Where was Madam Minister?
What happened to her husband, Dr Monteseri (Part Four)
Her phone began to ring. Vibrating, it jostled across the tea table. She caught it, put it off, and threw it into her purse.
Then she smiled at her visitor.
“I’m sorry for the interruption. Do you need more tea,” she asked.“No, Madam. Thank you very much. It’s been wonderful.,” said Mrs. Lilly Jennings.
Then Madam Minister lifted a saucer of peanuts toward her guest.
“Many thanks. I’m okay,” she said, smiling and waving it aside.
“We know what we are looking at here. Our situation is critical. We are in dire need.”
“We are here to help you solve this problem. But the international orgs rejects your proposal. We insist assists must be community base. The IDPs live in communities. We don’t need any commission to supervise them. NGOs are sufficient for us. Please tell Mr. President to keep the place secure and build the roads. We‘ll do the rest. Yes, we shall housing, seedlings and medications. We’ll rehabilitate them.”
Hon Madam Minister smile a little.
“Mr. President has done enough. The war is over. We have a Marshal Plan in place. We are asking you to key in…to support us…to strengthen our commissions. We want a single treasury unit to manage all funds.”
The World Bank Director for IDPs shook her head, smiling.
“No, Madam. Perception is everything. Case studies show community renews itself when it manages what it has. We want to pay direct cash to households. We want each local areas to manage the funds. And we want to do this through the NGOs.”
“ I am sure you misunderstood the point of Mr. President. He has sanitized governance. He has put away corruption. He wants broad development for every community.”
Then she stopped talking, dabbed her brow with a pinked hankie. Her phone rang again. She picked it . It was her husband calling. She switched off as fast as she could. And apologize to her visitor once again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Monteseri sat on a sofa. Kate was at the dining room with Chidi, her five year son. She served him some breakfast. Then came back to the lounge. And sat close to him. Since their mum passed on, she had taken over her role.
You are sure of it,” she asked.
“Sure! Ndi is not my wife.”“Soso,…stop it! I say... Stop it. You married Ndi when we disagreed with you. When dad said no…. When mom said no. What do you want me to do?”
Soso Monteseri reclined on the sofa, and sat deep with heavy breath, blinking at the marble floor.
Should Kate bring back those memories, he thought. Ndi was the front burner of our choir then. Our choice soprano. The most beautiful and kind. For God’s sake, How on earth should I have known what she would become.
“I don’t want further mistakes,” said Kate, as if she read his mind.
Since the death of their mom last year, she had assumed all responsibility of bringing the family together.
“She keeps late night,” said Dr Monteseri.
“Keep late night too,” replied Kate.
“Our children…Nene and Isabel. What happens to them?”
“Bring them here. Please, bring them here.”
“She will not allow it.”
“I’m a woman. Trust me. The first thing you do is trust me. I will do the rest.”
“No sister, this is not what I wish to hear. I cannot hold on for Ndi any longer. She is on a precipice. I won’t let my children fall into it too.”
“Soso, I will take care of this issue. I will take it up with her. Please sheathe the sword.”
Dr Monteseri crossed her legs, his hands resting on them.
“Nene cut her doll and herself into pieces with blade.”
“What! How is she? Where is she?“
“I’m coming from the pharmacy stores.”
Kate threw her face down, staring at the floor.
“My children have no mother. I want divorce.”
Her head swung up, staring helplessly, tears surging up.
“You can’t do that, Soso,” she said.
He stood up. She held him.
“We can’t afford another divorce. Look at me. Look at Chidi. He asks of his dad every day. I acted foolishly. I wish it never happened.”
“He was beating you every other day,” he reminded her.
She grabbled his neck, sobbing.
“Soso, don’t try it. It is a coward’s game, ” she sobbed, grabbing his neck.
“I’m fed up with her. She belittles me I’m fed up.”
She let go of him, and turned her back.
“Daddy did not recover from the shockwaves of my divorce...and mum lived with it to her end. It is an evil wind. It does not blow any good. Leave it out of our family."
Then she turned to face him.
Please don’t hurt us.”
Dr Monteseri avoided her wet eyes.
I have made up my mind on what to do, he thought.
He picked his car keys from the stool. And stomped out of the room.
