Since the harvest season had come to an end. For the most part, most of the people were in their homes organizing their harvest and sorting out what to sell and what to keep for themselves. It wasn't any different in Orisi's home.
They always worked as a family so all their food was stored at Songu's house which was the main house. She was also the one responsible for dividing the procedes of the harvest. This morning, Rungi, together with her daughter left for the main house to help with the work.
Laughter greeted them as soon as they stepped in the compound. Michael was just coming out of the house when he spotted Rungi and her child.
"Rungi, Orisi, you are just in time. Join mother for breakfast, I have to rush to Rugaga town for work" Michael said in a hurry handing something to Orisi- patting her spiky bald head "Take this, uncle got it from town yesterday. Unfortunately, I don't like sweet things,"
Looking down her hands, she spotted half a chocolate bar, Orisi rarely took such fancy things but she remembered the taste of this chocolate which she took on her birthday-it was really sweet and smooth on the tongue.
"Thank you Uncle," Orisi said.
Michael waved at them before rushing off. The mother and daughter then proceeded to enter inside the house.
"...Kwezi and Bwengo should prepare then," Songu's voice reached their ears as they stepped in the sitting room.
"Oh, Rungi, Orisi! you are here? Come and eat porridge," Yingi said, a bright smile uncharacteristically hospitable smile gracing her face.
Rungi sharply looked at her. Usually, she wouldn't be hospitable as she was towards them like now. What was the reason? She didn't inquire any further as she lead Orisi to sit down on the mat that was laid down on the clean mud ground in the house.
Two cups of porridge were handed to them. Looking to her right, Orisi found her cousin Kwezi eating the other piece of the chocolate that her Uncle gifted her coupled with porridge. Orisi and her mother picked up their cups and proceeded to drink.
Songu had at this time, finished having breakfast so she stepped out not before informing the rest to join her outside after they were done.
"Now that Kwezi and Bwengo are going to be joining Kinta school, I Yingi am so grateful," Yingi said " I will personally serve you today,"
Rungi felt a lump in her throat. She had begged Songu to let her daughter attend the school but she was denied. Even with her being granted the half scholarship, it was still unable to satisfy her mother-in-law. She wasn't mad at her niece and nephew but she was completely disappointed in this family. Any lingering shred of hope for this family's fairness shattered in that moment.
Yingi seemed to know what Rungi was thinking of so she pretended to console " Aya! Rungi, you don't have to worry about Orisi's education, after all She is bright, even if placed in the new government school, she will still prosper,"
Rungi couldn't listen further to Yingi's mocking words so she stood up and left, leaving the porridge untached.
Yingi gave a scornful smile as she picked up a jug wanting to refill Kwezi's cup of porridge. However, her actions came to a halt as she sensed a gaze on her.
"What are you looking at? Your mother has left but you are still here busy drinking not caring how she is doing?" Yingi said. "Always greedy for food,"
"I am looking at the start of your suffering," Orisi replied.
"You! Are you cursing me!"Yingi shouted "Eh! I think you are jealous of your cousins! Kwezi, Bwengo, take a good look at this cousin of yours, once you are successful don't even think of helping her, she wants to see your mother suffer, you hear me!"
Orisi just ignored her continuous curse words and silently continued eating her porridge. Yingi soon got tired of cursing seeing Orisi's care free attitude with anger.
When Orisi was done drinking, she filled another cup with hot porridge and took it outside for her mother.
"Mother, you didn't drink your porridge," Orisi said.
"It's fine," Rungi replied"I don't feel hungry,"
"We might not eat until evening," Orisi remainded as she placed the cup of porridge beside her mother.
Due to Orisi's persuasion, Rungi picked up the cup of porridge and drunk slowly. Looking at her silent and pitiful mother, Orisi felt her heart swell with different emotions she couldn't put in one box.
She wanted to tell her not to mind Yingi's words as everyone had their own destiny. Some people, even when put in a position to win couldn't do so and other people not being in said positions could raise agaist all odds and nothing could stop their destiny.
At this moment, Orisi found matters concerning life laughable. Some people could sweat their palms off working like a horse but nothing came out of it while others won without even lifting a finger.
Orisi felt that life shouldn't be taken seriously, people should live in the moment, take their time and never wish to have a life that another had-who knows if such a person would die the next day?
"Lost in thought?" Rungi's voice gently interrupted her train of thought.
"I was just thinking that the new government school is good, " Orisi said "People who will attend will be great ,"
Rungi thought her daughter was trying to comfort her, she smiled at her words, gently Patting her spiky bold head that was now sprouting some hair.
"Mother is sorry for being incompetent," Rungi said.
"Everybody!" Songu's voice cut through the air. "We are winnowing the millet grains today!" She ordered the boys who had come to help to carry the sacks from the granary.
