When everything seemed over, there came hope. Grace could smile again even when going through hard times, thinking about her raising a fatherless child, all by herself, breaks her heart.
Reuben has been thinking of the way to convince Grace to marry him. With him, pregnancy is not a barrier to how he feel about her. Mrs Kumwenda noticed that his son wasn't really happy as always, she took concern and put back in the dishwasher, a plate she was washing and faced him. "Son, what is going on in your mind?" "I have been watching you all this while and I noticed you ain't happy. Can you kindly share with your mom what's bothering you?"
With a sigh of sadness he spoke," Mom, I still love Grace, so very much. Do you think there is still a possibility for her to accept to settle with me?"
With a surprised look on her face she said, " Son are you listening to yourself? You are talking about a woman, pregnant for another man!" Rebuked him.
Mrs Sosala eave dropping from the living room where she came to get the phone she had forgotten.
" Mom, that is very ok with me. I can be the father to her unborn child. Can't you be happy with that?" He asked
The mother sighed, "It can be a good thing, but what you haven't thought about is, when the father of the child comes to claim for his rights as the father. Don't you think it will bring confusion?"
Mrs Sosala thinking about what she's just said.
"That would be over my dead body, should I allow him to take the child he never wanted in the first place." Angrily said.
" Money always speaks for the rich, my son." sadly spoke as she hold him by his cheeks, caressing them in a motherly tenderness. " "I just want you to becareful in everything you are doing. Your mom is always there to support you." Embrace him
Emotionally touched over everything she heard, Mrs Sosala didn't expect a positive response from his mother over this matter. Before anyone could see her, she walked out outside wiping drops of tears from the eyes. By the door way, she and Grace met.
" Mother, are you crying?" staring in her face.
"No I'm not. Why do you think so?" Guilty blink.
Reuben and his mother heard their voices and can came out.
Mrs Kumwenda intrudes, "Grace my dear, stop bothering mother. come and have your food." Pulled her in the house while signal her son to take Mrs Sosala with him.
"Come on auntie, let me help you with your box." Hurrying to lift it when she hold him back.
" Do you love Grace that much?"
Reuben turned to her face, " I love your daughter so very much, auntie. I do not know if she may accept me to be the father to her child. Do you think she can?"
Grace drop a plate of food when she heard what Reuben asked her mother. The noise of the plate fall made it clear to them that she heard their conversation, and so they rushed in terrified of what she would say. Mrs Kumwenda also came out from the kitchen to check on her and found this awkward gazes.
Reuben, out of guilty, he opened his mouth to speak when she cut him short, "Leave us alone." Ordered her mother and Mrs Kumwenda to excuse them.
Without any questions, the two mothers Walk to the room.
"Who do you think you are, Reuben, that you can say what ever you think of to my mother?" very angry, she asked.
"I didn't speak whatever came to my mind, Grace. I spoke my heart. What I said to her earlier, is what I feel for you, Grace." move close in proving the point.
" Enough! "She moved back, " have you lost your sight to see what I'm carrying?" shouted.
"I can see it very clear!"
"Then utter no such nonsense again, you hear!" Push him out of the way to Walk out, when he holds her back.
"Grace, I know you do not want to hear this... cut short.
"Yes I do not want to hear it!" yell at his face. " I will not allow you to humiliate me, Reuben."She lowered her voice in sadness. "Please do not make it even worse for me. I'm already a laughing stock of this community. "She fell on a couch and begin to cry.
Reuben squat before her, holding her hands and kissed on top of the palms affectionately, "Give me a chance to prove my love for you, please. Let me give a name to this child and I promise to love her for the rest of my life."
She pulled the hands out from his quickly and rise up. " That will be very selfish of me, to take advantage of your goodness, Reuben. What will your mother even think of me if I do that?"
" I will think nothing, my dear." Mrs Kumwenda came out of the bedroom, saying this. " My son loved you unconditionally, Grace." She took her hand into hers, "there has been no single day when he did not talk of you, nor how much he loved you. your name is programmed in his mind, that a day passed not, when he utter it from his mouth." " please my dear, give him this one chance to prove himself to you." Wip a rolling tear off Grace's cheek. "Allow me to call this child, my grandchild." Gently touch her belly.
