chapter three

Fifteen years later, Zoe's mother was involved in accident while coming from work, she was hit by a run-away speeding motorcycle and was seriously injured and rushed to the hospital. Medical examination report indicated that she was hugely brutalized on the chest and after a week in the hospital, her conditioned worsened and she died. News of the death of her mother greatly affected Zoe emotionally and psychologically.

Several months later, Zoe's daddy decided to re-marry and Zoe had a step mother who was a young lady old enough to be her elder sister. Zoe and her step mother never liked each other as she accused her of disrespecting her and not helping out with house chores and so she spent most of her time at Mzee Tom's house whenever her father was not at home.

Things kept on getting worse between her step mother and Zoe and one day while in the kitchen a scuffle happened between the two, her step mother poured hot water on her left arm and she was badly injured. Zoe was rushed to hospital and when her daddy arrived, she openly told her that her step mother poured hot water on her from an electric kettle which was boiling.

Zoe's dad turned on the left and asked his wife;

'What happened honey?' He spoke

'It was an accident dear. While I was moving with a kettle to pour on the cups, Zoe hurriedly stumbled over me as she rushed to pick her phone that was ringing on the other side and just like that a collision happened. She showed her left feet which was bandaged to her husband,' she said

'Okay, my dear relax. It was an accident,' Zoe's daddy replied

Meanwhile Catherine 'Zoe's step mummy' was holding dearly at her developing expecting belly. she acted unwell and Mark came over to comfort her.

Medical examination reports indicated that Zoe injured left arm was not very serious and that she would be released very soon since the inner body tissues were not gravely affected and this sounded like the best news she heard over a decade. As she left the hospital while being driven back home, she made her mind very clear to avoid her step mum at all times since her father was so much in love with her that not anything would make him confront her about what she did and what if it was something worse. She kept on talking to herself.

With a bandage wrapped over left arm, she went to visit Mzee Tom and narrated to him what happened to her and Mzee Tom couldn't believe that Catherine could do such thing.

Moments later, Mzee Tom asked her to remove the bandage and he called on the bees and within a few minutes, her left arm was covered with bees and when they finally let go of her arm, she could not believe the miracle that had just happened to her. She was completely healed as if nothing had happened to her;

'I told you to trust me, now you are back to normal,' Mzee Tom said

'Wow, thank you Mzee; I now believe that you have got magic,' she replied hugging him tight

' You mean, you still doubted me,' Mzee Tom replied

Zoe laughed it off…

Zoe went back swinging her both arms as if nothing happened to her a few days ago and when her daddy and step mum saw her, they too could not believe that she was completely healed within a few days.

'Glad, you are back to your feet, my daughter,' he said

'Thank you, daddy,' she replied

'We need to have a delicious meal to celebrate her quick recovery,' Catherine said. Zoe's daddy ordered for some pork ribs and drinks, they roasted at home. Zoe kept a distance and always watched her pace.

Catherine was suspicious of her step daughter and so she began following her footsteps to see where she spends all her free time and she came to know that she spends most of her free time at Mzee's house. One evening while having dinner, Catherine reported her to her father;

'Honey, do you know about this old guy in the neighborhood and what does he do for living anyway,' she asked

'Actually, I don't know what he does. Is there any problem?' he replied

'Your daughter spends all her free time there and I don't know what she does there at his home,' Catherine said

'What is it that you do at Mzee Tom's place my dear, Zoe's dad asked her?

'He is just my friend daddy, nothing much,' Zoe replied

'Honey, Zoe does not help me out with anything at home when she comes back from school, she does not even help me to take the dirty laundry to the cleaner and since I will be going to the labor very soon, who is going to take care of our house,' she said

'Don't mind honey, I already thought about such and yesterday I contacted a labour recruiting company to get us a maid and they promised me the coming week on Monday, so there will be someone to take care of anything,' he replied

'Its fine honey,' she said