Chapter 3 Pabonya's Nightfall visit

The women were on their way home after visiting the new-born. Some of them had to pass near Pabonya's home. They still engaged each other in a heated debate about the fate that awaited Becky.

At that hour, Pabonya was taking a walk through his garden. He saw the approaching women and overheard their conversation. Stopping in his tracks he listened more keenly, his interest intensifying as he perceived the subject of their discussion: Becky. He hastily concealed himself behind the napier-grass.

"Do you think she will get away with it?" one of the women asked.

"This thing is very serious," answered another one among them. "Wait and see how this would cost her so dearly. She is at risk of losing her marriage."

Pabonya felt some joy wash over his self. His plan seemed to be rolling into place. He had managed to get people talking and propagating the narrative. He was determined to bring Becky down but had not anticipated things to start working so fast.

He thought about Rebecca. Had these news had reached her ears. Wondering what she made of it, he felt the urge to hear from her. Now that he was gaining the ground, he needed to swiftly shift into action and build his argument aimed at convincing her that Becky was indeed bad.

He had to see her. It was getting late and would soon be dark. But even that would not deter him. If he could have Rebecca in his side, he could have everyone else. And Becky would soon be leaving the clan.

He strolled very fast coming to the river and crossing over to Tirita. The darkness had now set in and he could not see clearly. But even with a blindfold tied around his face, he would still be able to trace his way to Rebecca's hut.

A burning piece of fire wood glowed in her hut and he was glad he had made it in time before his sister-in-law retired to bed. He paced even faster.

"Iyo!" he announced his arrival.

Startled, Rebecca did not respond immediately. This was no hour to expect guest.

"Pomuru," he called again.

"Yoo!" she had now recognized whose voice that was.

"Are you there?"

"Come on in, I am here."

He stepped in.

"You scared me," Rebecca confessed confirming that it was indeed his brother-in-law.

"Oh! Did I? I am sorry."

"It is okay, welcome and have a seat."

He sat down. "I wouldn't stay for long."

"Why so much hurry? I am cooking some food. And I intend to make it enough for both of us."

"Thanks for that, but still you will excuse me for today. I have come again. We need to talk."

Rebecca settled more comfortably near the fire place, "I am all ears," she said.

"And you will forgive me for bringing this up again, but I think it is important. I believe you have heard the horrific whispers going around about Becky," He had lowered his voice a bit.

Rebecca sighed, "Yeah, I heard them."

"What do you make of them?"

"I wouldn't deny that they are very disturbing and worrying."

"I felt the same too," His tone was almost rejoicing.

"But I have put a lot of thought and resolved to restrain myself from rushing to believe in them. Apparently, it is all hear-say. No one has come out with any proof to cast away any doubts that may be. And for that reason, I still treat these rumors with contempt and abhorrence."

Pabonya did not like how Rebecca was reading into the matter. When he just thought he had found a way, he realized he was still lost. But he had not come all the way from Kures to give up so easily.

"They are true," he insisted.

"You don't know that to certainty."

"I do."

Rebecca gazed at him dismayed. "How?"

"Intelligence! Nothing goes on in this village that I cannot know about."

"I don't get it."

"My spies are always circling. For a long time, I have suspected this. And interested in the truth, I set eyes everywhere to monitor her movement. And the information I have gathered thus far is enough to ascertain my suspicion."

So it was nothing he had seen with his own eyes. It was still hearsay. Who knows? May be the 'eyes' he had set supplied the wrong information; fed him with what he wanted to hear.

"How much do you trust your spies?" she questioned.

"Come on Pomuru! Don't discredit my findings. They are my most trusted men and women."

"I still doubt."

"A time is coming when everything would be in black and white."

"Becky is a good girl. She loves my son and my son loves her with an equal measure. And I don't like these things being peddled around which are not only out of character to Becky but also pose a great threat to her marriage. Marriage is sacred and any issues to do with it must be handled with utmost caution. People should learn to zip their mouths when things are not yet in black and white."

Pabonya was having a rough time. Why were these women fighting so hard for one another? "This really needs some sorting out. A special meeting should be convened to inquire into this matter. Allow me to bring our elders on board. Let them give their views. I am afraid the consequences of not clearing this mess now would be devastating."

Rebecca did not like his suggestion. It would bring a lot of unnecessary noise. Those who had no clue about this would get to know. And more people would soon be shouting, singing and broadcasting the rumors. And the story would get exaggerated with every step it made from one person to another and the whole thing would get bigger and bigger.

But she realized Pabonya was not going to relent. And on a second thought, perhaps among the elders, two or three subscribed to her school of thought. And would view things the same way she viewed them. Such elders would possibly influence the rest of them to cast doubt on these allegation and end up clearing Becky against them.

"It is okay. Call them." She let Pabonya have his way.

Pabonya had won. He struggled to suppress a smile from his face. But inwardly, he was in a celebratory mood.

"Prepare to host them tomorrow," he said.

Rebecca did not fail to feel that the urgency with which he was driving this was astonishing. "Okay." She agreed.

"I must get going now," He was now in a hurry to leave. "Have a good night,"

"You too."

After Pabonya left, Rebecca was so much troubled. She felt some responsibility for Becky. She had to warn her to be so wary of Pabonya. She peeped through the door and saw darkness. It was not easy to know what larked in the dark.

Becky seemed unable see beyond the state of urgency with which Pabonya was handling her issues. She probably did not sense how his behavior spelled darkness. She definitely needed Rebecca's guiding hand to protect her from the troubles she was about to face.

She walked to her main house and into the bedroom. She took out a drench coat and put it on. The weather outside was very cool and she needed to keep herself warm. She also took a torch from under the Pillow on her bed and walked out of the house.

In five minutes she entered Becky's compound. The houses were closed, an indication that Becky had already retired to bed. But she could see the light shining through the joints of the wooden door and could hear music emanating from a radio. Rebecca drew to the door and knocked gently calling out Becky's name. She noticed the radio volume lowering and heard the footsteps from inside approaching the door. When the door opened, he stood face to face with Becky.

"Mum!" Becky was surprised to find her mother-in-law standing at the threshold at that hour of the night.

"May I.." She said gesturing towards inside the room.

"Of course, please come in," Becky said stepping aside to let her pass.

Rebecca walked past her and sat on the nearest couch as Becky shut the door.

"Sorry to bother you at this hour."

"It is Okay."

"There is something I need to talk to you about," Rebecca said as Becky came to sit next to her.

"What is it! You are scaring me."

"Pabonya!"

Becky sighed a bit experiencing a good amount of relief that it was nothing serious. Thus far she did not take Pabonya's threats seriously. "What happened again?"

"What is it between the two of you?" She questioned.

"Nothing," Becky said flatly.

"Tell me dear. Did you quarrel with him?"

Becky went ahead to give her the detailed account of all her experiences with the father-in-law.

"Listen my daughter, be careful with him. He is up to no good. Stop arguing with him. If you keep doing that, you would be treading on a dangerous path."

"He is always looking out for me mum. He came here early in the morning yesterday and started talking to me so roughly. I don't know what he wants."

"He wants to destroy you. He hates you child. I could see the deep seated hatred for you in him. I have this feeling that this may not end well." There was a hint of sadness in her imploring voice.

But Becky's heart filled with joy as she perceived the extent of Rebecca's concern for her.

Rebecca thought about asking Becky about the rumor going round but declined to move in that direction. That would mean she had stopped trusting her. There was no truth in the rumor anyway.