Luyando, Book 1, Episode 1

By Brian Ngoma

LUYANDO: EPISODE 1

Hule! Hule! Hule! Hule! people shouted outside Luyando's house. This was the third time Luyando was accused of seducing another woman’s husband in the neighborhood. 'I won’t let her steal my husband, she's a prostitute', said the wife to the husband in question. 'She shouldn’t be hiding, she should come out and get a piece of me'. People were waiting for Luyando to come out so that they witness a fight. 'This will be an epic fight', said one of the onlookers.

'My granddaughter, what is happening to you?' asked Luyando's grandmother. 'Not too long ago, the same thing happened', she continued. Luyando's grandmother was crying as she talked to her granddaughter. She was very old and only had two grand children who were taking care of her. Luyando stayed with her while her brother, Josi was living out of town where he had secured a job. 'Granny, like i told you last time, these people are just accusing me of sleeping with their husbands', Luyando cried. 'But my daughter, this is the third time', Luyando's grandmother replied. She really wanted to believe her granddaughter but she was having doubts now. Looking at how profusely her granddaughter was weeping, she felt a huge load on her throat that she wanted to tell her that she believed her. She decided to go out and calm the crowd.

'Mother to Nyambe, please can i talk to you', Luyando's grandmother called the wife of the same husband. 'We are really sorry for what has happened, Luyando is asking for your forgiveness '. 'Why can’t she come and apologize on her own, i will beat your granddaughter today, she will see!' shouted the woman. The crowd was excited and started shouting, ‘Let the Hule come out! Hule! Hule! Hule! Hule! Hule! Hule! Luyando's grandmother broke into tears as she could not talk and be heard above those voices. One of the onlookers saw that the situation was getting out of hand. He reasoned with the women and told them to come at another time and talk to Luyando in private. They obliged and went away.

Before everything started, Luyando was the beauty of the neighborhood. She was dark in complexion, had big brown eyes, a curvy body, and very intelligent. She had just completed her grade 12 at a local girls’ school and passed with distinctions. She was the envy of all the girls in the neighborhood. Her brother used to tell her that girls want to be you, men want to date you and parents wish you were their daughter. Unfortunately, everyone in the neighborhood had come to know her as a husband snatcher. The glory days were long gone.

'I want to come and live with you brother' she cried on the phone. 'if you come here, who will stay with grandmother?', Josi asked. 'But Luyando, are you really innocent? Cause honestly, this is happening for the third time now'. When Luyando was accused the first time, her brother had her back. He even confronted the same woman who accused her and threatened to beat her. When it happened for the second time, he did the same. But now, he had doubts too. 'Josi, you know me better than anyone, do you seriously think that i can go out with a married man?' she asked him feeling disappointed. He was the only one she had apart from her grandmother, and she was scared to lose his trust. 'I believe you, you are my little sister, but please be careful ahh, and greet granny for me, tell her I’m coming soon', Josi put the phone down. He had a lot of doubts with her sister now. What people were saying about his sister’s life contradicted her principles as he had come to know her. 'Ahhh, I have work tomorrow', he thought. That’s how he fell asleep.

The following day was the most difficult in Luyando's life. She knew she had to go to the market as her grandmother was too old to go. 'Granny, don’t we have enough food to eat today, is it really necessary for me to go to the market?' asked Luyando. 'Yes you have to go, there is nothing to eat today', replied her grandmother. 'But...........', 'But what?' Just go. She gathered her courage and went. As she was going, she could feel eyes on her and people whispering. Luckily, she met her friend Priscila. Priscila was Luyando's best friend. They had met some six years ago during an inter school’s volleyball championship. Despite being on two different sides of the competition, the girls hit it off immediately. They were both bench warmers as they called themselves. 'I heard what happened yesterday Luyando, am very sorry I could not come. Mom could not let me you know her', said Priscila. 'Its fine, you are now here, I do not care where you are going you are escorting me', Luyando said smiling. For a moment she felt safe as she was with her best friend. She knew nothing mattered as long as her friend was with her. The two girls went to the market and bought everything needed.

As they were coming back from the market, Priscila exclaimed, 'Tyson!'. Luyando did not know what was happening or who Priscila was too happy to see. Priscila ran towards a certain man carrying some bags and hugged him. Luyando was trying to make sense of the situation but she could not so she just waited for her friend. Looking at her friend at distance, Luyando could tell that whoever that was, Priscila was happy to see him. Priscila and the man were now walking towards Luyando, as they were getting closer, she could see him clearly. 'Wow, he’s so handsome', she thought. 'Luyando, this is Tyson, Tyson, Luyando', Priscila introduced them. 'How are you Luyando?' Tyson greeted her, 'Iam well, thanks', she replied. For some unknown reasons, she was becoming nervous and started sweating. She was looking at him curiously and she could feel that he was looking at her too. 'He looks and smells good and the way he talks, so gentle', she thought. The last boy who made her feel like this was a boy in Junior secondary school. She liked the boy so much that she told him she liked him but the boy told her that she had a big forehead. She felt crushed and cried the whole night and was absent from school for five days.

The three of them walked while Luyando remained silent. 'Here you are Luyando, we are going back', said Priscila. Luyando did not realize that they had reached her place. 'Oh, thanks, but are you not coming in?' She asked. 'No, let me escort Tyson, Iam sure he’s tired', replied Priscila. 'I wouldn’t mind staying for a glass of water though', Tyson said. As Luyando felt Tyson's voice, she trembled with excitement. 'He likes me', she thought. 'No, we have to go', Priscila cut in. 'Hmmm cousin what’s your problem, i need some water', said Tyson, 'I’m not your cousin ahhhh', Priscila replied. They all laughed.

Luyando told Tyson that they should go even though she did not mean it. The three parted, with Luyando opening the gate. As she was about to enter, she heard Tysons voice, 'Excuse me Luyando, do you mind giving me your number', 'Yes I do, I do not know you', replied Luyando. 'But we have a mutual friend, don’t we?', 'Yes we do, but still no’.... 'Please'. She could not resist his smile. She had a thing for men with a dimple and Tyson had one. The way he was looking at her, it felt like no other man has ever looked at her that way in a long time. Finally, she decided to give him. 'But you could have taken it from Priscila', she told him. 'That cousin of mine is troublesome', he said. Tyson took his phone out of his pocket. 'Ok my number is 097578......', 'You prostitute, i have come to talk to you like your grandmother requested', Nyambe's mother interrupted the two.