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.

Silent wives-chapter 24-

I put water in the bathtub for my mother. She had been here for almost a week now and had refused to leave until I was on the mend. She is a good woman my mother. A bit too quiet but nevertheless good. We are still at Diana’s place since I came from the hospital. I have not been allowed to go home- I cannot call it home any longer. Perhaps the more apt description was the den of lions. My mother inlaw has been adamant about staying with us. She does not go home to her husband’ shome for whatever reason and he does not seem to care.

I ran a handthrough the water to feel the temperature and on noting that it was hot enough I turned off the Jacuzzi. Diana loves to live like a queen. Of all three friends I must say she is the only one with her head on her shoulders. No- that is not fair. Lara has become stronger than I too. Temwani is yesterday’s news and now she does not even care for what he looks like! She has not looked back sincefilling us in on the drama of his untimely departure. She looks every bit the diva that she has always dreamt of and the confidence! The girl can now ignorephone calls or call back when she feels like it but she is no longer the tinylittle desperate Lara that we used to know. In her place is a creature unlikeany other.

When being discharged from the hospital, the doctor who had been looking after me had taken a fancy to Lara. She looked at him up and down and told him she did notneed nursing so his services were not welcome!

‘Lara!’ I said shocked in my wheelchair. I was so taken aback by her rudeness that I almost fell out of my wheelchair I swear! ‘Kwaliba? How can you say that?’ I admonishedhim in his presence. She looked cheekily at me and came behind me to push the wheelchair. As she braced herself for the push she said:

‘Was it not a man that out you in this chair? Men care nothing for us but everything for themselves. Today it is I love you sweetheart and tomorrow I will be in this bed being doctored by him while he pretends to all watching that I fell down a flight of stairs in a bungalow!’ she hissed her teeth and wheeled me out. It seems as though that did the trick for the handsome Dr Chaze. He looked through my file and retrieved my phone number. Seriously there should be data protection in this country but who really would enforce it in a corrupt state? He calledand introduced himself.

‘I was wondering how you are doing and to check that you are mending well…’Dr C lied.

‘Just hold let me get it for you….OK her number is 09777-’ he begun to laugh heartily. What makes you think that was the reason for my call?

‘Well what wasthe reason Doctor? Do you call all your patients to find out how they are doing?’

‘And if I said I did would you believe me?’

‘No not at allso if you want to have enough talk time to call her I suggest you take the number before I change my mind’

‘Wow, you girls...i mean ladies are so straight talking’

‘Well no timefor chitchat’ I gave him the number and got off the phone feeling cheeky. Lara was mad as hell but only pretentiously. We all knew how much she loved the attention. She took the number and played it cool when he called and every dayafter that.

‘Claire!Claire!’ mum calls from outside. Diana has gone to work and I have been left with my mother alone at her place. Daniel is a good baby and sleeps through thenight so at least that does not disturb Diana. I rush outside to see what theurgency is all about.

In front of thehouse at the veranda are Bwalya and Joyce sitting like angels sent from heaven.If one did not know what demonic creatures they were one could easily be fooled by their act. I know them and I know the wings temporarily clipped to theirbacks are not there to stay and cannot fly. I turn to get back in the house but Bwalya calls out and stops me in my tracks.

‘Please mulamu hear us out.’

‘What is thereto talk about? You wanted me out of your lives and I have left have I not?’

‘Please we are sorry eh. We are sorry but you know how these men can get’

‘Is it just the man or it is you as well? Bwalya you have made my life hell since the very first day I met you! Until this day I still do not know what it is that I am supposed to have done to you!’ I have to struggle to hear what she is saying since the other ear with the messed up eardrum is threatening to go deaf. I cannot stay outside too long for risk of infection what with all the dust. Bwalya lookslike she is about to cry. For what I do not know. My mother comes to standbetween us and gently beckons me to come in the house with them. Perhaps she remembers my temper a bit too well.

