Indigo (Shade of a golden heart) - Season 3 - Episode 18

5 years ago

Indigo (Shade of a golden heart) - Season 3 - Episode 18

Phillip simply smiled; he didn’t have anything to say for now.

Ten minutes later, Mr. Hajjo walked back to the table with an old photograph of his brother Usman, standing next to his ally at a popular park back then.

‘Here, that is the man. But the Police weren’t really sure, before they could gather more evidence, he had fled town.’ Mr. Hajjo sighed.

The icy stare was unmistakable! This was the man that had killed his mother and he was the man at the bar.

‘I saw him last night at the bar. He came towards me and expressed that I looked familiar. I think this man is back in town.’ Phillip scoffed, he had not been hallucinating.

The murderer was back.
‘Are you really sure?’ Mr. Hajjo swallowed.
‘Yes.’ Phillip nodded vehemently.
‘I think my brother Usman wants me dead. He had sent this man after me many years back, but he had failed. Usman is unrepentant.’ Mr. Hajjo murmured.
Chalya was confused, ‘Why would he want you dead father?’

Unknown to her, this question had just provoked another round of confession.
‘There is something I need to tell you guys, but you both must promise to forgive me.’

****

Indigo had cried in her grandfather’s arms till sleep took over, and he helped her get to bed. She had woken up earlier than she did thinking and crying some more.

How could Nkosi abandon her for many years and suddenly show up? What did he want with her?

Her belly rumbled as the aroma of Tomato sauce caressed her nostrils.

‘Papa,’ a smile played at the corner of her lips. He had woken up to make her breakfast, and this was the norm whenever she was unhappy.

Papa loved her more than her father did. He cared for her specially and rebuked her whenever she was wrong. He was the reason for her happiness and she wouldn’t trade him for anything.

Indigo yawned and sat on the bed staring outside her window. She had gotten over Phillip’s behavior the previous night. But one thing was certain; she could never be relaxed around him again, except he had a good explanation for his drunken outburst.

She fell on her knees, clasped her palms together and did something she had never done in many years. She prayed.

Tears dropped from the canopy of her black lashes, her lips shook as the words trembled from them. Her life was like a maze right now. She didn’t know where to go or what she wanted. She was very confused, and Papa had taught her to pray whenever she felt this way.

‘Please Lord, make everything right today. Let your light continue to shine on my path and Papa’s,’ she paused, then added, ‘On Phillip Hajjo and his family.’

She quickly rose to her feet and hurried towards the kitchen when she was finally done with her prayers.

‘Papa?’ Indigo called out in a happy voice.
One beautiful thing about Indigo Hassan was the fact that she didn’t keep grudges. She wasn’t easily offended, and she wasn’t quick to revenge.

She had forgiven someone like Annabel who had betrayed her. Briefly, she recalled that Annabel had tried calling her. Indigo resolved to return the call once she had settled everything that was going on in her life.

Papa stirred the egg and tomato sauce one last time. He was about taking the pan off the fire when he heard Indigo’s voice. The old man couldn’t hold back his happiness, she was back to normal.

‘Indi, come and taste for salt before I take it down.’ He called in a sweet voice.

She rushed into the kitchen and grabbed the spoon from her grandfather.

‘Good morning Papa.’ She smiled.
Her mouth watered as she stared at the reddish sauce with whitish flaps of egg white and pink strands of onions.

She wiped the spoon on her clean palm and licked it.

‘I think this is perfect.’ She dropped the spoon and pulled her grandfather closer to her for a hug.

She felt so relaxed in his arms, all the pain she had carried with her was gone and she was now reborn.

‘I forgive you Papa, I knew you have a good reason for telling me he was dead.’ She sighed, and released him.

Papa had not thought Indigo would forgive this easily, she was such an angel but life had been so unfair to her.

‘Thank you.’ Papa replied with a sigh.
She moved to the plastic basket where plates were kept and fetched two ceramic plates for them to use.

‘So what are your plans?’ Papa asked.
She almost dropped the plates as she remembered the face of the devil, ‘What plans Papa?’ She feigned ignorance.
Papa could read her like a book. He had a feeling she wasn’t ready to talk about their father, so he let the matter die.

Once they were fully settled at the table, Mallam Hassan called upon her to say a short prayer before they devoured what was before them.

She hadn’t finished praying when she heard a loud pounding on the front door. Instinctively, her eyes flew open as two hefty looking men marched into the living room, uninvited.

She had not seen these men before, but one thing was for sure. They had not come to play nice. They looked vicious and dangerous. What were they doing here?

Papa recognized the men at once, they had been the one who accompanied Nkosi the other day, what were they doing in his house uninvited?

‘What are doing here?’ Mallam Hassan rose to his feet.

Indigo was surprised that her grandfather knew these men, ‘You know these people?’

The tall ruffian whispered to the shorter one and they burst out with laughter.

‘Do you know Annabel?’ The shorter one directed the question to Indigo.

‘I don’t talk to strangers.’ She replied defiantly.

Just when she thought she’d seen everything, her father strolled into the living room with a sleepy face. Indigo noticed he was still wearing the clothes from last night.
The sleepy expression vanished from his eyes when he spotted the boys that worked under him?

‘What are you two doing here?’ Nkosi didn’t remember asking for them.

The thugs were very shocked to see Nkosi here. It was all making sense now, as the taller one had whispered to the shorter thug, that they had been to this house before.

‘Boss? The girl we captured told us we would find her friend here.’ The short thug announced, and all hell was let lose when Nkosi realized they had come to kidnap his daughter.