Nadir

Sheena is glowing. I have always imagined what I would feel the day I saw her. What her being pregnant by the man I was supposed to do life would do to me but surprisingly I don’t feel anything. If I am being honest, I would say that I actually love that she is happy. I have been in her shoes before and I know the excitement of being pregnant and wanting to have a baby. And I am pretty sure that she is happier considering she has been wanting this for a while.

Her smile disappears when she sees me and I don’t blame her.

‘What is she doing here?’

‘Did you say you wanted a lift or not?’

‘Emmanuel where does your loyalty lie? This woman was having an affair with your brother and you knew about it yet you are still entertaining her.’

I breathe out deeply, I am tempted to respond but I will not because at the end of the day she has a point and if anything I would never fight her because my fight is with her husband.

‘Sheena you can get on a taxi or bare the fact that Nandy is not going anywhere.’

She rolls her eyes and gets in the back of the car.

He starts the car and the silence is deafening but I care less.

‘So you are not satisfied that you almost ended my marriage?’

I am trying so hard not to respond and from the corner of my eyes I can see Ems looking at me just to see the reaction on my face.

‘Pregnancy looks good on you Sheena, you are glowing it’s such a beautiful sight.’ I say instead and I know that takes her by surprise.

‘It sure does look good on you.’ Ems adds.

‘Have you decided on the names?’

‘Whatever you do don’t call any of them Joshua.’

I laugh.

‘Remember how I was going to call the twins Joshua and Emmanuel.’

‘Ah those kids were going to be on each other’s throats.’ Ems says and that sends the both of us into laughter.

‘What’s wrong with the both of you?’

We both turn to look at her and she is fuming.

‘What are you talking about?’ Ems asks.

‘The two of you will just talk like I am not here? Ems for crying out loud this woman was sleeping with my husband. She was going to take my marriage and ruin my life, how are you okay with sitting next to her like this? How are you okay with all this? Do you hate your brother that much that you have to do this?’

I see the smile from Ems’ face drops and he is angry.

‘Sheena whatever Nandy and I have is none of your business. And if there should be someone you need to be angry with its Joshua, not any of us.’

She chuckles.

‘I have always known that you don’t like him but I didn’t realize that you are out to destroy him. Ems whatever it is you need to let it go because Joshua is your brother.’

I didn’t even realize that we have reached their house until now.

‘I will talk to your mother and tell her about this.’

‘We are getting married.’ I blurt out.

‘Excuse me?’

‘Yes Sheena, Nandy and I are getting married.’

‘At what cost? Just so you can hurt Joshua? Are you that bitter? What do you want from him? A public apology?’

I turn to look at her.

‘Sheena the day you came to my house to fight your husband’s battles you assured me it was the last time you were doing that so I don’t see the reason why we are here again. You don’t have anything to worry about, in the first place I was never out to get your marriage and I am not here for that either. But if you still want to fight his battles how about you go to bed peacefully knowing that I have had so many reasons to destroy your home but I didn’t.’

She swallows hard.

‘Sheena I like you. You look like one of those women that will stick to their men no matter what happens, the type that will be dragged through hell and get embarrassed but still decide to hold on. I admire women like you, but that would never be me. You sit here and look at me with angry eyes like I wanted to destroy your marriage when at the back of your head you know that isn’t the case. Your husband is the problem, I was a victim and you were too. You knew he was cheating on you with me and you could have confronted him but you didn’t, you had the opportunity to confront me but you didn’t either so the next time you open your mouth to say something to me concerning Joshua I want you to remember that on the day I was to bury my kids you walked into my house to tell me that the man I thought I was going to be my husband was married to you and wouldn’t attend the burial of his sons. The next time you want to fight his battles I want you to remember that his people met mine and promised me marriage, that his mother was kind to me, that your husband was the best thing that happened to me, that he cooked, he cleaned, he was a gentleman and when our bodies connected it was like we were just the two of us in the world. That he didn’t fuck me, that man made love to me and made all my fears disappear. Sheena the next time you want to fight his battles I want you to remember all this, the fight is not with you. It’s with him. Now go and be the good wife you have been.

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

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