5/6
*THE PACT* 😂
CHAPTER 5
I drive straight to my mother’s house, when I walk into the house I find *her lying on her b©yfri£nd’s l@p in the living room. The television is on, there is a pizza box on the table and some glas-ses of wine. I stare at them and my heart aches, they seem perfect for each other, it was not ~* supposed to end like this, it should have been my father in Robert’s place. Robert is mum’s b©yfri£nd, they have been together for two years now I hate him I just can’t get used to the~ idea of my mother being with another man who is not my father.
‘’Sweetheart!’’ Mum exclaims, sitting upright. I was obviously the last person she was expecting to see in her house. I rarely visit mum because my work keeps me very busy. I ha-rd ly have time for a personal life.
‘’Hey mum.’’
‘’Kristian!’’ Robert says.
‘’Hello,’’ I say with a feigned smile.
‘’How are you? Long time no see.’’
‘’I have been busy.’’
‘’Aren’t you supposed to be at work? Are you okay?’’ Mum asks.
‘’I want to talk to you.’’
‘’Okay.’’
‘’In pri-vate,’’ I say staring at Robert.
‘’Can we talk from my room then?’’
‘’Yes.’’
She looks at Robert, ‘’Babe, give us a few minutes plea-se, I will join you when we are done.’’
‘’Sure, don’t worry about me.’’
‘’Thank you,’’ she lightly k!sses hisl-ips before she leads me upstairs to her room.
We walk into her room and she closes the door behind her back then I sit on her be-d and she sits on a stool in front of me.
‘’What happened? Your eyes are puffy, have you been crying?’’
I bite my l!pand tears start falling down my face, I am a s-en-sitive and emotional person, I am easily moved by things and I cry a lot.
‘’Baby girl, what is it?’’
‘’Da-da-da-daddy,’’ I stammer.
‘’What has he done?’’
‘’He made Kenzie Editor in chief at the newspaper, you know how ha-rd I have worked for that man and this is how he chooses to repay me? That promotion was supposed to be mine, I was supposed to take over and not Kenzie.’’
‘’I am sorry my child,’’ she pu-lls me into her arms and holds me ti-ght, speaking words into my hair about letting go and re-leasing.
‘’Maybe your father wants you and your sister to start getting along.’’
‘’She is not my sister mum and I have no father.’’
‘’You should forgive your father child, it’s not you he left when he walked out, it was me he left, your father loves you despite what happened between us plea-se let go and forgive him, plea-se,’’ she pleads.
‘’He left when I nee-ded him the most and he had a child with another woman, how can I forgive him for the birthdays that he missed? For the nights that I nee-ded him to tell me stories but he couldn’t come because he had another family.’’
‘’Shhhhh!’’ She soothes me and I cry even more.
‘’Let go child, let go.’’
‘’I will resign,’’ I say after a few minutes.
‘’Kristian you can’t do that I know much you love and enjoy your job.’’
‘’I can’t stand it mum, I can’t allow Kenzie to be my boss.’’
‘’But you can find a way of working hand in hand with her, take it as an opportunity to get to know your sister.’’
‘’No mum I don’t want to know her.’’
‘’Okay so you want to resign, what will you do next? Stay at home? Travel? What exactly do you want to do? I will support you.’’
‘’I don’t know mum.’’
‘’Maybe you nee-d to take some time off, go on a vacation with your b©yfri£nd, what’s his name? Clive?’’
‘’Clive is not my b©yfri£nd.’’
‘’Haven’t you been with him for almost a year?’’
‘’He is just my friend.’’
‘’A friend who sleeps in your be-d?’’
‘’What are you driving at?’’
‘’Clive c@m£ to see me.’’
‘’He did what?’’
‘’He c@m£ to ask me to talk to you, that boy loves you and he is tired to pla-ying these hide and seek games with you, he wants a real relationsh!p, he is re-ady to commit if only you will say yes to him.’’
‘’Clive knows I am a busy man, he knows I can’t commit to a relationsh!pat the moment.’’
‘’Kristian? Let go of that fear, just because your father left me doesn’t mean Clive will leave you if you commit, you are not growing any younger, if you continue like this you end up being a bitter unhappy old woman.’’
I look up at her and frown, ‘’that’s mean mummy.’’
‘’I am your mother it’s my duty to tell you the truth, give that young man a chance, open your heart.’’
