Chapter Thirteen

Mrs Wabua was still dressing up when someone knocked on the door. Quickly, she slipped into her silk dress with muted shades of red and her slippers and went to get the door. She turned on the handle and the door opened with a creak and saw Clare standing at the entrance.

"Yes, dear, it's you!" She said and smiled, drawing her closer. She stroked her hair and greeted her with love and affection.

"How are you, my sweetheart?"

"Fine, aunt." She responded and blushed, and then pursued, "I came to inform you that breakfast is served."

"Ok," she said and called her husband who was still having a bath.

"Sweetheart, you better hurry up for breakfast."

Tapping Grace's hand, she gestured to the entrance and followed her to the dining table.

She gazed at her in adoration as she walked gracefully; a very beautiful girl who came into the family as a blessing despite the circumstances. Mrs Wabua could vividly remember that day when she found a week-old miserable baby on their doorstep in the morning, wrapped in linen and shivering from coldness. The creature, after seeing her, cried ceaselessly as if to announce its plight. With a golden compassionate heart of a mother, she took her in her hands and cuddled it with compassion and took her under her care and treated her with the same kind of love that she gave her other children. Seeing her grow into a very beautiful girl filled her with the kind of complacency that was immeasurable. She loved and cherished her because since then Grace had never given her a compelling reason not to. The entire family lived compatibly together as a happy family.

"What's that noise?" she asked curiously after hearing the clanking sound as they approached the living room

"It's Lala and Cynthia. They are in the kitchen."

"Ok, go and tell them we are going out later today."

"Where auntie?" she asked curiously as she raised her eyebrows.

"To aunt Jina's"

"Excellent!" Grace leapt at the idea and her face beamed.

"I'll go and inform them right away." She hopped off to the kitchen to deliver the exciting news.

Mrs Wabua stared at her and smiled at the corner of her mouth. Quietly she sat at the dining table and was deep in thought.

"Perhaps it's a misinterpretation. On no account can I condone such impudence. I need concrete proof. I won't allow Jina to ruin the life of an innocent child, no… " She muttered and pouted her lips, disagreeing.

In a moment there was a knock at the door.

"Cynthia!" She yelled, " someone is at the door."

The latter dashed out to the living room and exchanged greetings and went for the door.

Jina's anger had condensed and she was now smiling.

"I hope it doesn't take long. Julie will complain if she's patient enough to wait." The thought of this troubled his conscience."After peeking at Jina, he thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He was relieved that Julie hadn't sent any text message to him.

"Hey, Grace, how are you, dear?" Jina gave her a warm embrace and a cheerful greeting, her face twisting in a wide smile.

"I am Ok, aunt. How are Esther and the rest?"

" They are good." She answered hesitantly and her gesture changed. She felt a pang of envy after Clare's inquiry into Esther's fairness.

Richard greeted her and the latter invited them inside. Jina's derisive manner towards her niece was derided as ridiculous for everyone close to her. When Mrs Wabua saw her, she wasn't as excited as she had always been in the past. Jina too looked indifferent.

"Richard," she said as her face crinkled up in a smile,

" Welcome. We weren't expecting you. I hope all is well."

Jina murmured her greetings and sat mutely near the door and was in meditative thought.

"Yeah, all is well. Richard replied, "Jina here insisted that we should check on you."

"My sister, thank you for your being loyal. I appreciate, ah how are the kids? How is Esther?"

" Jina seethed with anger. The sound of the name Esther was despicable. Her intention of insisting to meet Mrs Wabua appeared to be meaningless."

"She must have charmed everyone to be favoured by all." She thought and her hatred heightened.

"I want to drop by and see those girls." Said Mrs Wabua taking her old position.

Cynthia and Amon entered from the backdoor. He could distinctly hear strange voices in the house.

"Wait," Amon poked his sister on the shoulder.

"I think we have visitors." Cynthia listened carefully and then nodded in affirmation.

" But who would come to visit this early?" He asked with impassioned concern.

"I can't guess." He shrugged and they led the way to the living room.

The whole room was now crammed with people; happy people likeable and sociable whose company is satisfying.

Mrs Wabua sighted her husband from a distance and walked towards him. After kissing him on the lips She flutters her eyelashes and runs her tongue on her lips as was her mannerism and twines his hand in hers and they join the others.

They were an admirable pair; a nobleman married to a liberal woman whose virtues enhanced their influential status in the community."Why don't you join us for breakfast? We can chat over a cup of tea.

"No, thank you. We were on our way out when you came, Jina interrupted with her clarification and forced a smile.

Mrs Wabua clasped her hand and pulled her aside with a questioning gesture.

"What is it Jina, are you and Richard fighting?"

"No, why would you say that?"

"It's bare on your face that you aren't Ok."

She said in a serious tone. Jina looked down and clapped her foot on the ground pondering on whether to or not to disclose her burdens. After a minute, Jina lifted her head and gave her a mournful look.

" I'll be fine," she answered in a faint murmur tapping on her shoulder.

" I don't want to run off at the mouth and look like a fool. It's better to mould the matter to fit my context before I let it out." She thought and gestured at her wristwatch.

"I am getting late," she retorted and beckoned to Richard.

"The kids sat at the long dining table with a vase of fragrant flowers in the middle silently smiling mysteriously.

"What did you do to her? Are you two at odds?" Mr Wabua asked, nodding in Jina's direction.

"Nothing, you know her nasty temper. She's perfectly fine."

"She doesn't look well. Have you started cheating on her?"

"Who...what… no," he sputtered nervously and smiled and kept twirling his moustache.