Narration of love

It has been two years now since I last went to Newriton , I was gradually forgetting the fact that I was once a spy and I was having a perfect love life with my now Fiance, Ann. I had propose to her a year ago and she had even introduced me to her parents. I was surprised how freely her people accepted me despite the fact that I come from the western part of the country and she from the east. I used the money I saved during my stay in Newriton to open a big complex in which I train kids the basics of Martial art and it happens to be actually booming as the kids seem to be growing strong and matured day by day. Most times, Ann will escort me to the complex to see my students, she was always happy and joyous being with them. Yes, one more thing, I have confided in my wife by telling her am a spy, or better put, that I was once a spy. I don’t want what happened to gabi ( may his soul rest in peace) to repeat itself in my case. I told her hoping she would get angry with me but no, she took it maturely although at times she would look at me with doubtful eyes, she would always say I don’t look like who was a spy. So that is how life had been, I still keep close friendship with Alvana , Matt and even Christiana. This particular morning, I was in my complex busy with my kids as usual, ” Alex, that is not how you do it, you kick with the leg behind, so anytime you want to kick, you simply change your stance to keep your most comfortable leg behind” I told Alex, he was one of my very fast learning students. ” I am trying” he told me, ” Alex, you have been behaving sluggish since morning, you are not behaving like the Alex I use to know, what is the problem?” I asked him, truly, he has been behaving awkward since morning, he wasn’t like the strong vibrant guy I know. ” Master Israel, you are gonna die soon” he told me as he immediately busted into tears, I pulled his head closer to my chest and smiled, ” Die? How do you mean?” I asked him , ” I dreamt of you being killed, you were all in black and a tall guy with fine face also in black killed you” he explained, ” Hmm, Alex having nightmares again?” I asked him smiling, ” No Master Israel, this same mark on your wrist was on his wrist also” He told me. ” You say he is tall?” I asked him, he nodded. ” A tall guy that has the mark of Newriton, a perfect description of Gabriel ” I thought. ” Master Israel, a man with a black car and wearing a black suit is outside looking for you” One of my students shouted from the entrance, I peeped through the window, it has been two years now and am seeing Sir Ajan again.

AS NARRATED BY ALVANA
I sat down outside my poultry farm this particular morning, my employees were all inside taking care of my customers . A small black car soon pulled up in front of my farm, I smiled because I thought it was yet another big customer, shockingly, Sir Akpena of Newriton gently came down the car. ” What?” I asked myself as I stood up quietly and advanced towards him, I did not want to cause a scene. ” What are you doing here?” I asked him, ” Jason, it has been two years” he started, ” Yes, two years that I made the choice of living a better life” I told him resting my right leg on the back tyre of his car, ” No, two years since you decided to leave the world to itself, two years since you decided to leave the world to doom” he told me, ” I can’t save the world, I can’t risk my life in saving the world when after my death , I won’t be remembered, I can’t work for an institute that derives pleasure in seeing their fighters go through pains and die” I countered him, ” Jason, all that happened wasn’t our fault, about one year after you guys left, it was discovered that Sir Ajan had been bugged, Sir Jude got us through the bug, who ever did it, I dont know. And as for the part that you won’t be remembered, have you been to Newriton lately, have you seen the edifice statue of Gabriel that was built in memory of him?” He asked, ” The statue isn’t Gabriel, the statue won’t bring back Gabriel. And as for the lie of sir Ajan being bugged, you don’t think you can buy me over with that do you?” I asked him, ” Jason, I rather don’t say anything than lie, that’s my principle” He said, ” Jason, please come back and save the world, the world need you guys, people are dying, children are being wasted , Children are being displaced, we have lost more than fifty of our own spies, Jason, please accept my plea and talk to the rest to accept” he knelt down, ” I have ripped off my pride to beg you, Jason please when next you have doubt coming back to save the world, just know that your mom might be among the victims of the Manhunter one day” He concluded as he opened the door to his car, ” Jason, think well and think right” were his final statement.

AS NARRATED BY ISRAEL
” sir Ajan” I called as I went towards him, he stretched put his hand for a handshake but I refused it, ” I expected that” he smiled, ” Nice complex” He smiled looking at my complex, ” Thanks, what brings you here?” I asked him, ” Israel, it has been 730 days and some months since you guys took this decision of leaving the world to itself” He said , ” Hmm, it has also been 730 days and some months since you guys led Gabriel to his death” I told him , ” Hmm, Gabriel, the deadliest of them all, may his soul rest in peace” He said looking up the sky, ” But Israel, you must agree with me that compared to the world, Gabriel is a minority” He said.

AS NARRATED BY ISRAEL
” for me Gabriel will always remain a majority compared to anyone” I told him , he smiled. ” Israel, don’t let anger blind your sight to see what is happening outside, people are dying day by day. Israel, please don’t let anger blind you ” He said and opened the door to his car, ” Ajan” I called him back, ” Yes” he smiled, probably to the fact that I called him Ajan, ” Have you talked to Alvana about this?” I asked , ” Yes, we have ” he said and entered into his car, he drove off. I stood still staring at the blue sky and not knowing what to do when my phone vibrated, it was a call from Alvana. ” Van, how you doing?” I asked him, ” Israel” he called my name and then there was a long silence, ” I think we should go back to save the world” He told me.

AS NARRATED BY DARLINGTON
” so, I have been in this jungle ever since I was born” I concluded my story that evening, I was with the strange man outside his hut. ” What about you, how did you get to this jungle?” I asked him, he smiled. ” I was meant to be killed but was later spared and dropped here” he smiled, ” I don’t understand you” I said, ” I don’t expect you to understand me” he smiled, ” You have been behaving secretive since morning” I smiled also as he passed me a piece of the yam he was roasting, ” Have you ever been to the outside world, I mean outside this jungle?” He asked , ” No, I only go to the local market to steal at times” I smiled, ” You can actually use your abilities and power to fight the evil ones” He said, ” How do you mean?” I asked him, ” I want to go to the outside world, I have unfinished business there and I want your jungle strength to go with me Darlington ” he told me, ” You even know my name, what should I call you?” I asked him but he kept mute and stirred the yam he was roasting.

