A WOMAN’S VENGEANCE.

By Brian Nzomo.

He drove home excitedly. He had big news for his beloved wife, Sheila.

At last, he had neutered himself at the request of his wife. David had always ensured he gave her everything, and ensured she would give in to her every whim and demand. Because he knew it was the only way to assuage his guilt. The guilt that emanated from his actions…

Marrying Sheila was meant to alleviate that guilt. For the iniquity he had transpired against the innocent Sheila in their first year at campus, was too unforgivable. He was remorseful about what he did, yet his heart still yearned that Sheila should never feel the pain of being raped. He overdid his chivalrous deeds to cover up the agony she might ever feel.

Sheila reclined to a shell of fear after the incident and became lost. What shocked her, was that a man she had deemed as so upright and respectful, could take her by force. She did not even gather the energy to report him anywhere. She let the shame from the act eat her up.

David asked her to be his girlfriend during their third year in campus. She was completely emotionless. She just nodded and did not even say a word. David was somewhat devastated and tried to over-compensate in the pursuit of even the slightest glimmer of happiness in her. Any indication of dullness in her brought severe grief in his heart. And he wished he could rewind time to undo the acts he did.

He was remorseful about what he did, yet his heart still yearned that Sheila should never feel the pain of being raped. He overdid his chivalrous deeds to cover up the agony she might ever feel.

Sheila had lost the lustre she always had in life. She became cold and distant. After they both graduated, she left Nairobi and found a job in Garissa at a humanitarian agency. All her contact with David was blurred and diminished fully. She loved there for five years before quitting the job and returning to Nairobi. She had enough money to start her own business.

When she met David again, she was more lively than she was after the rape incident. She was miraculously the Sheila they had all known. David was very happy that she was committed in renewing links with him. And for the first time, his heart bloomed to face the brightness of days. When Sheila suggested they get married, he had no power to decline.

Fifteen years down the union, David had no reasons to suspect Sheila was planning anything against him. Fifteen years were too mature and ripe for anyone to fling open the old closets and let the skeletons walk into their blissful union. Besides, he had done everything to ensure she never felt unwanted. To the point of wearing himself out, David was in an overdrive of lovely gestures. Always made sure there was no regrowth of bitterness in his wife’s heart. And never in his relationship, did he ever cheat. Not that he never desired to. But the thought that it may hurt his wife further and break her again made him refrain from it. Refrain from its slightest vestiges…

So when his wife told him they had enough kids and that she was not ready to be on the pill, David half-heartedly offered to have a vasectomy. When he walked hours later from the corridors of the Men’s wing of the hospital, he felt like a fulfilled man. Three children were enough. For Sheila. I did it for Sheila.

                       ***** ****** ****

When he got home, he was at first surprised by the sight of a red Porsche parked at his spot. He switched off the engine and walked to his house. “Sheila! Sheila! Whose car is packed…”

The instant he came inside the house, he was shocked to see a burly man holding Sheila on his lap. Both of them were drinking wine and laughing heartily.

“Sheila! What is the meaning of this?” He asked in anger, controlling his voice to avoid betraying the harsh timbre in it.

“Why are you shouting at me?” She asked sarcastically, “As you can see, I am speaking to my man…”

David quivered in anger but had to control himself. He had to. He still feared greatly what Sheila might do about the rape incident. Reigniting its efficacy on her emotions could again burden him with the guilt it always incurred in him. He called her aside and requested to speak to her. In his house.

“Okay babe, let me talk to my sterile husband!” She told the giant of a man and kissed his lips softly. David faced away. Fighting the tears that welled his eyelids.

“Now what’s the meaning of this? Cheating in my own house?” He asked.

“Point of correction Davy boy! This is now my house. Registered under my name. Everything is under my name. You have nothing at all. The only reason I am keeping you is…”

“Because I am the father of your children! Why! Why! Sheila…I loved you and I will always love you,” he said painfully.

“No! You never loved me. If you did, you wouldn’t have desecrated my will and taken me against my own consent…” She screamed, “And you are not here because of that. The reason I let you stay, is because I want to see you suffer…”

“You can’t do this honey?”

“Oh! Yes I did. I ensured I made a eunuch out of you. When you raped me and got me pregnant, I had the child aborted. Of course you never knew. But that abortion cleansed me. And I pledged to cleanse myself forever. Never will I let the seed of a rapist grow in my womb. And I did well. None of these kids who call you dad, none of them belongs to your rapist ass…”

David was petrified. What was she saying for Christ sake? You can’t do this honey, he wanted to say but remained speechless.

“So, you have made me unable to impregnate anyone else?” He said disappointed.

“Do you deserve to? I say you don’t. What you deserve is nothing but misery. Pain. Flames. More flames. Because you’re nothing but a loser. Loser!”

With that she turned and walked to the door to leave him there.

“And the man there?”

“Oh! Sorry for being so rude. His name is Eric. He is my boyfriend. Polyamory won’t be bad right babey? I mean, he will be the man who takes care of my coital needs. You can do the rest because I am not letting you an inch near me…”

David stood defiantly and barked, “Then I demand a divorce! I can’t stay with a vile woman like you!”

“I will not divorce your ass. It would be too soft for you. I need to see you suffer and that is why you ain’t going anywhere. My kids are no longer living here babey. Just me and you and Eric. You love seeing me happy babey! I am sure you will be enthralled by the way he blows my mind with orgasmic sex,” she laughed wickedly.

“And Oh! Babey, we need the dishes we used washed. Be useful and do them for us!”

David knew he had lost everything. His bank accounts were swept clean. His properties signed in his wife’s name in a bid to make her happy, were the only last shimmer of hope gone.

Despair could never allow him to see another day of what Sheila had planned for him. His body was retrieved three days in an abandoned reservoir.

Brian Nzomo is a second year student at Kenyatta university studying Journalism and communication. Contact him via e-mail: bryonzoms505@gmail.com