LASTING MEMORY. Episode 3
© Amah
Olivia paid up all the necessary fee for her daughter, she has being saving up for this day and was glad that Emerald was starting school, beginners clas-s where she will learn nursery rhymes and numbers and two to three letter words and Emerald will get to meet other children and as-sociate with them.
Helen bought school bag, lunch box and a pack of long socks for Emerald who was so excited to start school and couldn’t wait for the day to break so that she can carry her lovely pink lunch box which contains her food flask and water bottle, her school bag has a princess Barbie on it and she sle-pt that night hanging it on her back, it was after she was de-eply asleep that Olivia re-moved the school bag from her and put it aside
The little girl was so happy as she and her mother matched to school the following morning, some other kids were crying but she was so excited especial having a new fine school stuffs from her mommy and from Aunt Helen.
Olivia smiled back home, she opened her kiosk and set up her wares, she wrote down the things running out of stock, she will buy more goods with the remaining money with her and stock up her kiosk because now that Emerald has started school she will have to make sure that she pays up her school fees whenever the time is due.
She smiled within herself as she went about her daily routine she will go back later in the day to go and pick her daughter from school.
Olivia opened her kiosk and sighed as she displa-yed her wares, she really nee-d to restock quic-k. Now that Emerald has started school she will also get re-ady for the school fees and whatever fee that nee-ds to be paid, her expenses will go higher than before which was well expected.
She will go to the market tomorrow after dropping Emerald in school and buy more things to add the her goods, she will do all she can to make sure that her daughter never lacks anything.
Helen st©p by the next day as Olivia was leaving for the market, Olivia was surprise to see her that early morning.
“Helen, what happen you did not go to work today…hope everything is alright…what of mumsy…?
“mum is fine, I told you that i was made the supervisor at work, so I have a day off to rest within the week which starts today while my colleague takes over…we are only two supervisors there now. The work load is becoming too much it comes with my new post as the supervisor but I can always scale throu-gh because the salary mouth watery and Francis has being so encouraging too. I just made breakfast for mum and ran out so that I can join you this morning and take Ema to school, Francis traveled you know he I always on the road whenever duty calls, I miss him anytime he is away…that is by the way, Ema…my baby is now a big girl, she goes to school…. But babe, see the way you just panic…must there always be a bad news…don’t always have negative thoughts is not a good thing…I am beginning to talk like doctor Kate…where’s Ema…
“I have taking her to school alre-ady…I’m on my way out to the market…my shop is looking so dry and scanty so I nee-d to restock…thank you Helen for getting Emerald school stuffs, she is so excited and even sle-pt with her new school bag…I told you and is so funny anytime i think of it…
“You shouldn’t be thanking me…Ema is p@rt of my responsibility too, we will both join hands and train her into a proud, fearless and beautiful lady. Not the scared little mouse my mother made out of me while growing up and i couldn’t do anything when I was taking advantage off…let me follow you to the market since today is my free day…after today it will be till weekend again before I will be free to come around…
“if you go with me we will waste time… talking non st©p…so stay back…open the Kiosk and sell everything before I return, there is not enough recharge card, I will call my supplier to bring some…when he comes plea-se pay him with this money…and sell everything before I return, don’t steal my wafer biscuits…I know you like wafers…you are allowed to eat only one…anything more than that will be stealing…
They both laugh as Olivia left for the market and Helen opened the kiosk and displa-yed wares just as Olivia does, she swept the shop and when the recharge card man c@m£ on his bike, she paid him with the money Olivia gave her.
Helen sold things for students going to school that morning, she also sold other things since she knows almost all the prices
A fine car st©p in front of the kiosk and Helen rushed out to answer the man who seem speechless at first
He was a fine man who smells of wealth, and with a closer look Helen saw that he had a scar on his cheek which wasn’t too obvious, he smiled at Helen after she greeted him cheerfully.
“Sir what do you want to buy…
“uhhh…mmm..oh…do…you…have card…recharge card….