‘’I don’t want to talk about it.’’
‘’What do you want to talk about?’’
I am about to respond when her phone rings and she stares at it, ‘’your father is calling,’’ she says.
‘’what does he want?’’
‘’He obviously wants to ask about you.’’
‘’Don’t answer him.’’
She smiles before she picks up the phone and puts it on loud speaker, ‘’Mr. Msizi?’’
‘’Deborah, how are you?’’
‘’I am fine thanks, how are you?’’
‘’I am fine.’’
‘’How can I help you?’’
‘’I wanted to find out if Kristian is there with you? She left the office angry and upset.’’
‘’Yes, she just got here.’’
‘’I bet she told you the news?’’
‘’Yes she did, you want my honest opinion about your decision?’’
‘’Shoot.’’
‘’You have stabbe-d your child in the back, she deserved this promotion more than anyone else.’’
I stare at my mother and smile, I know she always has my back and it’s good she is telling him off.
‘’Deborah! I know Kristian has put in her best, this decision wasn’t easy to make but it had to be made.’’
‘Don’t be surprised when your daughter decides to quit on you.’’
‘’What is that supposed to mean? Did Kristian say she wants to resign?’’
‘’No, she didn’t but she is very upset anything is possible.’’
‘’Can I talk to her?’’
Mum looks at me and I shake my head, ‘’no,’’ I whisper.
‘’Now is not a good time.’’
‘’Okay, I will call her in the evening.’’
‘’Sure.’’
‘’Bye.’’
‘’Bye.’’
She puts her phone on the table and looks at me, ‘’you should call him in the evening.’’
‘’Why should I?’’
‘’I am sure he is worried about you.’’
‘’I don’t care,’’ I say rising to my feet.
‘’Kristian?’’
‘’I think I will head to the mall and get some ice cream, I nee-d something to cheer me up, you want to come?’’
‘’Can Robert come with us?’’
I roll my eyes, ‘’No.’’
‘’You want me to leave him here all by himself?’’
‘’He is a big man he can take care of himself.’’
‘’Fine, let’s go.’’
‘’That’s my mummy.’’
‘’I am just doing this because I don’t want to see getting sad again, it breaks my heart to see you cry.’’
‘’You are the best.’’
‘’I love you.’’
‘’I love you too.’’
_THE PACT_ 🤫
CHAPTER six
Today has been hectic, I have been up and about trying to fill in for Kristian. I hope she comes for work tomorrow because I can’t walk a mile in her shoes even if I tried. Well I know Kristian is bitter and I hate her but when it comes to doing her job, she does it with perfection- she doesn’t even have to try so ha-rd everything just flows, today I have seen the importance of having her around. This is the first time in two years that I have been her P.A that she has completely been off work.
It’s 19:00 and this is when I am about to leave the office. I don’t even think I will have time to visit my daughter today. It will take me an hour to get to the Hospice. I am sure she will be asleep by then- I think I will just pas-s throu-gh in the morning.
Turning off my computer, I leave the office, walk towards the car park and get into a company vehicle, since I was working late and I don’t have a car, someone from the office has to drive me home. Its ten minutes past twenty when I finally get home, I am tired and hungry, I would do anything to have a decent meal but I don’t have any money on me.
I am undressing so I can hit the shower when my phone rings.
‘’Hello?’’
‘’Mr. Mumbi?’’ the familiar voice on the end of the line says. I recognize the voice as Madam Veronica’s, the in charge at the hospital, she rarely calls me at this time of the night unless something critical is going on.
‘’Madam Veronica?’’ I respond, my heart racing, wondering if something has happened to my daughter.
‘’I am sorry to call this time but it’s urgent.’’
‘’Is Joan alright?’’
‘’Your daughter is fine but she was terribly sick a few minutes ago, she was in so much pain but her condition is stable now, I would like you to pas-s throu-gh the hospice in the morning, there’s something I nee-d to talk to you about.’’
‘’If it’s serious I can come throu-gh right away.’’
‘’No nee-d for you to come now, you come in the morning.’’
‘’Are you sure Joan is fine?’’
‘’Yes.’’
‘’Okay.’’
‘’See you tomorrow and have a blessed night.’’
‘’Thank you.’’