” Now rise my armies, rise my warriors” I smiled as I stared at my well trained fighter, it gives me joy anytime I see how strong they have evolved, From Daniel to Charles to Ken and to The Deadliest of them all, Gabriel. It was a good sight to behold seeing my empire grow so big, at last Newriton is about to fall, we have taken down almost all their fighters , almost all. ” Sir, I think delay is dangerous, why don’t we attack Newriton, why should we wait for them to bring the war to us?” Gabriel asked me, he is always ready to kill, he was indeed a worthful investment, all thanks to Scientist John for his knowledge, we applied it. ” Gabi, calm down, let make them look like the bad guys, the bad guys should always bring war to the good guys” I told him, he nodded. ” From my last findings, I discovered that, Ajan and the rest have gone back to bring the spies of old, the strongest set they have ” I said and the place went quiet. Alvana, Matt, Israel and Morgana are indeed problems to us, it was a relieve when I heard they quit Newriton after the rumor that gabi was dead, they had made the institute vulnerable and easy to attack, without them, I got a lot of their fighters and some now even work for me. ” Don’t worry about them boys, with what we have got, we can sure destabilize them, none of them would expect to see the dead Gabriel alive, go and get drunk boys” I told them laughing, just them my phone rang, ” Hello my dear” I smiled as I picked up the phone, I am always happy whenever my only daughter put a call to me, ” Dad, how is your plan going, am doing fine over here” She said to me.

AS NARRATED BY MATT
I was shocked to see a black Camry car park In front of my small abode, I wasn’t expecting anyone and for all I know, I hardly have visitors. I came out of the house after peeping through the window for sometime and the inhabitant of the car refuse to come out, I went towards the car. I was almost closing up on it when the door flung open to reveal Gwen, the I.C.T girl of Newriton. ” Hi” I said in shock, ” Surprised to see me?” She asked smiling, ” Surprise should be an understatement, to what do I owe this?” I asked resting on her car, ” We Don’t even know that well, we met only once” I said, ” I know , but once is actually enough to know enough about you” She smiled, ” I don’t get” I said, ” I don’t want you to get” she said holding my hand and shocking me the more, ” Matt” she called my name, ” I want you to come back to Newriton ” She said with a pleading eyes, ” Why should I come back?” I asked her , ” Because you need to save the world” She smiled, ” I don’t want to come back or have anything to do with Newriton” I told her, ” I am of Newriton, that means you don’t wanna have anything to do with me” She smiled, ” You aren’t Newriton” I told her, ” Matt should I tell you something?” She asked, ” Tell me” I said, ” I love you, I know what you might be thinking, that Newriton sent me to play this on you, yes Newriton sent me, but I am also telling you from my heart, please come back” She said as she entered back into her car, ” When you doubt coming back, remember , I love you” She concluded and drove off.

AS NARRATED BY DARLINGTON
” Okay, this will be the fifth time I will be asking you this, what should I call you?” I asked the strange Man , I don’t know why but he always tries to change the topic whenever I ask him his name, ” These yams are the best I have, they roast well” He said while I smiled, ” I know that, what is your name?” I asked him again, ” What do you need my name for?” He asked staring directly into my eyes, his stares were intimidating and scary, ” Because you know mine and since you are my friend, I need to know your name” I said , ” Okay then, Call me the deadliest of Them All” He said getting up, ” going hunting ” He said.

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The social media girl I met

Just on a blissful and normal Sunday i decided to run a check on my eskimi account so on of my crush or lemme say internet crush just emailed me her line
which i ask for some weeks back,
i was so happy then i copied the number down but waited till after church before trying her number out i tried it at first it wasnt going i was like “mogbe
this girl don see mugu” then i latter tried it in the evening then it went but she never picked up, i just zero am ni forget the girl because girls dey very
conny.
well sorry for not introducing my self at the begining of the story just wanna give you guys some suspense. am Zeus as per normal i be naija boy lag bred sha
, i dey stay alone because i be fredral government worker i am in my 20 the story i am about to say is about my meeting with an internet friend which lives
back door but i never knew until we met, now here was how it all began.
i usually browse on different website cus i social network a lot i be boring type and also a flirtzo, i do my things my way if you dey doubt me go ask your
sister eh! permit me i no dey sing o just trying to expres my self. i have spoken to many chicks online so ijust saw this girl for the first time on eskimi

na so i message am not up to 10 min she replied then we just chatted for a few minuites then i asked of her digits then she no gree. see shakara o she want
make i dey beg her ni na so i just snub her go check other girls wey i don message down before i knew it she went offline me sef comot but because of work i
no too dey frequent online.*****back to where i stopped*****
one nice sunday i just close duty cus na military guy i be i just dey rest i carry my ipad dey browse i first go place bet for 9ja bet for that day matches i
just say make i check my stuff for eskimi na so i see the number i come call am e no go na latter for evening e come go she no pick after like 30min she come
call me…..
me:hello good evening
she: sorry who am i speaking with???
me: this is zeus your friend on eskmi
she:oh! whats up
me; am fine
she: sorry for not picking up i was on a bike on my way home from a friend place
me: no wahala
na so we just dey talk unnecessary talks sha till we arrived at when we gonna see but she is always busy except sundays then we picked sundays and during our
coversation she did mentioned she was staying in my area less did i know she was staying in a estate at the back of my base until a day before now Sunday was here and the funniest thing was i was also expecting one of my side chick that schools in a university close to my place, her name is shade

she just called and promise to come on Sunday how i won do am but as a sharpy boy i just called my guy on phone who wasn’t around explained everything to
him this one na badoo he bad pass me he just said i shouldn’t worry that i should check for his key inside the flower vase in from of his apartment as i
dropped the call kwins call just entered and said she is almost my gate that i should come out and pick her up i had to rush and quickly arrange the house
because it was around 9 in the morning as i arranged everything bought malt and shortbread from the store beside my block put inside my guys fridge, put
air freshner on the guys air conditioner make the room dey cool na im call come enter o say i get visitor for gate i just ran to the gate as i got to gate my
guys just dey eye me say omo you don start chick wey just return from church wey never enter her house you don carry am come sey dem no even sure if she even
go the church sef as i reach where she dey then i saw whom i have been chatting with all these while dark in complesion a bit tall her front was not too big
but moderate the same as the back and she was wearing their choir attire one white top and red skirt for my mind i was like can something happen today omo

this one na s.u ooooooooo, i just lock up dey do think of how to runs my thing my guys just dey hala me for road i just smile dey go my own, finally we got
home chit chatted a bit i offered her what i bought then she said she wanted watching movie then we searched the shelf for film i never knew my guy had
prono in his house this girl see am come dey ask me jamb question sey how i take get am but i just bone she come dey claim holy, finally she laid on the bed
wey were just checking m,y pix on my ipad the girl still dey form and me still dey ponder i just dey think how i go take runs the girl package i finally
succeded in romacing her but she just dey form for me i sha do before i knew it her head don dey my chest i still dey romance her after a while she just lay
on the bed come dey say she go soon leave o instantly i remember orientation wey my guys dey gimme say if babe say she go soon leave she mean sey ogbeni do
fast ooo, i just soji my self still romacing her now in a flirty way i started kissing her neck she made a little moan .

