What is Going on?

Pabonya retraced his steps to his house. He was bitter than he had come; partially suffocated by anger. He no longer walked with an air of superiority. The feeling of self importance in him was gone. He had failed to achieve the purpose of his visit to Becky’s house. He had failed to demonstrate the power of an elder whose utterances became the unquestionable law. He could not even intimidate Becky. It was incredible how she had treated him to a reception of condescendence and disparagement.

For several years of his existence, he had never come across a woman, born or married to the clan trying to challenge the elders’ endeavors to guide and direct the younger generation.

But here was Becky who seemed to have taken him as her equal and managed to instill a little feeling of inferiority within him.

He soon got back home, his breakfast was ready. His wife, Tabutany, had set a table for him. But he was in no mood for food. He sat down and was soon lost in his thoughts.

What was it that gave her so much power? He asked himself.

She seemed to wield some power that posed a certain perilous threat and made him so helpless and defenseless. It was by that power that she had driven him out of her homestead.

Something had to be done. Or the power could grow and even spread. Women like Becky could be dangerously influential. The rest of the women around her could soon be rendered vulnerable to her contagious attitude and could end up bewitched with her perverseness. She was a ticking time bomb just about to explode.

He blamed Tesot. His nephew had granted her so much freedom to do as she wished. The freedom had bred arrogance. There was no reason to allow him to remain in love with such a thick headed woman.

But hating alone was not sufficient. There was need for something more; an appropriate course of action that will cut off the fountain from which she drew joy.

He knew it would not be an easy feat. Tesot had been very gracious to him; donating money many times and bailing him out of financial difficulties he sometimes found himself in. How would he handle the wife without setting himself in conflict against his great benefactor?

“You haven’t touched your breakfast,” his wife’s voice interrupted his reverie. Tabutany had not failed to notice that her husband looked so sad and so absorbed in his thoughts. She had been secretly watching him, her eyes deeply searching his face. He had spent a long time staring in the air.

Pabonya looked at her without saying a word. They had been married for over fifty years now. She had been a good wife who meekly obeyed his every order. She would at times express a contrary opinion on certain matters but she always let him have his way. Could he say the same of Tesot and Becky?

“Hey!” Tabutany snapped a finger in his face to draw his attention. “What is it?”

“What?”

“You seem a little distracted.”

“No! I am not.”

“Yes, you are,” she took a seat next to him. “What is gnawing at you? You can confide in me. Whatever it is we will work it out. Just tell me.”

Pabonya stared questioningly at her. Was there wisdom in sharing his concern with his wife?

“It is Becky,” icy rage raced across his body as her name slipped through his lips.

“What about Becky?” Tabutany inquired with a growing curiosity.

“I have never seen a woman chest thump and utter unpalatable words before an elder like me in the most condescending way," Pabonya remarked sardonically. "She has no decency; no idea how to control her foul mouth and I can’t stand her.”

“You had an altercation with Becky?”

“Yeah, I am just from visiting her at her house.”

“As early as this?” her eyebrows rose. “You’ve already been to Tirita and picked a quarrel with your nephew’s wife? That was uncalled for.”

He explained that he had to reprimand her for the way she behaved towards him the previous day. “But her contempt was so inappropriate and unacceptable,” He said.

“I know Becky, and pardon me for saying this. She is a wonderful young woman who goes out of her way to be nice to people,” Tabutany said.

“Oh!” Pabonya stared at her in disbelief clearly displeased. “So it is women for women!”

“You don’t get it.”

“Glorify her. Justify her ‘small sin.’ ”

“I don’t approve of the way she behaved towards you.”

“Yet you are so eager to believe she is a good person. You don’t even see beneath her false smiles and assurance. You too have been deceived by the masquerade of her insufferable kindness.”

“She is good but also feisty. Give her trouble and be certain that she will give it back. If only you could be honest with me, you would tell me what you did to bring out the wild woman in her.”

