Chapter 35

Muroora—Daughter-in-Law

The rain had stopped when Priscilla drove to Lina’s house after reading the letter three times. So Chamu had another wife. As shocked as she felt, it somehow made sense in her world of lies and secrets. You reap what you sow.

A conversation she had had with her friend Faith a few months ago stood out in her mind.

“Do you have family at Hartman House? I saw Chamu at the swimming gala there.”

“Oh, no. Not that I know of. Our daughter is at Chisipite Junior. You must be mistaken.”

“You are right. That’s what I thought.”

It was him, Priscilla thought now. He had gone to see his little sons. Why didn’t I suspect anything? Why didn’t anybody tell me?

What incensed her was the fact that Lina knew about it and definitely enjoyed it. She couldn’t help recalling the way Lina had treated her when she first went to meet the family. Is that why the family was so cold to her? Did they prefer Rosemary?

As she turned towards Lina’s street, Sidney’s voice came back to her sharp and clear as if he whispered in her ear. Had Chamu’s brother known all along too?

“You think you know him so well, don’t you?”

She remembered the day he had behaved so strangely, acting as if he was interested in her and the innuendos that felt like darts to her mind. She recalled the look on his face, and now the realization made her feel naked and afraid. He had known, too, and somehow tried to warn her.

“She’s bathing,” the maid told Priscilla after she had walked into the kitchen. What she really wanted to do was to go in that bathtub and pull her out, but she sat impatiently on the sofa until Lina walked into the living room, fully dressed. She smelled of lavender soap and expensive perfume.

“Priscilla, what a wonderful surprise. You haven’t been to visit in a long time,” Lina said, extending her hand to greet her.

“I need you to take me to meet Rosemary,” Priscilla said straightaway, standing up and folding her arms in front of her chest. Lina gave a small smile that had a wicked edge to it as she clasped her hands together.

“Who is Rosemary?” she asked.

“Don’t play with me. You know who she is. I would like to go and see her today, and you better take me now!”

The two women stared at each other for a few seconds.

“Fine. I’m glad the truth is finally out. I was sick of seeing how you were dominating my son and my grandchildren’s money,” Lina said, her chin help up.

Priscilla didn’t respond, but bit her lip so hard it began to hurt.

“I’m not going to take you there. You can go and meet my real daughter-in-law by yourself.”

“Why did your son do it?”

“He can tell you himself. I never wanted him to marry you, Priscilla. You are not good for my son, or good enough.”

Priscilla swallowed her words like medicine from hell. How long was she going to go on without learning the truth?

“Her house is not far from here. After Main Street you turn into Fox Run, and then you will see her road on the left.”

Priscilla walked away and got into her car, her fury making her tremble. It was almost time to go and pick up Rudo from piano lessons, but she had to finish this business. She wanted to see Rosemary for herself.

She followed Lina’s directions, and it drove her crazy thinking that Lina was probably on the phone warning Rosemary. The house was so close to Lina’s they could practically borrow salt and sugar from each other.

After pressing the intercom, the electric gate opened and revealed a stunning double-story house. It paled compared to the mansion Priscilla lived in, but it was a beautiful house with well-manicured gardens and a pool. Two little boys stopped riding their bikes and ran inside when they saw the car drive in.

A tall woman in a blue skirt and white top came to meet her. Priscilla stepped out of her car slowly and walked towards the woman she had just seen in the photos. At closer glance, Priscilla could see her face. She had almost the same skin tone as hers and was very attractive and curvaceous. Her hair was in chin length braids and she wore a loose-fitting top over a matching full skirt. By all accounts, she looked like somebody she might have been friends with or even worked with. But she was married to her husband? How could that be?

“Are you Rosemary?”

“Yes,” she replied and lifted her chin a little higher. Her eyes already looked ready for battle. Priscilla knew that Lina had called her. The gate had opened as if she was expecting her.

“I got your letter,” Priscilla said, taking it out of her purse. “Did you write this?”

“Yes, I did.”

Rosemary looked angry as she lifted her head towards her. “I was with him first.”

“I’m not here to fight with you,” Priscilla said. “I never knew you existed.”

“I guessed as much.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Priscilla turned as the two boys came to see what was going on.

“Chamu, Winston, go in the house,” Rosemary called to them. They disappeared around the corner, giggling.