I become restless after ending that call, I can’t st©p thinking about Joan- something has obviously happened to her, maybe Madam Veronica was afraid to tell me over the phone, how do I even sleep after receiving such a scary call?
*
‘’Thank you for taking me out mummy, thank you for the food and the clothes. I really enjoyed spending time with you.’’
‘’You are my only child you know I would anything to cheer you up.’’
‘’I love you Ma.’’
‘’I love you even more, don’t forget to think about what we have talked about.’’
‘’I will.’’
‘’Are you sure you don’t want to spend a night?’’
‘’No, I prefer to be in the comfort of my own home.’’
‘’Okay,’’ she k!sses my forehead and gets out of the car. Waving at her, I start the engine and drive off.
I spent the whole day with mum today, instead of just having ice cream, we went shopping and she treated me to an amazing meal. I get home a couple of minutes later then I head straight to my room to find Clive pacing back and forth.
‘’Hey!’’ I say kicking off my shoes and placing my handbag on the table.
‘’I have been calling you.’’
‘’I was busy.’’
‘’Too busy to even respond to my messages?’’
‘’I said I was busy,’’ I say, louder than I had intended too, I hate when Clive acts like he owns me.
‘’We were supposed to have dinner at my sister’s place, she was waiting for us.’’
‘’And I thought I made it clear that I would go to your sister’s house with you.’’
‘’What should I do to show you that I love you?’’
‘’Nothing, you don’t have to do anything to show that you love me. You know I don’t believe in love and nothing you do will change my mind. We had an agreement, this was just S-x and nothing else, I can’t give you more.’’
‘’Kristian?’’
‘’And you shouldn’t have gone to my mother to talk to her about me, I am old enough to make my own decisions.’’
‘’I just wanted her to help me.’’
‘’Whatever.’’
‘’So what are you saying?’’
‘’I can’t be in a relationsh!pwith you, we either stick to S-x or we call it quits.’’
‘’Then we will have to call it quits because I am done.’’
‘’Oh!’’ I look up at him.’’ You want to call it quits? After everything we have been throu-gh? Fine, leave, just like Mr. Msizi leave and never come back, I won’t beg you to stay, you can go, I will be fine, I will pick myself up as usual! Leave!’’ I yell.
He gr-abs his bag, it seems he had alre-ady packed his stuff and his mind is made up.
‘’Bye Kristian, call me if you change your mine.’’
‘’Goodbye!’’ I respond, he walks out of the room without looking back and when the door closes, I gr-ab my pillow and hit it against the wall. He can leave for all I care, I will not beg him to stay- that wasn’t how I was raised.
‘’Jessie!’’ I yell and she comes rushing into my room a minute later.
‘’Yes auntie,’’ she kneels beside me.
‘’Clive has left, lock all the doors and don’t ever allow him back into my house ever again.’’
‘’Okay.’’
‘’And bring me a glas-s of wine, I nee-d something to calm my nerves.’’
‘’Are you okay?’’
‘’How is that any of my business.’’
‘’I am sorry.’’
‘’Sorry for yourself,’’ I reply, cl!çk!ng my ton-gue.
She walks out of the be-droom and returns two minutes later with a glas-s of wine and hands it to me.
‘’You can leave now,’’ I say taking a large sip.
‘’Good night!’’ she says and I just cli-ck my ton-gue, she tries so ha-rd to be friendly, I just can’t deal.
When I finish drinking my wine, I decide to call the only friend I have, I dial her line, it rings once and she picks up.
‘’Kristian!’’ she exclaims.
‘’Hey Jada.’’
‘’I miss you.’’
‘’I miss too girl, work has been hectic.’’
‘’And I haven’t been able to go out because of the baby.’’
‘’How is my little Else doing?’’
‘’She is perfect.’’
‘’I want to see you, I nee-d someone to talk to, can we do dinner tomorrow?’’
‘’Yes, as long as you come over to the house.’’
‘’I will come over after work.’’
‘’That’s great.’’
‘’Okay, see you tomorrow.’’
‘’See you, sleep ti-ght.’’
‘’You too.’’
Jada is the only friend I currently have, she is the only person who has been able to tolerate me and my tantrums. I met Jada a year ago, her father introduced us and we instantly cli-cked. I had gone to interview Penjani, I did a lifestyle feature story which ran in the newspaper. Jada and I don’t see each other much but we talk, she recently had a baby.
*
Tbc