“I don’t know what you see in her so praise-worthy when her insolence is so intolerable. There is a dark side in her you are not paying much attention to. If a third of our women behave the way she is beginning to behave, this clan, with its distinguished history, is doomed. And for your information some of them are already following in her steps. Just take a walk around the village of Tirita and even here in Kures and you won't miss two or three of her ilk dressed and walking in a way that mimics her. Such women look at her with admiration and many more would soon be led astray. So mine is not a personal concern. It is the whole clan I am worried about. Danger lurks in her continued presence among us.”

“I still don’t Understand?” Tabutany said.

“Something must be done to rid the clan of the contamination of her presence.”

“Is that what you are planning?”

“Yes! Drive a permanent wedge between her and our son.”

“Surely, you would go to such lengths?”

This to Pabonya was the best way to give Becky a fraction of the pain he felt at being looked down upon by a woman. “Someone has to do something to stop her from spreading this poison around the clan,” he said.

“You must drop this fight. Becky should never be your problem. You must respect your nephew's wife. And like it or not, if Tesot would not want to leave his wife, what else would you do?”

“Just watch me.”

***

Rebecca was a potential ally that Pabonya could rely on to back his mission. The widow lost her husband a long time ago while his first born son, Tesot, was still a young boy. Pabonya had taken over as head of the family, representing the departed brother whenever situation necessitated. This representation role was clearly manifested when he led a negotiation party to Becky’s home to forge marriage engagement between Tesot and Becky.

For that reason, Becky, when she got married had referred to him as ‘father-in-law’ and had accorded him all the respect she considered due to him. But that had gradually changed as Pabonya began pestering her.

Pabonya made another trip to Tirita. This time destined to a different house: Rebecca’s. It was still early in the morning when he set foot in her compound. She was busy sweeping her grass thatched round mud-walled hut. Pabonya watched through the open door as she placed the rubbish on a goatskin tray and walked out of the hut taking the rubbish to a dump pit a couple of meters to the fence.

As she turned around to come back to the house, she noticed her approaching brother-in-law and hurried to put the house in order. She had always been regarded of as a well organised woman. A reputation she intended to maintain.

“Pomuru!” Pabonya called as he got close to the threshold. And in the word he used was expressed, the respectful manner in which a brother-in-law and a sister-in-law addressed each other?

“Yoo!” came Rebecca’s gentle response.

“Iyio.”

“Nyon!”

He stepped in and was shown to a wooden bench behind a small table. She had taken time to wipe the furniture clean so it would not dirty his clothes.

"Ochamegei!” he greeted her the Kipsigis way as he sat down setting his walking stick beside him leaning against the wall.

“Kichamegei mising!” said Rebecca wondering what it was so bothering that he made the early morning walk all the way from Kures to her house.

It was very warm inside and Pabonya was soon relieved of the cold.

“Is it well in Kures?” Rebecca inquired.

“It is well. People are busy in their farms planting.”

“It is the same case here. The oxen finished ploughing Becky’s land yesterday and today they rest and tomorrow they will till my land,” Rebecca detailed.

Tesot had bought his own oxen and both Rebecca and Becky no longer relied on Pabonya’s oxen to cultivate their land.

A sufuria of tea was simmering on the fire place.

“Speaking of Becky, she is the reason I am here this morning,” Pabonya announced.

Rebecca, tilting her gaze towards him wondered what he implied with that.

“Is anything the matter with Becky?” she asked curiously.

“I am a little unhappy with some things that have been going on lately.”

“And what is that?”

“We met yesterday. You should have seen how she was dressed. I tried to talk to her intend on giving a fatherly advice that it was about time she considered the elders counsel and changed her dress code. But her reaction was so nasty. She assumed a very cruel attitude and I ended up being a recipient of a volley of scathing insults.”

“I am sorry you had to go through that,” Rebecca said moving to the fireplace to attend to the now boiling tea. She did not like the way Pabonya was concerning himself so much with Becky’s life. She lifted the sufuria with her bare hands and placed it on the floor. She then walked out and returned within minutes, a thermos flask in her hands.

“I don’t know what has gotten into her,” Pabonya resumed as his sister-in-law settled on a mud seat beside the fireplace.