‘Why don’t weall go inside and talk about what it is that has brought out guests Claire?’Mum says. She wraps the chitambala- head cloth around her head and makes a knot at the back. ‘Let us go inside please eh’ she motions to all of us. I walk fast ahead of them. I do realise I look like a three year old throwing a tantrum but so what. After so many blows to my face instigated by them, I think I earned the right to behave any damn way I pleased.
We head for the living room. The two of them sit on the big couch that faces Diana’s TV whilst mum and I settle on the two sitter. I am grateful to Diana for finally buying asecond sofa. This spinster lifestyle of hers really should come to an endsometime. Especially now that her and Dominic are official! Bwalya reshuffles herself in her seat uncomfortably despite the vast amount of space that shehas. The reason for her presence is probably what creates her anxiety more than anything. She does not know where to begin so Joyce takes over.

‘Mulamu the reason we have come is to ask you to return home to your husband.’ She pauses and crosses her legs ankle over ankle putting up the same act that she usuallydisplays when she is trying to act traditional. She coaxes her head to one sideand rubs her hands together. I so badly want to knock her dental formula into next year that I am twitching with eagerness to hit her. Mum holds my hand and squeezes tight. ‘Our brother has not been the same for a week. He has failed toeat and has begun to lose weight…’

‘Please he is losing weight in 5 days? Give me a break save the sob story for someone who cares and anyway if you want him to eat so badly, you feed him since you wanted him all to yourself Bwalya’ I retort and Bwalya looks down in pretence shame. Sheis only acting this way out of respect for my mother. Respect my foot! If they truly respected my mother they would not have laid a finger on me whilst their brother was hitting me. They would not have jumped over this woman’s daughter’sbody whilst she lay almost unconscious on the floor. They would not haveallowed me to be beaten within an inch of my life!!

To my astonishment, mum is buying into the act presented by the devil! Like a lamb to the slaughter, I watch her sacrifice me. Damn! This is probably how that dude…whatwas his name again? The one from the bible whose dad wanted to sacrifice him? Ahyes Isaac! The feeling of hate regurgitates its way to my throat letting me taste the bile!

‘Aunty, you know that marriages can be trying but out brother now knows what he did and he is very sorry…he asks that his wife return home with the child so they can workthings out’

‘Awe, that is a respectable request after all she is still his wife’ my mother says between desperate giggles. Joyce continues.

‘There is no reason why the whole town should know about this affair for a woman should not air her dirty laundry in public’ oh great she has her now. Proverbs have anannoying way of getting adult attention which is just infuriating. They seem tothink that a simple proverb is the answer to all ailments and disagreements!Hello! My face is still a mess and the proverb aint fixing that now is it?

‘No you have spoken the truth my daughter’ I drop my jaw to the ground as the words leaves mum’s mouth. ‘I was very shocked that my son in law could resort to such measures. The two of them were such love birds’ she shakes her head in melancholy.‘If I had known that this is what you people thought marriage was about, we would never have let her get married to your family but that son in law is sosoft spoken’

‘Aunty we know he has done wrong but we are all human and need to have the heart of forgiveness. Please give him a chance to sort things out’

‘If he wanted to sort things out he would be here himself!’ It is Diana. I smile at seeing her. ‘Now get out of my house before hot water does it for you!’

Silent Wives- Chapter 23- Wake up

Claire lay still in the hospital bed with two pillows supporting her so that her head was not directly friendly with the bed. Her head protested defiantly against the injustice that had been done to her. It had been two days yet the swelling refused to lessen. Sure you could see one eye trying to witness what was happening but the other eye refused to entertain any one in its vicinity.

Diana sat calmly next to her on the actual bed and not the chair beside it. It was as though she wanted to crawl inside Claire and stop the pain. She could not get close enough to her. Also the curtain dividing Claire from the other patient seemed to be getting on Diana’s nerves every time she sat on the chair next to it. Perhaps this is what prompted her to sit on the bed.

Diana had not slept properly in three days God bless her soul. She went home only to shower and change and then she was right back at Claire’s bedside. She had done all the cooking but Claire was in no condition to eat so we fed her soup through a straw instead. Diana cooked all the same just in case one of the days were in agreement with Claire’s spirit. The aroma that emanated from the food usually distracted us visitors especially me from concentrating on the purpose of my visit.

‘Lara put it down!’ she scolded as I made another attempt at the food warmer placed at the foot of the hospital bed. It was just a matter of time before she let me have it.

