Gloria stared open-mouthed at Tod. She could not believe that it was actually him who was kneeling before her, asking for her forgiveness. Tears were almost coming out of her eyes.
"I know I hurt you. I am so sorry my dear wife." Tod continued pleading with her. She was speechless for a long time because never had he been this way – apologetic!? And this surprised her a great deal.
"Tod, what is it that has come over you?" she managed to ask.
"I know! I know I failed to keep my promise of keeping you and the family happy and safe. Am so sorry. It will never happen again." He pleaded. Gloria decided to take him by his words as she had no wish to enter into another argument whatsoever. She therefore agreed to forgive him.
"But please my husband, if you have any issue let us just talk it over. We are adults and we can communicate well enough to understand each other, right?"
"You are right my darling." And so the two made up and were happy once more. That night Gloria forgot all her worries for having married Tod. She stopped blaming herself, saying he had only behaved as what was natural of all men. Somehow, for him raising his hand against her was not so much a big deal. What had earlier troubled her was how he had begun mistreating her family. She couldn't stand that and she had started beating herself up for having brought him into their lives. But this night, all the doubts evaporated while she lay besides his warm body, listening to his breathing.
In her room, Vicky was thankful that her mother had not questioned her beyond what she could answer. She was also grateful that while at the hotel she had managed to play a trick on Tod so that he left her alone. But then she wondered, "What will I do when the week is over?" and she was perplexed that night. She did not sleep well the whole of that night but kept tossing on her bed until morning came. She woke up earlier as usual and prepared her breakfast then checked on her siblings and left for school. She carried with her the excess notes that Tod had given to her the previous day. When she went to the school accounts clerk intending to deposit the money as part of her fees however, she was told that her father had cleared with the school the previous evening. She now had zero fee balance. With mixed feelings, Vicky went to class.
Time flew by and it was already a fortnight since Vicky and Tod had that agreement between them. Surprisingly, Tod had not mentioned anything to her from that day. She wondered if he had changed his mind and decided to be a good step-father or if he was only buying time. She was secretly happy that it had not come to the point of him demanding her to fulfill her part of the bargain. She prayed that the status quo would be maintained. Everything was now peaceful and calm and she looked even happier. The boys who had seemed withdrawn from Tod also seemed to have come to him. They no longer feared him but played with him whenever he was home early. On his part, Tod did not come home drunk again. All these made Gloria so happy. She believed that everything was at last, okay.
One morning as she woke up to prepare for school, Vicky got a handwritten note dropped under the door leading into her room. She picked it up and read,
"We go out tomorrow, no school!" Her heart skipped a beat. It was Tod. She had not seen his handwriting before. He sounded harsh on that paper too. She trembled. The day she dreaded most had finally come. Although the following day was going to be a weekend, their class being in their final year was always in school. She could not afford to lose not unless failing was no problem to her.
Vicky looked at the not again, her hands shaking so much that she dropped it on the floor. She wanted to run out of the house right there and then. "What am I going to do now?" All through that morning she did her chores with less enthusiasm then went for her bath so that she could go to school.
As she stepped out of the bathroom, covered in only a towel, Vicky almost fainted out of shock. Tod was standing there, some meters only from the bathroom's entrance. He had his eyes firmly fixed on her. She quickly dropped the bucket she was holding and used her both hands to cover more of her upper sides where the towel ended. But this act caused her thighs to be more exposed and she could see his hyena-like eyes travelling downwards and settling on the very spot.
She was enraged. How pervasive!! She thought. She looked at him hotly. Wishing she could rebuke him or even hit him with the bucket. But she did nothing. Instead she just clicked and rushed past him.
However, he suddenly grasped her by the right arm as she passed and pulled her to himself. His grip was more firm and sudden that she tripped and almost fell down. He got her before she hit the ground and she landed squarely on his broad chest. Vicky was so stunned that she looked started beating against him frantically.
"Let me go! Let me go!" she screamed at him, though not so loudly.
"Relax! I just want to ask you…" he started
"Release me first. Let me go!" she continued to struggle against his hold.
"Did you get my note?" he asked while loosening his grip on her but not letting go entirely.
"Yes, I have read it."
Freeing her, he said, "Tomorrow is Saturday, you will leave home as if you are going to school but you won't be heading there. You will meet me at the second junction from home. I will take you somewhere. It is time we did what we agreed! Don't fail me!" There was great emphasis on the last words which carried an air of finality with them. Immediately he said this he turned and went away. Vicky stood there trembling partly from anger and from the shock of his daring and ruthless manner in which he treated her. She watched him disappear outside the compound. She realized she was crying but did not bother to wipe away the tears as she ran into the house. She locked herself up in her room and sat on her bed crying bitterly.
"God! Why me? Why did it just have to be me? What have I gotten myself into?" she asked herself these questions as she cried. She doesn't know how long she was in her room crying. It was until her mother came knocking on her door and calling her name that she jolted back to reality. She quickly rubbed her face and dried up her tears because she could not open the door while in that condition. Even then she had not dressed up. Gloria entered the room the moment Vicky opened the door for her. She looked at her alarmed.
"What is the matter Vicky?" she asked staring at her closely. She tried to hide it, "It's nothing mam!" she lied. But the mother got more concerned. Taking her by the hand, she led her to sit on her bed.
