WHEN LOVE TURNS TO PAIN

PART ONE

And then she told me "Anger is a disease never allow anger to control you. At that point you have no control over your emotion, you are powerless." She looked at me while tears started rolling down her eyes, she looked weak this woman was in pain she was bedridden and she had lost hope in getting back on her feet.

I've known her for the longest time and she was the happiest woman I've ever came across little did I know the woman that kept on smiling at me had deep pain inside her and was always asking God why me.

This is how it all began. Catherine was born on September 16th 1966.Being a firstborn in a family of ten Catherine had the responsibility of taking care of her siblings as her mom was an alcohol brewer and her dad a farmer. She was very bright and was so determined to make it in life to save her parents from poverty. From childhood she was this confident, bold and aggressive child that stood up for her self she knew it was her against the world.

At school she was always the top student and this led to other students being jealous of her and always trolling her reminding her her mum is an alcohol brewer and that no matter how much she tries she will end up like her mum. This made her to work even harder.

Catherine passed her primary school exams with flying colors and managed to join to join one of the top National schools in Kenya. During her visiting days her parents did their best to ensure that they brought something of value to her and always she was grateful. She managed to pass her high school with good grades and waited to join college.

After high school Catherine fell in love. She met this tall and handsome guy from the coastal region and how the guy spoke slowly with the coastal accent drove Catherine crazy, she was madly in love. She kept bragging to her friends about how much the guy loved her and she even bought for her new dresses, a "belly-bottom" trouser which was rare back then and some "pams" those were the heels back then .She really flossed to her friends. They walked holding hands and sometimes he even carried her in his back indeed Catherine and Peter were a match made in heaven.

She decided to elope with her "Mr match made in heaven". Her parents went crazy it was their only hope they gave the best to educate her. It broke them down she was their only hope they were mocked and laughed at. Catherine had started her marriage life with Peter in another town.

After sometime Catherine became pregnant, then all hell broke loose. Her loving Peter was arrested over fighting issues that led to severe injury to the victim. He was jailed for 2 years. She had to start life single without her husband because Peter had not taken her to his parents and she was afraid of going back home because she ran away before going to college.

Catherine had to do all she did to feed herself and save money for her unborn child. After nine months it was time to give birth and she did not know what to do she screamed for help and by Goodluck an elderly woman who was her neighbor and midwife heard her she helped Catherine to give birth. She gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and named her blessing. The elderly woman named Namaemba took her in and helped her because she had just given birth. She was happy as the woman took her like her own daughter.

Catherine used her savings to get her daughter some new clothes. she was happy because the child was the duplicate of her husband. Blessings made her happy. After a month sadly Namaemba died. Her only hope was shut down she had to do it on her own again she went back to digging and doing manual jobs just a month after giving birth she had to make ends meet. She was broken she wanted to go back home but fear and shame hold her back she had to do what she can to give her child the best life.

After 2 years, her husband came back and at least she took her to his homeland to start a new life. They started the new life in the village from scratch. Life was good because her husband was at least there for her life was good. She got pregnant again after her child was 2 years and gave birth to her second born girl again. All went on well and after aa year again she gave birth to a daughter again that's when she faced the wrath of both the husband and the mother in-law they wanted a son.

One day she was deep asleep in her house when she wake up being choked with smoke they were burning her house by Goodluck she saved her kids and the house burnt into ashes. The mother in-law did this because Catherine had no son and that she gave birth to "frogs".

At the age of 28, she decided to get back to her parents to at least get peace. she set out a journey by foot with her 3 children she started the journey at 5am in the morning then arrived at home by 2am in the morning. By God's grace they managed to reach safely after making stops in different homes borrowing food and asking for food. She knocked the door with a trembling voice her mum rushed to open she saw her daughter they broke down to tears. Catherine was a walking frame she had lost significant amount of weight. Her mum fainted!

By dawn she was awake and still couldn't believe that was her daughter. She looked horrible, scared with bruises no longer confident she was shaking. The kids were malnourished as she didn't have enough to feed them. They only ate yams. Her mother was shocked. She believed in her daughter. All her hope had been taken away she felt like committing suicide. She did a lot for Catherine she felt played. At the end she forgave her daughter and since Her eldest brother was successful they started to plan taking her back to collage as her mum takes care of the kids. After sometime Catherine fell sick. She was pregnant with the fourth child!

The whole family was left speechless. Luckily after 9 months she gave birth to a son. She was happy she felt relieved she believed her marriage will now work. She wanted to run away back to her husband just to prove to him and her mother-in-law she has a son. The family knew and they had to be strict on her because it was a must she goes back to school. Her brother wanted the best for her he told her no negotiating she is going to college. Catherine deeply wanted to prove to her husband's family that she is now a mother to a son but her family made sure this time she doesn't win in running away she really wanted to make her marriage work.

After 3 months Catherine, her parents, brother and kids set out to go and take her son to be shaved since it was a must for a firstborn son to be shaved by his father. On arrival they found out that Catherine's husband had married two more wives. The brother was mad and told him to shave his son as he wanted to take his sister to college. After shaving Michael it was time to leave.

Catherine refused to leave and said she wanted to stay and fight for her marriage. Her family was angry her brother started beating her, but still she said she is not leaving her dear Peter. They felt betrayed....

To be continued

Written by

Dorine Tsuma