1/2
TILL DEATH DO US Ap@rt
Episode 1.
© Benson Mphandika Lungu
Hellen stood in her room by the window watching the maize seedlings that had just germinated that week in her grandparents vast farm. The farm was so large that one couldn’t see the far end of it. A lot of crops were grown on that farm but a large share was for maize. The farm was well stocked as it had most of the necessary equipments for a farm, that is, tractors, planter, shellers and a hammermill. There was also an irrigation system installed which enebled them to have fresh produce throu-ghout the year.
Hellen stood there trying to see the far end of the farm though she knew quite well that what she was trying was an impossibility. She then tried to reduce the way her eyelids opened so as to leave her eyes p@rtially closed. She then started seeing those imaginary patterns which children of her age called ‘hunger patterns’. She felt a bit bored with whatever was going on. She then decided to head outside so as to pas-s her time.
She got to the door and lazily opened it to the sight welcome of a h0t scotching sun as the sky was very clear that day. Without wearing her sli-ppers, she decided to step on the ground ba-refooted. Her grandmother who was sitted un-der a thatched shelter which was the only source of shade on their yard was looking at her awe as she never expected her to walk ba-refooted on that h0t ground.
“I don’t think you want to come here ba-refooted” her grandmother said before she could step on the ground.
“Grandma, as if I can die with this” Hellen said.
“Okay, just wait and see what happens to you” her granny said.
Without arguing with her granny, she got her sli-ppers and wore them after which she went to join her grandmother in the shade.
“It’s like you are so bored. Do you miss town?” Asked grandmother.
“Yeah am bored but it’s not that I really miss town.” Hellen said.
“Then what is ma-king you bored? There is a television set with a fully paid decorder. If you want books, you can go to your grandfather’s libr@ry and re-ad. There is power amd food is there, so where is the boredomness coming from?”
“Grandma, i just nee-d someone close to me so that we can chat”
“Okay girlfriend, here I am. Let’s chat”
“What about now granny?”
“Anything”
“I don’t know”
“Okay, let’s talk about town life. Tell me somethings you enjoy in town”
“Not that grandma.”
“Mmmmm I tell you a story”
“Later grandma. Stories with this sun! Won’t the Kalulu in your stories get dehydrated?” Hellen said as they both laughed.
“I have an idea which you won’t say no to”
“What?!” Hellen asked.
“Go to my be-droom and bring me the small cardbox that is on the right hand side of the be-d.” Granny said.
Hellen quic-kly went there and brou-ght what she was s£nt to get.
“What’s in here granny?” Hellen asked.
“Just wait and see” grandmother said as she opened the cardbox.
Inside the cardbox was a ph0to albu-m.
“This is the albu-m with our wedding ph0tos.” Said granny.
“You have never mentioned it to me” Hellen said as her cute face started glowing with happiness.
“Yes that’s why I have brou-ght it out today. Come sit next to me I show you.”
“But granny this is not fair. You have never shown me this albu-m or mentioned it to me, why?” Hellen falsely complained.
“Unfortunately, i can’t be sorry for not showing you this ph0to albu-m.”
“Like seriously?! Why?”
“Because I choose who to show and when to show it.”
“Grandma are you even listening to yourself? A mere ph0to albu-m?”
“My dear, this is not a mere ph0to albu-m. It’s something more valuable to me than this farm. It has beautiful memories of when I started a special life with your grandfather, my lovely and handsome husband” granny said.
“Handsome?”
“Yes he is so handsome. Anyway me mind but the truth of the matter is the time you will want to have a wedding hire a good ph0togra-pher who will help you keep memories of your special day.” Granny said.
“Okay, I get that. Now let me see what is inside that treasured albu-m of yours” said Hellen.
“Okay here see, this was when I was being prepared at my matrons home. I was to look beautiful on that day for my husband.” Said granny as she showed her the pictures in the albu-m.
The went throu-gh the pictures until when they got to those showing them in the church.
“So how were you feeling when your father walked down the aisle with you to hand you over to your husband?” Asked Hellen.
“My dear, the anxiety and happiness was so overwhelming that I started shivering. My father could feel the shivers that she told me to calm as everything was going to be fine. It was beautiful though” granny said.
“I see. All those people looking at you only?”
“Yes that’s why the anxiety comes. See here, it was when we were doing our ‘I Dos’. ” Said granny pointing at the picture.
“The vows?”
“Yes, it was so nice when he said the last p@rt of the vow to me”
“Which last p@rt?”
“TILL DEATH DO US Ap@rt”
“Oh okay. But marriages of these days end anyhow, so these phrase is meaningless” Hellen said.
“I agree with you that these days it has been rendered useless because is easier to get a divorce than to get married. But this vow is supposed to be un-derstood and cherished. The moment people un-derstand that it’s a vow and nt just words, they will respect their marriages.” Grandmother said.
“Yeah. I can’t wait foe my wedding too” Hellen said.
“My dear, at your age admiring a wedding! You have just written your grade seven exams, you are still far from marriage” granny said.
