The Changing Tides – Episode 4

The Changing Tides – Episode 4

A Story By Tisa Phiri

“Maria, am going to the university ” Muma announced excitedly to Maria while she stood near the stove as Maria prepared dinner.

“Wow!, am so happy for you my dear’, Maria smiled.

” I know how much you studied for this your course am sure you will make a good engineer.” she added.

“I know right. you and mom are the only ones who support me. These guys think it’s a job for men and I always tell them, what a man can do, a woman can do better.” she said proudly as she peeped in the pot Maria was preparing.

“You can do it, You have always inspired me Muma, really you are so dertermined and I admire your courage,” Maria complimented as she watched Muma grab a piece from the beef stew she was preparing.

“I wish to go high as well” she added as she cut the tomatoes to use in the vegetables on the other plate.

Muma smiled…

” you know God is fair, he didn’t make me as cute as you are but he gave me brains.” she teased, patting Maria on the back.

“What? Oh no you are beautiful Muma, just look at your structure and smooth face ” Maria said with a laugh.

“Well i have to put in a lot of work and dress in order to maintain my figure and face. But for you my dear friend its natural. You are simply cute and I wonder how you cope at this your new school with guys, ” she laughed.

“Come on am only 17 now and I cant be thinking of boys and school at the same time.” Maria argued.

“Maria my dear, I know sometimes you can be so naive but just a hint,” Muma said with a whisper.

“I know of a guy in this house who is crazy about you. ”

“You are not serious” Maria sighed looking at Muma.

“Everyone here treats me like their sister how can you even think of that? ”

“Oh well, like I said you are naive my friend open your eyes and see!” Muma let a laugh and left the kitchen waving at Maria who remained standing wondering what she meant.

“Maybe it’s Jake” she thought to herself as she finished her cooking. He was the one who always joked around with her but she had not seen any signs that he was into her. .

She raised her shoulders and decided to ignore Muma’s comments.

Just then Paul walked in..

“Hey! ” He called her out.

” Food is ready? ” He asked her with a smile.

Maria had noticed how Since she started school Paul had been helping her especially with preparing supper. Sometimes he would come early from work where he told her was working with ZESCO as an electric engineer .

He would help her with some maths problems and science when ever she had home work.

Over time Maria grew fond of him and she found herself easing up when he was around as compared to the way she used to be some time before.

“Yeah am done now uncle Paul I just need to save up.” She told him placing the food on the dinning table.

He got the other dishes and helped her serve.

“Any home work today? ” He asked her.

“Mmmh nothing” she shrugged.

“I hope you are studying hard Maria the exams are around the corner.” Paul told her bamping his hand into her as they both went for the plates.

He looked at her and she did too for a second and saw how tendery Paul’s eyes looked at her.

She quickly withdrew and Muma’s voice echoed in her mind. ‘Someone in this house is crazy about you’

“Sorry I will get that ” she said and got the plates faster than normal.

Paul looked at her and smiled. He was so crazy about her but he could not allow himself to be carried away. He had eyed the girl before her since he first he saw her seated with the family at the table as they were about to have supper.

She looked so innocent and fragile his heart beat with compassion and a feeling of attachement.

Paul had watched how committed to work Maria was and he could sometimes miss watching her so he would go home during lunch just to observe her work from afar..

He was glad she had gone back to school. Hoping with everything in him things went well for her. She was going to write her exams and he couldn’t help feel nervous for her.

“What’s your intentions towards her? ” He recalled his friend asking him..

“I don’t know my friend. She just gives me this strange feeling everytime she’s around and I can’t help it. I know Tasha is my girlfriend but surprisingly I don’t feel so much at peace with her as I feel around that girl. she’s only 17 but she does things like she’s way older. Her beauty compels me towards her and I can’t just ignore that, i dont know, theres jusy something about her that is hard to ignore,.” Paul had explained to his friend who shook his head.

“You are going to have a rough one Paul, either you leave that house or that girl will be your down fall” his friend teased.

“The food is served” he heard Maria infom him as his eyes were focused at nothing in particular.

Maria had noticed Paul going quite for some minutes and she had to bring him to the present as she finished preparing the table.

“Oh yeah it is,” Paul smiled and went to sit waiting for everyone else to join him at the table.