"Listen Vicky, I am your mother and your friend. You can tell me anything whatsoever that is bothering you, okay? Please talk to me. What makes you cry my daughter?"
"Mam, am okay, I…"
"Please don't lie darling dear. Something is bothering you. I can only be of help if you share with me." Gloria tried to make her daughter talk but seemingly she was still too rigid to speak.
"It is okay mum, we will talk in the evening let me rush to school am getting late." Gloria looked at her in silence, worries collecting deep in her. She didn't like it when her first born is in such painful state. To worsen the situation is that she didn't quite know what was eating her up. But she was certain that Victoria was greatly disturbed. "Mum don't get too worried," Vicky turned to look at her mother as she said so. She had guessed that her mother was getting every bit worried about her. "I will be fine by the time I come back in the evening, okay?" she said after getting dressed.
"Please take care my daughter and come back in one piece, okay!" she called after her as she left for school.
Evening came and thankfully Vicky came back as Gloria expected in one piece. She seemed excited as always. Her face reflecting the beauty of the setting sun as she went about the compound doing some evening chores before darkness finally descended over the land. She prepared the meals and they ate, Gloria and all her children. Their step father Tod was not yet home. Nobody mentioned his whereabouts other than when Gloria asked Vicky to set aside some food for him. Concerning the morning incident, she thought best to let it rest for a while before they could speak about it. They all went to bed.
That was yet again a very long night for Vicky as she laid there on bed with no sleep. She was trying to figure out all the ways she can use to beat Tod at his own game. She loathed the man and could not bring herself to lying with him. Yet she had promised him. Her grace period was over. In a few hours' time she would be required to submit herself to him. And she did not want to. Did she have a choice? Could she find a way out of her predicament? Thinking over all those and more other questions drained all energy out of her. She did not know at what time sleep overpowered her and she drifted into the other world.
When she opened her eyes, it was eight thirty in the morning, an hour and a half late. By 7.00 am she was supposed to be seated in her class revising for the forthcoming national exams.
"Oh my God!" she screamed as she got out of bed in a lightning speed. She hurriedly took the necessary items for a bath and went to the bathroom. Reaching the same spot she was in yesterday, she remembered Tod. Anger and resentment filled her hurt as she replayed the entire scene in her head.
"If he is waiting at the second junction from here let him wait!" Vicky spoke to herself, "I will not show up," she said so and entered the bathroom. In her mind she identified the secret path she will use to get rid of Tod's hawk eyes as well as throw his plan in disarray.
Everything went on well as planned and Vicky had a good, peaceful time in school on that Saturday. She completely took Tod out of her mind for the rest of the day! On her way back home she ensured that she was in the company of other students. At no time did she dared to walk alone. Yet none amongst all the people she interacted with knew of her impeding danger. They walked home from school and chatted about so many things.
They reached a place where Vicky walked a few kilometers from the main road to their home. She went alone and got home with no terrible events on the way like she had expected. At home, she found her siblings playing within the main room. She breathed a sigh of relief when Gloria mentioned that Tod was not home yet. She hoped that he would not come back and therefore leave her alone with her rightful family. As usual, she prepared that evening's supper and they sat round the table to share the meal. When they were about to be through with eating, Tod arrived.
He looked tired and angry. As soon as he entered the house he gave one sweep of his eyes around the room, but did not look at anyone in particular. The children including Vicky got as silent as the cemetery. Gloria, as a mother and a wife acted promptly by rising up and welcoming her husband warmly. Then she send away the children to sleep asking Vicky to help her look after them in their rooms until they slept. Vicky, secretly happy to leave that table, made haste to make herself as scarce as possible. She left the two in the sitting room talking to one another.
"Please, let there be no fight this night!" Vicky whispered to the air.
After ensuring that the boys were asleep Vicky went to her room also and threw herself on her bed. It took her less than five minutes and she had drifted off.
Gloria and Tod spoke for a while peacefully then they both went to sleep. Tod said he had gotten a sudden business engagement with a friend from the capital city and that he had travelled with him. There were no fights.
In the middle of the night Vicky was woken up by a pair of strong hands which were pressing her down and felt like turning her around. At first she had felt like she was dreaming but then she woke up and felt something heavy over her. She wanted to sit up but she couldn't. The thing was too heavy for her. She tried to speak but that too she couldn't. A tight peace of clothe had been pushed into her mouth to form a gag! No matter how loud she screamed no sound came out through the gag. In panic she tried to move her hands to come to ungag her, but her hands were tied to each side of the bed. The same, she realized was the case with her legs. She could only struggle while lying down on her back, but she couldn't make a voice nor untie herself. Then she clearly smelt Tod's sent as the weight pressed more heavily on her.
Then Vicky felt those firm strong arms untying her dress and exposing her nudity. She screamed all she could. She shouted her mother's name a thousand times but all to futility. Not even a whisper could be heard from the gag. She tried all she could to fight him but she couldn't. Her mind raced and her heart pummeled at her chest thunderously. Then came the most terrible moment, Vicky could feel the intruder coming in between her spread legs. He then rammed into her, again and again, mercilessly tearing into her. She had not been deflowered, and the pain was excruciating. But the intruder seemed not to care. He pressed on and on.
The pain was unbearable. Vicky could take it no more. She fainted!