#Truths_of_the_Heart
3
“Mwamba, what are you doing here?” Naomi sat behind her desk with a frown on her face.
“Baby I was hoping you could give me a ride home. I dont have any money to use for transport back.”
Naomi cl@pped her hands in amusement. “So you want me to st©p working and take you home? Is that your plan to get me fired?”
Her accusations shocked Mwamba. “What? Why would you think that?”
“I’m also wondering the same. Isn’t that the only reason why you would come throu-gh midday to ask me to leave work? So that my bosses can see me?” Naomi shook her head. “Sorry I cant leave.”
“You can give me the car keys. I’ll come and pick you when you knock off.”
“I have an errand to run later so that wont work.”
“Ok, then I’ll just wait for you to knock off. I’ll be seated in the lobby.”
Naomi cli-cked her ton-gue, visibly upset. “Loitering is not allowed in the h0tel premises” she picked up her bag and took out a k20 from her purse. “Here, you can use this. The change make sure to buy some vegetables.”
“Thank you.” Mwamba took the money from her.
“I told you not to sale your car but you didnt listen. See yourself now. I should be the one to ba-re the consequences.”
Humiliated Mwamba apologised and left. He knew his wife had a sharp ton-gue. If he tried to defend his decision he would only receive more backlash. Besides he did regret selling his vehicle. The money had been used to complete their house after he was fired. Atleast they now lived rent free. Plus he as-sumed they would be able to share Naomi’s car.
“Sorry, excuse me.” He said to the man he had bu-mped into as he left his wife’s office.
“No worries.” The man smiled letting him pas-s.
“Knock knock.”
“Jefferies, hi. plea-se come in.” Naomi stood up as he walked in.
“Is that your husband I just bu-mped into outside your office?”
“Eh, yes.” She responded shyly.
“Is he feeling ok? He doesn’t look too well.”
Naomi kept the smile on her face. “He’s been a little un-der the weather. But he’s ok.”
“I hope all is well?”
“Yes. He wanted us to go for lunch but I told him I have too much to do.”
Jeffries chuckled. “You women dont know what you want. Your man asks to take you for lunch and you refused. Yet if he didn’t you would complain of him not being ro-mantic.”
“Work! work! work!”
“Yes work has to be done. So I’m here to inform you that the international conference is confirmed to begin in 2 weeks. It will be 5 days starting Monday instead of the three days earlier communicated. On the last day a dinner to promote networking will mark the end of the conference. I expect you to attend it to make sure it goes off without a hitch. Oh, and you can invite your husband to it”
“Noted. I will start the planning process right away.”
“Great. I will email you the clients requests for you to work with.” Jeffries win-ked at her as he got up.
Naomi was left blu-shing over him. She had a crush on the man for a while. He oozed of charisma and wealth. Most if not all of the women working at the h0tel melted in his pres£nce.
Jeffries co owned the h0tel with his brother, whom was rarely seen. It seemed Jeffries handled the day to day running while the brother only p@rticipated on important matters only. He was still single which Naomi found amusing. He could have any girl he wanted yet remained unmarried.
**************
“Bashi Milda, welcome home.” Dorica stood from where she sat un-der the tree.
“Mulamu, you are here. Its good to see you after a long time.”
“It has been a while.”
They entered the house with Mwamba going to hus be-droom to take a quic-k shower. When he joined Dorica in the living room he found a tray of food waiting for him and h0t water to wash his hands.
“How is home?” Mwamba asked as he ate.
“Home us fine. Mum and dad pas-s their regards.”
“Thank you so much. We nee-d to visit them soon.”
Mwamba dug into his meal having not eaten anything since morning. Dorica explained how her parents had been tilling their land in re-adiness for planting for the coming season. Having lost both his parents, he considered Naomi’s parents his own and loved them dearly. They too had embr@ced him and been there for him after the death of his mother and father a year later.
Mwamba thanked Dorica for the meal and excused himself. The past few days had worn him out and he was aching for some well deserved sleep. Naomi found shi fast asleep when she arrived home in the evening.
“Mwamba!” She yelled as she shook him.
“Baby, you are home?” He yawned loudly.
“Where are the vegetables I told you to buy?”
Mwamba looked lost for a minute before the realisation hit him. “Oh, i forgot. I was so tired. It must have sli-pped my mind. I’m sorry.” He reached for his wallet and re-moved the money handing it to her.
“And what am i supposed to do with this?” She inquired standing akimbo.
“Its the change from the money you gave me. The one to be used for the vegetables.”
“So, go get them since you were the one who forgot.”
Mwamba took a long look at his wife. “Naomi? You want me to go but the vegetables?”
“Its not like you have anything better to do.”
“You better learn to speak to me properly! I am your husband and the head of this house. There is only so much I can tolerate.” He could feel the rage building up.
This only fueled Naomi’s laughter. “The man of the house is supposed to take care of his family, fend and provide for them. Yet here you are slee-ping away the afternoon.”
Mwamba’s eyes moistened. “That’s not fair. You know I’m trying as ha-rd as I can.”
“Trying? Really? Mwamba it’s been over a year since you lost your job. Honestly you’re telling me you’ve failed to find anything? A man with you educational background and experience? No, you just like the fact that you dont have to do anything. Just sitting home watching tv and slee-ping while i slave away catering for our livelihood.”
Without a word Mwamba put on his sli-ppers and walked out the house. If he stayed any long he would surely have striked his wife. But that wasnt the kind of man he was.
Satisfied that she had made her point, Naomi joined her sister in the kitchen. Mwamba returned minutes later with a cabbage which he placed on the kitchen counter.
