CHAPTER THREE

The sun high above the trees when Sekai awoke. She felt as if several kilograms had been removed form her. And she felt ravenously hungry. She was lying on her back and for the first time in months, she could see her toes. She smiled as she remembered the night's ordeal and the relief and pleasure I which it ended. Sekai turned on her left side towards her baby and lovingly removed the gudza which covered him. Sekai did not at first understand what she saw. Instead of the light brown infant which she expected, she saw a creamy, grub like creature. She had never before seen a human being of this colour. Was this really her child or had there been a mistake? She snuggled between the natural desire to cuddle the baby and a sinking deeling of fear which made he want to scream. Before she could decide which emotion to obey, Ambuya Tukai entered the hut. She immediately felt the tension and noticed that Sekai was not touching the child. Slowly and expertly, she sat down.

"Good morning my child" she intoned softly clapping her cupped hands in salutation. "Have you slept well, grandmother," responded Sekai.

"I have slept well, my child."

Having completed their greeting, neither woman knew what to say. The creamy skinned infant lay between them like a marble weight holding down conversation. Sekai was the first to speak:

"Ambuya, tell me, is this child mine?"

"How could you ask such a question, my child? Yes, we took it from your body last night."

Sekai's eyes brimmed with tears: "But Ambuya, I have a ever seen any of our people like this one."

"Neither have I, my daughter. I have lost count the rains that have wet me and the winters that have chilled my bones but I have never seen a child like this. I do remember, many seasons ago during my initiation, our chief teacher told of such baby...born without a skin, she said. " She paused staring back into the distant past. " It was taken away from the mother. " she ended, almost in a whisper.

" No Ambuya! " The cry wrenched from Sekai. " I want my son!"

" But my daughter, how will it be able to live without a skin? What will the others say? What will your husband say and do when he knows the son you have brought him? My child go to sleep. I will look after your son."

For an answer, Sekai reached for the baby and held him firmly to her breasts. So sudden was the movement and so strong was the embrace that the child began to cry. She just clutched the baby and allowed the feelings of love, flowing from deep within her to envelope them, shutting out Ambuya and the world. Then at last she spoke:

"No Ambuya, he must live! I have waited too long and suffered too much for him. No, Ambuya, HE IS MINE AND I WILL NOT GIVE HIM UP!"

She ceased speaking and starred into space seeing the barren years of waiting through which she had come, and ahead to the uncertain future, and whispered determinedly, " No, I will not give him up to anyone!"

Ah my child, you do not know what you're saying. Now that the womb is opened, my daughter, there will be many others," said Ambuya entreatingly.

But Sekai who had known ridicule and shame, hopelessness and despair, was not willing to destroy this morsel of life which had been given her.

" And did not the olds say, hold on to what you have because the spirit elders may not give you twice, Ambuya? Has my husband been told that I have given him a son?"

"Oh Sekai his joy is great. We do not know how to tell him that his son is unlike any other in the clan. We cannot even guess what he will do." And she scratched her old grey head and pinched the flabby lips between her toothless gums. Soon she continued: "He has gone to fetch a goat for you. Also he is planning a feast for the day you and the child come out of doors. How can we kill his joy by telling him that his child is 'sope'?"

Sekai did not attempt to answer Ambuya Tukai. For a long time she lay wrapped in the blanket of her troubled thoughts. Then she gently replaced her son in the mat, sat up and said:

" Ambuya, my husband will thank you for your services to me and his son. Now I thank you for your kindness and concern for me but I shall tell him myself. Please bring me some water so that I may wash and go to my husband when he returns."

"But you cannot; you must not see him yet. He is not to see the child so early," pleaded Ambuya Tukai.

"Ambuya I respect you and I know tradition but at this unusual time when my son is born without a skin, the ancestors will forgive me. If you my mother will stay with my son, I will go to my husband and tell him myself. Now that you have seen the love that I have for the fruit of my body, I know you will not take him from me willingly."

Sekai's voice carried such determination that Ambuya Tukai did as she asked.

After washing and oiling herself, Sekai set out for Makwati's hut where she thought she might find him. Her co-wives and their children were away from the compound. A radiant smile lit uo Makwati's handsome, dark features when he saw Sekai approaching him where he sat outside his hut. When she a was a few paces from him, she dropped to her knees, clapped he cupped hands and waited for Makwati to speak.

"mother of our son, you have filled my calabash with joy. You have lifted me up among the men at the 'dare' . But why have you come to me so soon? Is our son not well?" he asked, anxiety lacing his voice.

"He is well my husband." answered Sekai looking at the ground. "It is only...." she hesitated mid sentence.

Sensing her uneasiness, and fearing that she may be about to announce bad new, Makwati spoke sharply.

"Is he not whole? But no; if it were otherwise, he would not be with us. What is it, woman?"

"My husband, father of our son, the wise ones say that some 'some troubles have no solution and must be endured'. My troubles are more than I alone can bear. But they are also your troubles, my lord. To me, his mother, our son is beautiful ; and you, his father, will find him sturdy and strong like you but my husband, let me say that which pains me to tell you." By this time, Sekai's voice was almost down to a whisper as tears threatened to choke her.

" Our son is 'tope'.