CHAPTER NINE

With the burden to reveal the truth, Angel paced back and forth in her small room, her mind weighed down by a heavy burden. She knew she couldn't keep her father's secrets anymore, as they weighed on her conscience like an anchor pulling her deeper into the abyss. The truth gnawed at her soul, demanding liberation. She did not know however, how to reveal it to her brother Tom. She wondered how he would receive it. She feared this would completely weigh him down. She had seen how he felt responsible for his colleagues' death. She had heard him whisper to himself that he wished he had died with them.

She wondered whether she should visit the police station and confess to hiding her mother's murder and her father's illegal businesses. She wished she had never run down the stairs that day. She remembered how her mother, once full of life had taught her the importance of honesty.

She recalled how one day her mother had narrated to her the story of the dishonest young man who whenever he went out to the graze the sheep in the field, would scream and call the villagers. "Come, there is a lion!" He would call from the field with a loud voice. The villagers would then run to the field with pangas and machetes. When they reached at the field, he would laugh at them and tell them it was a joke. The young man repeated these three more times. One day a lion came to where the young man was grazing. He cried and shouted for help. The neighbors unlike before heard him but did not come to help him. This is because they thought he was making his usual jokes. The man ended up being eaten alive by the lion.

The thought of how dishonest she had been almost made her collapse. Tom was her rock, her confidence and her strength. She however feared that this revelation would break their relationship forever. How could she tell him that their father, the man they had respected all their lives, was responsible for their mother's death?

How could she reveal that she had participated in covering up all the evidence? What of the dark truth that he was involved in the illegal drug trade? She knew she had to make a decision. This was the last day she was going to cover her father's sins.

Her father had already left for work and so she mustered up her courage and went tell Tom the truth. She knew that no matter the consequences the truth would set her free. She understood that keeping the secrets alone would burden her and consume her. She left her bedroom and went straight to the living room. She found Tom sited alone on the porch, staring at the blank space. She stood for a moment and then sat down beside him. Her heart pounded in her chest as the words she had repeated countless times suddenly escaped her.

Her brother who had been sitting quietly, quickly moved his head to look at her.

"Tom," she said at last, her voice trembling. "I have to tell you something."

"Go ahead, am all ears," her brother responded with curiousness. His eyes looked at her for answers as if he had been waiting for this moment.

"Is something wrong? Your hands are shaking," he spoke touching her delicate hands.

Angel took a deep breath and then spoke, "Our father. He's not who we think he is."

"Of course, I know who he is, he is the most…"

"He killed our mother," Angel interrupted.

Tom gasped as his eyes widened in disbelief. "What? This cannot be true!"

"I wish it were not true, Tom, I've being keeping this secret for so long and it is eating me up," Angel confessed, tears welling in her eyes.

Angel went ahead to reveal everything to her brother. She explained how their parents had been involved in a fight and how it had escalated to their father pushing their mother, who knocked on the floor and bled to death. She also explained how she had helped their father cover up the evidence and how he had knocked her down so as to make his story less suspicious to the police.

Tom's face was filled with a mixture of anger, confusion and grief. As she went on to reveal her recent discovery of their fathers' illegal business, Tom's expression hardened. A moment of silence passed between them and then Tom's initial look was replaced by determination.

"We can't let him get away with this, Angel," he spoke courageously, "we have to confront him."

Angel nodded, with relief. She was afraid Tom would reject her words but instead he stood beside her, ready to weather the storm that awaited them. They planned to together approach their father. After dinner Tom started the conversation with Mr. Mwabili when Zuri was at her room. Mr. Mwabili's reaction was however unexpected. He stood up from his rocking chair driven by rage and fear and attacked Tom. His fists rained down on him, leaving him beaten and tormented.

"Are you going to arrest me? Remember I facilitated for your wellness at the army. Do you think you got that spot at the army genuinely? I had to buy it for you, young man. There was no way you were going to gain it any other way because you are not tough as I am. How dare you call me corrupt and a murderer? I am not any different from you. Did you not conspire to kill your colleagues with that friend of yours at the army? Everything I have ever done, I have done it for the wellness of this family," he spoke loudly filled with anger.

Defeated and devastated, Tom quickly stormed out of the living room to his bedroom. He packed his things and left the house. Angel watched him leave, her heart aching with the pain of their broken home. As the door closed behind Tom, Angel knew their lives would never be the same. The truth that had freed her from her web of lies had torn her family apart. She sensed the emptiness of the house. As she stood their confused, Angel noticed Zuri who had come to check the noise coming from below and had apparently heard everything.

"I told you to keep my secret," she turned to lock eyes with her fuming father.