Helen quic-kly answered asking him which type and how much he wanted, he bought all the card of one p@rticular network and paid double for it, Helen was grateful but the man did not drive off instead he relaxed back while trying to load his phone with the card. Helen waited hoping he will buy another thing
Kane was surprise to see another person in the kiosk, he has expected to see the same lady with a little daughter, the lady who’s smile and beauty has kept him sleepless for days, he drove down here just to see her but was surprise to meet another cheerful slim lady, who even after selling the cards to him still stood with an attrac-tive smile waiting just in case he decides to buy another thing. Even the card he bought he has no nee-d of it at the moment because he bought enough from his bank last night.
But it feels good to buy from this kiosk and see those happy smiles. It was more because of the beautiful lady he met the last time who made him to drive all the way down all in preteens of checking out the old house.
Kane couldn’t hold back the question that was almost choking him so he voiced out
“I met a lady here the last time…with a little girl…was she helping you out or you are helping her out…are you related to her…plea-se…what’s your name…
“Helen, and Olivia is my friend…I’m helping her out…she is not around at the moment…
“ooohkay…Helen, hope you don’t mind if I ask you this….is your friend married…I saw her with a baby girl…is that her daughter….but couldn’t get to ask her…can you tell me more about her…
“She is not married…and yes, the baby girl is her daughter…and this is her little shop…her small beginning which we pray will birth something bigger in the future, I’m only helping her because she is not around at the moment, Olivia is a kind loving soul and she is also so friendly so you can ask her any other question whenever you see her…I can’t say more than this to you sir…
“I de-eply appreciate all you have said alre-ady, Helen. thank you and I will definitely come around next time and with time get to know all about her…pardon me for not introducing myself earlier…my name is Kane…thank you ones again….
Kane drove off and Helen waved happily as she watch him drive away.
When Olivia c@m£ back Helen was so eager to tell her about Kane
“…he said his name was Kane, he drives a silver highlander jeep…he did not come down from the car but I can tell that he is a tall man, he will pas-s for a bouncer in a club but he look too posh…and he is a fine man who smells off wealth…he asked about you, he was so interested in getting to know you, he wanted to know if you are married, if Ema was your daughter and I told him few things but nothing de-ep, I told him to ask you himself whenever he comes around next time and he promise to do that….he bought enough recharge card and paid double..
“Oh wait…I know who you are talking about…he was here some days ago and also bought card from me after which he gave me extra cash…I was shock at his generosity…at first I didn’t want to collect the money from a common stranger but he insisted and me…de-ep down I know I nee-ded that money so I took it…I was even looking out for him to say my thanks again…there was something about him…I can’t place it…he looks at me and s£nt chill down my spin…
“oooh ooh…you are alre-ady liking him…see the way you talk about him….babe…this is good….you are finally having interest in a man…different men has being coming to you but you never pick interest in them, doctor Mark tried all he could but you never opened the door of your heart to him, good looking and rich h0t bachelors are always fighting over you but you shut them all off and scare them all away, my case is different because Francis is everything I want in a man, he loves me and I’m sure of that now and I don’t intend to leave him again, he has being there for me and I really do want to end up with him just as he also want but my dear friend Olivia is stuck and no man has succeeded in conquering her world but I think that will be changing soon…. see the way you talk about Kane…he must have charmed you with his loving charm…he seem so nice and friendly too…
They talked, laugh while going around arranging the things Olivia brou-ght back from the market, and she later left Helen to pick Emerald from school.
Kane c@m£ another day and met Olivia, he stepped down from his car with three bags in hand filled with different gifts for Olivia and Emerald, he gave them to a surprised Olivia who thanked him, Olivia saw that he was indeed tall and a well b©dy built, Helen was right, Kane can pas-s for a bouncer in a club with his stature, and with a closer look she could see that he has a little scar on one side of his cheek.
Kane comes around more often bringing different things to Olivia and gradually Olivia began to like him and looked forward to his visit which was becoming often and on
Kane will always come down from his car and sit with Olivia outside her Kiosk which was well restocked by now, they will sit, talk and laugh.
