Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 14

Episode 4 years ago

Dysfunctional Family - Season 1 - Episode 14

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Could it be the past was finally catching up with her? If so, why? Hadn’t it ruined her life already? Wasn’t the past satisfied with what it had made her go through? Or better still, why show her that man? Of course she knew it was him..his face was imprinted in her mind and would remain there till the day she’d kick the bucket.


“Are you okay?” David was hurriedly at her side, cleaning her outfit which had been stained by the smoothie.
Juliet glanced down and saw she was dirty. “I- I think I just saw someone I really don’t like to see. Hell, I wasn’t expecting to ever see him in my life.”
“Who?”
She pointed but was quite too late as the man she had seen only a minute ago was nowhere to be seen.


“You’re panicking ,” said an observant David. “Is he an ex of yours?”
“I wish he was..you know what, I really don’t wanna talk about this. I just wanna go home.”
“Alright..let me just settle our bill. I’ll drive you home.”
As David drove her home, Juliet leaned her head against the window as painful memories clouded her mind. Tears threatened to fall but she fought them. She wasn’t going to cry. Yet.
“Would you like to talk about it? Talking about stuff actually helps, you know.”
She shook her head. “It’s something I don’t ever like talking about, David. And no disrespect, I just want to be quiet right now so can you kindly just drive me home in silence?”
He respected her want for solitude. “Sure..no problem.”
Several minutes later, David pulled up right at her gate. “Should I hoot?”
“No..I’ll just grab my shopping bags and head in. Thanks for the smoothie and everything, David.”
“You’re welcome..any time.”
She unstrapped her seatbelt and David helped her with the few shopping bags. He was trying his utmost best to be a gentleman.
“What happened to your dress, mum?” exclaimed Alice as Juliet stepped into the house with the bags.
Agitated, she snapped, “Quit interrogating me and just help me with the bags. Stack everything where it’s supposed to be.”
“Okay,” Alice obliged and took the bags to the kitchen.
She was headed to her bedroom when she bumped into Amos who said, “There’s something I need to tell you, mum.”
“Whatever it is, it can wait!” She hurried into her bedroom where she locked herself in. Juliet later stripped and stood in front of the mirror naked.



She ran a finger over the scar on her belly and shivered.
The tears came next and they fell freely. She buried her face in her hands and standing there, cried like she was mourning a loved one. The pain was resurfacing and it felt so raw. She could actually experience the trauma all over again.
“You’re to blame for this, Janet. I hope you burn in hell for what you did to me!”
She was sobbing as she grabbed a towel and stepped into the bathroom where she soaked herself in a hot bubble bath and wept even more. Her soul was damaged. She felt like dying.
Juliet zoned into the world or painful memories and was so gone that she didn’t hear David banging on their bedroom door.
“Are you sure your mother’s in here?” he asked the kids.

“Yes Dad..though she doesn’t seem like herself today,” came Amos’ response.
“Juliet!” Donald b@nged on the door. “Honey, open up! Juliet!”
She heard his voice though it sounded faint.
“Am coming,” called Juliet in a hoarse voice. “Give me a minute!”
“Sounds like she’s in the bathroom,” said Alice flatly before walking to the living room. She had noticed something was odd with her mum but Juliet was full of surprises and on top of that was a drama queen and Alice would rather study than hang around her mother. Not that she hated her, no.
Juliet got out of the bathtub and unplugged the stopper so that the water began draining. She wrapped a towel around her b-----s without even caring to wipe her body. She went to open the door and forced a smile. “Hello, Darling. Sorry for locking the door, I just wanted some alone time.”
It took one look for Donald to decipher that something was wrong with Juliet. There was a time in their relationship that she had been having episodes like these but that had been way before they’d even gotten married.
What could have triggered the episodes again? He wondered while giving his puffy eyed wife a light kiss on the lips.


☆☆☆

It was a weekend and Lubesha, Sylvester and several other pupils were doing their laundry.
The term was almost drawing to a close and Lubesha was doing exceptionally well while Sylvester’s performance was average as usual.

The two boys were seated beside one another washing.
“So what are you going to do with the bracelet, Lulu ma guy?”
“I’ll keep it as a souvenir,” replied Lubesha without a care in the world.
“Yeah..right,” Sylvester scoffed. “I honestly don’t know why you’re avoiding Tracy. She’s finally started showing interest in you and you here chickening out? Like really?”
“I ain’t chickening out, Vester. I just wanna clap school in peace, please.”
“Saht. There’s something really wrong with you. You gay?”
Lubesha found that question quite offensive so he replied with a question of his. “What do you think?” Laura kept on whining as she and Tracy did their washing. “Gosh, it’s moments like this that make me miss home like crazy..” She looked at her white top and felt like crying. “God knows I have no business washing!”