She seemed to be pondering over something and then she said, “Was it really necessary, confronting her? You have had this conversation with her countless times. You ought to have known by now that it doesn’t help.” She fetched the steaming liquids from the sufuria and sieved it into the flask. Done, she took a clean cup in one hand and the flask in the other and approached the table. She set them before her brother-in-law.

“Let’s bow down for a word of prayer,” She said.

They closed their eyes and she led the prayer.

And Pabonya said Amen, when she was done.

“Now have your tea,” She said before going back to her seat. She fetched more tea from the sufuria and filled her own cup.

Pabonya removed the thermos lid and filled his cup too.

“So you think she wouldn’t listen?” He continued to pursue his course.

“Haven’t we tried enough to influence a change in her?” Rebecca posed. “It simply doesn’t work.”

“And how does that make you feel? That your daughter-in-law does not listen to any of our advice? That she cannot conform to our norms and customs? Do we endure this kind of behavior for the rest of her life in the clan?”

“What other choice do we have? Isn't it clear, that she made a firm decision to please herself rather than please the clan? And knowing her social history and how she has maintained this personality from time dating prior to her joining our clan, I believe it is time we respect that decision. Maybe, we need to be more tolerant and accept someone different from the rest of us. Maybe, to Becky and her husband, this matter we are troubling ourselves with is a non-issue. Don’t you think that Tesot is well aware of the kind of lifestyle his wife is leading. Yet he is not bothered in any way. Wouldn’t it be prudent to leave this generation alone?”

Pabonya noted regretfully, that he could not count on Rebecca to back his vendetta. Clearly, she was being protective of her. And the obdurate daughter-in-law would continue to have her way.

He emptied his cup very fast and rose to bid goodbye.

Basing his conflict with Becky on matters clothing alone would not guarantee any success. He would have to look for something more shocking and ground breaking to discredit her.

He returned to Kures thinking hard.

An idea struck. Infidelity would not be condoned in the clan. If he could present Becky as unfaithful wife, he would have his way. He wished he could hire someone to tempt Becky into betraying her husband.

As he approached the river, two young women came up laden with barrels of water. Pabonya recognised them: Chebet and Chepkorir both reputed as best gossipers the village had ever known. A plan sprang fully formed in his mind. These two could prove so valuable in ensuring his success getting even with Becky. He only needed to strike a matchstick and drop it on the dry grass and the whole forest would burst in flames.

“Hey! My daughters, how are you?” Pabonya stopped them.

“We are fine,” They both said straightening their necks to look at him.

“How about you?” Chepkorir inquired.

“Not as fine. I just heard this morning that ruined the day that had begun so gloriously.”

“What would that be?”

“A word getting around. It seems like Becky is turning into a dirty woman.”

“What!” The two women expressed their surprise simultaneously.

“You are shocked? I found it hard to believe too. She is having an affair?" He dropped the bomb.

“Unbelievable!” Chebet said.

"You haven’t heard? I expected you would know," Pabonya said. "Perhaps the two of you could help me verify this. If there is any truth to it, I am sure you would find out.”

He had set the ball rolling. Charged with the information he had given he was nearly certain they would not keep their mouths shut.

They parted ways. Pabonya went down towards the river while Chepkorir and Chebet continued their journey to deliver the water they had gone to fetch home.

Each of the women was in doubt as to the truth in what has just been relayed to them.

“Do you believe him?” Chebet asked her friend.

“As unlikely as it sounds, I wish it was true.” Chepkorir declared.

“Me too.”

They both laughed.

“That woman is too proud,” Said Chebet

Becky had become a subject of both envy and Jealousy among some women in the village. Not because she had brushed shoulders with them, but because she had been emboldened enough to defy the conservative insistence on the traditional code of dressing. She wore miniskirts, high heeled shoes and polished her fingernails. And at times she painted her lips red. Her ears were pierced and on certain occasions, she would hang earrings on them. She always dressed nicely in fancy clothes hard to come by from the local market for those who were tempted to dress like her. While every other woman always had a scarf over her head, Becky’s long blow-dried hair, fell down her shoulders in shiny waves. She seemed to have everything she wanted in life.

A moment later, the two women came to a cross-road and had to part ways.