Kane told her of what he planned to do with the old building his father gave him. He told Olivia almost everything about himself but he tried as much as possible to skip his deadly bitter past which he hates to remember.
Kane took Olivia out one weekend, while Helen watched Emerald in the kiosk.
He drove her around, from the movies to the mall, when he finally c@m£ to drop her off he decided to ask Olivia about Emerald’s father which he has always wanted to ask but was waiting for Olivia to bring it up but she never did.
Olivia never say anything de-ep about herself just the normal usual things which he alre-ady know
Kane was de-eply in love with Olivia and Olivia was beginning to love him gradually but never opens up.
“Emerald’s father must have being a foolish man to have abandoned you, which man in his right mind will leave a precious jewel like you…I guess he left you for another woman or you left him for some personal reasons…
he is so s-en-seless not to have loved, cared and protects you and Emerald like you both deserve…is fine if you don’t want to talk about him…I can see even raising his t©pic brings sadness to your face…I’m so sorry Olivia…I don’t want you to be sad…but that man is so cursed…he is not man enough…I’m sorry but I feel this anger in me for such men who does not know what they want and can’t take up responsibilities of their actions and that seem to be the kind of man who will abandoned you when he should be by your side every second, loving and supporting you throu-gh life.
He hurt you… I know Olivia, I can feel that he hurt you, such a man does not deserve to be in your life, maybe God pushed him out for my good…all I want to do is to make you forget about how sorrow feels like…I love to watch you smile…laugh…it makes me happy…you don’t owe me an explanation over your past but I do want to be right here in your pres£nt and even into the future if you will let me in…you took my breath away from the first day I set my eyes on you…I have not being able to think straight ever since…you occu-py every p@rt of me Olivia… I am not like the useless man who abandoned you when you nee-d him most…I am not talking just like every other man out there because I know you must have ha-rd things like this…but I’m different…I want you to go back to school, pursue your dreams and become who you want to be, you are bigger than that small Kiosk, there is too much greatness in you which you can’t throw off, I’m re-ady to do everything to get you where you want to be Olivia, this is not a flatter and is never because I want something from you this is my own way of proving that I really do care about you in every way, and I will deposit enough money in your account to help you run throu-gh your career, even if we don’t see again tomorrow or something bad happens to me…which I don’t pray for but in that way you will still be able to forge ahead…for you and for Emerald…I do want to prove this to you and even more if you will let me, I am not like every man coming to promise heaven and earth to you, no, I’m Kane, I am not perfect but am re-ady to make your good life wishes come to past …plea-se Olivia…I want to be a father to Emerald, give you the love and care that you deserve and more…I’m not forcing you to accept me…I just want you to always know that I really do care de-eply about you and…I love you…so much…
Olivia was quiet, she was alre-ady falling for Kane but doesn’t know why she was holding back. after many years she found a man she likes so much and who worsh!ps her like a goddess, she want to tell him of her past, her parents death, about the evil man who took everything from her but out of the dump and destruction Emerald her precious daughter emerged, she has held so much hate for the man who hurt her so much, to-re her ap@rt, everything she holds dearly that evil man destroyed it and the only thing she have of the man is “kaka” which never makes any s-en-se. She will hunt the man down and destroy him if she ever in her life time come across him, no matter who he was she will not spare him one bit, he must feel the pain and emptiness that she has felt after her whole world fell ap@rt.
Kane was indeed a good man, Olivia thought to herself. “If all men were like Kane the world will be a better place, he is an angel in human form.
Olivia decided to open up a little to Kane
“Emerald’s father never existed…I was R@p£d by an unknown gun man…who destroyed my world…i…I don’t want to talk about it plea-se…not now…not today or anytime soon…I hate to remember what the past took from me, my daughter is all that matters to me…and you are a good man Kane you are not like the evil man that took away my joy…
Kane drew Oliver into his arms, as he tried to console her aching heart.
his own heart began to beat so loud into his ear drum, “did Olivia just mentioned that a gun man R@p£d her…”could it be that…no…no…is not…it can’t never be…oh my God what if…uuuhhh oh no…I’m going crazy….i nee-d to leave or she will see my discomfort…
Kane wanted Olivia to remain in his arms but he was getting all h0t as different thoughts began to hunt him the moment Olivia mentioned a gun man, fear griped him.