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the city of war and its great disaster

On the way to the TV station, Natasha kept calling her mother but the phone kept ringing and ringing.
“She’s still not answering?” Tulani asked.
“No,” Natasha said, looking extremely worried.
“Try your dad.” Tulani suggested.
Natasha called her father and he answered after the forth ring. “Baby, where are you?” He sounded almost out of breath.
“Dad, is everything okay? Where’s mum? I’ve been trying to reach her for a while now.”
“Oooh…your mother…she is…she is…she should be sleeping I think.” Bernard stammered through the lie as he looked down at his wife’s sleeping figure on the couch. Having suffered through many episodes of panic attacks in the past, Bernard had learnt to keep Martha’s meds close by in case of such emergencies.
“She had a slight headache so she’s sleeping it off now.” Bernard said, not wanting to tell his daughter the truth because she would automatically start asking about what caused the attack and insist of coming home instead of going to work.
“Is it very serious?” Natasha asked.
“No, not at all. I think it’s just the heat; she still hasn’t adjusted to the change in weather. Where are you right now?”
“Tulani is driving me to work dad,” she answered, suddenly remembering why she had called in the first place. Her excitement quickly returned. “You won’t believe what happened dad! I have been given the chance to host the biggest program at work today.”
Bernard nervously laughed. “That’s good news baby. Your mother and I are very proud of you.” It was all he could tell her. Soon or later she was going to find out the truth about her father and there was nothing they could do as her parents to keep that from happening.
Instead of shielding her from the pain that the truth might bring her, Bernard reasoned that it would be better if she met her father now and draw her own conclusions based on what she sees. He trusted that the daughter he had raised all these years would be wise and strong enough to deal with such a shocking truth.
Silently, Bernard prayed for everything to be okay.
“Give mum a kiss for me and don’t forget to watch the show! Will call later to check how mum’s doing. Love you, bye dad.”
“What’s wrong with mum?” Tulani asked the moment she was done on the phone.
“She has her usual migraines,” Natasha said. “She’s been getting those since we moved here. I think she’s having trouble readjusting to the weather.”
“We will go straight home once the program is done. What does she like to eat?”
Natasha gave him a look.

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my first daughter called joy

“But dad,” Natasha paused before opening her door. “Don’t ever do something like this again, okay?”
“I promise,” Bernard said.
“What happened, Ben?” Martha asked her husband the moment they were in the privacy of their bedroom.
Bernard sat down on the edge of the bed and hung his head down. Martha joined him by his side.
“I met her Martha.”
Instantly, Martha knew who he was referring to. “Where?”
“Outside Tasha’s place of work…she works there too.”
“What?”
“I know, some strange fate.”
“Who recognized who first? What did she say when she saw you? What did you say to her? How is she? What does she look like? Where has she been? Is she okay? Did she grow up well?” Martha was excited to hear the good news.
Ben had not given up on the search for his daughter despite the many years that had passed. She was relieved that he could finally get some peace of mind now and experience happiness without feeling guilty every time he smiled.
“Everything happened just like I feared honey,” Ben informed his wife.
Suddenly perturbed, Martha gave her husband a questioning look. “She wasn’t happy to see you?”
“She wasn’t.”
“Oh no…but don’t look so beat my love,” she took his hand. “We expected something like this to happen didn’t we? It’s not like you parted on good terms. The two of you just need to sit down and talk so you can properly apologize and beg her for forgiveness.”
“I wish it was that easy,” he said. “But she doesn’t want to have anything to do with me.”
“That’s because she is still mad honey, the two of you just reconnected. It will take some time before she can start thinking of you kindly. Just be patient with her for now and keep going to her and do your best no matter how bad she treats you.”
Bernard sighed heavily. “Nothing like that will ever happen.” Tears had welled up in his eyes.
“Why do you say that honey?” Martha asked. “You are scaring me now. What did she say to you?”
Bernard fully turned his body around to look at his wife. “Honey,” he said in a very low voice.
“What is it Ben?” she asked.
He took a deep breath before speaking. “Luyando,” he began. “She arh…she….”
“Ben.”
“She said some things….” He continued. “Some pretty awful things about me to her new parents.”
“So she was adopted? Wow, that’s even better. We always feared something bad might have happened to her or that she might have been taken by some bad people.”
“Did you even hear what I said?”
“I’m sorry honey,” she said. “I was just so relieved when I heard adopted. What did she tell her parents? It can’t be that bad. Did she tell them about your drinking?”
“She told them more than that.” Ben was looking down now, unable to repeat the words that his daughter had said to him. How was a man to tell his wife that his own daughter had accused him of violence and rape?
What did she say?” Martha probed her husband.
“The worst things baby, she said the worst things. She accused me of doing some terrible things to her.”
“Honey, look at me,” Martha put her hand under his chin and lifted his head up. “What’s going on? What did she accuse you of?”
The tears Ben had desperately been fighting back since he came home came pouring out. Like the typical man he was, he tried to hide his pain but Martha knew him too well. She moved closer and embraced him.
“Whatever it is, you can talk to me about it honey.” She told him.
Martha waited for him to calm down and when he finally did, he looked her in the eye and finally told her.
“Rape!?” Martha was in deep shock. “She accused you of rape?”
“I never did anything like that to her Martha. I would never touch my daughter like that. Please, please…you have to believe me. No matter how drunk I got, such thoughts never even crossed my mind. I promise you Martha….please, say something.”
Ben, Ben,” she put her hand over his lap. “Relax, I wasn’t quite because I doubt you. Rape? You?” she laughed. “I was just shocked that she would accuse you of something like that. Why did she do that?”
Ben looked relieved upon confirming his wife’s trust in him. “She said it was the only way to ensure they adopted her instead of just leaving her some money and sending her back to me. She wanted to have the kind of life they gave their son.”
“Wow,” was all Martha could manage.
“I don’t know what to do Martha. What am I supposed to do in a situation like this?” He got up from the bed. “My own daughter accused me of rape and physically abusing her because she didn’t want to have anything to do with me anymore.
“If before I didn’t know just how terrible a father I was, now I am more than convinced that I deserved to die instead of Tasila.”
Martha got up and went to stand in front of him. “Don’t say that honey, not even as a joke. Luyando was in a messed up situation but she had no right to accuse you of those things, no matter how upset or hurt she was.”
“She threatened me, said that if I tried to contact her or her parents, she will spread the news that I am a rapist.”
“But we both know that’s not true.” Martha said.
“It’s my word against hers,” he said. “And who can doubt the word of a ten year old? What will happen to Tasha and Alex if Luyando goes through with her threats? I don’t want my children to live through the stigma of having a rapist for a father. Society is very cruel Martha. No one will care about the truth or even bother to search for it.”
“What if I try to talk to her? Do you think she would agree to meet with me?”
“I doubt it,” Bernard said. “She was so upset by the fact that I have a family now. I was not a good father to her and she most probably dislikes it that I managed to turn my life around after she was gone. She would have preferred it if I died or if I was still languishing in the gutter.”
“Don’t say that Ben. Don’t beat yourself over the things she said or did not say. Let’s just think about it for a while and hopefully we can come up with a plan. Right now she’s angry that you’ve reappeared and she probably thinks your presence might endanger her position and security in this new life of hers. Should we tell Tasha about this?”
Ben looked petrified. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “Luyando said not to tell her. I am just worried that this may affect Tasha’s opposition at work. What if Luyando gets her fired? I know she is my daughter and I shouldn’t say this about her but, something in her eyes made the hairs at the back of my neck stand out.
“Her mother’s death didn’t just change me, it changed her too. She had become introvert and rarely spoke unless spoken to. She became haughty, short-tempered and she would easily get into fights with others.
“Perhaps, if I had paid a little more attention to her, she wouldn’t have turned out this way. I let her down at the point in her life when she desperately needed me. If after so many years I haven’t been able to forgive myself, I can only imagine what goes on in her mind when she thinks about me. She hates me…and the sad thing is, she has every right to.”
Martha put her arms around him again. “She might have every right to hate you, but she doesn’t have the right to accuse you of things you never did. Let’s just wait for a while, maybe she will come around.