This came as a shock to her that in disbelief, she turned away sobbing. From where she turned to, she meets her mother looking at her tearfully and she signaled a go ahead to her. Very embarrassed, she could not turn but continued sobbing. Reuben turned her gently and pulled her in his arms, holding her tightly and affectionately. The mothers comforting themselves as they watched their kids hugged.
At the garden chilling, Mr Imakando reading a news paper with a four, while sipping from his glass of wine. Anna, painting her nails, sitting next to her husband, while the princess, Lukundo with her legs layed on the table, massaging them by a maiden as she chew fruit salad from the plate in her hands.
"ouch, do it properly. Do you want to break my toes?" she yelled.
" Sorry, your majesty." She then continued.
Eddie stormed in, very angry, " Father tell me why you chased the Sosalas out from their house!" panting
The three of them gazing at each in guilty.
He continued, "Father, I can't believe that you are this weaked that you allowed the poor man to suffer that much before you ended his life, and deprived his surviving family the only property he had left for them. Why father! Haven't I done all that you asked of me for their ransom?" Angrily asked.
"Is that why you are raising your voice for us?" Lukundo stood up for her father in-law.
"Just sit back there, woman! " angry point at her. " You think I don't know that this is all your father's influence?"
"Enough, Eddie!" stood up at him. " Is that what she told you, huh? That girl is a bloody lier. Her poor father died because he couldn't believe he had nothing left for him to live for!"
"Stay quiet, Anna." Commanded her. " Follow me to my study." Walked ahead of him and he followed without hesitation.
As they entered the room and close the door behind them, the princess and Anna followed, eave dropping by the door.
"Father why did you allow that to happen when you made me marry the princess in return for their ownership of the house and every other properties that were suppose to be taken by the court over the loan?"
" Your marriage to the princess didn't catter for their debts too."
" Wait a minute, does that mean you blackmailed me in that contract?" curiously asked.
" Son, everything was as you saw in that contract, until the court didn't approve of that. One was to pay a half of the money to the bank, not relaying on the contract for the whole amount."
"And you chose him, instead?" Graring at him. "You are such selfish people, you know. Only God knows where they must be right now." sadly spoke and he walked out, leaving his father idly standing. When they heard a cracking of the door handle, they both scattered.
It's the happiest day in Reuben's life, that finally he is marrying the love of his life. Dressed in black suit, waiting curiously at the alter for his bride who is taking so long. "Is this really going to happen?" He questioned himself. " She is here at last." He breathed out in relief.
Walking down the aisle with a white bouquet , looking nervous in that white gown, she strengthen her self by her mother's company until she was left beside her groom.
The preacher preached and the vows were exchanged, rings put on each other's fingers as guided. Before God and man, they are now called Mr and Mrs Kumwenda, till death do them part. cheerings from the crowd as they walked out of the church, into the car decorated, especially for them. They waved back at the people with such smiles, as they enter the car, off they go.
Five years later.,...
"Brianna, where are you rushing too?" A mother asking her six years old daughter.
"To my daddy's workshop, mama." she yelled as she run ahead with a bowl in her hand.
"What have you prepared for him this time around?"
She stopped at a distance and turned, " His favourite, japaties and a berger. Bye bye mama, if he won't like it, I will surely bring it back with me." She ran as fast as she could.
" Hold on, Brianna, I don't remember teaching you how to make those!" She called out, but Brianna had already gone.
"You are forgetting that is has a grandmother." Mrs Kumwenda suddenly spoke. She has been standing there smile, all the while.
" Mother, when did you came?" Surprisingly staring at her.
"Come." Holding her by the hand and they settle by the mat she spread out on the veranda. " That girl is a genuine, my dear. I only taught her once, and today, she surprised us by making one for her hero." with a big smile she said.