What happened to her husband, Dr Monteseri (Part Four)
Her phone began to ring. Vibrating, it jostled across the tea table. She caught it, put it off, and threw it into her purse.
Then she smiled at her visitor.
“I’m sorry for the interruption. Do you need more tea,” she asked.“No, Madam. Thank you very much. It’s been wonderful.,” said Mrs. Lilly Jennings.
Then Madam Minister lifted a saucer of peanuts toward her guest.
“Many thanks. I’m okay,” she said, smiling and waving it aside.
“We know what we are looking at here. Our situation is critical. We are in dire need.”
“We are here to help you solve this problem. But the international orgs rejects your proposal. We insist assists must be community base. The IDPs live in communities. We don’t need any commission to supervise them. NGOs are sufficient for us. Please tell Mr. President to keep the place secure and build the roads. We‘ll do the rest. Yes, we shall housing, seedlings and medications. We’ll rehabilitate them.”
Hon Madam Minister smile a little.
“Mr. President has done enough. The war is over. We have a Marshal Plan in place. We are asking you to key in…to support us…to strengthen our commissions. We want a single treasury unit to manage all funds.”
The World Bank Director for IDPs shook her head, smiling.
“No, Madam. Perception is everything. Case studies show community renews itself when it manages what it has. We want to pay direct cash to households. We want each local areas to manage the funds. And we want to do this through the NGOs.”
“ I am sure you misunderstood the point of Mr. President. He has sanitized governance. He has put away corruption. He wants broad development for every community.”
Then she stopped talking, dabbed her brow with a pinked hankie. Her phone rang again. She picked it . It was her husband calling. She switched off as fast as she could. And apologize to her visitor once again.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr Monteseri sat on a sofa. Kate was at the dining room with Chidi, her five year son. She served him some breakfast. Then came back to the lounge. And sat close to him. Since their mum passed on, she had taken over her role.
You are sure of it,” she asked.
“Sure! Ndi is not my wife.”“Soso,…stop it! I say... Stop it. You married Ndi when we disagreed with you. When dad said no…. When mom said no. What do you want me to do?”
Soso Monteseri reclined on the sofa, and sat deep with heavy breath, blinking at the marble floor.
Should Kate bring back those memories, he thought. Ndi was the front burner of our choir then. Our choice soprano. The most beautiful and kind. For God’s sake, How on earth should I have known what she would become.
“I don’t want further mistakes,” said Kate, as if she read his mind.
Since the death of their mom last year, she had assumed all responsibility of bringing the family together.
“She keeps late night,” said Dr Monteseri.
“Keep late night too,” replied Kate.
“Our children…Nene and Isabel. What happens to them?”
“Bring them here. Please, bring them here.”
“She will not allow it.”
“I’m a woman. Trust me. The first thing you do is trust me. I will do the rest.”
“No sister, this is not what I wish to hear. I cannot hold on for Ndi any longer. She is on a precipice. I won’t let my children fall into it too.”
“Soso, I will take care of this issue. I will take it up with her. Please sheathe the sword.”
Dr Monteseri crossed her legs, his hands resting on them.
“Nene cut her doll and herself into pieces with blade.”
“What! How is she? Where is she?“
“I’m coming from the pharmacy stores.”
Kate threw her face down, staring at the floor.
“My children have no mother. I want divorce.”
Her head swung up, staring helplessly, tears surging up.
“You can’t do that, Soso,” she said.
He stood up. She held him.
“We can’t afford another divorce. Look at me. Look at Chidi. He asks of his dad every day. I acted foolishly. I wish it never happened.”
“He was beating you every other day,” he reminded her.
She grabbled his neck, sobbing.
“Soso, don’t try it. It is a coward’s game, ” she sobbed, grabbing his neck.
“I’m fed up with her. She belittles me I’m fed up.”
She let go of him, and turned her back.
“Daddy did not recover from the shockwaves of my divorce...and mum lived with it to her end. It is an evil wind. It does not blow any good. Leave it out of our family."
Then she turned to face him.
Please don’t hurt us.”
Dr Monteseri avoided her wet eyes.
I have made up my mind on what to do, he thought.
He picked his car keys from the stool. And stomped out of the room.
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