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the unforgetable promise made by my mum

“She is way too bossy than the CEO himself.” Astridah supplied and under her breath she added, “but we all know she aint no blood relative.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Natasha asked.
Astridah held her hand over her mouth. “You heard that?”
“We all did.” Boyd answered. “You need to watch what falls out of your mouth Astridah. You never learn.”
“I think she’s forgotten about the trouble she was in with Becky from Finance last month.” Nicole chipped in.
“You guys are too much!” Astridah got up in anger, carried her plate and went to join the people on the next table.
“You better watch what you say or do in Astridah’s presence,” Boyd warned Natasha. “Her broadcasting signals are stronger than the frequencies of all the stations in this country, combined.”
Nicole laughed and Natasha smiled uncomfortably, realizing at that moment that she wouldn’t be getting much information from the two remaining. Fortunately for her, she managed to catch Astridah just as she was leaving for work outside the TMH building.
“Need a ride?” She asked the assistant through the window.
“I live in Avondale,” Astridah shouted.
“Hop in, my home’s in Foxdale. I can leave you somewhere along the way.” She reached out and opened the door for her.
“Wow, you are very kind Ms Thompson.” Astridah said as she got into the vehicle. “I always thought that pretty people like you were cold hearted…like someone I know.” She added under her breath and quickly shushed herself.
Natasha laughed. “You are talking about Ms Mulenga right? I take it you are not a fan of hers?”
“I don’t want to say anything,” Astridah said. “You heard what the guys said about me.”
“I saw a ring on her finger, is she married?”
“Yes she is married but she doesn’t talk much about her husband and she rarely appears with him in public. In fact, she prefers to be called Ms Mulenga instead of Mrs Liboma.”
“What does he do for a living?”
“He is a doctor at the University Teaching Hospital. He is not very god looking so I guess that’s why she prefers showing up on the arm of her handsome brother at every public event but I hear he is a very good man, humble and kind-hearted. Why do all the good men end up with such terrible women?”
Something about Astridah’s tone told Natasha that there was more to the story than what the twenty-five year old was letting on.
“What are you trying to say Astridah?” Natasha asked.
Astridah hesitated, but when the pressure of keeping the information to herself, she finally broke down and said; “Promise that you won’t tell anyone that I told you this?”
“I promise,” Natasha said.
“There is a rumour going around that Luyando and the CEO are not biologically related. People say that she was adopted…and that she…she…that she is actually in-love with her brother.”
Natasha busted out laughing. “And you believe that nonsense Astridah?” She asked.
“Yes, I actually think it’s true.” The girl admitted. “You should see the way she treats any girl that tries to get close to him, you would think she was his wife.”
“But that doesn’t mean she’s in-love with him,” Natasha said. “I think I am protective of my kid brother too. I always question the girls I find hanging around him and I investigate some of their activities on social media. He hates that and he’s always threatening to kill me when he catches me doing it.”
Natasha started laughing as an image of her angry nineteen year old brother Alex chasing her around the house with a broom in his hands came to mind.
“I have seen the look in her eyes and am telling you…that’s no sibling love that lies behind those cold dark eyes.” Astridah insisted.
By the time Natasha was dropping Astridah off, she had been brought up to date with all the office gossip and had learnt more about Tulani than she had learnt in the past four years.
Tulani was surprised by a visit from his sister Luyando later that evening.
“Aren’t you supposed to be preparing dinner for your family right now sis? What are you doing here?” He went to sit back on the sofa where he had been resting, catching up on Season 5 of Suits before the interruption.
“What is going on between you and that girl I met in your office Tula?” She asked him, pushing his feet away so she could sit next to him.
Tulani turned to look at her in awe. “Is that why you came to my place this late?”
“You haven’t answered my question.”
“That’s because it’s none of your business. You need to go back home before your husband starts to worry.” He got up to get the door for her.
“Is she the one you said you were waiting for all these years?” She asked, getting up from the sofa as well.
Tulani opened the door and held it wide open for her. “I’m serious sis, it’s late. You need to head home now.”
“Why are you avoiding my questions?”
“I told you, it’s none of your business sis. I am a grown man, you don’t need to know every little thing that goes on in my life.”
“Why are you pretending like you don’t know why I’m asking you these questions?”
“Because I want to save you some dignity.” He said.
“Dignity?” She asked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I am not comfortable having this kind of conversation with you again.”
“Is that what you think my feelings amount to?”
“Sis….”
There were tears streaming down her eyes now.
“C’mon sis,” Tulani said upon noticing the tears. “Don’t start this again.” He walked over to her and put his arms around her.
After soothing her for a while, Tulani was about to release his sister from his arms when she suddenly grabbed the sides of his face and drew him closer to her. Before he knew it, she was passionately kissing him.
“Oh no….” Natasha said, holding her hand over her mouth and gaping in disbelief at the two people in front of her locked in each other’s arms and kissing like a pair of lovers.
“Oh s--t,” Tulani cussed and quickly reaped himself away from his sister. “This isn’t what it looks like Tasha.” Even as he said the words, he could imagine the thoughts going through Natasha’s mind and he could hear just how ridiculous his own words sounded.
“Oh please, do explain.” Natasha said sarcastically. There was a glint of a smile in her eyes as she looked over at Luyanda who was soaking wet in shame and embarrassment.
What the hell are you doing at your boss’ house at this time of the night?” Luyando asked Natasha.
“Obviously nothing close to what you are just from doing …to your brother .” She said with a taunting smile on her face. “Relax Tula,” She said to Tulani, inviting herself into the house and patting him on the shoulder.”I totally understand whatever is going on here; it appears your married sister , is in-love with you.”
“I knew I was going to hate you the moment I laid my eyes on you.” Luyando said curtly.
Natasha laughed. “The feeling is mutual Lu…I can call you Lu now since we are not at the office right? You are after all my ex- boyfriend’ssister.”
“Ex-boyfriend?”Luyando looked to her brother for confirmation.
The proud grin on Tulani’s face confirmed her worst fears.
Tulani had not expected Natasha to be the first one to reveal their romantic past, especially in such a bold manner. Hestill had nightmares about their last encounter in San Francesco…thecold and unflinching conviction in her eyes when she told him she wouldn’t be seeing him anymore.
Natasha turned to Luyando. “I would like to have a private conversation with your brother . Do you mind leaving us alone?”
Without uttering another word, Luyando grabbed her purse from the couch and stormed out of the house, banging the glass door on her way out.
With his hands in his pockets, Tulani went to position himself in front of Natasha, and looking into her eyes he said;
