Jabali's Redemption - Episode 14

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Neema kicked the heels from her legs ready to end the day. Dealing with a rebellious Ngao and drunk Jabali was not easy. The school had decided to expel Ngao for threatening the deputy principal. The school claimed that Ngao was lucky the teacher was not pressing charges to the police. Neema and her mama had to plead with the deputy for some time before he relented and let Ngao go. Ngao was to never again go back to the school and Neema was at a loss on what to do . Mama insisted that he could be posted to another school but without a recommendation letter from the old school an admission was hard to come by.

Neema walked to the sitting room and looked around, Ngao was not there, and she called him out but no response. Where was he? They had a lot to discuss.

‘He is not here,’ Mama walked out of her bedroom and Neema noticed that her eyes were swollen and red, a clear indication she had been crying.

‘Mama what is it? Were you crying? And where is Ngao?’ Neema pulled her mama to the old sofa where they sat, her mama wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

‘Mama what is it?’ Neema pleaded seeing the fresh tears on her mother’s face.

‘Oh, Neema I think the teacher was right,’ she began solemnly, ‘if I had been a better parent Naiti might have been alive and Ngao wouldn’t be so troublesome. All this is my fault

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. I am a bad mother,’

‘Mama how can you say that?’ Neema knew the cruel teacher words had cut deep inside her mama but she couldn’t tell the extent until now. Her mama was breaking down.

‘But it’s true, if only I had accepted Officer Mukabi’s proposal all those years back. Maybe all this would have been forgotten. I was stubborn and look what happened. Naiti died and Ngao is on the wrong path. Where could be at this time? Darkness is almost here and he is not home. What if he causing trouble out there Neema, what will we do?’

Neema hated to see her ever strong mama in this state, blaming herself for things she couldn’t control.

‘If only your father would come back…’

‘Baba is dead, mama,’ Neema wanted her mother to forget that their father might be out there, ‘he is dead and buried,’

‘We buried a banana stalk, we never saw his body Neema. He might be out there,’ mama continued passionately.

‘Mama are you even listening to yourself,’ Neema stood up and shouted bitterly, ‘he chose to drink himself to death than chose to be with his family. How many times did Naiti have to search for him in trenches along the road where he was passed out on the dirty water? He never cared for us,’

‘Your father had his own demons Neema, he didn’t abandon his family. You are being too harsh on him,’ her mother stood up and faced her.

‘No mama you are the one holding on to the dream of a dead man coming back to life. He is no longer alive,’ Neema held her mama’s shoulders and practically shook her, ‘where was he when Naiti was slay dead? During the trials and for the past several years when we struggled to put food on the table?’ Neema bitterly spat, the family had gone through a lot without their father around and they would still manage to survive without him.

‘Neema, you…’ Mama started but Neema stopped her by putting her hand up.

‘Just stop mama, for now we have to look for Ngao, we can’t have him getting into trouble. Jabali is aching to accuse him of something. I don’t know for how long I would be able to hold him off,’ Neema remembered their earlier confrontation and his words. He owned her, Neema knew she was the only thing standing between her erratic brother and Jabali’s revenge.

Neema couldn’t understand Jabali, he clearly held a grudge against her. She didn’t understand what he wanted from her. If he expected that she would jump back to his bed, he had another thing coming, she was no longer that naïve girl from his childhood. She had grown up now, wiser and mature beyond her years. She was working for him to pay off the debt her brother and clear his name.

She couldn’t understand Ngao too. What did he want? He couldn’t go on antagonizing the whole world. First it was Jabali and now he was expelled from school. Neema prayed for strength to deal with her brother. When she caught up with him, they were going to have a very long discussion. She would not seat back and allow him to kill his future.

‘Neema, is everything okay at the company? You went quiet for a while,’ mama drew Neema’s attention by pulling on her hand.

‘Mama how can things be fine? I work with a man who hates my guts and hell bent on punishing me for a reason I cannot fathom,’ Neema threw herself down at the sofa.

‘Jabali hates you? I thought you were the one who hated him,’ mama’s eyes went wide like saucers

Neema released a mirthless laugh, ‘you are not wrong mama, we both hate each other,’ she pinched the bridge of her nose with both her fingers then sat up straight remembering something,

‘Wait mama, what do you mean I hate him? I thought we all hated him?’ Neema wondered why her mama would avoid her gaze.

‘Jabali has never had an easy life Neema,’

‘What?’ Neema couldn’t understand where her mama was going with this. Wasn’t she the one who frantically called her up claiming that Jabali was practically holding Ngao hostage and she was to come to save him?

‘Jabali was born out of a love affair between Mzee Kasri and a local beautiful struggling artist Nyota,’ Neema knew all about Jabali’s upbringing. Nyota used Jabali to extort money from Mzee Kasri. Remember Mzee Kasri’s wife always gave birth to still born babies and only one survived, Rashid. Being the only legitimate son of Mzee Kasri, Rashid grew up to a careless and an irresponsible young man whereas Jabali, the mistress son excelled in school and everything he did. This caught Mzee Kasri’s attention and he eventually brought Jabali into his household when young Jabali was barely out of high school.’

