Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 18

4 years ago

Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 18

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“So, did you move in with Christopher?”
“Did I have a choice?” Juliet moved from the door and began pacing the room. “I moved in with him and guess what, he treated me like a mop. The man literally hated everything about me and yet still found the time to demand for sex. Like how insensitive and selfish can one get? After what I’d gone through, sex was the last thing on my mind, Donald. Do you know how it feels to lay on the ground while someone rapes you? The pain of being molested is something not even words can measure the intensity of the pain.”
“And did Chris understand that?”

“I wish to hell he did. Chris would come back from wherever and would tell me to my face that I was happy I’d lost my child, which isn’t true. He said I was inwardly rejoicing I’d miscarried as I’d never wanted the child in the first place and that the least I could do to show him gratitude for taking care of me was sleep with him. I remained firm and told him I couldn’t bring myself to sleep with a man..yet. Not after my ordeal. He would get angry but eventually calm down though he treated me nothing like a man treats his wife.”

“You mean nothing like I treat you?” interjected Donald.

“We can put it that way, ” she pursed her lips and walked towards the table to pour herself a glass of wine. She sipped on the wine and continued, “One fateful night, Chris came back h---y and insisted I sleep with him.
‘I thought you said am the worst thing that happened to you, why are you so eager to sleep with me? Aren’t there many school girls you can sweet talk into sleeping with you?’ That earned me one hot slap. ‘Don’t ever repeat that s--t and to pump some sense into your head, you do realise you eat my food, sleep under my roof and the likes so you owe me sex, a lot of it actually. And tonight, whether you like it or not, you’re going to give me what I want.’ Can you guess what happened after?”
“He raped you.”

“He did. Donald, the b-----d forced himself on me and do you know what that did to me? I died once again cause not only did I mentally go through my first rape, I physically went through it too. There’s no getting used to getting raped if I may add.”

“Am sorry,” was all Donald could say.
“Don’t be,” said Juliet flatly. “Chris raped me for many more nights, you know.”
“Did you confide in someone? Perhaps his uncle or aunt cause judging from what you’ve just told me, I needn’t even ask about you pouring your heart out to either your Dad or sister.”

“I did talk to his aunt who sat me down and chastised me for telling her about my bedroom issues. She said it was a taboo and that she should be the last one I poured my heart to. I stood and gave her one ugly glare. In that instant, I knew I was all alone in this wicked world. I had absolutely no one to turn to.

As time went on, I sat for my grade nine final exams which I terribly failed mostly because I hadn’t been studying whatsoever. What with all the drama brewing around me? That was the end of school for me. I’d been married to the abusive Christopher for over a year when Janet turned up at my doorstep one day, claiming Dad was missing. Did I mention Dad was quite a heavy drinker?”
“No you didn’t.”

“Now I have. Dad was quite a heavy drinker so I assumed he was just out on one of his many drinking sprees and so I said to Janet, ‘You and him ceased being my family the night I was thrown out of that ramshackle you call a house.. Just leave my house in peace, Janet.’

‘Aren’t you worried something terrible might have happened to him?’
‘He can die for all I care. Now leave!’
And it so happened that I received word two hours later informing me of my father’s death. He had apparently drowned in a ditch.
‘May his soul rest in peace,’ I had said but had shed no single tear.”

“Why?”
“Because I had no business mourning a man who hadn’t considered me his daughter in the first place. Janet did stage some drama during his burial though and I think it was because of that drama that a relative I’d only come to know during Dad’s funeral took her in and they went to Lusaka while I remained behind with Chris who’s behaviour towards me worsened each day.
‘What happened to the love you once claimed to have for me?’ I had asked him one night after he was done forcing himself on me for like the trillionth time.
‘Haven’t you heard? Talk is cheap, my dear.’

And once again I knew I had no business staying in his house where I was being treated like a doormat so with the little pride left in me, I packed my bags and left Chris’ house literally empty handed..” She couldn’t continue as her voice was cracking with emotion.