“You weren’t supposed to know anything. Chamu was protecting you,” Rosemary said.

“Those are his children?”

“Yes, and another one is on the way,” Rosemary said, tilting her chin up again and proudly putting her hand on her stomach. Priscilla almost threw up right there as the implication of her words sank in.

“Don’t look so disgusted, Priscilla.” Rosemary spat her name. “He slept with me almost every day before he came home to you. I got tired of seeing you on TV, Chamu thanking you for helping make his company a success while I hung out in the shadows like his whore. If I could get away with it, I would have killed you! Well, no more! I will not be a back-door wife when I’m the one having his sons and taking care of his mother while all you do is worry about your own mother and sisters.”

Her words felt like a slap. Rosemary’s hatred was enough to kill. The seven years of her marriage flashed before her eyes like a dream. All of it had been nothing. She wasn’t married to Chamu. She had been living in sin with him while inside she longed for somebody else.

“Please open the gate for me. I’m leaving.” Priscilla turned away from Rosemary and stumbled to her car. She started the engine and started reversing with Rosemary looking on. She knew Rosemary and Lina would probably laugh at her and rejoice that she was miserable. Her heart was racing as strong drops of rain began to fall on her windshield like tears from heaven. She merged with the Saturday traffic, but she was in such a daze she didn’t even know how she got home.

Home. This wasn’t her home anymore. After composing herself, Priscilla picked up Rudo. When she got home she told the maid to feed Rudo. Then she went to the bedroom and straight to Chamu’s walk-in wardrobe, looking for more clues to his secret life. She had never scrutinized his bank statements or opened any of his letters. She had trusted him completely. There were too many papers in his office, all business-related.

That’s probably where he keeps his secrets, Priscilla thought, looking at the locked safe. How well do I know Chamu? What else has he been keeping from me?

Priscilla went to Rudo’s room. She was playing alone in her bedroom with her dolls. Her uniform was neatly folded on her bed and she had put her on her favorite shorts and t-shirt.

“Hey, sweetie,” Priscilla said.

“Mummy, what are we going to do this weekend? You said we can go and watch a movie.”

“We’ll go, sweetie. How would you like to go and stay with Aunt Mukai?” Priscilla asked.

“Can I take my dolls and keyboard?”

“Yes. Go and tell Sisi to pack you a bag and I’m going to pack mine,” Priscilla said and went to her room.

Priscilla pulled out a suitcase and started looking for what she would take with her. She took down five outfits and some shoes, then took her photo albums and her favorite books. She packed her laptop, and when she was about to close the bag she heard her door open and looked up as Chamu walked in.

“What are you doing?”

Priscilla stared at Chamu as if seeing him for the very first time. She hadn’t heard a car drive in at all. She could see the strange light in his eyes and was frightened. She should have just left without packing anything. Lina must have warned him and he left the office to stop her.

“I’m packing,” Priscilla said, trying to keep her voice calm as she closed the suitcase.

“Where do you think you are going?”

“I know all about your other wife, Chamu,” Priscilla told him in a matter-of-fact voice.

“She means nothing to me,” Chamu interrupted, waving his arms about.

“What! That’s why you are having a football team of kids with her?”

“You didn’t want to have my children.”

“I can’t believe you are saying that. So you think what you did was fine?”

“No. I’m sorry. I won’t see her again.”

Priscilla stared at him in disbelief. He wouldn’t see her again. As if she was some girlfriend he had at school. She scowled at him, stunned. “You can have her move in here, which is what she wants. I’m leaving you!”

“You will never leave me! Where will you live? Where will you work?” He sneered at her.

Priscilla shook her head. “That’s how you wanted me, isn’t? Totally dependent on you.”

“You can never leave and have the kind of life I can give you. That bag you are packing is mine, and those clothes are mine.”

Priscilla pushed the suitcase to the floor and the clothes tumbled out. She walked up to him. “You can have them all. I’m going.”

He slapped her. “You are mine, too!”

The slap produced hard and fast tears and her face stung. Nobody, not even Oliver, had ever hit her like this. She touched her cheek and looked at Chamu as if he was some monster. She could see in his eyes that he was dangerous. She felt very scared.

“I’ll never let you go, Priscilla. You will be dead and buried before I let any other man have what is mine.”