C3 Three: Teach her a lesson she will never forget

It had been almost a month since Elizabeth had had an encounter with Sinikiwe Gwaba. In all this while, she had been trying to find ways to teach the young woman a lesson. Her being sucked with no benefits was not punishment enough. She wanted her to suffer and know the reason why.

"Madam?" her driver Boyd, a stout old man queried from his seat. Elizabeth seated in the back of the luxurious car, looked out into the night that was slowly turning into day. Her car was parked right across Sinikiwe's residence.

A tiny crooked smile crossed her face at the thought of what she was about to do. Sinikiwe had no idea what she was up against.

"Are the men here?"

"Yes, madam."

"Good. Let's get this over with."

She opened the door and got out before Boyd could get out. She crossed the quiet street, steps behind her driver. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the van with over a dozen labourers as it pulled into the curb behind her car.

Boyd knocked on the gate of Sinikiwe's house.

Sinikiwe groaned as the banging on the door reached her sleep-deprived brain. She willed for whoever was at the gate to go away, but the pounding intensified.

She sat up and checked on her kids. They both slept soundly on either side of her. Chitontozo had recently been discharged from the hospital. He lay snoring softly, the spy novel he had been reading before sleep had claimed him, safely tucked under the pillow.

Before, the two kids had shared a room while she and Gloria had slept in the other, but since Gloria was no longer here, they just bunked in one bed.

She pulled a chitenge wrapper from the edge of the bed and wrapped it around her chest over her nightdress. The early morning light seeping through the curtains helping her navigate through the house. She grabbed the keys from the kitchen counter and began the tedious process of opening the door. Three locks on each latch plus the metal rod that secured it ending with the door itself.

She stepped out as her impatient guests continued to pound away.

"May I help you?" She asked the stout man at the gate, her voice barely hiding her irritation. She did not know him and for him to disturb her at this hour, just when she was about to get some sleep needed to be for a good reason. She stood inside blocking his view from inside the yard.

"Hello, Sinikiwe," a way too familiar voice said from behind him. He stepped aside to reveal an elegantly dressed Elizabeth Njolomba. She wore an all-white boubou dress with a matching head wrapper and slippers. She had completed the look with some stud diamond earrings and a gold wristwatch.

"Mrs. Elizabeth," she said quietly. The shock overwhelming her.

"I believe you are trespassing," Elizabeth said grabbing the keys from her.

"What?"

She nodded to her driver who reached in his pocket and handed her an envelope whilst nodding to the men in the van. Sinikiwe snatched the envelope from him and tore it open. The driver went in and opened the big iron gates.

"No... no. no what is the meaning of this?" she asked as she read in disbelief, she looked up at Elizabeth who wore a triumphant smile.

The men pushed past her and hurried inside.

"Mrs. Elizabeth, why are you doing this to me? What is this?" she yelled waving the paper to her face," What are those men doing here?"

"Those? Oh, I guess we will find out in a little while," she told her a little too cheerful. Hardly had Sinikiwe processed that, the first couple of men came out throwing kitchen utensils on the ground. The pots and cutlery banging in unison as they hit the ground.

Sinikiwe sunk to her knees in shock. Elizabeth looked on, proud of herself. This is how she wanted the younger woman to be like. Hopeless and humiliated.

A scream from inside the house brought Sinikiwe out of her self pity party." The kids. Oh my God the kids," she murmured as she scrambled to her feet and ran inside.

She pushed past the men who carried various household items. She tumbled and fell as she was pushed back by the overzealous men, but she didn't care, the safety of the kids inside came first. Behind her, she could hear the clutter of her furniture as they smashed against the pavement.

"Chimwemwe... Chitontozo..," she called out as she ran into the now almost vacant house. She pushed past a man who was rolling the carpet. The men chatted and laughed as they grabbed whatever their massive hands could get a hold of.

"Mum. Mummy," her daughter's scared voice came to her from the bedroom.

Two men came out carrying suitcases that were hardly closed, clothes fell out as they matched on past her.

She rushed past the already open doors. Three men were pulling drawers and hurling the clothes on the bed.

"Chimwemwe, Chitontozo. Are you okay?" She asked the kids who were huddled in the corner wailing.

"Mummy, what is going on? Who are these people? Why are they doing this?" Chitontozo queried in tears pulling at her arm.

Sinikiwe hugged them tightly,"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she murmured over and over her own tears falling on their heads.

*

"Why are you doing this to me?" tears rolling down her face, Sinikiwe asked the young matriarch.