That day, there would be a gathering in one of the homes in the village; a little party where women would meet to celebrate a new born baby. As a custom practiced since ancient times, on the seventh day of a baby’s birth, women from the neighborhood would come together to congratulate the mother. They would come from Tirita, Kures and all the neighboring villages bringing with them water, firewood, milk, sugar and anything that anyone could think worthy as a present for either the mother or the baby. They would share tea as they laughed and joked telling all sorts of stories.

The forum would create a perfect opportunity for Chebet and Chepkorir to gauge whether Pabonya’s rumor had found its way into the realm of the village gossip. Chebet and Chepkorir agreed that they would meet at the new mother’s home.

***

Chepkorir emerged from her house a carrier bag in her hand. She approached the water barrel where she had left in the morning just outside her house. She confirmed that the lid was closed tight before slowly guiding the barrel to her back. She then made her way to the new mother’s home.

When she got there, she could see several bundles of firewood randomly laid at different points outside the kitchen house, an indication that quite a number of women had arrived. There was a huge drum by the wall and several empty barrels lay disorganized around it. She walked towards the drum and lowering her water barrel, she emptied the contents of her barrel into the drum. Done she left her empty barrel not far away from the door, where she would easily pick on her way back home after the party.

“Iyo!” she called.

“Nyon!” several voices invited her in.

She stepped into the noisy room and after cheerfully exchanging greetings with the smiling women seated all around, she handed over the carrier bag to the hands of the waiting midwife. She was directed to an empty chair and as soon as she had made herself comfortable, a cup was set on the table before her.

She stretched an arm towards a pot nearby and took it. She then filled her cup to the brim and sat waiting for the steaming tea to cool a bit before raising it to her lips and taking a tiny sip. She enjoyed the robust sweetness of the liquid while holding her ears tuned to the ongoing conversation in anticipation to detect any word she could relate with Pabonya’s rumor. But none of it was forthcoming. All that the women did was engage each other in a worthless debate as to whether the baby took after the mother or the father.

Then Chebet arrived and Chepkorir gained the strength and eagerness to broach the subject now that she had someone to back her claims. She had always been regarded as the most informed woman in both Kures and Tirita and was always the first to disseminate any hot news and gossip. She was not willing to relinquish that title to Chebet now.

“Hey ladies!” she drew everyone’s attention having calculated her timings to coincide with Chebet’s fully settling down "I've got some thrilling news for you.”

“Crack it up darling!” one of the women said.

“I thought you were already privy to and was expecting it to be the main topic that would run in this gathering. But I have sat here all this time and heard nothing.” She cast a glance at Chebet who winked at her; a sign to carry on.

“Get to your point ooh,” another woman expressed her eagerness.

“You wouldn’t believe it. Becky is having an affair.”

With that she gained everyone’s full attention. They turned their faces to her revealing expressions of awe.

“No way!” another one protested.

“What are you saying!” there were mixed reaction in the room some utterly shocked while other seemed to rejoice without even considering the possibility of the rumor being wrong.

“Chepkorir is right,” Chebet added more prominence to the narrative. “I heard the same thing earlier today from Becky’s father-in-law himself. You should have seen how worried and disturbed he looked about this.

“That is not possible. There must be a misunderstanding,” The new mother hosting the party said. And this was followed by a long debate a good number of the women expressing their belief that the rumor could indeed be true.

“And who is he?” another woman asked.

“What do you mean ‘he’?” Chepkorir responded

“The man involved in the affair.”

“That part we don’t know.”

While they were still talking, one of the women spotted Becky making her way through the gate into the compound.

“Ssssh!” she warned the rest of them. “Stop it she is coming.”

“Who is coming?”

“Becky!”

They stopped when she was very close to the door. There were no firewood on her back and neither was a water barrel. Instead, she had a large baggage tied with a leso. She soon crossed over the threshold and stepped in.

They welcomed her, some helping to get the baggage off her back while others ogled at her in silence. The mid wife took the baggage away as Becky settled on a seat.

She was given a cup.

She could feel their gazes upon her. She had noted how the noise had subsided the moment she had stepped into the compound until there was complete silence when she entered the hut. But she gave no much thought about it.

