THEFT OF HIS INNOCENCE (Title inspired by Jahaziel’s song “Theft of My Innocence”)

 Part 3: The Confrontation

Chipweteko's mother arrived home from work, tired yet relieved to be back. Dele, Chipweteko's sister, welcomed her with an enthusiastic hug that brought a smile to her face. As she entered, she sensed a peculiar atmosphere. Chipweteko and Anaphiri, despite their efforts to appear normal, could not hide their tension. Their composure felt forced, their smiles a bit too tight. Concerned, Chipweteko's mother asked,

"What is wrong?" 

Chipweteko, caught off-guard and scrambling for an excuse, blurted out,

"I have not been feeling well since morning."

But before the conversation could go any further, Dele, unable to contain herself, confronted him: 

"You're lying; you just came back from playing football!"

Chipweteko's mother was shocked by Dele's outburst, cautioned her for disrespecting her elder brother, and ushered the children into the house.

Inside, the tension thickened. Chipweteko's mother took Dele aside into her room for a private conversation, leaving Chipweteko and Anaphiri in the living room, stewing in their anxiety. Anaphiri, unable to bear the silence, confronted Chipweteko: 

"I'm scared Dele will tell everything to the mother, and it'll lead to me getting sacked." 

Chipweteko, equally worried, tried to reassure her but struggled to find the words. The uncertainty of what was being discussed in the mother's room weighed heavily on them.

Meanwhile, Dele was on the verge of revealing what she saw but was conflicted. The mother, noticing Dele's hesitation, gently encouraged her to speak up. Dele, with a mix of reluctance and urgency, finally revealed that she saw Anaphiri coming out of the headmistress's office looking very upset. The mother's expression turned from concern to shock as she processed the information. Armed with this new knowledge, the mother called everyone into the living room. 

"Anaphiri, Dele has told me she saw you coming out of the headmistress's office. What were you doing there?" 

Dele, equally curious, had spotted Anaphiri at the school but was clueless about her reasons for being there. Seizing the opportunity, she hoped to uncover the mystery. Anaphiri found herself in a delicate situation, needing to explain her unexpected school visit to the mother. With a heavy heart, she confessed that Chipweteko had injured a friend and was required to bring his parents to school for him to be allowed in class. Chipweteko had enlisted Anaphiri to stand in for this role, a request she honored, leading to the headmistress allowing Chipweteko to continue his education with a stern admonition that such behavior should never recur. 

Chipweteko's mother, upon hearing this, was engulfed in concern, contemplating the appropriate course of action. She knew the weight of the situation, understanding that discipline was necessary yet pondering the implications of her decisions.

Anaphiri was the family's first and only housemaid and was more than a mere employee; she was a cornerstone of the household. Having been there before Chipweteko and Dele's arrival and nurturing them through their infancy, the bond they shared was profound. To Chipweteko and Dele, Anaphiri was not just a housemaid but 'aunt,' a title that spoke volumes of their affection. This was her harbor in the storm of life, a place she cherished deeply, with no intentions of departure.

Faced with a decision, the mother chose to bide her time, awaiting her husband's return to deliberate on their next steps. Determined to confront the issue head-on, she decided to apologize to the headmistress the following day, ready to accept whatever outcome, holding onto hope.  

What will happen to Anaphiri? Will she still have the job? And What will happen to Chipweteko?

To be continued..........

Written by Oliver Kasito Jnr 


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