Silent Wives- Chapter 25- Move out

Diana stands like Mount Everest between my perpetrators and me whilst I feel myself shrivelbehind her. She is a pure Lioness. She has no time for nonsense. She stares atthem directly and tells them they need to move or else. The only thing holding her back is my mother to whom she is trying to pay the utmost respect. I fearthat this is a very thin line. She normally can only take so much before shesnaps. I have known her long enough to know that the glare of her eye is not one to be taken lightly!

Bwalya is also another feisty one. She gets up from her perch and stands behind Joyce where she starts to master the art of cheekiness. Trust her to say something from a distance and not up front.

‘Claire! Whether you like it or not, I will not leave this place without her! What are you going to do about it? Is she your wife?’

‘Is she your wife? Why are you here and not the man who did this to her? Can you honestly tell me that the five senses in your head are still intact?’

‘whether you like it or not we paid Lobola for her and she belongs to him!’ Bwalya shouts so loud that Daniel starts crying. I leave the room and go and fetch my little boy. Something is wrong. For the whole duration since I came back from thehospital, the bond between us has been disturbed. He cries religiously and no words I can offer soothe him. When my mother takes him he calms down instantly!It is frustrating.

‘Hey cherub…hey’ I purr. I lift my little bundle and put him on my chest whilst rubbing hisback. He is absolutely wonderful. He drools and coos a bit before raising his head curiously to see what the pandemonium was all about. I pick the baby blanket which was covering him and head on over to the lounge. The noise will be a sure way to distract him from crying even though I am aware it is not the most conducive environment. Diana can be lethal so I know seeing me will make her calm down from any foolishness that her head is plotting tonight.

Daniel and i reach to find a Bwalya’s hair gathered in a fist by Diana. She is using the hair to drag her out of the door. Madam hips cannot move fast enough because of her weight. Bwalya is literally kicking and screaming. The neighbours would have a field day if there wasn’t a wall fence separating the houses. She pushes Bwalya out of the door and turns to Joyce. Joyce does not need to be toldtwice. The water in the kettle is boiling already. Oh shit she was serious!!There is even a bowl next to it where she intends to pour the water for easy access. How long was I gone? Bloody hell!

Bwalya gets up off the floor and dusts herself. Diana picks the kettle up and starts to pour the water into the bowl. The steam embraces her face illustrating tiny drips of water as though they are beads of sweat on her face. There is no reasoning with her! This stage is the ‘intervene and die stage.’ I have seen it before when she grabbed an ex-boyfriends ujeni and fed it to him. He screamed so much inthe club that the music stopped! OK maybe it did not stop but it stopped thedancers around him and then the whole dance floor. She had refused to let go ofhis business even when he was forced onto all fours on the floor! There is noway I am going near her with that bowl of hot water lest Daniel becomes collateral damage.

My mother movesforward and starts to intervene. Bad move.

‘ListenBwalya…tell that stupid brother of yours to send me the Lobola bill OK. It is not this woman’s fault that she is earns more than him. In fact when he sendsthe bill, I can deduct hospital expenses, cooking and child bearing and let me see how much he has left over…oh yes nothing! But obviously fools like youwould not even know the value of anything if it spat at you in the face!’

‘Ehhhh, Diana, please relax. You cannot talk to the in laws like that mayo!’ my mother laments. I can see her little mind in operation. She cannot stand the thought of her child being put to shame by bearing the burden of divorce. It is her worst nightmare and the Bwalya’s like hungry lions sense her weakness. I say nothing. I keep my distance with my baby to my chest. I have become used to saying nothing. The words form in my head and we argue and plot what we aregoing to stay but I always find myself tongue tied and unable to bring forth avoice. I watch as my mother lays down her law about how Diana should not answerback but this just infuriates my friend. She places the bowl of hot water down.Phew I thought she was going to use that for a moment.

‘Aunty. I have heard you. I have heard everything you have to say.’ She takes my mother and guides her to the door. Gently mind you. She is speaking very softly to the old woman. Daniel starts to complain and I pat him to coochie coo him. He is asamazed as I am by this fiasco in front of us. Diana reaches the door and with mum and then says:

‘So since you are so determined to have this cockroaches kill my friend for me, please go with them! Mmm here Bwalya take her with you!’ and she slams the door. I amflabbergasted!

‘Diana! That is my mother! Where is she going to go?’ I whimper.

‘When she isready to act like a mother then she can come back! Claire how can you stand there and defend her when they are planning to take you back to the slaughterhouse? Over my dead body! There is no way that I am letting them take you back!’

My motherknocks pitifully at the door. You can hear Bwalya’s car leave the drive way and Joyce close the gate. I feel sorry for mum but I know she will be allowed inonce the beast simmers in Diana.