A Woman Seeking Solace

Chapter 9: Things Money Can't Buy

I don't know if it's because my family contributes greatly towards the church but I could tell he agreed to play along. Clearly, he wouldn't smile with me but there would be no frowns or tears from both of us.

I paused for a moment and took a sip of my tea, I looked to the sky to admire the birds and then continued my confession.

"Father, my story begins 2 months before my marriage. My husband and I were on a trip to South Africa. It was one of his means to try and court me, it was a wonderful gesture but a failed attempt.

While on the trip we were involved in an unfortunate accident. A driver fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into our car. I was stuck with a terrible headache and my husband was in a coma for 3 days.

At the time, I was between myself. Sad that if he died it would mean I would have to start this process again and meet a new suitor but happy that his death would mean postponing the wedding and I would be free for a few more months or even years.

Fortunately, he did not die and the accident had brought some good news. While he was in the coma, I was informed that the accident had damaged my husband's reproductive organs and he would never be able to father a child.

You have no idea how delighted I was to hear such news, not carrying a child would be that I would be able to reign and secretly mock the entire system of our culture. It would also mean the throne would end with me and no child of mine would ever suffer the way I did.

I knew in order for my plan to work, my husband's predicament would have to be a secret. Without hesitation, I bribed the nurse and doctor who knew, so that I would avoid having to marry another man. They would be paid a large sum of money and move to another country, I would get to have the life I wanted with an outcome I was in control of.

My plan was flawless and it was working perfectly until a few years later when my husband was forced to take a second wife and I had fallen in love with him.

Little did I know at the time, no Queen had ever struggled to have a child and so there was never a fear the throne would end. The elders enacted a new law, that should the Queen not conceive, a young 'surrogate' would be brought in to help her.

I was hurt watching him marry Mfariji but I couldn't stop it. Since I had no child, everyone considered it to be a sign from God that I was meant to be a good leader but not a good mother.

As hurt as I was, I decided to accept it and move on. I made my bed, so I had to lay in it. I knew he couldn't have children, so everything that happened afterwards was a consequence of my actions.

Just as I was getting used to the pain of having to share him, I was surprised by the news that Mfariji was pregnant. I was baffled and thought to myself that it was impossible, so I hired a private investigator and the things I found out about her blew me away.

Turns out Mfariji was a loose woman, she loved sex and couldn't get enough of it. She had a history of cheating on her boyfriends and having lots of them. She had countless affairs on my husband under the guise of travelling for cultural enrichment purposes. She would leave the house once a month and travel to a foreign place and find some interesting local entertainment. I refused to believe it but had no choice once I saw the videos brought to me by the PI.

After a few tapes, the shock faded and I understood where her experience came from.

I watched the videos over and over, shocked and surprised, could the girl saying things like 'Daddy take it, it's yours' and 'I can be a slut for you any day' really be the timid girl who was married to my husband but then again it made sense how she could release the beast inside my tame husband.