Whatever It Takes - Season 1 - Episode 5

5 years ago

Whatever It Takes - Season 1 - Episode 5

☆☆☆

Mrs Kaoma’s Perspective:
I had barely sat into my chair when another knock came from my door. For a moment I felt
relieved when the thought of the Mwenya family having changed their mind crossed my mind.
” Come in.” I answered Jovially
There was no mistaking her. She had been to my office a couple of times in connection with
George junior her son.

” Good afternoon.” She greeted dryly
” What was so good about the afternoon?” I wondered before replying
“Uh yes good afternoon please take a seat. What may I do for you?” I responded primly
” The family that just walked out.. what were they doing here?” She asked in a rather discourteous manner
” What?” I retorted. For a moment I thought my mind was playing tricks on me and was hearing
things.
” The blind couple and a filthy looking kid.”
“Why ,what has that got to do with you?” I responded coldly
” Everything. If you even think of allowing that kid in this school I will see to it that you are
transferred from this school to a remote area. My husband knows people in higher places and
won’t hesitate to rat you out .” She threatened
” Sorry who are you?”
” I’m Mrs Mwenya.”
Oh yes it made sense then. That woman was the reason that unfortunate family had turned down
my offer. The sad part was that I knew the woman’s profession. I had found her several times in
uniform at central clinic and I thought she was being too wicked for a woman who is meant to save
lives. But I recognised the similitude between us and realised I had no right to judge her. I was just
as wicked at some point till my husband left me after his daughter ran away from home but that’s
along story for another day. I prayed that she would see the light so that she could make amends
before it was too late. Due to my past foolish actions, I was now alone without any child nor man
just a job that kept me sane.

Somehow seeing that child had gushed in old memories and I wanted to help her to make up for
the atrocities I committed to an innocent child just because I was jealous of her relationship with
her father. That man could love so hard and I hoped that I could face him someday and apologise.

” Ok Mrs Mwenya if you can excuse me now I have a school to run and about the people that just
left I don’t see any reason for you to worry.” I said in a condescending tone and rose up to go out
gesturing her to do the same. She hesitantly walked out shock written all over her face. I locked up
the office and jumped into my old fiat spider and drove off to lunch.

I was on my way back to work when I saw Kasuba and her parents standing near the post office
collecting alms. I had to think fast, an opportunity to help them anonymously just presented itself
so I organised a few people who posed as good Samaritans. I watched as all of them dropped the
concealed envelopes into the fedora from a little distance. And after I was sure they had collected
all of it, I drove off to work before most teachers left the school premises. I had just come back from the school market place where I was selling some home made lollipops,
sweet yambalala (nutty scotch) and Toba umutwe ( head breaker: a finger-like Millie meal fried
biscuit). The business had been doing great. While I was selling that my parents and my two little
siblings sold charcoal and kerosene at home. My other siblings had started making brooms and
they sold them door to door in the areas nearby and sometimes they went and displayed them in
town. It was a fortnight since we received the money that changed our lives.
” Kasuba is that you?” called mum from inside the house
” Yes mum it is I” I responded
” Are your older siblings back?” She inquired
” No mum…oh they are almost here ” I answered when I caught sight of them running back to the
house.

” That’s great you get the food from kitchen and eat. I want to talk to all of you later.”
We ate our meal excitedly recounting the day’s events. We then cleaned up the kitchen and
washed the dishes before we joined mum in the sitting room. She was knitting a shawl a skill she
had packed up for so long perhaps because she had so much on her hands. And now that we
were helping with making ends meet she had bought some knitting wool and hooks and picked it
up.

She put aside her knitting and asked for the day’s sales to be placed at the centre.
” How much did you make?” She asked
” I made sixty thousand kwacha.” I answered
” We sold all our brooms and made thirty-five thousand kwacha.” My older siblings Chanted in
unison
” April and lubuto hand your sister the money from our sales at home.”

” Here you are.” They said handing me the money
” Fifteen thousand kwacha.” I informed her after counting it. ” Total sales for today is one hundred
and ten thousand kwacha.” Some how I was entrusted to keep track of all the sales and costs
because I loved doing the math. She then produced two huge bunches of money and handed it to me to count.

” I have been saving some money as profits whilst setting aside some as capital as you suggested
kasuba. Count it separately and tell me how we are doing.”

We all couldn’t believe it. We had worked so hard.

” Do you know what this means?” Asked father who had joined us a little later
We nodded and shook our heads in befuddlement.

” We have made twice as much as our capital and of course a surprise lie in wait.” Announced
father proudly
” A surprise?” I wondered as we all retired to sleep…………………….