Chapter 33

Jacob's mind was like a moving train going on a long destination from one country to another as it raced into the past four years at the Kabwegyres.

The Kabwegyres were fond of hosting parties, and it was on such occasions that Jacob served the guests warm heartedly. He came to enjoy the parties because it gave him the opportunity to meet other people and also learn their behaviour.

It also made him learn more about Chuza. She was fond of whatever ornaments or jewels she had bought and were in her possession to show her friends.

"Is this your house servant? He is quite well polished," a pompous middle-aged woman had once said during the cocktail parties at the Kabwegyres residence.

"No. He is like a son to us. Calling him a house boy or house servant doesn't augur well to us," Chuza had replied.

"That's quite right. He's an orphan, and we took him to live with us," Kabwegyre added.

"Oh, so saddening!" The pompous woman had then switched to another topic.

"We enjoy helping others succeed. It's in our nature," Chuza tried to remind her even after she changed the topic.

His stay at this bourgeois family had also shaped his command of the English language. The Kabwegyres were fluent English speakers and spoke the language most of the time at their home, switching only occasionally to their mother tongue.

The man, Kabwegyre, seemed to have travelled widely in his business travels. Lisa, it was obvious to Jacob, was a young woman who had been exposed to high society in which she socialised.

It had come as no surprise when the Uganda National Examinations Board results for ordinary level were announced, and Jacob obtained a second division with a credit pass in English. Thanks to the Kabwegyres fluency in English and shaping him into a fluent English speaker.

Jacob was also aware of kabwegyre's tastes. The man was always smartly dressed and expected others in his homestead to be smart.

Jacob had bought himself quite a number of trousers and shirts for such parties held in their compound. He was always smart inside and outside the house; especially when guests were around. But he liked wearing blue or black jeans and T-shirts during the weekends.

He had felt at peace with himself and the world when he learnt he had fallen short of a point to score the prestigious first division in the school certificate examinations.

Armed with his ordinary level school certificate results, Jacob had contemplated leaving the Kabwegyres for greener pastures as he unexpectedly remembered his grandfather, whom he was meant to go and trace in Kenya. Yet they were not very far from each other across the border.

As he lay at night, his mind snapped up from the past when he heard the handle of the door to his room turn gently and saw a figure like a ghost walk across the room, before stopping at his bedside.

He became alert instantly and moved in his bed, making it creak. The unexpected opening of his door startled him.

"Don't move, Jacob! It's only me," a soft voice came clearly to him in a whisper.

He recognised the voice.

It was Lisa. She had, on several occasions, slid out of her own room and came to his room where they made passionate love before returning without her parents knowing.

But as she now came to sit on his bed, Jacob knew it was going a bit too far. He had warned her time and time again against risking such night visits.

But such warnings had fallen on deaf ears. With time, Jacob realised he could do nothing about it. He was powerless and helpless against her unquenchable sexual desire.

He had come to accept the fact that she was a sex maniac, and her sexual lust had to be satisfied whenever it was aroused. Yet her beauty also held a power over him.

On this particular night, Jacob thought she had come for her regular sexual mission and exploits. He was wrong.

"What is it?" He asked but realised his voice was husky.

"I managed to slip out, darling. I want to see you," Lisa whispered as she touched him, "Do you still love me?"

"Of course; what's the problem? I've warned you several times to stop such frequent night visits to my room. We may be discovered."

"I needed you, honey. There's something I would like to tell you."

"Go ahead and say it then."

"Will you always love me, Jacob?" Her was was shrill.

"Shut up and say what brought you! You know I love you," he spoke rather harshly.

"Jacob, I'm pregnant. I'm carrying your child," she whispered softly as the words sunk into his ears and exploded like a bomb.

For a few minutes, he remained silent, not knowing what to say or do. But he began to do some quick thinking.

"Didn't you hear what I said? I'm pregnant. You are the father of the child growing inside me."

Silence greeted her. He was taken quite unawares and thrown off balance. What would the Kabwegyres think of him when they found out the truth?

Definitely, they would throw him out. Perhaps they would even frame a case of rape against him, and he could find himself behind bars, he thought.

It was then the idea of leaving Kabwegyre's home crossed and settled into his mind. But he had to have enough money to leave Uganda and look for his grandfather.

It would be better, he decided, to work until the end of the month and earn his salary. Then he would call it quits and cross into Kenya.

Two weeks lay between now and his departure. He knew he had no alternative except to wait.

"How old is the pregnancy?" He queried when he had already made his decision.

"Two months, I think. It's now the second month since missing my periods."

"It's still far away," he sounded quite relieved. "What will you do?"

"What will I do? What a foolish question!" She paused before adding, "I want to marry you, of course. Will you marry me?"

He realised he could not risk a scene or showdown at that particular time of the night. So he spoke quietly and softly: "Of course, I have always loved you!"

He wanted her to feel reassured. And that saved the situation that night. What he did not know was that Lisa had planned to create a scene if he refused to marry her.

But hearing him promise to marry her, Lisa was satisfied with his remarks and decided to retreat to her room.

"Thanks so much, Jacob. I always knew you wanted me as your wife," she said softly.

Then, like a ghost, she walked out of the room as quietly as she had come. She was relieved and abandoned her earlier plans.

But if Jacob thought things would be alright and okay as he waited for his time to leave, he was wrong again.

A week later, Chuza, through her feminine insight and instinct, discovered that her daughter was pregnant. On questioning Lisa, she learnt with great shock that it was Jacob responsible for her pregnancy.

She sat inside her bedroom, waiting for her husband's arrival, furious that the boy servant they trusted and whom they had treated like their own child had betrayed them.