“Ex-boyfriend?I didn’t think I counted as an ex. I thought I was just some fling you couldn’t wait to get rid of…something to keep you company while you waited for your husband to set himself straight.”
“That’s unfair Tula,” Natasha said, moving away from him so he could not see her reaction.
“I still remember every single detail of that day Tasha.” He said. “I can even recite the words you said in my sleep.”
He was looking at her back while she looked out the window into the darkness outside.
“I am getting back with my husband, I am very sorry Tula.” She had told him whilst crying.
“You can’t be serious!” Tulani had snapped. “That b-----d cheated on you for two years and he is as responsible for your daughter’s death as the man that bashed her outside that school.”
“Stop it Tula!” She had shouted at him. “Stop it!”
“You need to hear this Tasha. It doesn’t make sense that you would go back to the man that hurt you like that. He was s------g another woman while his daughter, your daughter was lying dead on some street somewhere. Your daughter died whilst looking for him on that street Tasha but where was he?”
Unable to bear the pain of his words anymore, Natasha slapped him hard across the face before running out of the restaurant.
“It still stings you know, your slap?” Tulani said to Natasha who still had her back to him. He was caressing his cheek where she had slapped him four years ago.
Natasha slowly turned to face him. “You deserved to be slapped that day you know.”
“I know,” he admitted. “I had gone overboard in my anger…I guess I was just too hurt to think rationally…but there’s no excuse for the awful things I said to you. I am sorry Tasha…I know it’slate but, I apologize.”
“It’sall in the past,” she said, moving towards the sofa and tracing her fingers over the edges as she moved about the room. “You have a beautiful home…as expected.”
“What are you doing here Tasha?” He had walked over to her and held her by the sides of her arms to keep her from moving.
“Do you not want me here Tula?” She asked him, looking straight into his eyes.
“I do, of course I do! Gosh, is that even a question?” He drew her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Natasha said, pushing him away to take a seat on the couch.
“You haven’t stopped with your teasing I see.” Tulani went to sit down next to her. “Something tells me you are here for a reason. The Natasha I know wouldn’t have just popped up at my door unannounced the way you did. Is everything okay?”
Natasha laughed. “Of course everything’s fine. How come you never told me you were once married?”
“Oooh,”he said.
“Did you just say ooh ?”
“I apologize, again. I didn’t think it mattered. I was married to Cynthia for only about a year when we decided to go our separate ways. I had been single for over two years when I met you in San Francisco.”
“I see.”
Tulani turned to fully look at her. “You came to my house at this hour to ask about my marriage?”
“You know how I am already,” she answered. “If somethingis bothering me, I can’t sleep till I get it out or solve it.”
“So you were bothered by it?” He asked. “Do you even know the meaning of your words Tasha?” There was a huge grin on his face as he watched the flashed expression on her face.
He lifted her chin up so she could not avoid his gaze. “When are you going to stop fighting your feelings and just admit that you love me too?”
She tried to get away from him again but he tightened his grip on her arms.
“I only came here to ask a question and since you answered it, I better be on my way now.” She tried to get up, again….but she failed, again.
“Askme anything you are curious about and I will answer it as honestly as possible.” He said.
“Why did you break up with your wife?” She asked.
“You went straight for the big one!” He said and laughed. “I guess I asked for it. Cynthia and I were at two different points in our lives. I was very young when we got married…just like you and your ex- husband.
“She wanted us to start a family right after the wedding but I was only twenty-three then and certainly not ready to start a family yet. But Cynthia was very determined and wouldn’t stop pressuring me throughout our marriage. I snapped one day and asked her for a divorce.”
“Andshe gave you one just like that?” Natasha asked.
“Of course not,” he replied. “She fought me all the way to court, said she wanted half my property and that’s when I realized she never really loved me. She was too quick to bring up the money the moment I mentioned divorce.
Most women would beg for a second chance to try and work things out but not Cynthia. She looked me in the eye and told me she was gonna get me for every penny I owned.”
“Anddid she?”
Tulani laughed. “Of course not, I didn’t have anything to my name at that time. Everything I had belonged to my parents; the money, the cars, and the houses. Oooh…she was not pleased.” He broke out in laughter.
“She attacked me at the club once and threatened to chop my manhood into pieces, said I had deceived her into believing I was rich. I did no such thing. She naturally assumed my parent’smoney was as good as mine but she was dead wrong.”
“So what are your thoughts on kids now? Do you still feel like you are not ready?” Natasha held her breath as she waited to hear his response.
“I don’t know,”he answered. “I have never really thought about it. Do you want kids Tasha? Because if you do, then I am open to start considering it.”
“Start considering it?”
“You seem dissatisfied with my answer,” he said. “I promisedto be as honest as possible with you. Would you have rather I lied?”
“Of course not.” Natasha stood up. “I am happy you answered me honestly.”
“Your tongue is saying something else but your eyes are telling me something else….”
Natasha chuckled nervously.“You are thinking too much Tula. I need to leave now, my parents will be worried if am home late on the first day of work.” she started walking towards the door.
Tulani got up and rushed to the door before she reached it. “I have a feeling I just shot myself in the leg but I am not yet sure why that could be the case.” He was standing against the door to keep her from leaving before he was ready to let her go.
“I told you, you think too much. I guess am just tired. It’sbeen a while since I worked… two months I think. My brain must be in shock since it was stretched too much today.” And to distract him from asking any more questions, she planted a light kiss on his cheek and said goodnight.
“You know exactly what to do to get your way with me Tasha.” He moved away to allow her to pass. “You are the only woman who has such a power over me you know that?” He said as he walked her to her car.
“There’sreally no need for you to escort me, I can take care of myself.”Natasha said.
“Oh yeah, I remember the kick you landed on my balls when I tried to chat you up at my welcome party in SanFran. Gosh, where did you learn to kick like that?”
They had reached her car by now but she stopped to answer his question before opening the door.
“My mother, she made me take martial arts classes and all other types of defensive classes to protect myself. Mymother believes that a woman does not need a man to make her feel secure. She says sometimes the very people we trust to protect us are the ones that might end up hurting us.”
“Your mother is a very wise woman…but tell her to lighten up a bit.” Tulani said.
Natasha laughed. “That’s exactly what I always tell her.” She then opened her door and sat behind the wheel.
Rolling down her window, she said, “I forgot to ask you something….”
“What is it?” Tulani said.
“Do your parents know….aboutyour sister’s feelings?”
“Oh no…they have no idea and,” he came to stand closer to her, his body leaning against the car with his head tilted forward into the car. Natasha had to draw her head away to keep his from bumping into her.
