“We will be in Mutare soon,” a man said behind him.

“Can’t wait to see my children,” a woman said.

“I am coming back soon, a few days with the children then,” the same man said.

“I am taking food parcels for my husband’s parents and my parents, so I will be back anytime,” the woman said.

Suddenly the passengers were quiet when the second driver of the bus asked someone to pray for their journey. Darrel slept in the middle of the prayers. Passengers in the bus were all asleep, besides a few talking on their phones. Darrel couldn’t wait to arrive home. Aron had a lot of questions to answer. He saw Aron as greedy and heartless.

He was feeling hungry, but he couldn’t eat until he saw Aron. He trusted Aron, but this had made him regret his friendship. Darrel had found Aron a job when he became a data capturer, there were vacancies for underground posts. He had always helped him in all ways, but Aron seemed to have forgotten all that he did for him. It is said how you treat someone is the way you will be treated. But this was the other way round.

He arrived at Birchnough Bridge at 8 a.m. He got out of the bus and walked into the village. He raced to his home. His brother, Dennis, ran towards him.

“Brother, are you well?” he asked as he took the bag Darrel was carrying.

“Yes, and you Dennis?” he asked.

Dennis nodded, and they walked to their home. He entered the hut in which his mother resided with his siblings.

“Greetings, mother,” he said, shaking her hand.

“My son. Why are you here?” she asked, folding her arms.

In the hut, a pot was on the fire. It seemed as though his mother was cooking.

“Tell me everything that Aron gave you Ma,” he said, concerned.

His other siblings went out, but Dennis remained behind. Mother told Darrel everything.

“So, he didn’t give you two thousand?” he hissed.

“This is how the groceries came. You said nothing was opened,” she said calmly.

“I am going to his home to hear his explanation,” he stood up, and Dennis followed him. It was a few metres to Aron’s family home. It was quiet, and no one was outside. There was an open door at the hut. They walked to the hut and met Aron’s mother.

“Greetings, Ma,” the two brothers said.

“Greetings, sons, are you here for Aron? He left early morning,” she said calmly.

They entered the hut and told Aron’s mother what her son had done.

“What? Aron can’t do this. What has come over him?” she asked, shocked. She held her chest, Darrel sat there thinking of solutions.

“I will take the cow until he gives back my things,” he said calmly.

Aron’s mother agreed with this solution to solve the situation. It was better for the sake of the family. Dennis went to the kraal and took the best cow straight out of their kraal. The brothers went back home. Mother had prepared some food for them. Darrel couldn’t stop wondering why Aron had betrayed his trust this way. They ate, talking about what was happening in the village. They laughed as though he had forgotten what Aron did to him.

“Ma, tomorrow I am going back. Dennis, look for a buyer for the cow. The money, use it for the things you needed,” he said as they sat around the fire.

“I hope you forgive him,” his mother said, concerned.

“I don’t know, Ma,” he said, looking at the ground.

The next morning Darrel got ready to leave.

“Travel safely, my son,” Darrel’s mother said.

He got into the bus and waved back to his mother and sibling. His mind was away thinking of what would he do to Aron and wondering if he would accept the cow being taken from his family. But he would deal with that later.

***

Tell us: Would you forgive Aron if this was done to you? Is the cow enough compensation for what he did?