Aunty walked in a little later. I had dropped her off at Diana’s place to freshen up. She has not stopped crying since those tears escaped at her house that day. They finally broke through that strong barrier that she has been trying to cage them in. The whole atmosphere in the hospital surrounding Claire is of disgust. None of Jeff’s family have been allowed in by the doctors. When Jeff had come in, they had asked him how on earth this woman’s face had become like a pawpaw. He had said that he and Claire had gotten into a fight.

‘A fight??’ the doctor shouted. ‘You are telling me that this small woman is capable of fighting you?’

He looked down feeling emasculated as his fellow man challenged and disgraced him in front of the masses. How could he face up and accept that indeed this was the case? He did not have any choice but to mumble something to that effect that he and his wife were indeed on the battle ground.

‘You cannot tell me that you had an argument and decided to beat this woman into kingdom come and then tell me you were fighting her! I am ashamed to see that men like you still exist in this day and age!’ he thrust the x-rays against Jeffs chest and told him to look at the broken parts of Claire’s face. ‘If she knows what is good for her, she will report you to the police! Your place is in jail because you cannot call yourself a human being. You are an animal!’ with that he banned him from visits until the patient was well enough to decide for herself if she wanted him there. Needless to say none of Jeff’s family even needed coaxing twice. They gladly stayed away so we took turns looking after little Daniel whilst his mother was on the mend.

Aunty entered the room doing her best to look OK lest Claire’s watching eye bears witness that she is in fact feeling quite glum. She gave Diana the eye which motioned her to give up the space so she could sit beside her daughter. Reluctantly Diana gives up the space she has been guarding ferociously. She grabs a nearby chair and sits beside me. Aunty takes Claire’s hand and places it in both her hands. Her top hand simply pats Claire’s hand gently at the top. It is fat and squidgy like a big bears paw. Aunty bows her head and begins to move her mouth to form words. Words that never express to the outter world what her heart harbours. She prays to God and talks to him whilst all the time her chubby hand pats Claire. Then she begins to rock gently. It is a soft motion but one can see that it is an attempt to hold back the violent burst of anger that are waiting to erupt. She silently rocks and prays rocks and prays.

I nudge Diana and tell her that we should give them some space but Diana denies me this luxury. I get awkward around people when they are sad and I am dying to exit this melancholy scene. Diana types on her phone and tells me we are not to go anywhere. Claire’s suspicious eye opens and locates its tapper. We both get up and rush to her side with aunty still on the bed holding her hand.

‘Hey girl, how you feeling?’ I ask. She manages to allow a smile to form at the corner of her mouth but does not say anything.

‘Claire, you need to come home and if you still want to, I want you to know that it is fine.’ Aunty pauses and clears her throat. She is trembling but more than anything she feels guilt. Guilt that she did not listen to her daughter the first time she heard of it. Who could have listened? Was it not the same man that had entrusted her daughter to who was accused of beating her to the point of almost killing her? How could she allow anyone to say any ill of him? She could recall the day it happened as though it was only yesterday. Claire had been on the phone to her to tell her of the misdeed. She had asked her why the man had beaten her.

‘What did you do to upset him? You must not do anything to make him angry’ she had said. ‘You must obey him my dear. He is the man of the house and you cannot just do what you want!’ aunty had thought she was doing the best by her daughter. For in this day and age, a husband was a daughter’s pride. Without a husband to define you, one was looked at in no different way to the way a leper would be. It did not matter how many degrees Claire had. Ubushimbe was not a desirable trait. And now here she was on the phone telling her that the nice respectable boy who had never once raised a voice to aunty was beating her.

It was true that in general Jeff was a soft spoken man. He could never hurt a fly. He moved fluidly and with gait. One looking upon him the first time would be convinced the angels would want him back sooner than his time because he belonged with them. His tongue was gifted with eloquence and divine charm. The man could sell sand to an Arab! These are among the many reason why aunty did not believe that Claire had a boxer in her home.

If you ask me that house is just that. It is a house not a home. Even the décor is scattered. It has not had time to adjust to its surrounding because it is always being footballed around during the fights. 

Today you will find a mat in the middle and tomorrow it will be by the TV yet the baby is not old enough to create this chaos! The house also has nothing in common with Claire. It is merely saying to anyone who visits that ‘the wife has taken leave of her senses’.