“Olivia can’t be the same young beautiful girl his past man to-re ap@rt, he may not have fully seen the girl’s face because it was little dark in the room but she was slender and so young and innocent.
Kane was uncomfortable as he dropped Olivia off bid her good night before driving away with speed to a very quiet place to break down and cry over his past sin.
Olivia did not go into details about her past pain but he prayed so ha-rd that night begging God not to let what he fear most to come true, because Olivia may never forgive him and he does not want to ever see her sad or unhappy.
He prayed so much in the comfort of his room and did not even come out for two days.
Episode 4
Olivia tried calling Doctor Kate that afternoon but no response, she was probably in clas-s or in an emergency.
Olivia breathed down, she felt Emerald temperature and it was really burning, she has given her every medication she can think off ever since yesterday, hoping she will get better but she wasn’t improving at all.
She wanted to take her to the hospital but decided to speak to Kate first as she has always done but she couldn’t reach Doctor Kate.
Olivia placed a small soa-ked cold towel on her daughter’s forehead to see if it will reduce her high temperature.
she s£nt a quic-k text message to doctor Kate and waited for a reply, but none c@m£.
She was confuse on what to do and started scrolling down the contact on her phone, she c@m£ across Helen and knew she will be busy at work, Olivia continued scrolling down she c@m£ across Kane, she have not ha-rd from him for days, she called him yesterday but his line was off.
Olivia wondered what was going on with him, she was alre-ady into him, liking every thing about him and now she can’t reach him anymore, she wonder what was happening with him and why his line was off for the past two days.
Oliver breathed down and got to the name “Mark” she pause and stare at the name, she quic-kly remembered Doctor Mark, whom she has not seen or spoken to in a long while, she decided to call the number maybe she will be able to get help for Emerald, she silently pray that the number was still active and when the phone began to ring she silently began to pray that Mark will be able to help her.
Mark was on leave, he has taking two weeks emergency leave to attend to his fathers’ burial, he traveled and after the whole burial was over he returned back to his base.
His father was the only parent left after his mother died many years ago. His only sibling was his elder brother who was married with a son.
Mark wished he could save his father from dying when the old man bec@m£ so sick, Mark did all he could for his father. He loved his job and couldn’t be with his father all the time, so he hired a nurse, a care giver who was looking after the man and he travels down down sometimes to check on him but never fails to call just to know if he is responding to treatment or not.
Mark love treating people, saving lives,helping those with different fears to have hope and smile again. being a doctor has made him to put other people’s life ahead of his own, he wish he could save his father but being a doctor there’s a limit he can do, it was his father’s time to go and he can’t do anything again more than what he has alre-ady done and to accept the truth.
He was trying to be man and look ahead to the brighter side of life, find love and have a family of his own just like his elder brother but he has not being so good with those plans, especially in the area of women.
Is been a while he has gone on a d@t£, his work was time consuming and he likes occu-pying his mind with it.
He spend so much time attending to people than he does for himself.
Ever since Olivia the lady he has fallen for even in her delicate condition which have being so crazy to him and to any one that will hear that he was in love with a pregnant young and beautiful lady who has no man in her life and never wanted any man close to her, he tried to make her consider him back then even after she gave birth to her daughter, Mark kept trying but she turned him down and warned him never to get close to her and he has to give up trying.
He went dee-per into work just to forget her and even have to go on few d@t£s which never works out.
Mark was watching a television program while his house keeper was in the laundry room doing his laundry.
Mark ha-rd his phone ringing he picked it up with his eye still fixed on the television, he picked the call without looking at the caller, thinking it was from the hospital as usual or from one of his patients
“Hello…Doctor Mark Phili-ps on the line….
“Mark, is me…Olivia….