At the end of the year Maria had written her grade 9 exams. She had written all the paper’s with confidence as she had studied hard. With Paul and Muma always helping her with her studies.

Margret called Maria over one evening, “how were the exams?” she asked. .

“They were okay Mam atleast I managed to answer well in all the subjects,” Maria responded.

“That’s good Maria, I called you to let you know that we will be travelling out to see my mother in Kitwe with Muma and the boys. You will remain here with Paul as he can’t go with us because of his work” , she explained.

“make sure you take care of the house okay? ”

“I will mam,” she responded.

The following day she helped the family pack their things in the vehicle and saw them off.

It was Saturday so Paul was home that day. After the vehicle left Maria went back inside to go clean up the mess that was caused by the packing and moving of the bags.

She later on prepared lunch and went to call on Paul who was in his room.

I will be out in a minute, Paul responded.

He came out to eat and found Maria wasn’t by the table.

“Maria! Won’t you come eat with me? ” He asked shouting as he faced Maria’s room.

“I am not yet hungry uncle Paul” she answered back.

“Please go right ahead and enjoy the meal. ”

The family had been gone for days and Maria and Paul stayed together, since there was less to do Maria would usually finish her chores quickly and sit to watch some movies. She wished she had some books to study but being that she already wrote exams she found herself more free than she desired to be.

One evening she went to her room early and locked the door when she noticed Paul wasn’t yet back.

She was just falling asleep when she heard a loud knock by the door.

Moving in her night dress covering it with a chitenge, Maria staggered with her sleepy face to go and open.

She was shocked to see a very drunk Paul at the door he couldn’t stand straight.

“Uncle Paul, ” she shouted holding his hand when he staggered out of balance.

“What happened to you?” she asked helping him inside.

Paul raised his drunk eyes and looked at Maria pushing her towards the wall in the passage.

“Maria ” he whispered her name.

“You are so drunk Uncle I need to get you to sleep” she told him trying to get him to stand up straight .

She struggled to take him to his room and he made her stop by the door. Pushing her to the wall again.

“Maria you know why I got so drunk? ” He asked with a laugh. .

Maria shook her head.

“I dont know but you have to get to bed now it’s late and you can’t even get yourself to stand. ”

“Oh no I don’t want to sleep Maria, my friend drove me here and I left my car somewhere. This is all your fault” he added his drunk voice hoarse.

“I want you Maria, you have driven me crazy over the years and I cant control the feelings I have for you . I got drunk to forget about you. But seeing you this close is so had” he added.

Maria was shocked at the new revelation she was hearing. She looked at Paul and had no words for him. She wondered if it was the beer making Paul talk or it was the confirmation of her suspicions.

“I love you Maria and I can’t even be with my girlfriend anymore. I can’t stop thinking about you and I don’t know what to do.you are only 17 for God’s sake, why do you drive me so crazy ? ” He smiled holding her face.

“Uncle it’s time to sleep now” she cut him short and tried to push him away, but Paul was firmly holding her .

She pushed him towards his bed and as he fall down in the bed grabbing on to her chitenge.

Instead of withdrawing, Maria stayed put and didn’t get herself to move, allowing Paul to turn her around and touch her breasts.

Maria was still a virgin but now she was experiencing strange tickles that she wasn’t familiar with.

“I love you Maria and I want you to be mine someday.” He whispered his hands in her night dress.

“Stop it now” Maria whispered not really convincing Paul who had lifted himself on top of her body.

Maria could feel the strong scent of beer from his mouth and body but for whatever reason she didn’t want him to stop touching her.

He manged to get her out of her dress and the time she realised what was going on, was when she felt pain as Pual pushed his way into her.

She tried to push him away when the pain increased but unfortunately it was too late. He was so up he couldn’t control himself. The effect of the beer making it so hard for him to notice he was hurting her. .

Maria cried as Paul continued thrusting inside her until he was done and fall back down instantly snoring.

She lifted her self painfully her legs could not stay together as she walked to her room. With every step Maria felt the regret in her heart. She had the strange feeling something was gonna change and she shivered at the thought of having pain in her life again after almost three years of living happily.

She touched herself and looked at the blood on her fingers. Maria knew that her life had changed. Not so sure whether tommorow would be the same.

Another tide was flowing her way and all she could do as she lay down to sleep was wish that it could be a good one.

To be continued

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