Rosettia Today.

Rosettia Today.(Judy) I was born to the Desmonds, cousin to the Davis family. A long line of women who were powerful and plus also looked good. It was a joly ride of self expression to the peak, fun beyond my understanding with my family centered mother and grandmother, sisters and cousins. Call it snobbish and you could be right. That's us. We don't share our conversations our love and our laughter anyhow, infact we hoard it. We hoard it for family. We are family oriented because in the long run, I want to get back into the family. I want to become a davis. I don't want any other girl or woman taking my place.
So everything we do is family centered, from birthdays, to gatherings, to outings etc.
The game of life and the mechanisms chose me found me picked me to be a Desmond. It was the biggest pride of mine. The desmonds we were fierce like diamonds, like plastacin, crystals and we were special. That's how we were, we loved our status, it was good enough. The davis, they were our idols, especially, the very man, the third heir, Imran. Or how we all were to call him Dylan Dan Davis.
Dan Dylan. My idol and my greatest undoing. After my fourth birthday, I fell from the staircase and became lame. It happened mysteriously.

Indeed the dynamics and politics that life ran on, personalities, power, yes power. He held all that and people stuck like flies around Dan Dylan or Dylan Dan.
Traditionally we were to meet with the family during Christmas and special festivals during the year and we looked forward to such times. As a baby I did, because of the music, the sight and scenery, the love and laughter. I looked forward to that time with all my heart.
We the Desmonds would travel from wherever we are to visit the family.
Sometimes we would be in germany, newyork, or UAE, we leave the place and travel all the way to visit Dan Dylan, our hero and his family in fact, all related ones and the likes would be there, within his courts. In the palace grounds.
So it was time for music, love and laughter and we would all enjoy the fantasy holiday together. Some time with the king.
On one of such times something significant happened and started between me and Dan Dylan.
I walked into his home and tossed his throne chair pillow from side to side. Smiling and wishing to sit there on my own. I did. And said orders to the imaginary subjects. Shortly after that he walked in.
His house was magnificent even far better than germany my mother was a girlfriend there.
He picked me up and that was it.
I was only a kid.
Dylan Dandy had a look that said death or close to that was near. He knew I craved adventure and the ritual of doing that which all expected me never to try. I stroked his face for a while and smiled into his eyes, are you game Dylan.
Game for what?
Let's play.

He put on some nice exotic music by the conner and I loved the game edge to it. I pounced on the bed with him.
The whole thing was fun. He plunged severally into my body. I was happy. We curled up together excitedly kissing and talking.

He later left the room.
I slept off there. The next morning I lied to my mother about sleeping in his room and my great grand father was a little numb about it because I lied I slept close to his room.



My mother was horrified. Look at this stupid girl with no sense at all, how can you sleep with Dylan Dan.
Are you mad?
I guess she must be mad.


"She must be mad if she did that."
Sandra said to her that morning.
"I believe she is not just stupid but cursed." Why should she do that."
"Maybe she did not!"
"The last place I watched her leave to was his corridor and this morning. Great grand dad isn't saying anything strongly about where she slept."
"He is numb about her wicked lie it is dawning on me."
"You call it just wicked? I call it heartless."
"I thought she had morals she is very family oriented. Everything she does is with us I never knew it was for this. She should have waited for them to choose her a husband. Them I mean here the people. Look at it a husband. Just like I have one, Sahle. Harlem. Why is she so forward. I don't understand this! Now she has gone to someone's man, the people's man. Dylan."
I admire her courage.
Me too daughter. That's one thing.
Mum you don't want me to lie to you so why are you thinking I am."
"You are Barbara. Your crippled legs hasn't taught you to fear, people kill."
"Kill me for making out with a man am bethroted to."
"Oh no, you did that."
"Yes I did why won't I how am I supposed to leave him when he is looking like that. Fair as rosemary petals, with warm morning sunshine. That beautiful face. The pearly eyes and the sweet smile."
"All that will seal your doom."
"I can't wait for people to accost me for doing something am entilled to."
"Wait and see you will hate yourself."

After a while I knew what she said to be true. I was sent to a country, sudan.


Sudan is a desert country, big and populated. We got to a part of the city which looked fair. And that was it.
My foster parents after a while gave me a place to stay. I had earlier on wept and complained about a room they gave me before. It looked like the store room. Now its a different room they gave to me.


Barbara life is hard out here in Sudan there is no gas for ac and fans and all that. You have to understand.



I shrunk.


Understand what. This place is so hot.



Fine you can open the doors or stay in the balcony. I did.

That's how my stay in Sudan was. Balcony was my only place of rest in the place. I went to the balcony and slept.