“…if you were anyone else,” Tulani continued. “I would ask that you don’t tell anyone about what you heard and saw today.”
Natasha chuckled. “You trust me that much?”
“I do. I guess you’ve already heard the rumours concerning Lu and me….”
“That you are not biologically related?”
“Yes,” he said. “That may be the case but that doesn’t change her position in my family and in our hearts. I love her like I would a blood sister. I don’t care what biology dictates, Luyando will always be my sister.”
“I don’t think the issue has got anything to do with biology Tula. If anything, I think Luyando would like it better if you didn’t love her like that.”
“Luyando isn’t in-love with me,” Tulani said with a sombre expression on his face. “Somewhere along the way she started to confuse my kindness for something else… and who can blame her?
“Before she came into our lives, she had lived a very sorry and bitter life and she had no idea what kind of love or care she could receive from people she considered family since she had been emotionally and physically abused by her father.”
“Her father abused her?” Natasha asked. “What kind of abuse?”
“Everything you can think of, that girl went through.” Tulani answered. “Child abuse, violence, rape….”
“Rape!?” Natasha gasped. “Her own father did that to her?”
“Yes. After my parents officially adopted her, she had to undergo years of counselling because of the nightmares she would have about her father.Up until she was about thirteen years old was when my mother stopped sleeping in her room. She would wake up crying and screaming in the middle of the night.
“I know it sounds crazy now but…there were moments when I thought my parents cared more about her than they did me but I later understood that she needed all the care she could get in the world. So when you see her acting out or being nasty, try to understand her.She’sbeen through a lot.”
“I really had no idea….” Natasha said.
“No one knows that’s why it’s easy for them to spread rumours. I told you about it because I intend to make you a part of my family, soon.”
“Good night Tula. See you tomorrow at work…and thank you for telling me.”
“Good night my love, see you tomorrow and say hi to your parents for me.”
Natasha made a throaty sound and rolled up the window before driving off.
Tulani remained standing on spot waving at her until her vehicle disappeared from sight.
“I’m home!” Natasha announced the moment she opened the door and entered the house.
“Mum is home!” shouted the four year old boy as he ran towards his mother. Before Natasha could put down her handbag, her son had wrapped his little arms around her legs in excitement and almost made her lose her balance.
“Oh my God you are soaking wet Sean!” She said, bending down to lift him up into her arms. “What were you doing?”
“I was setting up the laundry in the basement when your mother called me for something upstairs….”Bernard appeared from where Sean had come from. “When I went back, I found this little man here had put his hands where they didn’t belong.”
“That’s because grandpa doesn’t want to teach me how to use the machine so I can do my own laundry,” Sean complained.
“Look at you complaining like someone infringed on your rights,” Natasha laughed and put him back down. Sean was out of the room and back into the basement the moment his feet landed on the ground.
“That boy will be the death of me dad,” she said. “Now lookwhat he’sdone to my clothes.” She was pointing at the stains Sean had left on her white blouse.
Bernard laughed. “He is the light of our lives but he can be quite a handful sometimes. How was your first day at work honey?” He sat down on the couch and turned down the volume on the tele so he could have a good conversation with his daughter.
Natasha went to sit down next to him. She grabbed a small cushion from the sofa, laid it on his laps and resting her head there, stretching her long legs forward.
“Look at the two of you,” Martha came down the stairs bearing a huge smile on her face as she looked at her husband and daughter cosying up on the sofa.
“Sit over there mother,” Natasha pointed to the couch across from them. “Dad is mine for now. He’s helping me de-stress, I had such a rough day at work.” Her father was massaging the sides of her forehead.
“Already?” Martha asked, ignoring her daughter’s words and going to take a seat on the same sofa. Shelifted her daughter’s legs up, sat down and put them back on her laps, massaging them a little, up and down.
“When I tell my friends that I have the best parents in the world, they think I’m lying. Oooh that feels so good. I think I am going to sleep here tonight.” She closed her eyes to enjoy the massage. “Alex would feel so jealous if he walked in here and saw this. He is such a mama’s boy.”
“Andyou are such a papa’sgirl,” her mother said. “Did you talk to your brother today?”
“Not yet,” Natasha said. “I will call him before going to bed. God knows what he’s up to alone over there. Remind him about using condoms again dad. That boy is too excited for nothing.”
Bernard laughed. “All boys are like that at that age sweetie. He will calm down with time.”
“What if it’s too late?” Natasha asked. “He’sso obsessed with older women that child. At least if they were younger, we wouldn’t have to worry about them ovulating nd turning their eggs into relatives of ours.”
Bernard lightly patted her forehead and forced her to sit up. “Get up and tell us about your day and stop making trouble for your brother.”
Not happy that her relaxation therapy was cut short, Natasha mumbled something under her breath in protest and sat up between her parents. “It wasn’t that bad actually,” she said.
“I thought that it wouldn’t be as busy as it was in San Francisco but its crazy busy as well. I think people in this country care more about political drama than anything else. Eighty-nine percent of the news content is just politics, politics, politics. I am yet to decide if that’s a good thing or not….”
“How about your co-workers,were they friendly?” Her mother asked.
“Yes, everyone was friendly,” She lied. Natasha knew that telling her mother about the antagonistic and villain-like Luyando would only make her have unnecessary worries. “I know it’s just the first day but I think people aren’t as scheming as they were back home.”
“So when are you going on air?” Bernard asked.
“Next week, I still have to get inducted into the system and see how everything works before I can go live.”
“Do you think you will like it here?” Martha asked. “Aren’t you going to regret leaving your life behind?”
Natasha took her mother’s hand and kept holding it until she finished talking. “You worry too much mother. I am going to be just fine. You are the one who always told me that if I had to suffer or die, it was better to be amongst my people…but I am not suffering anymore and I didn’tleave my life behind, I came with it here.
“I have made some wild and childish decisions in the past but I want to give my son the life that he deserves. I am done being a coward.”
“So when do you plan on….”
Natasha stood up and held her hand up to keep her father from finishing his sentence. “I know what you want to ask but, not just yet…but soon.”
“We trust you Tasha,” he said. “We know you are going to do the right thing.”
“We do,” her mother agreed.
“I am hungry now, is there anything to eat?” She started walking towards the kitchen. “I swear I could smell something delicious…something Chinese when I walked into the house.” She started opening pots.
Bernard got up and followed his daughter into the kitchen.
“Dad you didn’t!” She finally spotted an already served dish covered at the far end of the table, removed the cover and carried it to her nose to take in the aroma.