Now looking at Claire, aunty realised that she had not been advising Claire based on what she truly believed but what had been drummed into her own ear for the whole duration of her marriage. It was not OK for her to speak up. Even now that she sees the damage, you can tell from her frame that her own heart is weak. It cannot fathom the strength it requires to say ‘child get out whilst you still can’. It is only the conviction of a mother that can summon the heart of a stubborn child into submission. This mother was silent. Her silent rebirthed in Claire as she lay there silently waiting for what was more to come.

How To Spot A Good Man #6

HE IS NOT SHADY!!

Stop it right there....Just stop! You know what I mean by shady. You standing there acting like you dont have a clue what I am on about but ladies you know.

Example of shady creature:

Sara been dating her man for a couple of months now. They have moved to the next stage of their relationship and Mr sweetheart is a charmer. He brings the roses, picks her up from work and calls her regularly.
Everything has been perfect so she thought it was about time they started staying over at each others places for a night or two at a time.

Mr sweetheart gets calls at 3 in the morning- It is his friend he says. First time Sara brushed it aside. Second time he stayed over, he had her in his arms and was on the phone. When he hang up she asked who was calling him at such an ungodly hour and he says 'Baby it was my ex. You know her and I is still bredrins like init!'

'Your ex? Why you still talking to her whilst you got me in your bed? Do you not have any shame? You disgust me!'
'Baby you are overreacting! Are you listening to yourself? You sound ridiculous! Why do you do this to yourself?  I even said she is my ex but here you are ranting and raving. Jesus! Women!' WIth that he rolls on his side and leaves Sara feeling somewhat abandoned wondering what the hell jsut happened!

What is wrong with this scenario?

A good man who is ready to treat you like a queen will not be getting calls at 3 in the morning or even texting endlessly whilst you are on a date with him. You are his woman and he will not treat you like a groupie. But you also have a part to play. Instead of arguing with him, Sara should simply have removed herself from the equation. Arguing does not help with men. He will flip the script and mess with your emotions like Mr sweetheart did. Simply remove yourself form the equation and tell him to hola when he is over his ex but by then you would have moved on.

If you allow him to treat you this way by staying, you cannot complain when he carries on with his behaviour. Today it is hi ex, tomorrow his sister, the next day a co worker and before you know it is his whole sphere of women. A good man knows not to put his precious woman through this array of emotions to start with. He is straight up with you about who you are to him and shows you through ACTIONS not just words, just how much you mean to him. Even if you are in different countries, there is no excuse for him not to be romantic.
A friends fiance is in the states and she is in Zambia. He still sends her flowers. There is internet shopping now so he better get his A game with you or he can get to stepping.

Silent Wives- Chapter 22- Help

The house was quaint and lonely. Supported only by the company of the maid and aunty- Claire’s mum. It looked like it had not seen another human in decades and the paint on the outside wall was weeping. I wondered how long it had been since Claire visited her mother for this was no condition for an old woman. Then again, with the way things were at Claire’s home in Lusaka, it was no surprise that she has not been to her mother’s home in a while. I would not be surprised if the mother did not feel welcome at Claire’s home with the way that animal of hers has been behaving.

Aunty brings a small wooden stool and asks me to sit on the stool whilst she settles herself on the impasa. The house is fragranced by the scent of munkoyo. The fermented maize meal drink owns the little house. It clings rebelliously to the clothes of anyone who dares to enter. Aunty does not seem perturbed by it at all. It seems like it has integrated into her way of life. She settles quietly in front of me and offers me the fermented beverage which I accept politely.

‘So what has brought you here after so long my dear Lara?’ I feel ashamed for in as much as Claire is her daughter, she is just as much a mother to me as she is to Claire but goodness knows I have no patience for travelling long distances. I get so sick when travelling. My stomach insults me and curse each and every turn that the bus makes. It is the very reason I dread travelling to Lusaka but given recent events, I have been forced to.

‘Aunty, I thought I would come and see how you are doing? Can’t a child come and say hello to her mother these days?’ I beat about the bush. She is ancient with mountains of knowledge to allow herself to be deceived by my pathetic attempt at a lie. She grabs a maize cob from the small train and digs her teeth into the yellow lines. Small little pieces remain in the gaps of her teeth which she extrapolates meticulously with her tongue. You could swear she was trained to do so.