Brianna is born with extra ordinary intelligence, she enjoys learning new things and able to practice them by herself, without told and in the end, she manages to do them better than the ones who taught her at this tender age. She calls her father, hero and her mother the heroin, her grandmothers, the giants. She is the favorite of her father and a best friend. Talk of the people surrounding her, they find pleasure in the sense of humour in this little girl.
Frustration, anger and hatred is what has been ruling the hearts of the princess and the prince. At any given time, they fight like Tom and Jerry. They don't care even in the presence of their little girl who is only five. Shelley cries Everytime they begin raising voices at each other.
"Enough, Lukundo!" Raise a hand to slap her when a guard grip it.
" Your majesty, you don't raise a hand at a woman." Slowly letting it down.
" Let him slap me, over that good for nothing job seeker!" Yelling Lukundo.
A quarrel broke out over a trivial matter of a young lady in her 20s seeking for a job in protea hotel as a receptionist. Because her name was Grace, it brought them to fight. The princess is always insecure with every lady who speaks to her husband. With this character of hers, every female employee keeps a distance from the prince despite of him being the general manager in the Hotel.
The guard came running and falling as he enters the palace. He fell before his masters, panting.
" Speak, who is chasing you? Asked the princess.
Still panting, " your highness, the plane flying to Swaziland crashed last night and killed many travelers. According to reporters, bodies of those who died and the survivors will be allocated back to their respective countries."
With this report, Lukundo grabbed the remote and switch on the Television. From many different station, it is a breaking news. Just after she fell back on a couch upon seeing the dead bodies, Eddie's phone ring.
" Calling from the emergence team, i would like to speak with prince Edmond." Said the voice from the phone.
"I am, please speak.
"The bodies of those victims from the plane crash of last night have arrived and we request you to come over and recognize those of the royal family." A man's voice said.
Eddie swallowed hard, "Thank you, we are on our way." Immediately requested the guards to drive them to the airport.
The two hours drive was reduced to 1 hour due to speeding. Ambulances covered the airport, carrying the casualties. The dead bodies cover in white sheets, layed aside, waiting for recognition from their respective families.
"The princess, couldn't wait for the car to park, she jumped out and run towards the ambulances, quickly the prince run after her and the guards followed last. Checking from every Ambulance, they couldn't see any of their member. Standing by, trembling, the princess, afraid to check from amongst the confirmed dead.
Eddie staring around when he spotted his unconscious father being carried into the ambulance, "That's my father." He runs towards the two paramedics carrying him in.
"Hold on, that's my father!" Run over.
He was badly injured, covered in an oxygen mask as they rushed him in without hesitation.
"Sir, the man is critical, we need to rush. Here, the details about where you will find him is written on that card." Handed it over to him as they drived off immediately.
He stared hopelessly as he watched the ambulance disappearing. A loud cry of a woman made him turn. Princess Lukundo just found her parents layed next to each other, dead. From the king's right side is Mrs Immakando. Upon reaching there, he couldn't hold himself either than he groaned.
"No!!!"
The guards saluted in respect, sorrowfully.
The prince gathered his strength and ordered the for the bodies to be taken to the mortuary.
A month was declared to mourning the king, queen and the prince's mother. After which they were buried in the absence of Mr Imakando who was sticking lying unconscious in the hospital.
The next month after the burial, Eddie, being the husband to the heiress, princess Lukundo, he was crowned the king of Lukango kingdom.
Grace read from the paper about the king's death and the crowning of Prince Edmond to the thrown of Lukango kingdom. Still reading, daddy and daughter came running and giggling, competing on who will reach the mat first. Being a father and wanting to see a smile on his daughter, he let her win, pretending to have left behind.
Very excited, she throw herself on the mat and landed the head on the mother's laps. "Mama, I won papa, I'm the best!" Panting and giggling.
She paid no attention, engrossed in the paper.
"Gat you!" Grab her, tickling her while she giggled.
Even so, he noticed his wife's sadness, "Go on, bring me some water, I'm very thirsty."
Brianna rushed in the house giggling.
Reuben gently took the paper from her, skim through it then understood the mood. He hid it behind him and draw her in his arms and embracing her.