“I thought you deserved a treat of your favourite after your first day at work.” Bernard said, looking with such pride in his eyes at his daughter salivating over the meal he had prepared for her.
“Beef and Black Bean Ho Fun, you rock dad!” She put the plate back down and went to kiss him on the forehead. “I love you, I love you, I love you.”
Smiling, Bernard pulled his daughter away and said, “go upstairs and freshen up while I warm this up for you.”
“What about you guys?” She asked.
“Did you even see what time it is?” Her mother had joined them in the kitchen.
“Oh yeah!” Natasha remembered the unexpected stop she had made to Tulani’s house.
“Go take a shower and I will take care of Sean before he catches a cold.” Martha said.
Natasha went to her mother and repeated the very things she had done to her father. “I love you, I love you, I love you!”
“You are leaving saliva all over me,” Martha protested with a smile on her face as she pushed her daughter away. “Go and take a shower.”
“I think she’s happy,” Bernard commented after Natasha left the room. “Do you think she’s happy?”
Martha was shaking her head slowly.“I think something is bothering her…but you are right, she is a lot happier than she was a few months ago.”
Alone in the bathroom, Natasha was happily humming an old tune and enjoying her shower when she suddenly stopped and stood still. With only the sound of the shower running, Natasha bent down her head under the shower and allowed the water to fall straight onto the centre of her head, sending her hair falling on all side of her face.
She stood like that for close to five minutes, neither humming nor moving. When she finally lifted her head up, it was to tilt it back, away from the water.
Her tears had become one with the water cascading down her cheeks.
* * *
On her drive to work the next morning, Natasha’s mind went back to the conversation she had had with Tulani about Luyando. She was still thinking about it when she ran into her in the corridor at work.
“Good morning Mrs Liboma,” Natasha greeted the CFO.
“What did you call me?” Luyando came to stand right in front of Natasha, her much taller frame towering over her and her glare raining down on her in bundles of intimidation.
Unfortunately, Natasha appeared unfazed by her boss’ domineering presence. “I don’t know about the culture here in Zambia but where I come from, it’s disrespectful to address a married woman as a Ms especially when it’s common knowledge that she’s married…with a child.”
“You think that just because you grabbed hold of my Achilles heel then you can talk to me whichever way you want?” Luyando asked.
Natasha snickered and raised her head to look up at her.“Between you and me, who do you think is treating the other in the manner you just described?”
“If you want to keep your job here you need to keep your mouth shut and you need to stay away from my brother.”
“If you are referring to the things I heard last night, you don’t have to worry about that. Tulani already explained to me what’s going on and I care a lot about him to dish out his family secrets to the public.
“Secondly, no, I will not stay away from Tulani. No threat is enough to defeat the forces of nature that bind him and I, forever.See you around Mrs Liboma.”
Back in her office, Natasha opened her bag to get the flash drive containing the documents she had been working on at night but she couldn’t find it. She searched through her laptop bag, and every inch of her desk but there was still no sign of it.
“Don’t tell me I left it at home.” She said to herself, picking up the phone to call home.
“Mum, it’sme. Can you do me a favour?”
“What is it honey?” her mother asked.
“Go into my room and check on my desk if I left a blueish flash drive?”
“Okay, hold on.” Natasha waited while her mother walked upstairs.
“Is it the one with the bird key holder attached to it?” Martha asked.
“Yes, yes that’s the one! Oh, thank God, I thought I lost it. Listen mum, can you bring it here for me? I really need those files in there for a very important meeting this afternoon.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line.
“Mum!” Natasha yelled, thinking her mother was not paying attention.
“I’m sorry baby I was thinking.”She said. “You know I have to take Sean to the hospital today before that cold gets worse. Why don’t I ask your dad to bring it for you? He’s busy working on one of his many personal projects in the back yard. He could sure use some fresh air.”
Natasha couldn’t help feeling a little envious of her parents who were both retired and living their lives at ease doing all the things they dreamt about doing when they used to work. Now they no longer had to worry about deadlines and responsibilities.
Martha and Bernard’s dream in Lusaka was to set up a small furniture shop where Bernard would sell the pieces of furniture he made as a hobby and Martha would sell some home decorating items she enjoyed making in her free time….which shehad a lot of now.
The two of them planned on having a life different from the hectic one they had had in America when all they cared about was saving enough and giving their children the very best.
After talking to her mother, Natasha remembered the strenuous security procedure she had been subjected to the previous day and called security to inform them of her father’s visit.
She got a call an hour later and took the lift down to meet him by the reception lounge.
On the second floor, another person in the form of Luyando joined her in the lift.
“Which floor?” Natasha asked her.
Luyando looked at the numbers on the lift and noticed that they were headed the same way, and so, she remained quiet.
Natasha pursed her lips in response to the arrogance of her counterpart. There was an awkward glacial silence in the lift during the short trip down that ended up feeling like the longest trip of their lives. When the elevator door finally opened, Natasha ran out and went in search of her father in the lobby.
“Dad!” She shouted the moment she spotted him a few feet away even though he had his back to her.
Bernard turned the moment he heard his daughter’s voice and smiled in her direction, waving the flash drive in his hands.
Curious about the sort of family her nemesis came from, Luyando stopped midway before she could get to the security point on her way out to take a look at the family show taking place on the other side of the lobby.
However, the moment Luyando’seyes landed on Bernard, she froze in horror for a second before quickly turning around and going to hide behind a wall.
With only the receptionist and the two guards waiting by the entrance in the lobby, Luyando was lucky enough not to have an audience in her moment of weakness. She was shaking and panting, almost out of breath.
“It can’t be,” Luyando kept repeating as she watched the two from behind the wall.
“This is one hell of a building Tasha,” Bernard was saying, his eyes taking in every corner of the place.
“I knew you would love it dad,” Natasha said excitedly. “Only you would understand the beauty of such a place. Don’t you miss this kind of world?”
“Of course I do,” he said. “But I don’t regret retiring. I enjoyed my work as an architect and I still feel the same way when I see the buildings I designed and helped build still standing firm and beautiful. It’slike I haven’t really left that world.”
“How about you build something even more beautiful than this building here in your homeland dad?” She locked her arm into his and the two of them stood starring at a picture of the building they were standing in plastered on the wall ahead.
“You think so?” Bernard asked, excitement filling his eyes. “Do you think your mother would let me?”