‘I thought you and your friends had even forgotten about us here eh…’she giggles in a friendly hurt way that suggests that she does not believe me but will not hold it against me.

‘I cannot forget our mother but the recent events at my friend’s home have caused me to come and seek your advice.’

‘What is it….’

‘Hmmm aunty where do I begin?’

‘The beginning is usually advisable my daughter for where else can a person begin a tale if not from the beginning?’

‘There is no need for the beginning because since this issue has been getting out of hand and you already know the beginning. Aunty I need to come back with me and see your daughter. She has been beaten within an inch of her life once again. She is in UTH with a broken eardrum and they do not know how to fix that problem’ I watch her reaction and do not know what to make of it. If it were I, I would be up in haste and legging it down there faster than you can scream lightning! Aunty sits there calmly. Her legs lie straight ahead of her and her back a little hunched to support her frame since there is no back rest. She crosses her legs in front of her maintaining the same straight line they had before. The maid comes over with some change from an errand that she was sent on and then heads back to the house to start washing the dishes from the afternoon meal they had. Aunty says nothing.

‘She has a lot of wax coming out from her ear so they started to blot it out at first but to no avail. It just kept oozing out like honey. The nurse tried again to blot out the wax but it just kept seeping out that’s when they discovered that her ear drum was destroyed.’

‘Can they not fix it she asks?’

I shake my head no. ‘It is impossible to fix. They said it will take a miracle for her to be cured of it. I am telling you that man is an animal but I do not know why she just cannot leave him!’ I raise my voice slightly and it makes her hunched frame startled. She eats the rest of her maize cob and chucks the stem into the plastic bag posing as a bin.

‘OK, we shall go she agrees. Let me pack a few things and we can start off.’

‘OK ma.’ She gets up and goes into the house while I set off tidying the impasa. I roll the mat up and lean it against the weeping wall. It is almost as though it can sense the sorrow and heaviness that my heart bears. Taking out my phone from handbag I call Diana. There is no point calling Claire. She will not be able to speak anyway.

‘Hey babes, I have convinced aunty to come back with me. How is Claire?’

‘Mmmm, I don’t even know how this day is going to pan out. She is still swollen on that side of her ear you know! I could kill that man.’ Her tone is juxtaposed. She takes a deep sigh and then asks what aunty said about the situation.

‘You know what aunty is like. She is a woman of few words. Was she not battered herself when Claire’s dad was around? It is almost as though she does not find it surprising at all. She was very quiet and barely said anything!’

‘Ay Lara! It is her daughter and obviously if she has gone through it herself then she is feeling the pain ten times more. With her she had to be more of a silent wife do you know what I mean?’ I know exactly what she means. There had been an event when we walked Claire home form school. We had stolen guavas from Amake Chandas’ garden. The dog was not very impressed to see us climbing down from the masters’ tree. 

It chased us down the road and caught up with Claire. The problem was that the dog was too excited with its hunt that it opened its mouth too quickly and managed to grab only a fraction of Claire’s rear end. She escaped but still needed to be attended to.

It was on this day that we took a shaken up Claire home that we heard murder in the house. The house was locked and aunty was screaming in the house. We banged on the door several times but no one opened. Uncle had been beating her like in one of those kungfu movies. Desperately we looked for an opening through the kitchen window and climbed there. That was when we saw it all! Uncle had taken a wire and pierced it through aunty’s breast like the way the boys at our school placed an opening for their wire cars. 

She stopped moving. Claire stopped crying. We stopped looking. Uncle lifted himself from her and stood up. He turned to look at us at the window and this is when we all screamed at the same time. The neighbours came and banged desperately on the door when they saw Claire’s bleeding rear end, one grabbed her much to her displeasure and the other three banged on the door until uncle opened the door. They dashed aunty to the hospital in the neighbours’ car and the other took Claire to take a rabies shot.

‘I know what you mean.’ I confirm to Diana. Of course aunty still carried scars of a defected past. ‘We will be there as soon as she finishes getting ready. Just keep an eye on Claire will you. OK love ya too hun.’

I drop the phone and carry the rest of the items that were on the mat to the maid. Aunty comes out with her handbag and a slightly larger bag filled with clothes. Her eyes say she has been crying. Her body says all is well. The perfect composure of a silent wife.