Memoirs of an Unsung Legend, Nemeso

Chapter Eight. Mhepo flees with Nemeso

39 Chapter Eight Mhepo flees with Nemeso utindi did not disclose to anyone where Mhepo and Nemeso were hiding. He continued to visit Mhepo and her son and help with provisions. With time, people began to smell a rat. His favourite wife began to suspect that something was amiss. When a woman wants something from her husband, she does all sorts of things to impress him. Ultimately a husband gives in and lets the cat out of the bag. This is what Manditserera, Mutindi’s favourite wife, did when she wanted to know where her husband was going each time he disappeared. One morning Manditserera prepared her husband sadza served with mice as this was Mutindi’s favourite relish. The mice had been dried and were therefore easy to prepare. She put the dried mice in a pot and warmed them. She added peanut butter and pepper. After preparing the relish, Manditserera began to prepare a thick porridge using millet mealie-meal. She prepared it in a manner liked by her husband. She served her husband the food she had prepared. Mutindi could not help but salivate at the appetizing meal his wife had prepared. Manditserera’s unlimited repertoire of cooking skills had won her a place as Mutindi’s favourite wife. Manditserera then brought “milk” to her husband. At the same time, Manditserera was pouring beer in a mug for the enjoyment of her husband. Mutindi drank all the beer. Manditserera joined her husband and drank beer together with him. Because she was on a mission, however, she did M 40 not drink much beer. She continued to engage her husband in conversation at the same time assessing how drunk he was. When she realised he was drunk, she began to flatter him. She asked him whether she was not doing enough to make him happy. Mutindi told her that she was the one he loved most among his wives. Manditserera then shot back and said that if he really loved her then he should tell her the place he was frequenting those days. Mutindi assured her that he loved her so much but did not disclose to her the place because women could not hold secrets. Mutindi was cornered and agreed to let the cat out of the bag on condition that Manditserera kept it a jealously guarded secret. Mutindi disclosed how he had assisted Mhepo and her son escape and how he regularly visited them and supplied them with food. Manditserera promised to safeguard the secret. Mutindi continued to visit Mhepo and her son. He would not tell anyone where he was going except for Manditserera. One day Manditserera disclosed the secret to her best friend, Guhwa. Guhwa was a slim, tall woman. She was a chatterbox. The moment she started talking she would not stop. If she lived these days she would be nicknamed the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation (ZBC). Anyone who had missed out on the latest gossip would visit Guhwa for a briefing. Guhwa enjoyed cordial relationships with many people including Manditserera. Those who had something to hide never liked Guhwa, for she would expose them. Guhwa, true to her nickname, disclosed to all and sundry the whereabouts of Mhepo and her son, Nemeso. Within a short period, word had spread and got to the ears of Pfupajena. When Pfupajena heard that Mhepo was hiding and that Nemeso was still alive, he was greatly troubled. What bothered him more was that his uncle Mutindi assisted 41 Mhepo to escape with her son. Mutindi was Pfupajena’s special adviser, and so this made it difficult for Pfupajena to summon his uncle and ask him about the issue. What he could manage was to summon his other advisers and ponder the issue. Pfupajena and his advisers agreed not to ask Mutindi about this issue but to keep him under surveillance. This idea was conceived so that each time Mutindi would visit Mhepo’s hideout, some of Pfupajena’s advisers could track him until they got to where Mhepo and her son were and then send an army to kill them. After Pfupajena and his advisers met, it was revealed to Mutindi in a dream. In the dream Mutindi saw that same lion which had been in the dream when Nemeso was born. The lion revealed to Mutindi that Pfupajena was planning to send an army to kill Mhepo and her son, and therefore Mutindi was...