Sinikiwe looked around her hopelessly. The neighbours had come out to watch from a safe distance, curiosity and pity marred their faces. It was all they could offer her plus shelter for the kids as she sort out the mess she was in. Mrs.Njolomba's thugs grabbed Sinikiwe's furniture from the sidewalk and hurled it on the road.

Elizabeth Njolomba stared at the young girl with disgust. She wanted to yank her hair, roll her up in the ground as she beat her up. It had taken all her will power to keep her hands off her.

"Did you really think you would get away with it?"

"What?"

"Its sluts like you, who give all women a bad name. You seduce a man and when he turns you down, you scream rape."

"Is that it? Is that the reason your family won't stop persecuting me? I dropped the charges, what more do you want from me? Why you just let me be?"

"I guess you deserve a medal for doing the right thing," she said sarcastically.

Elizabeth knew her type all too well. They made a living out of ruining other peoples lives. She was furious that her sister had to live through the worst nightmare a mother, sister or wife could live through.

Elizabeth thought it was laughable that the stupid girl thought that just because she said she would drop the charges everything would be okay. It never ever was okay. The damage would have already been done. Hadn't she herself gotten widowed, a few years into her marriage with a four-year-old child to take care of because of women like her?

Her husband had been accused of sexually assaulting one of the company's employees. He had pleaded his innocence but she had not believed him. She had left her matrimonial home with her son and went to live with her unmarried sister.

Elizabeth had refused to believe Ephraim's claim of innocence. One too many times she had caught them in compromising situations and when she confronted him, he had accused her of being paranoid. Ephraim had taken his life the very night she had left him. The police officer in charge of his case had been the one to find him, hanging from the ceiling with a rope around his neck. The officer had been there to let him know the woman had dropped the charges and confessed, she had lied.

She had lost her husband due to the lies of an over-ambitious woman and her inability to believe in her husband. She vowed to not let history repeat itself. She would defend her family at all cost.

Elizabeth had lived with regret. She understood why Easineya could not come to her immediately for help. Easineya knew her sister had never really gotten over the injustice that had happened to her late husband.

"This is the beginning of things to come to Sinikiwe Gwaba. I am going to make your life a living hell, you are going to wish you were dead."

Elizabeth and Sinikiwe glared at each other.

"I am not afraid of you Mrs. Njolomba. You are and that Abel are the ones who should be scared of me. I will send him to jail. Let's see you try to cover up his crimes then!"

Elizabeth scoffed at her, her eyes hardening with a dangerous glint." Be careful Sinikiwe, you don't want your kids turning into street urchins with you behind bars."

Sinikiwe tried not to show her fear. She kept her eyes glued to hers unwavering. She was anything but calm but she refused to show her how much fear that statement put in her heart.

Sinikiwe took a deep breath and looked past her to the mess that was once her household goods then back at her. Triumphant, Elizabeth turned and left. It wasn't until her car had disappeared around the corner together with the van that had brought the labourers, did Sinikiwe let out a long-held breath. She sunk to the ground next to the ruins of her property.

*

Sinikiwe tucked the mosquito net under the matress her kids were sleeping on.

"Here, at least drink this," Saboi Akende said as she walked into the room and offered her a glass of munkoyo, a traditional drink. They were in Saboi's bedroom at the Pastors house. With nowhere to go and no one to turn to, Sinikiwe had sort refuge at the church. The Akende's who were the founders of the Pentecostal church had welcomed her wholeheartedly. Even before, they had always been kind to her and her family.

"Thank you," she said to her. It was already late in the evening and this was the only food she had taken for the day.

"Did you think about what mum said?"

Sinikiwe nodded and sipped on her drink. The Akende's had been too kind and her rock for the day.

They had not stopped running about all day trying to help her out. The solution had come earlier this evening. There was a church member who had a farm and needed a caretaker. Sinikiwe was very much aware of how powerful the Njolomba's were and how far they would go to cover Abel's crimes. Distance, she had decided, was what she needed. They had threatened her with her kids not once but three times already. She needed to put as much distance between herself and them. Chavuma, in the western part of the country, beckoned her.

"Great," Saboi said clapping her hands together." And I am coming with you. No arguments."

Sinikiwe stared at the slim and beautiful young girl who was about her age in shock. She began to open her mouth to protest when she cut her off." Sinikiwe, you can't do this alone. Let me help you."

Saboi got her hand and squeezed it gently. Sinikiwe squeezed back grateful.