Immediately Mark ha-rd the voice and the name he re-moved the phone from his ear and check the caller before placing it back to his ear…
“Hi Olivia…is being ages…how are you doing…you surprise me with your call…how are you are your daughter…
“I know is being a while, I have not being able to get to doctor Kate, Emerald is so sick…she has being running temperature, it started yesterday when the school she attends called to inform me that she suddenly started running temperature and was crying all throu-gh, I rushed down and picked her and I gave her some medication hoping it will st©p this morning but it got worst, I’m thinking of taking her to the hospital but decided to call you first when I stumbled on your number…I didn’t know what else to do Mark…I’m sorry to disturb…
“Don’t be sorry Olivia, is fine and I am on leave, I still have four days to rest before I start work…can I drive down to your place so that I can check Emerald first before knowing the kind of medication to prescribe…
After the call ended, Mark picked up his stethoscope, car key and few other medical things, he quic-kly drove off to Olivia’s place
He was ushered in by Olivia who was waiting for his arrival. Mark checked Emerald and quic-kly commenced treatment on her.
After that day he returned the next day and kept stooping to check on the little girl until Emerald was well again, Doctor Kate later called after seeing Olivia message about her daughter, she apologized that she was in a clas-s with her students and nee-ded to put off her phone which was her usual way and Olivia informed her that Mark was attending to Emerald, Kate was glad.
after Mark was done with all treatment he refused to collect anything from Olivia even after she insisted, he did not.
“Thank you so much Mark, I didn’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t responded urgently to my call and now Emerald is well…I don’t know how to pay you for your kindness…I’m indebted to you…
“st©p thanking me Olivia…I could have done the same for anyb©dy out there who nee-ds help within my reach…watch Emerald for few days before she starts school, Emerald maybe allergic to something, not specified yet…plea-se check the school environments, clas-s and also pl@yground too…
environment matters…but she is alright now…if anything changes plea-se call me…but you don’t nee-d to panic …children are like this and I have seen worst cases too… and I have a little request…I don’t know how much Emerald as-sociate outside with you and school but I do want to ask you if is okay to bring her to my nephew’s birthday two weeks from now…my nephew will be turning five years…is being a sad moment for me and my brother after my Dad died, so we want to do something different after mourning, is time to also celebr@te, have a happy gathering again so my nephew’s birthday will be doing all that for us… uhmmm…is just an innocent invitation and you can turn it down…is not really compulsory…but try think about it first before ma-king a decision, I will come over pick you and Ema up and bring you right back anytime you are re-ady to go…I just want Ema to have fun with lots of other kids of her age…but is all fine if you can’t make it…I do un-derstand…and you don’t owe me anything Olivia…
“Hmmm I’m so sorry to hear about your Dad, I’m de-eply sorry Mark for your heavy lost…let me think about the invitation first…two weeks is still far…I will let you know if we can make it or not. Thank you once again Mark…I really appreciate…
Two days later Emerald started school again. Kane c@m£ down on the fourth day to see Olivia.
“I’m so sorry that I have not called all this while, I got caught up with something… with the kind of father I have he can give you a ha-rd nut out of sudden to crack and that was what happened…I nee-ded to do some things for him outside the state and there was no network where I was…I’m sorry Olivia, how is princess Ema doing and how are you doing too…I have missed you both, I just couldn’t stay another day without seeing or hearing from you so I drove down immediately I returned…
“I was so worried Kane…I thought I did or say something wrong which got you offended…I try calling severally but your line was switched off…I was almost falling sick from worrying over the fine kind man that flew into my life like a cool wind, blew my heart open and then disappear…I have not liked any man like I do for you…maybe is more than what I can admit…
“I feel thri-lled to hear you say that Olivia, I love you and everything about you and I really want you to be happy and forget everything that makes you sad…I’m sorry for ma-king you to worry so much, I was also sad when I couldn’t reach you…it bothers me a lot…and with the way I left you the last time, when you talked about your past, it hurt you de-eply so if talking about Emerald’s father or whoever he maybe makes you remember the hurtful past that you are trying to forget…then let’s not talk about it…not now…maybe never…you are my happiness and I want to be all yours Olivia, let the past and whatever happens in the past remain right there…let’s focus on the future but I do want to ask just one question plea-se…do you remember anything about the gun man you mentioned the last time…if you see him will you be able to identify him or is there something that you can use to identify him…do you remember anything…
Olivia thought for a moment, she have wanted to say the only thing she remembered was his gang name ”Kaka” but that will not make any s-en-se, it may sound stupid if she says that, she remembered the man that R@p£d her was tall, he has a mask on and a cut on his cheek and hand but she have being too scared that night, yes the man has a de-ep cut on his cheek which cut throu-gh his facial mask and made blood to soak up there and she could have taking more note of the two gun men if she wasn’t so frightened and there was not enough light to identify much, the room wasn’t bright enough. The only thing that rings in her head for years was the name Kaka which was useless because when she searched on the internet she found out that Kaka is mostly a nick name or an abbreviation of a name but never a common name for a male child.
