Chapter 2 2nd Chapter

Mouda, Tina's mother, who all this while had been watching her every move, hid behind the hedge where the goats always sheltered whenever it rained. She crouched and waited, stealing skimming glances at her daughter with much vigilance.

" I will wait and see. This time, I will clear all my doubts." she thought. She was overwhelmingly anxious. Suddenly, Tina stretched her neck and whistled Quietly making no careless intention to be heard by Mahuge or else he would displace his present fury to her. She again whistled and then whistled, every time making sure to stoop lower in the tall grass that had grown near the bamboo fence trying not to make any attempt to be seen.

"Let it be." Mahuge curtailed Amelia's excuse. "Go and call Rabu and his brothers. We have a visitor. They should hurry up and slaughter Kibuzi. Tell Mama Nana and Wambui too. We have to prepare a nice lunch for my in-law here. Mahuge said, gesturing to Tony. " Amelia hesitated. She has a strong desire to embrace her brother whom she hadn't seen for a year now.

" Why are you still lingering there as if you are a sculpture? Move it, now!"He commanded. She flinched

In African traditional society, a woman was treated as inferior and was equated to property. She had to follow all the commands submissively without question.

Amelia gets up and almost motions to her brother's side, but Mahuge looks at her with a bad eye. She waves at Tony and diverts to the direction of the farm.

"So, how are your people?" Mahuge turns to Tony and commences their earlier conversation.

Rabu opened a small window on his small hut which was on the further end. His hut was separate from the other numerous huts surrounding the compound because he was Mahuge's first son. In that regard, it was one of his many privileges in the family.

"I hope no one notices me. This foolish girl will plunge me into problems." He muttered to himself as he looked back and forth as if trying to avoid being seen by someone in particular.

In a moment, Rabu jumped through the window and hid at the corner of his hut.

Mauda outstretched her neck and caught his sight. She walked an ounce forward and opened her eyes wide in bafflement as her mouth fell open. "This can't be true!" She muttered and rubbed her eyes with her hand to clear her sight as well as her doubts. " It is real! It is Mahuge's eldest son!"

She talked to herself and distended her eyes to watch the gut-wrenching scene. Her tension crept accordingly. The young man advanced to the spot where Tina was.

" Please, Tina, don't! Don't dissipate the breasts that fed you." She wished in vain.

Tina smiled amiably that in an instant her face gleamed as she rolled her luminous eyes. Her heart was thumping for him.

He drew closer, clasped her round the waist and pulled her close to his chest.

" I have been waiting for you," Tina said in a husky voice.

"I am here now, relax, dear."

They were engaged in an embrace. Tina became weak. His gentle touch always electrified her body and rendered her weak. It was always hard to control her intense feelings whenever she was in his sight because they were incessant. The young man looked into the lass's eyes and drew her a little closer. He imprinted his lips on her forehead passionately and then lowered them to her lips.

Mauda couldn't tolerate the unpleasant sight. The two, in her opinion, were tainted with impurities. They had been possessed by the evil spirit and needed cleansing.

"God of my ancestors, why have you punished me like this,hmh?"

She whined as she raised her hands to the heavens. She blabbered some traditional incantations and prayed to the god of life and purity. This way, she would exorcise the evil in their sinful hearts.

" Shameful ungrateful children! look at their sinful eyes. They have no shame at all, pooh!"

She scowls and springs up out of hiding in immense anger and thundered, "Stop! Hold it right there!"

Her chest heaved in anger. The colour of her face turned red.

"So it's true, why? my child, why? Why have you betrayed your mother, why?" She asked, her voice full of rage and bitterness.

"Mama Tina, please lower your voice. My father might hear you." Implored Rabu, his lips trembling slightly. He loosened his grip and pushed Tina away with a sneer. "Didn't I warn you not to Come? Why did you insist."

Rabu said, piling all the blame on Tina.

"I knew something like this would happen, '' he resumed with bitterness in his voice. He was indifferent all of a sudden.

" Shut up you swine! Let Mahuge hear me for all I care." Tina's heart curled.

"This is all your fault, mother. You incited this. Now Rabu is angry."She thought and cursed inside her heart. With a globe of anger in her eyes, she gives Mouda a hard stare.

"I will go and tell him myself. He needs to know the kind of son he has raised."

Mauda rasped walking towards the direction of Mahuge, who was engrossed in a discussion with Tony.

***

Under that gruff expression on his face, Mahuge is a charming, cheerful and hospitable character. He has a good sense of humour too. He only becomes wild when he is provoked.

"How is your son, Rabu? He must be a fully grown-up man now, isn't he?" Tony inquired and beamed a smile. A little insect lands on his nose and he slaps it with his hand hitting his nostrils. His host turns his face away looking in the direction of the farm. Minutes later he draws his attention to Tony.

Mahuge nods in hearty agreement and picks his teeth with a dry stick he picks from the ground. Then he spits on the ground and as if to compliment on his earlier response resumed.

"Not only has he grown into a charming young man, but also a responsible one. He is a good example to his young brothers and that makes me proud."

There was an undertone of pride in his voice as he spoke but might change into a beast once Mauda reports to him about his son's real character.