Gradually the conversation picked again but this time on a different topic. It went on until they had drained all pots and thermos flasks. That is when they began to disperse one after another.

Soon they were all gone. The newborn’s mother embarked on opening the gifts she had received. Her interest was drawn to the large carton brought by Becky. She opened it and was amazed at the contents and the clear extend of Becky's generosity. She must have spent a lot shopping for these: several changes of baby clothes, a whole pack of diapers, shawls, soap, detergents, juice and other miscellany of foodstuff. She would not need to buy anything in a couple of weeks. She instantly resented the unkind manner in which her guest had bad mouthed about her.

CHAPTER THREE

Pabonya’s Nightfall Visit

The women were on their way home after visiting the new-born. Some of them had to pass near Pabonya’s home. They were still debating what fate awaited Becky.

At that hour, Pabonya was wondering about his garden. He saw the approaching women and overheard their conversation. Stopping in his tracks he listened more keenly, his interest intensifying as he perceived the subject of their discussion. He hastily concealed himself behind the napier-grass.

“Do you think she will get away with it?” one of the women asked.

“This thing is very serious,” answered another one among them. “Wait and see how this would cost her so dearly. She is at risk of losing her marriage.”

Pabonya felt some joy wash over his self. His plan seemed to be rolling into place. He had managed to get people talking and propagating the narrative. He had been determined to bring Becky down but had not anticipated things to start working so fast.

Had these news reached Rebecca's ears? He wondered what she made of it and felt the urge to hear from her. Now that he was gaining the ground, he needed to swiftly shift into action and build his argument aimed at convincing her that Becky was indeed bad.

He had to see her. It was getting late and would soon be dark. But even that would not deter him. If he could have Rebecca in his side, he could have everyone else. And Becky would soon be leaving the clan.

He strolled very fast coming to the river and crossing over to Tirita. The darkness had now set in and he could not see clearly. But even with a blindfold tied around his face, he would still be able to trace his way to Rebecca’s hut.

A burning piece of fire wood glowed in her hut and he was glad he had made it in time before his sister-in-law retired to bed. He paced even faster.

“Iyo!” he announced his arrival.

Startled, Rebecca did not respond immediately. This was no hour to expect guest.

“Pomuru,” he called again.

“Yoo!” she had now recognized whose voice that was.

“Are you there?”

“Come on in, I am here.”

He stepped in.

“You scared me,” Rebecca confessed confirming that it was indeed his brother-in-law.

“Oh! Did I? I am sorry.”

“It is okay, welcome and have a seat.”

He sat down. “I wouldn’t stay for long.”

“Why so much hurry? I am cooking some food. And I intend to make it enough for both of us.”

“Thanks for that, but still you will excuse me for today. I have come again. We need to talk.”

Rebecca settled more comfortably near the fire place, “I am all ears,” she said.

“And you will forgive me for bringing this up again, but I think it is important. I believe you have heard the horrific whispers going around about Becky,” He had lowered his voice a bit.

Rebecca sighed, “Yeah, I heard them.”

“What do you make of them?”

“I wouldn’t deny that they are very disturbing and worrying.”

“I felt the same too,” His tone was almost rejoicing.

“But I have put a lot of thought and resolved to restrain myself from rushing to believe in them. Apparently, it is all hear-say. No one has come out with any proof to cast away any doubts that may be. And for that reason, I still treat these rumors with contempt and abhorrence.”

Pabonya did not like how Rebecca was reading into the matter. When he just thought he had found a way, he realized he was still lost. But he had not come all the way from Kures to give up so easily.

“They are true,” he insisted.

“You don’t know that to certainty.”

“I do.”

Rebecca gazed at him dismayed. “How?”

“Intelligence! Nothing goes on in this village that I cannot know about.”

“I don’t get it.”

“My spies are always circling. For a long time, I have suspected this. And interested in the truth, I set eyes everywhere to monitor her movement. And the information I have gathered thus far is enough to ascertain my suspicion.”

So it was nothing he had seen with his own eyes. It was still hearsay. Who knows? May be the ‘eyes’ he had set supplied the wrong information; fed him with what he wanted to hear.