“Yes, i know but Its my target so that nothing comes in my way to st©p me from doing a wedding” Hellen said.
“I like that. I will be the main dancer on your wedding then” granny said as they both laughed.
“Now granny, tell me something. How did you meet with grandfather?” Asked Hellen.
“It’s a long story my dear” granny said.
“We have all day, you can still narrate it” said Hellen.
Grandmother gave a de-ep breath in and out as she looked around the yard which had a lot chicken picking their manna.
“Okay, I will tell you but pay attention” said grandmother
Episode 2.
“I will pay more than the usual attention grandma” said Hellen.
“Okay, let me now tell you how I, Dinah met your grandfather, Silas. We were at the University. ” said grandma.
(GRANDMOTHER’S NARRATION FLASHBACK OF EVENTS)
I got to the university not really knowing how my life would be. I had to do a lot changing in order to suit that environment. But with the help of my friends, I easily got absorbe-d into the system.
That first weekend of us in the university, there was a dance organized to welcome us the freshmen. I didn’t really feel like going there but my roommates who happened to be s£nior at the campus encouraged me to attend as it was for us. I agreed but the real challenge c@m£ when they told me that I would have to dress to kill, that meant me wearing clothes which expo-sed most of my skin. It was a challenge to me because I grew up molded into wearing clothes that hid atleast 80% of my b©dy. My roommates wanted me to have the 20% of my b©dy covered which was the exact opposite of what I wanted and valued. They then offered me some skimp clothes to wear.
“Thank you but I can’t wear this.” Said.
“Come on. Its not that this is what you be wearing all the time. They are just for tonight.” They coaxed me.
“Mmmm mmmm” I hummed the response as I nodded my head in disagreement.
“You have not yet even tried to wear them but you are refusing. Come on, go and try them on” my two roommates said as they made stand to go and change.
Though I never wanted, I went to the change to do as they wanted. The clothes which I was given by them was a ba-reback which only had strands behind meaning after wearing it, the whole back would be expo-sed. I changed into those clothes I was given. The ‘ba-reback’ was also short that my naval wouldn’t get covered. The Sk-irt was also short which made a much area of my th!ghs be expo-sed. When I tried to pu-ll the Sk-irt up to cover my naval, the almost all my th!ghs went expo-sed. So I pu-ll-ed the so back leaving my tummy expo-sed. I wore the high heeled shoes they gave me too.
“Hurry up girl, we can’t wait to see you!” my roommates shouted to me.
I wasn’t comfortable with the clothes I was wearing at that point. What made it so weird was the fact that I grew up knowing that such clothes are for those people whose moral status was in intensive care Unit.
“I am now a real night club woman” I thought to myself.
I slowly walked out of the change room to where my mates were. The moment they saw me they both went stunned. The reaction they gave made me feel like they didn’t like it.
“I go and change?” I asked not really being sure of what to do.
“No, No, No. Not yet. You are looking so h0t. Come and see yourself in the mirror” they said to me.
I stood in front of the mirror and I felt pissed with how I looked. I have had never worn such clothes then.
“Girlfriend tou are so h0t. Even the president of the campus will fall for you.” One of them, named Serah told me.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes of course. Turn around” Serah added.
I turned around at which Serah told me something I didn’t expect.
“Dinah, you can wear a br@ in that t©p.” Serah said.
“Why?!” The shocked me asked.
“Thats the way it is supposed to be worn. Go and re-move your br@.” She said.
“Then what’s the whole ess£nce of this t©p if it doesn’t want a br@.” I asked.
“To be noticed by men” she said.
“I don’t want to be noticed by the way” i said.
“Tonight you don’t nee-d to want to be noticed, its a must that you must be noticed. Come go and re-move.” Serah said.
“Or she can re-move the br@ when going finally” the other suggested.
The evening c@m£ and the sound system was pla-ying from the University hall were the dance was to be. A lot of students started heading to the hall while my roommates and I still were in our room.
“Don’t you think we have to go now?” I asked seeing how relaxed amd unprepared they were.
“My dear, we will go when it is at peak. We are not like anyb©dy there.” Serah said.
At their own good time, we started preparing for the dance. They finished getting dressed while I was just sitted doing nothing.
Serah and her friend saw me not prepared.
“Dinah are we not going? Come on let’s go now. See we are re-ady now” Serah said as she turned around to flaunt her behind was flat like ZESCO electricity pole.
They were both dressed in mini Sk-irts and skimp t©ps as they applied a good deal of make up.
I went and wore what they gave me. Wearing that t©p without a br@ inside made me feel very uncomfortable. When I looked at the side of my b©dy on that t©p, I could see a large p@rt of my brea-sts expo-sed.
“No way?!” I said to myself.
They then c@m£ and dragged me to tue mirror. They then applied make up on my face.
“Just look at how you are glowing my dear.” Serah said.
I stood there looking at myself not really thinking of anything else but the uncomfortability I was in.