Donald who was fighting tears himself said, “Where did you go from there?”
Juliet had to sigh first. “I began roaming the streets like a mad woman and even spent some nights in the market. I went for days without food, Donald. To cut a long story short, I suffered. There was a ray of light at the end of my dark tunnel when I scooped myself a job as a cleaner at a private school and for two years I was saving, planning my future. I was 20 when I moved to Lusaka, carrying my pain and troubled nights with me, and began renting a shop which I turned into a butchery. Am sure you can connect the dots from there. You and I started talking, going for walks which turned into dates. We fell in love, you impregnated me and we got married a year later while the relative who had been taking care of Janet died and she moved in with George. I am sure you have all your answers now. Now you know why I loathe both Janet and that son of hers.”
“You did go through s--t back then,” Donald moved from the bed to pour himself a glass of wine too. “I agree and am terribly sorry but that don’t mean you should treat Lubesha like you do. It doesn’t justify neither your hatred nor actions towards the boy.”
Juliet thought she had lost her sense of hearing. “Donald, did you listen to a word I just said?”

“I heard everything, Juliet. You want me to summarize it for you? Here we go, you never saw eye to eye with your father and sister, you fell pregnant for your science teacher and Janet blurted the truth out to your father after she caught you trying to conduct a miscarriage and as an aftermath, your Dad threw you out of his house. It was on that night that you were mercilessly raped by-”
“Enough,” she pressed. “You’ve made your point.” “Thank you. Let me just make another point. Need I remind you I too grew up with a step mother who hated me to the core and treated me no less than you treat Lubesha? But that didn’t prompt me to vent out my anger on my half sister Dinah cause I would have deserted her after Dad and Step Mum were murdered in a robbery while Dina and I were in boarding school. What did I do in return? I worked my a-s off just so I could provide for both Dina and I and it’s plain sad that she committed suicide after she recklessly fell pregnant in college and the father of her baby told her he wanted nothing to do with her. The point am trying to make is how terrible would this world be if it was filled with people like you who vent out your frustrations on other people for no apparent reason?”

“Donald-”
“Don’t you talk over me when am speaking! You did go through something I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemy but as I said, that doesn’t justify your wicked deeds. You know what, I think you’re even capable of murder and it is for this reason that I think I need some space from you. We’re going on separation, Juliet.”
She was tongue-tied so Juliet quietly watched as Donald angrily walked towards the wardrobe and began packing his clothes.
When she finally found her voice, Juliet asked, “Won’t you think about Alice and Amos?”
“What about them?”
“They’lL probably ask questions. What will I tell them?”
“I reckon you worry about what you’ll tell Amos cause am taking Alice with me since you and Amos have so much in common and vice versa. And also, please don’t worry about where you’ll be staying cause I’ll be the one to move out and look for a new place.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
“Overreacting?” Donald laughed as he couldn’t withhold the urge to laugh. “My dear, you do realise you’re a cunning and scheming heartless woman, right? I’m even being quite rational here cause I should be divorcing you!” he continued packing and added, “By the way, you needn’t worry about where Lubesha will be spending his holidays cause I’ve got that covered too. You finally got what you wanted, you’re now rid of him. But of course everything comes with a hefty price in life.”
Juliet walked over to where Donald was packing and knelt before him, holding on to his leg. “I admit I made a terrible mistake for which I apologize. Can’t we just sit down and talk this through like civilzed people?”
“Are you ready to treat Lubesha like your own son?”

Silence.

“You see? You’re just wasting my time.” He shoved her aside and dragged his small suitcase towards the door. “See you in Lusaka.”
“For how long will we be on separation?”
“I don’t know,” with that, Donald was gone.

Juliet sat on the bed long after her husband was gone and she let the tears flow. When the tears seemed not to be helping, she got up and began smashing stuff against the wall while cursing and crying like a deranged person.
“I curse the day you were born, Lubesha Pondamali. I curse your children, their children and their children’s children’s children! I curse your entire generation! Thunder go fire you for putting my marriage in shambles!”

By the time she was done throwing her tantrum, the room looked like it had been an arena for a bull fight. Juliet’s hands and legs were bleeding as she’d been hurt by all the glasses she’d smashed but the physical pain she was going through was nothing compared to her heartache.
Her heart felt like it had been wrapped with a barbed wire and then was being constantly sq££zed.

