GUARD OF HONOUR CHAPTER FIVE:
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CLARES POV#
wow,
I exclaimed to myself,jumping in excitement upon hearing Craig’s voice on phone… Such an awesome moment…I could picture him throu-ghout the R0m-ntic conversation wearing a jovial face…Finally,God had granted the wish I had been yearning for! It was such an exciting moment…
No sooner had I concluded the call than I quickly rushed towards the kitchen…I could ha-rdly believe how sudden the urge to have a meal had suddenly developed… It was because my ears had finally been treated to the sweetest voice of my bed beloved husband Craig! I was so eager to feast on the delicious meal of rice and sausage whose sweet aroma filled the entire house….
Finally,the meal was ready…I sat on the couch,reminincing on the sweet phone call from Craig… It was so exciting to know how attached the two of us had grown over the years… Even when he was miles away, nothing destructed him from showering his wife with those sweet words every woman would want to hear from their man… Craig was simply all I nee-ded in a life partner, truly he was one in a million!
I was busy feasting on the delicious meal,buried into de-ep thoughts before a knock suddenly interrupted my sweet thoughts…
Who could it be?
I wondered,in displea-sure ….I never wished for anything to destroy my sweet time filled with so many intriguing thoughts.. I quickly stood up, paused a bit and hastened towards the front door…
CRAIG’S POV#
No sooner had I hanged up the call with Clare than I quickly scrolled down the latest mail from General Banda…
I sat down quietly, shrinking in belief,trying ha-rd to comprehend why he had to single me out for the latest operation everyone had anticipated to be the most deadliest…
I could feel myself gasp for breath knowing that I was being drafted into the Banjul operation…
‘Ensure that you as-sign sergeant Craig Jere the role of drinking gunner during the Banjul infiltration’
Read the most dreadful part among the many outlined orders..
I had heard of how infiltrative operations had always ended on a weeping note, neither could I remember when last I heard of any frontline gunner to have ever survived such battles… I took a de-ep breath, spun the office chair round, Clare’s picture ran throu-ghmy mind… I could not afford to leave her just like that. She still nee-ded me so did my unborn! Colonel Kalulu quickly walked in much to the destruction of my thoughts…
CLARE’S POV#
Hi Clare?
Greeted a smiling Cindy…
‘Hiiii Cindy’
I responded, surprised enough she was the least person I ever expected on the doorstep…
‘come in’
I uttered cheerfully,in the most welcoming and friendly tone!
‘Thank you,’
she replied before we both went into the sitting room and took to our seats…
I had known Cindy back then from my sister’s neighbourhood…Her reputation and that of her mother were really questionable as the mother was known for using love portions on her husband…Fate brou-ght me closer to Cindy when I moved in with Craig before she joined me a week later with her husband’s home located ba-rely ten metres away from mine… I had never wished to be close to her in anyway…I was ready to ignore anything that could breach the peace with my God given husband Craig!
I could not believe my ears as Cindy burst into some crazy sarcasm out of nowhere… Craig had been drafted into the much talked about deadly Banjul operation all because I turned down the General’s proposal?
I watched on in surprise as she stood up off from the couch, took off her chitenge only to remain in a rather skimpy skirt… Ready to meet the general for a one night stand in exchange for his husband to be exempted from the Banjul operation list….
I stood flat footed, mouthless,depressed about what I had just heard… Is this how cheap some women could stoop? I questioned myself upon seeing Cindy off… Not with me, not with my body I had always dedicated to my wedded husband Craig…I quickly got in the house and threw myself onto my knees crying to God in prayer! Declaring my husband would return home sooner than ever!
CRAIG’S POV#
It was finally confirmed I was to be the main gunner in the Banjul operation which comes in two days…. I sat in the office, depressed enough wondering how to break the news to my wife Clare before the desk line rang… I quickly picked up…
Clare was in de-ep trouble!
GUARD OF HONOUR CHAPTER 6:
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CRAIG’S POV#
My face grew with bitterness as Clare narrated her ordeal on phone…For once, I felt like crushing the animal behind this into pieces..
How could my own wife be subjected to such inhumane punishment? Why couldn’t they wait for her to deliver at least…why was General Banda so heartless that he had to stop at nothing just to see Clare and I apart? I could not believe it had even reached to an extent of evicting Clare out of the camp house! Some people are worse than the Devil himself….!
I shed a tear of bitterness as I weaved throu-ghthe conversation,trying ha-rd to calm her down… Hearing her devastated voice rumble throu-ghmy ears really sent shock waves throu-ghmy body… I felt like crushing the General into pieces there and then… I had vowed to protect my family at all cost, but General Banda was becoming a thorn in my own flesh,a thing I could not allow!
No sooner had I managed to convince Clare keep calm amid as-surances the decision to evict her could be rescinded than I sat in my office chair, shining round and round,hitting my right fist against the right palm whilst bu-tting my li-ps… I could not un-derstand where the for-ce of hummering the receiver unto the Telephone base…I could not not stand this anymore, I concluded in rage,my right nostril vibr@ting in anger, I had to do everything within my power to see the General exp-osed!
I quickly jumped off my office chair, my boot hitting the ground with utmost impact… The only consolation being that Clare had stood her ground, turning down General Bands cheap proposals.. He might have fli-rted round with other wives to military personnel but not with my Clare whom I trusted with every single breath my lungs stole off the atmosphere! Perhaps it was time I reported the promiscuous General…..
CLARE’S POV#
craig’s kind and reas-suring voice was all I nee-ded during such a trying moment… Now my heart was at peace upon recounting to him all I had gone throu-ghsince his departure… One nee-ded to hear how calm and composed my husband sounded despite the shameful story of the wicked General… Exactly how every proud husband could react!
I strolled my way to the handpump ,carrying a blue plastic water vessel in my hand… Water supply had been so mean for the past three days….
I could tell from Cindy’s facial expression upon seeing me line up amongst the residents that had flocked to fetch water… The body language from other women suggested I was totally intruding into their territory, I could not stand the shame upon hearing them condemn my love to turn down General Banda’s proposal… I still vividly recall how embarras-sed I felt upon being labelled a wicked wife… Devastated, tearful, though never ashamed of my decision…only God knew how much I valued my body that I could not trade it so easily for any cheap favour!
CRAIG’S POV#
I stared in the mirror, Cammo cream crossing my face… Making me appear even more fierce if not the fiercest… My helm hang so well fitting the combat so ti-ght that I could not help but admire my newly acquired military look… The full weight of a missile launcher wrapped in my hands scaring off the fear the post fear I that engulfed my soul before this day… It was now or never.. Time for the Banjul infiltration!
I stood firm, leading the entire platoon on the parade…only the commander could tell how impeccable the troops appeared… Ready to erase the battle lines… I love you Clare, I whispered to myself upon concluding the parade…
I watched on as the senior officers matched off the parade, before Colonel Mwango walked over and broke some sweet news into my ears…
I felt like doing my best to survive the deadly operation… The amazing news Colonel Mango had just broke to me was more than enough to boost my zeal and keep me going….
Tbc