Back at home, Diana, Mrs. Mwape was helping her son do homework. Explaining the basics of math’s to her only fruit of her womb. Well, she had been blessed with a son 6 years after Jena and Ben got back Grace, the only challenge is that the boy had some kind of defect, one of his legs was not as strong the time he was born so his condition affected his leg bones making the boy have a limp in walking as he grew older. The doctors had told Mrs. Mwape that those where some of the effects of having given birth to a child in her later stages of life.
Inwardly she felt her obsession with Grace was the fact that she wanted a normal and sharp child that she found in Grace. She had noticed even his level of intelligence was not good. The boy had issues with school.
“What are you guys doing?” Kent asked as he walked into the house.
“Hey! You are back?” Diana turns to look at her husband standing up.
“I was trying to help Joshua to solve this” she pointed at a book on the table.
“but honey, Joshua is in grade 7 why are you solving that grade 4 work with him?” the husband asked lifting the paper and looking down on his son who was busy chewing on his fingers unconcerned.
“You know how he is, he doesn’t seem to know anything of Grade 7 work. Am worried about this boy, how is he going to write his exams with such kind of slow progress?” she shook her head.
“Well, get to it guys am going to check on the fields. Am a farmer and not a teacher and besides you are the mother, see how you can help him. I wonder why he cannot be as intelligent as Grace. At his age, she was performing far much better and effective no one had to teach her a thing” he added as he walked to the pantry to get his gumboots
Diana shoot a sad look at her husband. Knowing so well he knew that Grace was not their biological daughter.
“You know next time you decide to compare our kids you should think twice about saying it aloud. This boy there is our son and he needs both our support to get where we want him to be. “She scolded her husband angrily.
“Come on Diana it’s not the way you are putting it, I was just saying…”
“What?” she cut in following him as he walked to the other room?
“What is your problem this afternoon? I was just making an innocent comment and I wasn’t wrong because you know so well this boy has always been like this since birth. So please spare me the lectures and let me do my work in the fields” he added and walked out leaving Diana upset.
She looked back at her son and sighed sadly.
“Maybe its a punishment for what I did years back” she thought to herself her eyes started filling up she had to walk away to avoid Joshua seeing her. She sat in the couch and allowed her mind to replay some memories from years back. She and her husband had agreed to let Jena and Ben take Grace away. She had stood by the window watching as they left, her heart heavy with pain of losing a baby she had come to embrace as hers for almost 3 years of her life from the day she was born.
“Its okey my dear, it’s going be okey” Kent whispered to his wife and held her close.
“No, it’s not okey honey. We took in that baby and took care of her from day one. If we had not picked her, she could have died with either the cold or eaten by the dogs that night. Am not going to sit here and watch a stupid girl and her flashy boyfriend come and take away what we have raised” she shook her head seriously looking at her husband.
“What now, we already agreed to let her go my wife, so that is what we are going to do” he shrugged walking her away from the window.
“Listen to me Kent, if you have given up on our baby that is your problem, as for me Diana, am not letting go, that girl is my child and am not letting her go.” she spat and walked away leaving her husband watching her in silence, he was also affected but he had no idea how he was going to get the girl back.
“What is this?” Kent asked looking down on the papers.
“I have acquired new lands, very fertile and a lot of space enough for a good farming business we will start” she smiled at him.
“What? Are you joking right now or you are serious?” he looked at his wife`s face.
“We just shifted here and I don’t think this land is bad at all. We have all we need here honey” he shrugged softly shaking his head.
“Listen am not disputing that, but if we are going to get our daughter back we need to start our lives from far away. I don’t like the areas in the further North but Monze is not bad. A lot of business opportunities too” she explained with gestures.
“Okey, okey will you slow down a little bit. What do you mean start over with our daughter? Isn’t that chapter closed already?” Kent asked standing up.
“No, it is not closed. I have a perfect plan and no matter what that baby is coming back into our arms, admit it Kent she made us feel like parents, we both love her and know deep down she is ours. So now are you in or not?” she stood to join her husband who looked at her thoughtfully.
“I don’t know Diana, this doesn’t sound okey at all” he shook his head.
“Well, better make up your mind or am going to do it all by myself” she shouted and walked away.
“Mommy! See, I have finished that question!” Joshua shouted excitedly as he limped towards his mother making Diana snap out of her thoughts and look at her son.
“Hm. really? Let me see that” she extended her hand and got the book.
“It’s wrong Joshua, do it again” she scoffed holding her head feeling tired all of a sudden.
“But mom, ” he almost complained
“No buts Joshua go and redo your work please” she raised her voice at him.
The boy walked away to the kitchen table he had been writing from, dumped the book on the table and ran outside to play.
******
In Lusaka Jena and her kids where in the car as she drove them to school.
“So have you guys parked all your homework books?” she asked looking at the kids through the mirror.
“Yep” Mapalo responded
“Yep? Sweetheart what did I say about such kind of language in our house?” she scolded the girl who looked at her fingers and softly apologized.
“It’s yes mother” Isaac added looking at his sister.
“I am not talking to you” Mapalo responded hitting the brother on the shoulder. He too raised his hand to hit her back but before, Jena raised her voice at them.
“can you guys behave yourselves this morning or I swear I will take you back home and you will wait for the driver to take you” She threatened.
“It’s her who started mommy” cried Isaac.
“I don’t want to hear all that just sit back and silence please” she shook her head as she drove close to the traffic lights which were now turning red. Her phone rung at the moment and she picked the head sets to her ears answering it.
“Junior, good morning” she greeted the moment she slid the phone to answer.
“Am okey auntie, just wanted to let you know am coming back home this afternoon, we have gone on Vac” he answered
“Well, that is good, we missed you. Just call Isaac and Mapalo`s driver to come pick you up. Your uncle will be busy and I have some work load too. We might come home late”
“Sure, see you later” Junior sighed
“Hey what about that friend of yours Isaac won’t stop talking about? How is she?” Jena asked stepping off the accelerator as the traffic lights turned green.
“She is okey, she was supposed to go today too but she stays in Monze and couldn’t get a ticket on time. She will be going back tomorrow.” He explained.
“Any problem?” Junior asked.
“No, I just found her name quite odd” Jena let a laugh recalling how Isaac had spoken of Grace telling her she spoke so calmly. He had told her mother that she was so beautiful he wished Junior would pick her as his girlfriend.
“Yeah, I know right. Am sure one day I will come home with her. I have told her how great you guys are and she always finds stories about you so fascinating.”
“Hm. so what is the deal between the two of you huh? Will you tell your aunty?” she laughed
“Um, let me come home aunty” Junior quickly dodged the question and Jena shook her head knowing so well he had something hidden,
“Okey then see you later “she cut the line and looked ahead as Roads Park School came into view.
“Hurry out guys am late for work” she hurried her kids and Mapalo moved forward to plant a kiss on her cheeks as Isaac walked on.
“Isaac?” Jena called back her son.
“What? Bye mom!” he smiled raising his hand.
“No, no, come on here” she laughed pointing her finger on her cheeks.
“No ways. The guys are watching mommy come on” the boy shrugged and before Jena could answer he trotted away to join his friends she shook her head. Knowing her son was no longer that small boy who would kiss her at whatever place.
“Thank you Lord” she whispered to herself as she joined the main road to head back to her law firm in town.
Story continues…
