2nd House
Beatrice tiptoed into her house Bully came earlier than expected and was enraged when he found th at his wife was not at home;
Bully
He yelled;
“Where has she gone to? How can she leave my house when my children have gone to school and no one around? She has to explain herself or else hell will break loose.” He sulked.
Beatrice
She came and her heart jumped when she saw Bully’ car parked;
“He is in what am I going to explain? He will kill me today.” She trembled and tiptoed into the house.
Bully
He sat at the sitting room and awaited his prey as soon as she entered the living room he yelled and thundered at her with ray of questions interjected with accusations, accusations, angry invectives and so on;
“What is the time? Look at your watch what does it read?”
Beatrice
She timidly answered;
“Half past seven.”
Bully
“Rightly said half past 7, where have you been? You did not ask for permission that you were going somewhere? Did I give you any permission?”
Beatrice,
“No.”
Bully,
“When did you start to disobey me? Who is giving you wrong advice? I’ll so deal with you that you’ll not dare me again. Come and kneel down here!” He ordered her like a child to receive punishment from her master.
Intervention
As he raised his hand to strike someone held his hand and knocked the belt out of his reach and he yelled;
“Who dare me like this?”
Augustus Sang
“It is me! How dare you abuse the mother of your children like this? She is your wife and not your slave you do not love her now divorce her and let her go she is not the only woman in the world and you are not the only man this is too much my conscience cannot let me allow you do such savagery to your noble wife. Fight me take out your anger upon me I am a man like you I’ll bear it but not her your burden is suffocating her.”
The Fight
Bully fought his brother they fought like too hungry lions then he stopped and swore at his brother;
“Get out of my house I cease to be your brother I disown you all my help towards your welfare has ceased get out unwelcome guest before I set my dogs at you, you are the person poisoning my wife to rebel against me, are you having an affair with her? Never again do I want to set my eyes upon you never if I ever see you near my premises I’ll call you a thief and will shoot you dead. Get out of my sight!”
Augustus Sang
“I heard you by law I am a busy body but by tradition and culture of our people I am in line as my brother’ keeper one day you’ll need me when everyone else rejects you am out of here.”
Before leaving he cautioned Beatrice;
“Get up! Stand up! And fight for your right! You are lucky today but you may not tomorrow this man does not love you he hates you I am saying it here in his presence run, run Beatrice run for your dear life your kids and myself we love you. Leave the kids behind he will not harm them they are his children he can marry again and can be fortunate to have boys as he wish but for you he will kill you; bye for now reflect and take a wise decision.”
Beatrice
She wept bitterly and went to her room she knelt down and prayed to God; Bea is unnerved she lost her gait, composure, self-respect and self- esteem now she is a shadow of her former self she is absolved into self-pity, a defeatist posture who will help her out of the quagmire?
The Two of a Kind
The two friends met at the Bar and compared notes.
Bully
He was agitated and Nyanga enquired what was the matter;
“You are furious what is the matter my friend?”
Bully
“It is my stupid sibling Sang he came and started interfering with my family he embarrassed me in front of that bitch of a wife.”
Nyanga
“What has he done? How did he interfere?”
Bully
“I was about to cane the bitch and he prevented it and fought me in front of her not only that he asked her to leave me before I kill her can you imagine that? My dad was right about how he treated mom these women know only the cane before they behave like human beings I own my wife and can do anything to her what business has he in this? He is a busy body so I disown him and has stopped supporting his welfare.”
Nyanga
“it serves him right how can he bite the finger that feeds him? Cut him off you have done the right thing what does he know about marriage? Has he ever gone through the institution? Gender consciousness my boots tomorrow when he marries let him observe it, it is his business but he has to let us be period! My granddad advised me before he died he said men engage in polygamy to become king in his house in such an institution women compete each other for your favour then you can practice divide and rule and let no one find out your favourite only you, do you know how old he was when he joined our ancestors? 110 years. I definitely found wisdom in his trend of thought I love flirting and if my wife interferes I flock her up. My granddad beat his wives like animals he was their God they all feared him. My granddad is my role model.” Nyanga bluffed.
To be Cont.
