NORTON

Pushed to Sin

CHAPTER 9

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Aayan spent weeks looking for a gap in the wired fence between his house and the old couple's. When he finally raised the matter with Kim, she almost told him the truth then realised she might awaken the beast in him. If he knew that she was aware of the gap, he would demand to know why she was okay with it. Kim told him she had even forgotten that the old couple came running in on the day her mother passed. The truth was, Kim spent a lot of time talking to Penelope about her mother. Winnie had even joined her at the neighbour's house. Penelope's company was so therapeutic that the sisters repeated the joint visit three times. Winnie had seven-month-old twins and she was extra sensitive and missed her mother more. Luckily for her, the father of the children was especially supportive and present so Winnie was able to visit her sister as often as she needed to when she missed their mother. Their bond grew stronger without their mother and Kim became less interested in her husband's emotional state. Aayan allowed Kim to miss Jumua'ah to mourn her mother and Kim was grateful for the time off. Kim travelled to her mother's house frequently on Friday afternoons with her girls to especially spend time with Alpha and Omega. Mercy always availed himself for their travels and spent a little time with the now extended family. Aayan spent an equal amount of time at his home because of his mother's ill-health. Kim ignored her mother-in-law's suffering and focused on her own family.

One Monday afternoon, Aayan returned early from work and found no one in the house. The doors were locked and it smelled like Kim had just finished cooking. The pots were still hot and everything was in order. He wondered where Kim could have gone to and felt unsettled at the thought of his wife disappearing when the children were about to return from school. He opened the front door and looked up and down the street and at that moment, he heard his wife's voice, saying "Thank you again. I have to go now." Aayan followed the sound of the voice and saw his wife standing on their side of the fence, talking to Penelope who was standing on her side of the land. Clifford alerted the two ladies of Aayan's presence by shouting, "hello Mr. Norton!" Aayan simply waved and Kim froze. Sensing her discomfort, Penelope said thank you for helping me with that recipe Kim. I'm going to try that out right now." Kim knew this was a cover up and played along. "I'm glad I could help. Bye." Aayan asked her about their relationship and Kim told him the old lady always greets her and the children and that, that day she went further and asked if Kim knew a stew recipe. Aayan found it odd that a woman that old wouldn't know how to make stew but he let the issue go. "Do you know how they got into our yard the last time?" Kim wanted to put the matter to rest once and for all and told him that Clifford used something to cut the fence but that he had long since fixed it. Aayan breathed to control the rising anger then said they better not do it again. Kim avoided crossing over for the rest of the week still fearing that her husband might show up a few hours early.

Four days later on a Saturday, Norton finished the garden then inspected the fence. Kim saw him tugging and pulling it all the way down. She held her breath when he reached the corner of the barrier and to her biggest surprise, the fence didn't give in. It stayed in its place and Aayan walked away looking satisfied. He then left to go check on his mother but Kim stayed indoors with her children for the rest of the weekend. When she saw her favourite neighbours during the week they explained that they decided to fix it again fearing Aayan might be curious about were Kim had come from the other day. Penelope asked Kim if she needed help escaping from him and Kim laughed softly and told her no. "He seems bad from a distance but he's a good husband." Penelope nodded but concern was written all over her face.

With the fence now secured, Kim took the ten-minute walk around the block to see Penelope and Clifford. She had not been inside their house in at least three weeks. Penelope was experiencing pain on her right knee and Kim happily assisted them with all the house work. She cleaned the house thoroughly then cooked for them. She hugged them goodbye then walked back to her house. As she turned the corner, she saw Aayan standing by their gate. She felt like she was being turned inside out when he cast his eyes on her. She approached while trying to create a lie but she had not come up with anything good when she finally stood in front of him. He said nothing but just glowered at her for a few seconds then walked into the house. Kim followed him and when she was inside, she shut the door. She carefully removed her face veil and placed it on a chair before approaching her husband. Aayan stood stock still and regarded his wife as she closed in on him with caution. When she was close enough she decided to give an explanation Aayan was clearly waiting for. She chose honesty and told him she had gone to assist Penelope because her knee had been giving her problems for a while. Aayan asked how she knew the old lady had had a bad knee for a while and Kim told him since the day she gave her the stew recipe. "What else do you get up to when I'm not around Kim?" Kim looked up at him and said, "I only helped her because she showed concern on the day my mother passed." "You mean she and her husband budged in thinking I was doing something awful to you." Kim wasn't expecting that but she knew that's exactly the reason why they came into their house uninvited. "I don't know why they came." A slap went across her face before she could swallow the last word. "What have you been telling these people, Kim?" "Nothing." Kim said holding the burning part of her face with both her hands. "So you spent, Allah knows how long, in the house helping and said nothing throughout?" "They were talking about their daughter who is a nurse. I didn't say anything" Kim said with tears this time. The door swung open and it was the children. "Clean yourself up before my children see you like that" he said then went to take a seat in front of the television.