antu turned to the young man and asked;
“Who is he?”
Before Jonsi could answer Njegan also asked;
“Is he your father?” Before getting an answer he continued;
“She is my classmate and helping me with my lesson just harmless relationship.” Antu picked up a stone and threw it at him and he ran away while he dragged Jonsi who was resisting into his jeep threatening to flog her at home.
“Forgive her sir, your daughter did nothing wrong she was just helping me.” She shouted to be heard as the jeep left in speed.
Njegan felt it and prayed for his friend to be spared.
“I sent you to school to concentrate and here you are with boys! What was your promise? Have you forgotten while I enrolled you back to school? I am a chameleon who can change colours in every environment I find myself. Don’t take me for granted I can also pulled you out just as I have pushed you in.” he threatened.
At Home
There was confusion and commotion at home as soon as he dropped her he quickly came down and started flogging her with his felt, Jonsi fought back and it annoyed him.
Umpa distracted him as Jonsi ran into the house. He turned and flogged him;
“You fool you made her escape from me.” Umpa ran away.
Antu shouted after Jonsi;
“Are you fighting me? Are you now well fed to stand me? An ingrate! Didn’t I bring your family out from poverty? I’ll deal with you.”
Jonsi ran into her room and bolted it after her.
“Bang! Bang! Open the door or I break it!” Jonsi refused to open it;
“Break it if you can!” She defied.
The Children
They are disturbed and they started crying Jonsi came out of her room and took the belt from Antu and flogged him until she broke his head blood oozing out of his wound.
“What! You broke my head?” He took a thick towel and wrapped his head.
Jonsi quickly went back into her room and started to pack her luggage and that of the children. She took the kids and ran out of the house.
The Thugs
Antu rang the thugs and asked them to go after her; it was not long when they brought the family back into the house.
Antu
“Take her away and teach her the lesson of her life.”
He also called Dalla to come and attend to his wound.
At the Detention Centre
The thugs tortured her severely but she fought back until she was exhausted and lay still as a wounded lioness.
Dalla
“Take it easy with Jonsi she is but a kid whom you have to tolerate.” She advised.
Antu
“Stop telling me Jonsi is a kid! How can a kid give birth to five children? She is rude a nobody but I’ll teach her the lesson of her life; look at this inferior property and already I’ve spent a fortune on her family and herself; what else does she want? She bragged and demanded to go back to school and I complied with misgivings because I know I’ll not be able to control her when she meets her age mates who will be more appealing to her than me; I’ll be damned for monkey to work and baboon eat. What do you expect me to do to wait and watch rascal boys take away my wife no way?”
Dalla
“You are a jealous lover didn’t I know that? But the age difference take it easy with her; I’ll talk to her but so far as she is in school she cannot be quarantine, it is impossible she has to mingle with her class mates which does not mean she is flirting with them; your wife is brilliant and you should give her credit she is also a decent girl.”
Antu
“Whatever you say does not matter much to me, she is under detention and will be dealt with mercilessly from here she will never dare me again.”
“Suit yourself I’ve said my own and don’t say I did not warn you as a family friend.” Dalla posited.
“And you’ll not see me here again until your wife is out.”
At the Detention Centre
They want to break her resolve but cannot she is a strong character, they tried to add more pressure by strangulating her but she resisted them. The thugs are exhausted because they were warned not to kill her.
The Kids’ Solidarity
Their young minds cannot contemplate why their mom was separated from them Makieu and Waljojo are now teenagers very aware of what was going on but the triplets Adamatou, Ousainatou and Aiyoumerou did not understand. The twins impressed upon the triplets to join in the hunger strike to pressure their father to bring back their mom.
Antu dotted on his kids and value them more than his wife so when the nanny Saffie came to tell him that the children refused breakfast, lunch and supper he became worried and went to address them.
To be Cont.