Karahani Alfredo sat in the High Court in Nairobi and looked at the judge. He was studying his face because his fate lay in the judge's hands. Judge Advocate Peter Kittson was a short burly Englishman who was in his late fifties. He wore a pair of rimless spectacles, a white wig, and his face seemed expressionless.
The people in court were silent as they stared at the judge. Alfredo had come to listen to the judgment of his divorce suit. His eyes travelled over the people in court and focused on those sitting on the front seats.
Then he saw her.
She was seated between two elderly men: he recognised one as her uncle and the other with a dark complexion was her father, old Kasamani. Her back was facing him, but he could see she was wearing a black velvet coat over her white skirt. He stared at her long black hair clipped at the back by a red ribbon; the hair that had attracted him five years back, but now seemed quite meaningless.
Then he looked at her dark, long, and beautiful legs as he began wondering why he had ever desired her years back, yet she later caused him great misery. He saw she was wearing her favourite black stilettos. His eyes were still staring at her when Angela turned and saw him.
She regarded him coldly, and his eyes met hers: their eyes filled with hate and contempt for each other.
Man and wife looked away. They did that to avoid looking at each other. The court was filled with relatives and friends who sympathised with their marriage, which for the past three years had gone on the rocks. They were eager to hear the outcome of the case, which had dragged on for months.
Then Alfredo saw the little boys. Special permission had been obtained from the court to allow the presence of the children at the hour of judgment.
The twins, dressed in red shorts with dark spots and white shirts, stood in front near their mother. Jacob and Esau were now almost three years old.
Jacob was the younger of the twins and most active. He could be seen holding tightly onto his mother's lap while Esau stared in his father's direction, his face lighting up with recognition.
Silence settled over the room as everyone waited anxiously for the judge, who had entered a few minutes back, to deliver his judgment. Kittson regarded the people coldly and then began to address the court.
"The family is quite an important institution in society and plays a great role. Parents, however, perform important tasks and are the backbone of the family. It is nature's law that man and wife must live peacefully in order to ensure the survival of their family," Kittson paused for breath as he studied the people who sat listening.
The judge cleared his throat and went on, "However, when there is no peace in the family, the foundations of a harmonious society is threatened. The court then has the duty to protect the children who may feel quite insecure in such circumstances. In this particular case, the court has taken into account that there has been no peace and stability ever since the children were born; the children are thus threatened by differences between their parents."
There was a brief pause before the judge continued, "There's enough evidence to grant a divorce so as to protect the young ones. Adultery is, however, a serious matter in a marriage. Considering the fact that the couples have lived separately for the past two years since that unfortunate incident, this court has no alternative except to issue a divorce."
Alfredo's lips curved into a smile. He was going to make it, he thought happily, and the damn fucking Jezebel would be off his back. But he knew that Angela, his wife, would equally be happy about the divorce the judge was soon pronouncing.
Angela, now aged twenty-five years, hoped the divorce would free her from any tie to Alfredo, and she would have the opportunity to rebuild her life all over again.
She was now prepared to live without him. Born at Musanda in Mumias, her parents came from a poor background, but her father, Old Kasamani, was a man who believed a person's background did not determine his destiny and worked very hard.
Her father had ensured she received a good secondary education. She had, however, been unable to advance further due to lack of funds.
But ever since Alfredo started mistreating her and suggested they live separately, she loathed him. And there was no way she would ever go back to him.
She was fed up.
"Having said all that," Kittson resumed his verdict, "the court has decided to allow Mr. Karahani unlimited access to his two children, Jacob and Esau, but Angela Kasamani will retain full custody of the children. This court now formally issues a divorce to Alfredo Karahani and Angela Kasamani. The alimony payable monthly shall be five thousand shillings having due regard to Karahani's limited finances. With this, the case has ended."
Kittson rose from his chair, the people in the courtroom following suit. He walked away and disappeared into the judges' chambers. There were murmurs along the corridor as people began to move away.
Apparently, some people were not happy with the verdict. They had wanted or expected the judge to rule against the divorce so that the family remained intact.
"You never know with the law," Some people could be heard talking in low tones.
Alfredo, having signed the necessary papers in the chambers, came out and walked past the crowd before disappearing into the streets.
Angela, who had also signed the papers, saw him leave and later began to walk along the road with her little sons and uncle. Her father, who was wearing a grey suit and a white shirt with a blue tie, walked side by side with her.
The tall and heavily built old man cleared his throat and said, "Angela, my daughter, I did not like the verdict. I know you are happy since you want to be free. Buy as I told you previously before the verdict, it is not proper for you to hold onto the custody of the children. The alimony you are getting is too small to survive on your own. How will you bring up those children seeing that you are not working?"
"I'll try getting and doing some odd jobs, dad." She replied, hoping he would be convinced.
She looked at his hair, which was turning grey and the frown on his face, and realised he was hurt.
The old man pressed on, "How sure are you that your new companion likes them? Be very careful, Angela. The man could be pretending now but later turns out to be a snake."
Then she remembered. Her mind went two weeks back when she was with Musani, whom she was now living with. It was after their evening meal when her little boys were asleep that Musani began talking.
"Angela, don't you think it is better if you gave back these kids to their father? He could use them as an excuse to start pursuing you," he said.
"No, darling," she replied calmly. "I don't want to surrender them. They're mine. It's the mother who knows and understands the pains of child birth. Since when has a man ever given birth to children?"
Musani saw it coming, the challenge. But he ignored it as he said, "You know, I don't have enough money to feed a family of four. It would have been okay if you came without the kids."
"I can always work to supplement what you earn. I want to live with my children."
"Listen, Angela. My people back home won't like it when they learn I married a woman with two children. One: Yes! But not two! There is a taboo among my people against marrying a woman with twins. It is considered a bad omen. So you see, I can't have both in my house."
Angela saw the writing on the wall and had become alarmed. It had come like a flash of lightning followed by the roar of thunder.
She listened as he went on, "The judge had better give the verdict that the boys' father takes them away because if he doesn't, then I will not have them in my house."
Musani had paused before going on, "Why is the man avoiding responsibility, yet he is in a better position than me? I would rather accept one of them but not both. I will be a laughing stock among my people in the village, and even here if they find me living with a woman who has given birth to twins."
Now, as her tall and slim figure walked together with her relatives along the road on their way to the bus stop and her mind cracked from the past, Angela saw the danger. Musani would possibly demand that she quit his house and she was not prepared for such.
It was then she saw the point her father and uncle were telling her, and she decided to heed their advice.
Slowly but with great determination, she said, "I think you are right, dad. But I don't want to see Alfredo at this time. I can let him have Esau while I remain with Jacob. That way, the man I live with won't think he's being exploited."
"Good," replied the old man as his eyes lit up. "I will make sure I take the little boy personally to him. If not, I will have your mother take Esau to Alfredo."
That was how the decision to separate the twins was reached. It was made out of the selfish and personal interests of the society they lived in.
They had come out of their mother's womb tightly holding onto each other in a loving embrace but were now going separate ways into an unknown world and future.
* * *