A Short-Lived Marriage - Case Study Example

Topic: A Short-lived Marriage One fine morning in Kavirondo, as the waters of the Great Lake shimmered and trembled at the lightest touch of the breeze and the Siala (markhamia lutea) trees swayed gently in the warm air, Obierika, a young man in his mid twenties, tall, dark and well built made his way through the jostling crowd to the bus station. He wore a blue suit with no tie, a white shirt and well polished black shoes that he had bought specifically for the day. He had previously asked his boss permission to attend to an important errand for the rest of the day. At the bus station were all sorts of activities going on as people went on about their daily means of livelihood. Unable to withstand the thirst that raked his throat so mercilessly, Obierika approached one of the hawkers around and bought himself a small bottle of Sprite soda and sat under one of the city council shades that had recently been erected and waited anxiously as he sipped his soda. He remembered his college days back in the capital and more especially, his sophomore year for this was the time he met her. And quite frankly and to his amazement, never at one time could he clearly say that something about her in particular had made him fall for her. Everything in her from her hair to toe baffled him. She was a good girl too; kind, joyful and morally upright. Indeed, up until the time, he was going to officially meet her at the bus station and take her back to his house to consummate his union with her as his wife as was customary, she was still a virgin; untouched, uncorrupted and undefiled- pure. He sighed, smiled and took another sip- the last one. Again, his mind drifted away to the day he had gone to negotiate his wife's bride price. “Five cows for my only daughter!” He recalled how his putative father-in-law had barked at his elder brother who stood as his negotiator in the dowry settlement a month earlier. “Do you insult me? I, Odiero, great chief of Talabi, educate my only daughter, clothe her, keep her upright all these years then you come and take her away- just for five cows?” Kamongo, a cousin of Obierika intervened, “We come only to negotiate a suitable price, that both parties may be satisfied with this arrangement in the end.” He was also part of Obierika’s spokesmen. However, commotion ensued at the station that halted his thoughts abruptly. Four heavily built young men with black t-shirts with the word ‘SECURITY’ boldly emblazoned on their chests, followed in hot pursuit after a scrawny man shouting at the top of their voices, "Catch him! Stop that thief!” The fleeing man, attempting to escape into the shocked crowd tripped and fell on dry earth with a heavy thud. The four, panting their lungs out, taking their chance quickly grabbed him as he desperately tried to get up on his feet and run further. They dragged him to their security office raining blows and kicks on him for the troubles he had caused them as the crowd of onlookers speculated as to what he may have done. Some said he had stolen a purse from a lady passenger, others said he had been caught urinating in public, as women rumoured he had raped a goat meant for sale in the nearby market and painstakingly cursed on what had become of their men’s morals and so on. With the evolution and mutations of those women's gossip, it was hard to separate fact from hearsay and sieving the truth from lie was a pure calling in itself, and a divine one too. An old dusty bus pulled by, letting out a huge cloud of exhaust smoke that caused Obierika and a couple of others seated with him to cover their noses and look away momentarily. She would be in it, he knew, for this was the bus that normally plied the route to Anyango’s fatherland. Anxiety and joy gripped him all at the same time. It was near mid-day now and the sun burned with the intensity of the hour as Anyango appeared from amongst the group of alighting passengers. She had carried with her a traditional bag made from papyrus reed that seemed to be holding foodstuff from home and on her left arm, a designer handbag that Obierika had previously bought her in the city as a gift. Her face shone. The month of July passed by solemnly and quietly. Her pregnancy had started to show and she felt more at home day by day in her new house. Anyango would wait back in the house and pamper herself as Obierika desired. Even with her heaviness, she still attended to her light household chores, even as Obierika objected to this, and she was a good wife. Obierika himself would leave for work in the mornings and return in the region of 6 pm with food for the night that he would occasionally prepare, since her mood swings became unpredictable as time went by. He found a home in her. His friends grew distant with time as he had no time for them and never took to the bars anymore. His love for her had blossomed. At a time around mid-August, one day, early in the morning, just as Obierika was leaving for work, his mother-in-law arrived from home. Anyango and Obierika were elated that she had come to bless them and their unborn child. They exchanged pleasantries and said prayers of thanksgiving and for peace and love. However, her mother’s expression was of a sad and a broken woman. His mother-in-law had come to deliver information about the demise of Anyango's father. Anyango and Obierika started to argue a lot for she did not eat as required. Her father’s passing had hit her hard. She had barely spoken during his burial. She never ate, and if she did it was only to please her husband. She wept bitterly and her health deteriorated with time. Mourners came to her not knowing whether to console with her or to congratulate her for her coming child. Many walked away with no word after the burial and she grew lonely in her heart. Back in the city, they tried to go on with their life as usual but a little of the spark that was once in her had since faded away. The laughter scarcely and dryly happened. Obierika would return home earlier than usual and on certain days, he failed to go to work at all, tending to her as she lay on bed. On those days, she would wake up with fever, vomit, diarrhea and light bleeding from her genitals. The doctor assured them this was normal at her stage of pregnancy. With only two weeks left to delivery, Obierika, being a man who never took any risks, had her admitted and closely monitored at the City maternity till she would deliver. The nurses tended to her while she was out working, fed and helped her dress up on occasions when she was weak. An elderly woman nurse, Emeka, took exceptional concern for them and would personally tend to her and call Obierika when there was any problem or a bill that needed clearing or something to be purchased. It was one of those evenings when he had gone to pay her his usual visits that Anyango requested Obierika to stay the night with her. He told her he had a meeting at the workplace early the next morning and he would borrow a day off, as soon as it was over and come to her. She implored him further to stay but he gently declined and she finally let it slide. Obierika watched her eat her food and when she was done, he kissed her and left for home. At around 2 o’clock in the morning, as he slept his phone rang. It was Emeka urging him to rush to the maternity. She sounded strange and different. Obierika drove to the ward in his pajamas and bathroom sandals, confused and fearful. He better than anyone else knew it was not time yet for her to deliver their baby. A crowd of nurses had gathered outside her room. He grew nervous and awfully weary with each step as he waded through the crowd of onlookers. Emeka was sobbing as Obierika pushed her away from the entrance of the door. There she was, Anyango, body still fresh, soaked in blood that appeared to be still oozing from her genital area. In shock and disbelief he moved closer, stood over her lifeless body, held her, hugging her remains as he wept with deep emotion. Two days went by and the maternity had not heard from Obierika concerning Anyango's corpse, since storming out while insulting the staff that fateful night. Emeka, knowing his house from one of their conversations left to check up on him. The door was locked from inside but her knocks went unanswered. Sensing that something did not seem right, she hastily gathered a couple of young men from the neighborhood who helped her break the door down. Emeka entered the house and called out but there was no answer. A strong stench hit her from the hallway to her left. She turned and looked that direction. Her face filled up with horror as she dropped down unconscious. The young men who had seen what had happened rushed in to her aid and the same horror that befell her came upon them. A corpse of a young, tall, dark and handsome man wearing a blue suit and a white t-shirt with black and well polished shoes dangled from the roof. Read More