Olivia looked up at Kane who held his too palm together and something else was written in his eyes, worried and maybe fear, she can’t tell what exactly it was. Kane was tall, he has a little scar on his cheek which wasn’t so obvious, despite the scar he was a fine man, he looks likes a man who will never hurt a fly, Kane has a humble and kind soul, he was so calm and so loving, men like him are rare and she was glad she met him
The man that R@p£d her, killed her parents and destroyed her hope of becoming a lawyer just in one night and he is probably in a prison or dead because the police has said they caught all the arm robbers that night, some died and others were imprisoned so Kaka or whoever he was is rotting away either in the grave or in a cell with other ha-rd en criminals like him. no wicked man like him will go free because is either the law that govern the people nail him, the police men will make him face the consequences of his evil actions,the law of karma is also there to strike him down or he dies untimely. If he manage to escape all of this which is not possible then the same gun he holds with pride will strike him with a h0t bullet, “maybe that h0t bullet will be coming from me or anyb©dy….but I’m certain there is no escaping for such a man who strike me ha-rd across the face, pined me down like a prey, I pleaded, my father pleaded but he never listened, he to-re my night wear and started digging into me without care, I have wish many times I died that night alongside with my parents, they killed my sick mother who was alre-ady recovering and sh0t my father as he tried to save me. aah what a night to remember, a lasting memory which I will never forget.
“No…No Kane I…I can’t identify the gun man with anything…i can’t remember anything and I do not want to remember anything either…
Kane breathed out, giving a sigh of relieved. He silently thank God that Olivia did not remember what the gun man looked like and could not identify him, he felt better from the h0t silent from Olivia that was consuming him as she kept quiet for sometime before speaking out, Kane breathed down again and Olivia looked up at him as they sat close to her kiosk, sweat broke out of his fore head despite it was a cold evening, he coughed out as he tries to remain calm, he coughed again
“Are you alright Kane…is there something wrong…are you having cough, I have a menthol sweet for coughs…you are sweating but the evening is so cool…do you have cough….
“ahhhh…no…I mean yeah…just a little cough but it will pas-s. I’m fine Olivia…let me take you out tomorrow, let’s start talking about your school, you don’t nee-d to give up on becoming who you want to be because of finance…I’m here for you and I will help you get to that height I promise….
And that was how Olivia got encouraged to start thinking and processing her school form and with Kane everything was so easy for her.
She was determined again to make her father proud even in though he was long dead. She swore never to forget the two men who c@m£ into her life, one c@m£ and took everything from her, unleash terror and killed her dream and her hopes of living. Kaka was his crazy bitter name and she will never forget him.
And the other was the sweet man who was restoring back her lost hope, bring color to her life again, ma-king her dreams to become reality. Kane was his sweet name and she will never forget him.
Olivia plan taken Emerald to Doctor Mark’s nephew’s birthday p@rty because she knows will make Mark very happy, he deserve to be happy after losing his dear father.
that was the least she can do for him after he treated Emerald. One good turn deserve another.
so she called Mark to inform him and he was so happy and told Olivia that he will come over and pick them up when the time comes.
To be continued