‘Ma. The whole town knows about Jabali and his family nothing new there, why are you telling me this?’ Neema wondered what her mama’s point was. She had witnessed firsthand the cold relationship between father and son. Whereas Jabali did everything to please his father, and gain his recognition, the Mzee Kasri was never satisfied. Nyota, Jabali’s mama was another nut case.

Neema felt sorry for Jabali for a second. He had been blessed with the worst parents anyone would wish for, an ambitious mama and a hard to please father. Neema had her mama, her loving mother stood with her through it all. It didn’t matter that Mzee Kasri mentioned him as the sole inheritor of much of his property. Tembo Sugar Company just being one of the multimillion industry of Kasri Holdings. As far as Neema knew Rashid was out of the country. Jabali didn’t talk much about his brother.

She then remembered Jabali’s behavior earlier that day and she crushed the pity she felt for him. Jabali was now the entitled owner of wealth he was uses to bully the likes of her. Neema wondered if Jabali saved his cruelty for her only. The other employees didn’t complain about him, he was a just boss.

‘We were too early to judge Jabali as Naiti’s murderer,’ mama finally concluded her tale and Neema felt her heckles rise. Why did everyone think that he was innocent?

‘Mama, I don’t think…’

‘Neema I knew about your relationship with Jabali. I knew he used to drop you home from work and you used to sneak to go see him.’ Neema felt her face flush. Mama knew.

‘You knew?’ Neema asked her voice small and weak.

‘You are my daughter, Neema,’ mama fixed her a knowing look and Neema swallowed hard. She thought she was being sneaky by hiding out the relationship from her mother.

‘Listen to me Neema, at that time you were hurt and couldn’t see the reality but now is different you have to come in terms with everything that happened.’

‘Stop…’

‘Neema listen that night…’

‘Mama Stop, I don’t want to listen to this anymore,’ Neema was now practically crying.

‘Your bitterness is spreading towards Ngao. It is feeding his ire, you have to let go Neema,’ was mama saying that Neema was responsible for Ngao’s behavior? That was absurd.

‘My bitterness is feeding Ngao? I left this town imagining am leaving everything behind. How can you say that to me?’ tears were now freely running down her cheeks and Neema didn’t bother to wipe them.

Mama had an apologetic look on her face and opened her mouth to say something but Ngao chose that time to present himself, still in uniform and a school bag hanging on one of his shoulder.

‘Neema what is wrong?’ he asked seeing her tears. Neema wiped them roughly with the sleeve of her blouse and angrily turned to him.

‘Where have you been?’

‘In the library, I have to study for my KCSE exams. Even though the school expelled me, I registered to take my exams there. They can’t deny me that,’ he shrugged his shoulders and Neema wondered how nonchalant he can be with everything around them falling apart.

‘Ngao your behavior today at school was unacceptable. You can’t go around chocking your teachers,’ Neema felt angry at her brother, combine that with her mama’s accusation, she was boiling with rage. Why was everything complicated? All she was trying to do is make life easier on everyone.

‘He was disrespecting our mother. I couldn’t stand there and do nothing Neema,’ Ngao heatedly answered her.

‘He is an elder, you shouldn’t have reacted that way,’

‘At least I did something.

Read " The Dancing Bride And Her Spirit Warrior " by the same author ( Razia Iminza )

. You on the other hand ran away, you left mama to fend for me alone. Now you are back and working for Mr. Kasri, the man who killed your brother. You are a coward Neema,’ Ngao shouted and Neema openly gasped as if cold water had been thrown on her.

‘I am working for Mr. Kasri because of you. I am paying of the debt you caused,’ she screamed at him, how could he be so insolent.

‘Nobody asked you to do anything for me,’ Ngao eased his bag off the shoulder to the floor, ‘I suppose you enjoy working for him, maybe you hope to rekindle your past relationship,’

At that mama slapped him.

Hard.

So hard that his head turned on the other direction. Her fingers printed on his cheek. Neema could see tears shining on his eyes. He angrily picked his bag and walked to his bedroom, the doors hinges rattled.

‘Neema, he didn’t mean that,’ mama comforted her but Neema knew her Ngao meant every word he said. And to top it he was saying the truth.

She was the cause of everything.

...........................................................

Hey guys, another update for you. i hope you enjoy.

Much love.

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  • Views (3936)
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  • Comments (5)
  • Rating (4.17)
  • Delly Soglo picture
    Delly Soglo
    This is really sad, I feel sorry for Neema, she should listen to Lulu and her mama. Someone else killed Naiti. Good job Razia..
  • Stephanie picture
    Stephanie
    Neema pls don't let the hatred you feel for Jabali cloud your vision. Thanks for update today and for the two episodes.
  • Pamela cube picture
    Pamela cube
    I feel for her but she really needs to let go of the past!
  • Chioma Ikechukwu-Raymond picture
    Chioma Ikechukwu-Raymond
    Neema is in love with jabilia
  • Chioma Ikechukwu-Raymond picture
    Chioma Ikechukwu-Raymond
    Neema is in love with jabilia
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