Soon my foster mum got pregnant and was expecting her baby. The house became a bee hive of activities as she started giving me some chores to do.


This was the beginning of my life out here in Sudan.

I was called barbie for the first week after which my name changed to something new. I asked them to call me barbie or shakira but they refused and called me my new name. Ashlem.


Ashlem became my name.
Ashlem get the dishes, the baby is crying. Ashlem wash the clothes I left for you, the baby needs them. Ashlem, do the chores I left for you, the house is dirty. It was ashlem this, ashlem that.
Chores hung at every turning point. And she had to do them. Which she did after two years she heard about something.


The kids in the house were are sprawled around on the floor screaming in excitement at the video ahead. It was him in Las Vegas getting married there. To a lady who seemed to be from his race.


She looked excited. Ashlem threw her bucket to the floor and water splashed.

"Common Ashlem why are you spilling all that water."

"I am sorry but that man, is meant to be the man of my life. The reason am here today away from all my glory and power and honour."


"Very funny." They laughed uncontrollably.



What's so funny you little waifs.


What's that, waifs. We waifs you are sick?


She ran into the room and threw herself on the bed and wept uncontrollably."I thought Dan Dylan was a hero. He seems to be as bad as everyone else. He is evil!"



But come to think of it. Visna said to the other girls. "He can't afford to be so frivolous. He is a hero to the people, a Las vegas marriage oh mine!"


"Come to think of it he really broke poor Ashlem's heart" Votuk responded.


Look at funny things he is going to tell Ashlem now. "Ashlem, I can't be on my own you know am a man."


Well they all want to hear such lies now leave them, rich men, rich girls they fit.



Ashlem is done for!


She is finished oh. Look at the open denial. The peter denial he has done to her.



Votuk got excited. "Is she Jesus."


"She might be for all I care, a queen coming here and washing the little monster Dimbra's clothes. Dimbra always soils them.


Like gosh do we have to talk about my sily brother's clothes! Gosh.

Ashlem is in trouble! You will say a change in her attitude.


And we will put hands together and help mum to beat hell out of her if she changes. She is the oldest she is eight and we are seven, five and three. If she ever refuses to wash Dimbra's clothes she would die in our hands.


She won't refuse I am sure she is that sick, why don't we forget her and view more racy romance pictures. Silly rich girls they think they can bottle up such a man like the bottled leopard. He has a soul that needs to express itself, so what's her love got to do with this!




Her mother came back and saw dimbra's clothes on the floor unwashed.


Ashlem!

Ashlem!



Yes mother, I am here!


Will you stop mothering me and take Dimbra's clothes and wash them well. You even went as far as leaving them all over the place.


I can't wash Dimbra's clothes.



What did you say? Come ashlem I know you are stupid because you look stupid to me but you cannot afford to be bold and rude as well. Now will you get into the washing room and do dimbra's washing for me!
Fine! I will do it on one condition that Votuk helps me.


What! You want to get smart on all these poor kids here you were brought here to be my daughter they are my neices from the big city, I won't give them such work to do. Now will you answer your call and do the work asked of you to do.



Fine! I would tell you yes when I won't.



What did you say. Kids come and see this stupid girl sent here to me. Now telling me stories. Look at her scary face. Like a dying eagle about to take flight. Look at this!



Votuk stood akimbo "now madam or whatever you call yourself we have chores around here. We help mum cook. So go and wash Dimbra's clothes."


"Wash what! Why don't I cook and you girls wash Dimbra clothes."

"If you don't wash these clothes you will regret it. You won't sleep well this night. I have seen the man whom you kept to yourself you are a theif he has finally come back to his senses and gone along with someone of his choice." All in the name of family you dirty girl!"


"I won't wash the clothes."



"Fine go and sleep then. The balcony has been tightly locked and there is no gas tonight!"



"God you people can't do this! God! Please don't do this to me. I have been planning how I would go to the balcony!"

Sorry then, no balcony for you. Unless you do the washing.



She got the clothes together and washed them singing.


When I was such a little girl.

I asked my mother.

Would I be happy.


Or would I be sad.


Here s what she said to me.


She stopped. After soaking the clothes and sat on the floor. Soon she rinsed them and spread them out.



Hope you washed them well she grunted.


I did.

Good. Here is the key to the balcony.



She took it and lay there. Spread her body over the mat and crying. She looked around thinking. What do I do...? I am finished.



That was it. Sleep came soon.

I woke up to find my sisters sitting naked and watching some streams.


It was like a club stream. He was there. But alas dressed as a woman.


The thing is when I later knew why single people did not bother, I understood.

Maybe or not he had taken my love but now he was having fun even both as man and like woman too. It was shocking....

2 be contd in next part.