“Of course she will! She always said you looked most dashing and handsome when you were working in your studio.”
“How about I build the home where you can live with your husband and….”
Natasha moved to put her hand over her father’smouth. “Dad!” She whispered. “What if someone hears you? I haven’t told anyone…youknow….”
“Oh yeah,” Bernard said. “My bad, sorry sweetie.”
“I wish I could take you on a tour of the place but I also don’t know the place well enough yet. How about we arrange a date for the future?”
“I’m cool with that,” Bernard said. “Get back to work now.” He placed a kiss on her forehead.
“Do you think you can find your way out?” Natasha was looking at the security point.
Bernard laughed. “That’s nothing,” he said. “I have designed tighter security points than what you have here. Don’t worry about it, go.”
“Thanks for bringing this dad, I love you, bye!” She waved to him and ran back to the elevator. She waved at him again before the doors of the lift closed.
Bernard waved back and turned to leave.
Natasha’s father was walking back to the visitors car park where he had left his car when he felt someone grab his arm and pull him to the side.
“Who are you?” Bernard asked the unruly lady who was glaring at him.“Luyando?”He said, immediately recognizing the icy cold and deadly look in her eyes.
“It’syou my daughter right?” Bernard asked, tears welling up in his eyes.
“Shut the hell up!” Luyando yelled. “Who’s your daughter?”
“It’syou,” Bernard said, pointing at her, unable to believe his eyes and ears. “Do you have any idea how long I have been searching for you? My God, look at you, all grown.”
“Why would you search for me?” Luyando snapped. “What are you even doing here? I thought you had died from alcohol poisoning or something, but instead you got married and you have a family now? Wow, don’t you have any shame?”
“Lulu,”
“Shut up! Don’t call me that. I don’t know who you are and you don’t know me. As far as am concerned you don’t exist. Do not look for me and do not tell a soul, not even your daughter about me. If you even as much as show up in front of me, I will call the police.”
“You don’t need to say all those things Luyando,” Bernard said. “I knowthat I was a terrible father, I let you down. You have every right to hate me but please, don’t ask me to pretend not to know you when I have found you after so many years. Please, give me a chance to make things right.”
“Areyou kidding me?” Luyando yelled. “Make things right? What things do you want to make right? I have my own family, a mother, father and brother who adore me and they think that you are an abusive father who beat and raped me whenever you pleased so you better not show up to me or them because they will have no mercy on you.”
“Abuseyou? Did you say rape?”
“What’s the difference?” Luyando asked. “You were never a good father to me. You treated me like I didn’t exist and that’s worse than all the things I told those people you did to me.”
“Luyando, abuse you?” Bernard still couldn’t believe his own daughter would accuse him of such things. “How can you accuse your own father of doing such terrible things?”
“That’s the thing, if you stay away from me, no one will ever know that you are the man who did those things to me. I don’t want you anywhere near me and don’t even think about coming to this place again.
“If you want to meet that precious daughter of yours, meet her elsewhere. I don’t ever want to see you again. You hear me. If you are sorry for how badly you treated me after mum died, then you will leave me the hell alone, pretend I don’t exist.
“Just imagine the kind of shame and embarrassment your new family will be subjected to when it comes out that you used to rape your own daughter? Do you think they will accept you back once they find out about your past?”
“I admit I was a bad father, I should not have allowed the grief to get to me like that, I should have never drunk like that…I should have paid more attention to you, taken care of you…but Luyando, I never touched a single hair on your body.
“How could you say those things about me? If those people really loved you, you could have told them the truth…that I had neglected you and they would have still helped you. You didn’t have to turn your father into such a demon for you to receive love from them.”
“If I told them that then they would have just given me some money and they would have left!” She yelled. “I wanted to have the kind of life they could offer and there was no way I could get that if I stayed with you. I had to get rid of you the best way I could. I swear if I could, I would have killed you.”
“Luyando!”Bernard shouted.
“Yes! I would have killed you. You didn’t care about me so why should I care about you? If you had any sense of shame and guilt, you would walk to the nearest store after this meeting, buy some rat poison and do the world some service for the first time in your life.
“I promise you, if my family finds out about you, I will do to you what I couldn’t bring myself to do twenty years ago. I promise you.”
She then turned her back and walked away from her father, hoping to never see him again.
Luyando’sout-right rejection sent Bernard back into a world he thought he had escaped twenty years ago. It was a cold dark lonely world that held no hope for him. Even though her words were harsh, they were true; he didn’t deserve to be called anyone’sfather.
If you had any sense of shame and guilt, you would walk to the nearest store after this meeting, buy some rat poison and do the world some service for the first time in your life.
The words kept ringing in his head as he drove out of the parking lot.
In the other parking lot, Luyando locked herself inside the car and after making sure all the windows were closed, she gripped the steering wheel and yelled with all her might,
“Aaaaarggggggggggh!” She shouted, hitting her head against the steering wheel over and over again.
“What now?” she asked herself, tears streaming down her face.
Natasha was winding up work in her office when she received a call from her mother.
“Did you meet your father?”
“Yes, around 10, what’s wrong, he isn’t home yet?”
“Yes,” Martha said. “I have been trying to get him on phone but it’sbeen turned off for hours now. Do you think something happened to him? I just have this bad feeling….”
“Mum, mum, calm yourself down.” Natasha knew her mother to be the kind of person that always considered the worst case scenario in every situation. For her, hope was always the last thing to cross her mind….sometimes it never even did.
“I am sure his battery died or something, or maybe he lost his phone. Whatever the case I know there’sa good explanation and he will come tell us when he comes back home. Who knows, maybe he bumped into some old friends and lost track of time.
“Stop worrying and try to keep yourself busy.Is Sean still sleeping?”
“Yes, I mean no, he woke up a few minutes ago.” Nothing her daughter said made any sense to her.
“Areyou knocking off late today as well?”
“No, am actually parking up right now. I’ll be home soon mum, try to relax. Dad will be home soon.”
Even though she had tried to be as brave as possible with her mother, Natasha couldn’t help wondering what could have happened to her father after he left her place of work. He was not the type of man to just disappear and go off the radar without warning.
If indeed his phone had gone off, he would have found whatever means possible to contact his wife or daughter and he would have told them if he was running late. It was very unlike him to go quite like that.
Natasha tried calling his line but it was still off.
“Where the hell are you dad?” She asked herself.

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