☆☆☆

Lubesha sat on his trunk after he was done packing his things. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Tracy’s unique bracelet.
“For how long are you going to gawk at that thing?”

“For as long as I have it in my possession.”
Sylvester who was still packing paused. “You do realise we’re closing school tomorrow and you’re yet to give that bracelet to Tracy? Don’t tell me you’re planning on holding on to it like some crazed masturbating stalker.”

“What if I told you am giving it to her right away?”

“Better though I don’t know what that will change.” “It’ll ensure I only focus on school and at least I won’t have a bracelet to worry about come next term.”
“Cool..” Sylvester resumed packing. “And I have to repeat, if Tracy is half as fun as Laura is, I say you’re really missing out on the good stuff.”

Lubesha faked a yawn. “Laura is boring..” and dashed out of the dorm.
Sylvester shook his head and laughed. “Weirdo.”

Lubesha ran into Tracy on his way to the female dorms. “Hi.”

“Hello, Lubesha.”
“I was actually headed to your dorms to see you.”

“You were?”
“Yeah..” Lubesha awkwardly said. “I have something to give you.”
“Do you now?”
“But you’ll have to close your eyes first and spread your palms out.”
Heart fluttering, Tracy obliged and Lubesha took the bracelet out of his pocket and placed it on her delicate palms.
“My bracelet!” she exclaimed as soon as she set her eyes on it. “How and where did you get this?”
“You really don’t recall?”
She crossed her arms and frowned. “Would I be asking you questions if I recall?”
“I guess not. Anyway, just try to remember something.”
Tracy racked her brains and bit her lower lip. “Nope..I can’t.”
“Alright, I’ll give you a clue then,” he was unknowingly being romantic. “Does Victoria Falls ring a bell? December, last year?”
“OMG! You’re that boy I collided into!”
“Bingo!” Lubesha beamed.

She slapped her forehead with her left hand. “No wonder you’ve always been so familiar. Jesus Christ, you’ve held on to this for four months?”
Before he could reply, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips.
Lubesha who had never been kissed by a girl in his life, that’s in exception of the numerous kisses his mother had given him when she was still alive, felt like he was about to fly.

Tracy’s soft wet lips tasted so great on his and he wished the kiss could go on for good but somehow managed to gather his senses in the midst of that passion and put an end to the kiss. “What was that for?”
“It’s my token of appreciation. You just don’t know the importance this bracelet holds in my life.” she lightly kissed him on the lips again before he could utter a syllable and smiled. “Thanks, Lulu.”
Lubesha licked his lips as he watched her walk away. “That just didn’t happen, did it?”

☆☆☆

“If your mother doesn’t catch a grip, I’m quitting work.”
Mirriam had knocked off and was on her way out when she bumped into Amos who was coming from only he knew where.
“She’s drunk again, I assume?”
“Of course, seems thats all she can do now,” she scoffed and brushed Amos aside.
Amos who had had it with his mother wallowing in self pity for almost a month now decided it was time he told her how he felt.
Juliet was seated on her bedroom floor, drinking beer and crying while going through her wedding pics.
“Really?” Amos stood in the doorway and crossed his arms. “For how long with this self pity go on? If you don’t minimize your intake of booze, am afraid you’ll remain all alone.”
A tipsy Juliet spared her hazy son a glance. “Are you talking about leaving me? Like your father and that ungrateful wretched sister of yours did?”

“That solely depends on your behaviour, mum.”

“I won’t have you talk to me in that tone!” she yelled and threw her bottle of beer at him. Amos luckily ducked and the bottle hit the wall, shuttering to pieces.
“You wanna leave me alone, after all I’ve done for you? Go, Amos. Get outtttt!!”
“Screw you,” he audibly said and scuffled off to his room where he grabbed a sweatshirt and furiously left the house not knowing his words had hurt his drunk mother’s feelings who in turn filled the bathtub with water and fully dressed, lay in it. She was going to die a spectacular death..more like those celebrities who get high on drugs and drown in a bathtub in some motel.