“How much do you trust your spies?” she questioned.

“Come on Pomuru! Don’t discredit my findings. They are my most trusted men and women.”

“I still doubt.”

“A time is coming when everything would be in black and white.”

“Becky is a good girl. She loves my son and my son loves her with an equal measure. And I don’t like these things being peddled around which are not only out of character to Becky but also pose a great threat to her marriage. Marriage is sacred and any issues to do with it must be handled with utmost caution. People should learn to zip their mouths when things are not yet in black and white.”

Pabonya was having a rough time. Why were these women fighting so hard for one another? “This really needs some sorting out. A special meeting should be convened to inquire into this matter. Allow me to bring our elders on board. Let them give their views. I am afraid the consequences of not clearing this mess now would be devastating.”

Rebecca did not like his suggestion. It would bring a lot of unnecessary noise. Those who had no clue about this would get to know. And more people would soon be shouting, singing and broadcasting the rumors. And the story would get exaggerated with every step it made from one person to another and the whole thing would get bigger and bigger.

But she realized Pabonya was not going to relent. And on a second thought, perhaps among the elders, two or three subscribed to her school of thought. And would view things the same way she viewed them. Such elders would possibly influence the rest of them to cast doubt on these allegation and end up clearing Becky against them.

“It is okay. Call them.” She let Pabonya have his way.

Pabonya had won. He struggled to suppress a smile from his face. But inwardly, he was in a celebratory mood.

“Prepare to host them tomorrow,” he said.

Rebecca did not fail to feel that the urgency with which he was driving this was astonishing. “Okay.” She agreed.

“I must get going now,” He was now in a hurry to leave. “Have a good night,”

“You too.”

After Pabonya left, Rebecca was so much troubled. She felt like she had to warn Becky to be so wary of Pabonya. She peeped through the door and saw darkness. It was not easy to know what larked in the dark.

Becky seemed unable see beyond the state of urgency with which Pabonya was handling her issues. She probably did not sense how his behavior spelled darkness. She definitely needed Rebecca’s guiding hand to protect her from the troubles she was about to face.

She walked to her main house and into the bedroom. She took out a drench coat and put it on. The weather outside was very cool and she needed to keep herself warm. She also took a torch from under the Pillow on her bed and walked out of the house.

In five minutes she entered Becky’s compound. The houses were closed, an indication that Becky had already retired to bed. But she could see the light shining through the joints of the wooden door and could hear music emanating from a radio.

Rebecca drew to the door and knocked gently calling out Becky’s name. She noticed the radio volume lowering and heard the footsteps from inside approaching the door. When the door opened, he stood face to face with Becky.

“Mum!” Becky was surprised to find her mother-in-law standing at the threshold at that hour of the night.

“May I..” She said gesturing towards inside the room.

“Of course, please come in,” Becky said stepping aside to let her pass.

Rebecca walked past her and sat on the nearest couch as Becky shut the door.

“Sorry to bother you at this hour,” she said when Becky joined her on the sofa.

"It is Okay."

"There is something I need to talk to you about.”

“What is it! You are scaring me.”

“Pabonya!”

Becky sighed a bit experiencing a good amount of relief that it was nothing serious. Thus far she did not take Pabonya’s threats seriously. “What happened again?”

“What is it between the two of you?” She questioned.

“Nothing,” Becky said flatly.

“Tell me dear. Did you quarrel with him?”

Becky went ahead to give her the detailed account of all her experiences with the father-in-law.

“Listen my daughter, be careful with him. He is up to no good. Stop arguing with him. If you keep doing that, you would be treading on a dangerous path.”

“He is always looking out for me mum. He came here early in the morning yesterday and started talking to me so roughly. I don’t know what he wants.”

“He wants to destroy you. He hates you child. I could see the deep seated hatred for you in him. I have this feeling that this may not end well.” There was a hint of sadness in her imploring voice.

But Becky’s heart filled with joy as she perceived the extent of Rebecca’s concern for her.

Rebecca thought of asking Becky about the rumor going round but declined to move in that direction. That would mean she had stopped trusting her. There was no truth in the rumor anyway.