“There was no chibwabwa?” Naomi asked.
Mwamba walked out without a word leaving his wife complaining.
“Bana Milda you s£nt your husband to go and buy the cabbage?” Dorica asked brow raised.
“I s£nt him fir vegetables not cabbage. Besides it’s his fault he forgot to buy them on his way back home in the afternoon. Then he buys cabbage knowing well I dont like it.”
“Hmm, Naomi that was uncalled for. You could have gone to get them yourself. Or even ask me to go. But s£nding your husband surely? ”
“And what’s wrong with that? plea-se what do you know about husbands anyway? You’ve never been married.”
“Enough to know that you should have s£nt me than s£nding him.”
Naomi laughed. “plea-se spare me your ignorance. This is modern days. There is nothing wrong in s£nding a man.”
“I didn’t say there was. But I think it would have shown more respect to him by s£nding me.”
Naomi cli-ck her ton-gue. “You are the kind of woman who will enslave yourself to a man. Anyway hurry up with supper I’m hungry.”
# ~Truths_of_the_Heart~ ❤️
4
Mwamba knelt down in his garden weeding. After the vegetables incident with his wife he had decided to start a garden at the back. It had been years since he’d planted a garden and he felt good knowing he still had the skills. The time he spent there also gave him a chance to reflect on his life and current situation.
His being jobless was really putting a strain on his marriage. When it just happened Naomi had been so supportive and encouraged his to not give up. But as the weeks turned to months, and then a year her attitude changed with the time. But he couldn’t blame her could he? She had become accustomed to the life and luxury he had provided. Not to mention the fact that she sheltered the bills on her own which added to her stress.
“Daddy, can I help?” 6 year old Milda asked.
“Sure pumpkin. Let me show you what to do.”
Milda knelt down next to her father as he showed her what the weeds looked like and how to re-move them. Mwamba loved spending time with his daughter. Losing his job had actually revealed how little he had known about he. The past tear he spent with her helped to strengthen their bond. He learnt that she was afraid of dogs but loved cats, she loved to drink milk with every meal, but could not finish a cu-p of jui-ce. Milda was very talkative but shy when around strange faces. He learnt her favourite cartoon and her favourite song. He promised himself that should he find another job, he would still find ways of bonding with her as they established a routine.
“Hello?” Mwamba answered a call that had just come throu-gh. “Ok, thanks my guy. I owe you one.”
Excited he stood up and dusted himself. “Daddy has to go now pumpkin. Go get cleaned up. We’ll continue tomorrow ok?”
Mwamba rushed into the house to change. Within minutes he was out of the door. He first nee-ded to st©p at an internet cafe to have his CV printed. Then he got on a bus to town where some interviews where being conducted. There was a long que ahead of him but his friend had as-sured him he would be successful. By the time he was leaving the office building in the evening, Mwamba had a job starting the next monday. Excited he couldn’t wait to tell Naomi.
“Hi baby.” He grinned k!ss!ngher check. He found her and Dorica seated on the veranda as Dorica cut vegetables for supper.
“Hey. You seem to be in a good mood.” Naomi noted his glee.
“Mulamu, you’re welcome.” Dorica stood up and gave him her seat.
“Thank you Dorica.”
“Let me bring you some water.” Dorica went inside the house.
“Guess what, I got a job” Mwamba said to his wife.
“Really?” Naomi’s eyes wi-de-ned. “Oh thank God.” She waved her hands in the air. “Where?”
“Shoprite.”
“Wow. I didnt know they had advertised for an accountant. Congratulations baby.” She rose sitting on his l@ps and k!ss!nghisl-ips.
“Eh, baby it’s not an accounting job”
“Oh?”
“I’ll be working the till.”
Naomi stood up immediately. “Excuse me? Did you just say till?”
“Well, initially I’ll be working the shelves for about a week during induction and training then I’ll be placed on the till..”
“Oh my God.” Naomi laughed mockingly. “You are even excited? About packing shelves? Where is your pride? Seriously? You go from being a director in a big company to packing stacking shelves and you’re happy?”
“A job is a job Naomi!”
“Really? And how much will you be getting?”
“K2000.”
“Per week?”
“No, per month.”
Naomi laughed out again. “And what do you expect me to do with k2000 per month?”
“Its k1500. I’ll nee-d a k500 for transport per month.” Mwamba stood up as well. “Baby, this is just a start. I promise something will come up eventually.”
“Why wont you just call Kabu? And sort it all out? It would have saved us all this misery.”
“I’m not a thief, neither do I condone corruption. I refuse to lower my standards as such!”
“What standards? Look what you have been reduced to? Your designer shoes where not meant for all the walking you do nowadays. Just call him alre-ady.”
“Mulamu your water.” Dorica walked out to them. She had waited by the door when she heard how tense their conversation was getting. s-en-sing her sister was about to make things worse she decided to walk out then.
“Thank you.” Mwamba took the glas-s from her and walked into the house.
Dorica sh0t Naomi a disapproving look.
“What?”
“Naomi, cut his some slack.”
“Oh, so now you’re eavesdropping on our conversations.”
“Why cant you applaud his effort? You think he likes the fact that he got such a job as opposed to his past one? He is putting his pride aside to provide for you.”
“There you go again thinking you know anything about men.”
Dorica shook her head. “I’m only two years younger than you, and yes I have never been married before. But I know for a fact that your actions are wrong. This man picked you up from the gutter and made you what you are today. So the least you can do is be there for him in his time of nee-d.” She walked back into the house as Naomi remained sulking on the veranda.
Tbc