Entry 4

Sunday, 16 February 2014

11:45PM

Dear Jennifer, 

My husband has not yet come back from a fundraiser he attended in the afternoon after church. Perhaps he decided to spend the rest of his day at our home back in the boondock. I wonder why he never keeps me updated on his whereabouts, not even after a holy mass in town and a stressful afternoon.

Georgie loves the church, though I would lie, to be sincere, to say it has ever had any spiritual impact on him. We have never been part of a specific congregation since he began his political career. We just keep maundering about from one group of believers to another. 

So today being a worship day, he told me in the morning that we were going to attend sermon at a local church back in Seme. Thirty minutes later, he changed his mind that we would first attend sermon at a church in Nyamasaria, and then he would leave us to attend a fundraiser at the local one in Seme. By 10am, we were already gathered in his car and the driver took us to his office in town where we teamed up with other county officials. Then shortly afterwards, all the officials got back into their cars and the fleet took off to the church. 

The church in Nyamasaria is always parked to the gunnels. Georgie has always considered it a good political platform, a place where he can reason with elders and sell his leadership image to the people. And he did not spoil the chance; when the mass mover invited him to the chancel after the preachings and prayers had ended, he garnished his political goodwill with promises and achievements. 

"I am and will always be your servant leader. You entrusted me with this governorship position and I bet I am doing the best I can to live to its demands and expectations. Phase one of constructing our stadium has just kicked off and next month, we are launching the symbio-city project that I have been speaking about and which my executive team has been assessing and holding under review... ." The congregants applauded and cheered at him. "Our... our duty is to make this county, the county of our pride and heritage, the best place to live and do business in. If our environment is clean and safe, then investments will thrive and excel, and our economy will be juicy. Then there will be... ."

It was at this point that I noticed he was putting on a ring on his right-hand ring finger! My attention quickly shifted from his speech to the ring. It resembled the gold ring and there was no doubt that it was. But why was he wearing it on the ring finger? I almost broke down in tears at the sight of it. In fact, I could now almost see another woman standing next to him, nodding and smiling at me knavishly. I was horrified and could not keep my knickers on. I let part free my lips and made one of the loudest shrills of a lifetime. Then I passed out. 

When I came to in the evening, I found myself in a ward, two nurses around me. I quickly recognized them; they work at Moderncare Private Hospital and have been good friends. 

"What? Am I in a hospital ward?" I asked, sitting up, almost still unaware of my situation. 

"Yes, Mrs Argwins. Easy... go easy," replied Edith, one of the two, helping me sit myself up. 

"Moderncare... I'm at Moderncare? What happened to me?" I frained, trying hard to recall. 

"We've been told you were in church listening to your husband's speech, then you screamed bloody murder and fainted," replied Faith, the other nurse. 

"Ohhh...," I exclaimed, reminiscing what had transpired at the church. 

"Mrs Argwins, can you recall what you last saw before you fainted?" inquired Edith. 

"A black old woman... standing beside him, my husband, and smiling at me arrogantly," I explained. 

"Oh! Did you actually...," started Faith. 

"Wait! My daughter... she's not okay. I have to go. Now. Please," I popped up, pulling everything aside and getting out of the bed. I felt a little pain biting at my back. "I have to go home and check on my Harriet."

"No. You're still not stable enough to leave, Mrs Argwins. Not until we establish details about what occured," explained Edith, trying to blockade my way. 

"I'm fine. You can stop by my house for the details later." With that, I took off the hospital dress, put on my clothes and, without saying goodbye, left. I hired a taxi home. 

As I go to bed tonight, dear sister, I cannot rebut the feeling that there is more to this ring than I can just imagine. 

***