Tracy wasn’t listening as she wasn’t paying attention. She was thinking about Lubesha, she’d finally learnt his name 6 weeks back when he’d helped her with her sprained ankle. The boy was a puzzle to her.

At first he had appeared exceptionally interested in her and was even sweet towards her but lately he seemed distant.
Like the last time she’d tried to talk him into studying with her, he’d been plain obnoxious in her opinion.
“Hi..” she had run into him in one of the corridors. “Hey..” he had awkwardly replied, clearly not wanting to talk to her.
Tracy had said, “Rumour has it you really are a bright student and you are good at so many subjects. I’d like us to study together one of these days, what do you think?”
“No thanks,” his answer was curt. “Girls are a distraction and I don’t want any distractions.” he stopped walking. “Look here Tracy…I know I seemed all over you once upon a time but I was just being nice. I come from a dysfunctional family and the fact that am even in this school is a miracle. What am trying to say is I just wanna concentrate on school, not girls lest I disappoint my sponsor.”


WTF, she thought. What is he insinuating? There she was trying to form some sort of study group and the guy thought she was hitting on him.
“Nigga please.”
“Not again,” Laura rolled her eyes as she rinsed one of her fancy tops. “Don’t tell me you zoned out on me again just to think about that Luyando or whatever his name is.”
Tracy shook her head. “I’m not in the mood for your nonsense, Laura.”
A week later, instead of inter-schools sports day, inter-houses sports day was held instead.
Lubesha and Sylvester were part of the Red Cross team and so were quite a number of other interested pupils.

Lubesha, Sylvester and two other grade 10s were preparing the first aid equipment when Laura showed up at the site.
“Can I talk to you?” she beckoned Sylvester to follow her which he did.

They stood at a distance, out of Lubesha’s earshot. He watched them talk for minutes and Laura did a fair share of giggling.

“They suit each other,” he mumbled as he began making some zigolo (sugar solution.)
“Say what?” enquired one of the boys at the site.

“Nothing..buddy. Just work.”
Lubesha spotted Tracy at the far end of the field. She was amongst a group of girls all about to participate in the games. He excused himself to go say to her.

“Hi girls.”
“Hey..” they answered in unison. Some were clearing flirting.


“Can I talk to you, Tracy?”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
“Oohs,” erupted as Lubesha led Tracy away.

“I thought you didn’t want any distractions, what changed?” she crossed her arms and stopped walking so that Lubesha stopped too.


“I’m sorry I acted like a jerk the other day.. um-uh-”

“You better say your piece fast cause I’m up in a few minutes, Lubesha.”
“I just came to wish you good luck seeing as you sprinkled your ankle once during training.”

“You said it, once. I’ve had other training sessions after that and I did just fine..Anyway, thanks for wishing me good luck. Anything else?”

“Um..I… no. I guess.”
“Okay,” she turned and walked out on him. She hadn’t intended to be rude but she didn’t wanna seem desperate either.
Lubesha went back to his site and found only Sylvester there. “What’s with you and that Laura?”

“Didn’t I tell you? We becoming friends, man. I might just scoop myself some cookie one of these days.”
“Good luck,” replied Lubesha who was gloomy due to Tracy’s reaction.
The race commenced and only a few people fainted. Lubesha tended to none of them. His eyes were focused on Tracy who was running at a slow pace and Lubesha was worried she might make her house lose if she continued with the same pace.
In the 9th lap, Tracy increased her pace. Her heart was racing but she was determined to complete the race. After what seemed an eternity, Trace reached the finish line while applause, cheers and cat calls erupted from the crowd of students.

She had come out third.

A cheerful Lubesha was at her side alongside several other pupils and teachers in no time. The huge grin was irresistible and when Tracy saw it, her heart melted like butter.
Principal Zimba was among the judges and seated on the panel of judges, her phone which was on vibration kept on ringing.
She checked the caller ID and rolled her eyes.
Madam Delusional.


She opted to ignore the constant calls until a nasty text came through.

‘B---h, we had a deal and you backing out is just plain shitty. You don’t wanna get on my bad side you crook. I can’t believe someone who’s got a nice job would do something so disgraceful.

If you still have some dignity left in you, please either refund me my money. With interest by the way. Or fulfil your end of the bargain…’ then came a string of nasty insults.


Wow, she inwardly lamented. The crazy woman definitely has a PHD in foul language.

The principal who had never been insulted that much in her life decided it was high time she put all this to an end.
With a smirk, Principal Zimba deleted the text and cunningly mused, Let’s see who exposes who first. You’re going down, Juliet Musongo. Unless my name isn’t Agnes Zimba!