“Dinah, I have to confess one thing. You are so beautiful. No man will ever take away his eyes from you. Just look at those well pointed brea-sts! unlike ours which are small and unconfident. Your behind is well built and your b©dy was immaculately made. My dear, we are giving you the opportunity to really know how worthy you are.” Said Serah.
“Thank you for the complement” i said.
Honestly, I was really well built like Serah describe-d me. This time I was in my youthful stage and early twenties. As a matter of fact I had not yet known who men were due to the strict life of my police mother. It was for that strictness that I c@m£ to the university aged twenty one years but still a pure vir-gin. By this time I had not yet known who and what a man can do to me. It was the pride I had which I promised my mother to never take away foolishly.
We left our room heading to the hall. We walked in the path as they sandwiched me in between then.
“Remember, to smile Dinah” Serah whispered to as we were about to enter the hall.
The moment we entered people cheered at Serah and us. It was evident that Serah and her friend were famous at the campus though I didn’t know for what. They danced as I followed them behind not knowing where they were going. In that scene, a certain gentleman c@m£ and held my hand.
“Can i dance with you?” He said.
“Mind how you hold her. If you do anything stupid, we will be on you” Serah warned the guy before I could answer.
“No problem” said the gentleman.
“Dinah, enjoy yourself. We will meet at our room” said Serah as she disappeared into the crowd before I could say anything.
“Come on let’s dance” he said as he drew me near the exit door.
The lights were so dim that you couldn’t clearly see the face of any person. They disco lights installed for that night, made the room sparkle.
“Can we dance now?” He asked again.
I wasn’t sure of what to answer him but when I looked around, I noticed that almost all people were paired as they danced to the tune pla-ying there. At that I nodded to which he held my w@!st.
I felt some form of electricity enter my b©dy with that t©uçh he gave me. We slowly started dancing to the song pla-ying. The dancing had then reached it’s peak. It was at this moment that the Disco lights were being switched off one after the other ma-king the room get darker. I didn’t know what was the intention of that. Throu-gh my ha-rd sight, I saw some people getting very close in their dances and started k!ssing.
The gentleman I was dancing with Drew me closer to him as well. He slowly started running his hand behind my back which was ba-re.
“You are beautiful” he whispered to me.
“Aaaah, thank you” i said not knowing what to say.
He continued c@r£ss!ngme and I wasn’t sure whether to st©p him or not because the feeling was so good that i didn’t know when my eyes closed. He continued until when he entered his hand in my t©p and ran his hand over my brea-st. I immediately opened my eyes and anger was all over me.
“What do you think you are doing?” I asked him pushing his hand away from me.
“I thought we are trying to have a good time.” He said.
“Good with my brea-st?”
“It’s not that…”
I immediately left him and went outside the hall so annoyed. What really pained me was the fact that a stranger had t©uçhed my ba-re brea-st. It was like he took my pride away. What I was raised to know it that there are three people who had the authority to t©uçh them, my child, husband and doctor. I went and sat on the bench in the garden as tears ran downy cheeks. The same male student c@m£ to where I was.
“I am sorry. Lets go and just dance then.” He said.
“Fuseki. Coka apa” I said. ( Forsake. Get out of here)
He then held me on my hand and he tried to drag me.
“You will dance with me.” He said.
As I struggled to free myself from him, an unknown male student c@m£ to where we are.
“Hey st©p what you are doing. Do you know you can be expelled with this your behaviour” said the man.
“There is nothing which concerns you here. Just leave us” the man dragging me said.
“She is my cousin that’s why I have come here”
At hearing that, the man let me go and left going into the Hall.
“Am sorry for all this. Are you okay?” He asked me.
I didn’t say anything but nodded being fine.
“plea-se be careful with those scoundrels. They are after abusing innocent women.” He said as he helped me sit.
He was looking at me which made me feel uncomfortable as I was almost n-ked in my eyes.
“My name is Silas” he said to me.
“Am Dinah” I said as isniifed clearing my nose due to the tears which made my mucus run waterly.
“Okay Dinah, I feel you nee-d to go to your room now” he said.
“I can’t go alone” i said.
“I will esc-rt you.” He said.
“Okay thank you” i said.
He then gave me the leather jacket he was wearing. He saw how uncomfortable I was. At that I knew that he was a good man who had the interest of others ahead of his. He esc-rted me to our room. Unfortunately, when we got there I remembered that the keys were with Serah.
“You can’t go there. Let me go there I get the keys for you” Silas said.
“Serah can’t give you” I said.
“Okay since you can’t go there, let us wait for them here. I will keep you compan until when they come.” Silas said.
So we sat on the steps of our room waiting for Serah to come with the keys.
(BACK TO THE PREs£nT)
“So grandma, what were you doing as you waited for Serah to come?” Hellen asked to hear more.
“I will tell you everything but first bring me some jui-ce i drink” grandmother Dinah said.
“Okay” Hellen said rushing into the house and coming back bringing what she was s£nt to get.
“Now continue granny” Hellen said.
“Okay” grandmother said.
.
Watch out for episode 3.