After spreading the millet on the sacks that had been laid down. The women proceed to carry on their activities.
Half way through, a group of children among whom Orisi had played with yesterday run towards the compound-sweets in had.
"Orisi! Aunt Rungi!" A small boy shouted
"Jumba? What's the matter?" Rungi inquired.
"A motorcar like that of village head is parked in-front of your house!" Jumba screamed happily as she sucked on the sweat. "The uncle gave us sweets,"
"A car?" Rungi exclaimed in puzzlement. "Who is the owner? What did they say they wanted. Don't randomly eat things from strangers,"
"Aunt Rungi," Gloria stepped forward, "the uncle in the car said he came for you and Orisi."
Songu and Yingi's ears pricked up at the moment. Songu didn't have doubts that Orisi was her son's child and her granddaughter. She was previously just throwing a tantrum to scare her daughter-in-law into submission, but one couldn't help and think. Rungi had been cut off by her family when she married her son, it was not possible for her family to come and get her now.
Who was this man then? Could it be that it was one of Rungi's admirers who arrived after getting to know about her son's death? Although Orisi had her father's ears and eyes, could there be a probability that she wasn't her son's? She discreetly looked at Orisi but no matter how she looked at her, she didn't seem to be an outsider of their family. Looking at Rungi, she felt that she was capable of seducing men due to her face! Although she was now skin and bones, her beauty was still unmatched. She had to go and confirm who that man was!
"Alright I will go and take a look," Rungi said.
A procession of curious women and children followed her back to her home.
Spotting the familiar man leaning agianst a maroon land cruser, hands in his pockets, Rungi was surprised at his arrival and also marveled at how her daughter's words could be coincidental. Formally, Orisi had told her to reach out to him and here he was.
The matter of reaching out to Abel-her late husdand's friend had long been forgotten by her. Had he not come today, it would have been probably a matter of the past.
"Mr. Abel. It's nice meeting you," Rungi said as she approached the man.
"Nice to meet you too. It's been long," Abel said" I couldn't have imagined that the next time we met, it would be under these circumstances," Abel replied with a sigh. He had been away on a safari and heard about his friend's death from his wife. He had been surprised at the news and lameted his inability to attend the funeral.
This friend of his was an honest local village man-Mani whom he met at an unfortunate time of his Life. During his trip to Isingiro where he was assigned to work at a refugee camp, heavy rain flodded the roads and this lead to him meeting with an accident, his car had over turned and he was saved by him. He remembers that when he was lying in the local hospital that didn't have enough beds in it, without being asked, this friend of his run home and got him a mattress, although the matress was old and hard to sleep on, it was better than sleeping on the floor.
By the time he came out of danger, this friend of his didn't forget to always bring some local food to him until his family was informed. He remembers asking him to ask for any compensation he wanted but Mani simply wanted one thing: his pregnant wife to live well in future, he just asked for help on how he could achieve that on his own. It was then that he introduced him to his own insurance company and promised that whatever he saved, it was going to cater for the future of his child and wife.
Mani had smiled happily after knowing the in's and out's of insurance promising to always save monthly for that goal. It was the first time Abel had met with such an honest family man.
Many men in his social circle had different mistresses and didn't care how that affected their main family just because they had the money and influence. He was always sorrounded by shrewd business men-meeting Mani was an eye opener that there were still honest and upright men out there. At that time, the idea of getting mistresses outside was washed away by him.
He could never have imagined that such a friend would be gone so soon. He swore then to carefully look after the family his friend had left behind. Mani had once saved his life; he would not abandon Mani's family now.
"Eh? You are my late son's friend from the City?" Songu commented as she approached "I remeber you used to come to our village when Orisi was little but you abruptly stopped coming,"
"Grandmother, that's me," Abel replied " I was assigned somewhere else so I couldn't be around anymore,"
"Oh, so that's how it is," Songu nodded "Why didn't you come straight to the main house? we were all gathered there to sort out our millet harvest, It's been a long journey; you must be tired. You can have something to eat there,"
"It's alright grandmother, I just came to have a word with Rungi and Orisi, " Abel replied polietly "I have an assignment from the late Mani that I must fulfill,"
Yingi looked at Rungi and then Songu and wondered what it was that needed secrecy? Could it be that Mani had left some money stached away somewhere?
"We are all family," Songu insisted. "What needs to be said that we cannot hear? Alright, let's go inside the house. The sun is scorching, and you city people can't handle this heat."
Unable to refuse the elderly lady, Abel followed her. Rungi, Orisi, and Yingi trailed behind. The village children remained, swarming the vehicle, touching its shiny surface and giggling with innocent excitement when it beeped in response. They ran circles around it, for it was the first time many of them had been close enough to touch a car, and the thrill was at an all-time high.