ATSENGA'S POV
According to traditions the baby, Mabel, was supposed to be shaven.
She is to be shaven by Joe's mother, but she is no more. His aunt, as long as she is an elderly woman from his mother's lineage, will enact the role. The ceremony was to be held soon. Having committed himself to fatherhood, Joe had to arrange it, and so he was doing. His father, Atsenga, gave him full support to make sure he followed the tradition to the latter. As it is said, the son listens to the father, and Joe was no exception.
Atsenga, on the other hand was on Mariam's neck.
'That ceremony should not be done! Don't make that mistake because the baby is mine, not Joe's and it will die! Can't you reason out girl?' He told Mariam in one of their secret meetings at Ruiru.
Drama was cooking. If the baby is not Joe's and it is shaven by his aunt, it will automatically die. Joe was totally convinced the child of his. Indeed it was his because they resembled from head to toe. Little did he know they resembled because they are from the same father, in short, Mabel is Joe's sister.
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Atsenga, a senior lecture at Crying Stone Teacher's College (CSTC), could not risk a reputation because of a stupid girl who could not listen and hearken to his words.
He helped Mariam join CSTC not by coincidence. He had planned for this since long. He had seen a beautiful girl in Mariam since adolescence and envied his son Joe who never noticed how precious a gift she was. Although it was abominable to share a woman with your son, he convinced himself that Joe will not know. Realistically speaking who can even think of his dad eyeing his girlfriend?
When finally Mariam Joined CSTC he sighed a sigh of victory. He had brought 'food' near him.
When Mariam noticed that Mr. Atsenga was eyeing her, she never hesitated, from before, he was her target, and the last nail in Joe's coffin of pain.
The hunter and the hunted, who was what.
The secret affair between Mariam and Joe's father was a serious one now that Joe was in Nairobi and Mariam schooling at Crying Stone College. They were far apart, on top of that, their relationship was not on track by then.
When things got hotter between Tutor and Student, she forgot herself...or rather they forgot themselves. Before they realised, Mariam was expectant.
Things went leeway. She was only six months in college for a two years course. The rules were, you get pregnant you terminate your course for an year. This was considered as maternity leave. She cold not risk, neither could a senior lecture!
What were they to do? Your guess is as good as mine. Mariam had to carry out an abortion just to save them two.
He who tastes honey is tempted to go for more. The game never ended. They still saw each other but now a bit careful. Of course it a was willing seller willing buyer affair.
Almost at the end of the course, one month to the final exam, Mariam decided not to let all the goodies from a sponsor disappear in thin air. She got pregnant. Intentionally.
Mr. Atsenga persuaded her to carry out a second abortion, thinking it was their mistake, little did he know she had calculated a move to stay inside wealth and care. She had a plan already. Get the father to take full responsibility of the baby, and marry the hubby, Joe, the choice of the heart.
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The second pregnancy was maintained by Mariam contrary to Mr. Atsenga's will. She was now ringing the bells of trouble for the senior lecturer. Owe unto her.
"That baby will not be shaven." He told her in a calm but stern voice.
"He knows the baby is his, let the tradition be carried out, nothing will happen. Don't scare me with traditions. It is just a mere shaving,fake tradition! How will it kill the baby?" She asked in tantrums and a pissed off voice.
She could not understand how shaving and death were connected.
Mr. Atsenga gave a chuckle as he smoked his cigarette. When he was in serious problems he could smoke even a whole packet in an hour. Since they started this argument, this was the fifth cigar in a span of thirty minutes.
"Young woman, don't be ignorant, death is knocking on your poor child's door, if you hold onto that stupidity you have housed in your coconut" he was getting impatient with this nagging little girl.
He had other serious problems to solve. This one was very minuet to bore his brain any further.
He had to see a way through this lest it corroded his reputation and respect from his son.
"This is my solution to this problem, take this.." he shoved a wad of notes in front of her, " and this passport. This passport is yours. I want you to escape from Kenya and go live in Zanzibar in one of my mansions. That should be done immediately. That way, you will save your child child's life and your life. I am not taking anything argumentive" He said with finality as he blew out a cloud of smoke through his nostrils.
"You want me to run away? I am going nowhere and I don't want your money. I am not a puppet to be moved anyhow. My baby won't die."
"Choose...your choice,your life. You and the baby's life to be safe and you will never want and lack or You stay, you all go down six feet before sunset, today." Mr. Atsenga said this as if it was nothing yet he meant every word of it. He was talking of ending someone's life, yet very calm and composed
In the current life, you had to know whom you are dealing with and what you expect if things went out of hand.
Mariam was silent for a moment before looking at the man in front of her. She knew that he meant every word he said. She has involved herself with him for a whole two years and knew many secrets about him that non in the public knew, even his own son Joe knew nothing.
A woman was powerful, she can rule a man and his offsprings entirely.
"You know what, I am going NOWHERE, I dont give a damn how much you threaten me. Mhh, and by the way, I know that you do smuggle sugar from Somalia and you know what means when it gets to the light eh, you will be fired without payment and pension eh"
"You have gone too far you slut" Mr. Atsenga retorted with rage boiling in him.
"...and what is more, I have all the information about your company, thanks to your horny manager who grazed his snake between my legs and gave everything I wanted." She laughed and stood up to go victoriously.
"By the way, the C.E.O KEBS (Kenya Bureau of Standards)raised his bars for him to close his eyes over your business eh...what about the Internal Security Cabinet Secretary?" She just laughed and went out. Mr. Atsenga was left staring at the ceiling.