Her Forgotten Daughter - S01 E05

Story 2 years ago

Her Forgotten Daughter - S01 E05

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 5

“Why haven’t you been picking up my calls Kelvin?”

Kelvin threw himself on the sofa and turned on the TV, one hand holding his phone to his ear.

“I was on the road when you called mother,” he said, stretching his legs out as he lay on his back. “I know you are curious about how the rehearsals went, everything went well. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Kelvin,” his mother said. Her tone sent him warning shots that he was not going to like whatever she was about to say.

“You haven’t been keeping anything from me have you?” She asked.

“Mum,” Kelvin was well prepared to reassure her.

“I know, I am just being paranoid, I know that’s what you are going to say. It’s just that you’ve been acting very distant for the past two weeks. You haven’t really fallen for that girl, have you?”

“I thought you trusted me,” Kelvin said. “We agreed that the marriage was only a business thing and I intend to stick to that. Have i ever let you down mother?”

“No you haven’t,” she said. “I am sorry son. It’s just that….”

“I know, you don’t need to say it.” Kelvin answered. “Did you manage to book you flight to Dubai? It’s supposed to be this coming Tuesday right?”

“Yes, Tuesday evening. I managed to get a ticket today. Can you come home tomorrow and spend some time alone with you mother before she leaves? You I haven’t seen you in a very long time.”

“I was just there the other week mum,” Kelvin said. “You do know that am a grown man now ka? It won’t look so good if I spend all my free time with my mother.”

“But you are my boy, you will always be my little boy Kelvin and you are the only one I have in this world. Try to understand your mother’s loneliness….”

Kelvin chuckled. “That’s why I told you to find yourself a man,” he told her. “What will happen to you when I get married? You will start competing with my wife for my attention and we can both imagine how that’s gonna turn out. I am going to ask Mr Nzala to come fetch you on a date tonight. Find something sexy to wear my queen, ah?”

“Oh I hate that old man Kelvin,” his mother protested. “He smells like such an old man and he looks too ah…you know…too h---y.” She last the last part in a whisper as if someone might be eavesdropping on their conversation.

Kelvin laughed out loud. “You also know how to use such words Mum?” he said. “Okay, how about Mr Cornell from Fedex, that one is a looker and he’s even younger. I have seen him check you out whenever we attend those functions of yours.”

“Kelvin!” His mother scolded him. “He is way too young for me that one. He will just end up using my money to pamper young girls, no way.”

“I guess no man will ever be good enough for you mum.”

“But you are good enough for me son. I don’t need anyone else.”

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That’s the problem, Kelvin mouthed the words. And to his mother he said, “I will come see you tomorrow. Have a good night mum. I love you.”

“I love you too son. Have a good night.”

Still smiling after ending the call with his mother, Kelvin looked at his phone for a few seconds before finally deciding on opening his Facebook App.

He typed ‘Evelyn Chileshe’ and he searched amongst the listed profiles but found no one that looked remotely like Evelyn.

He paused to think and as if suddenly hit by lightening a few seconds later, he sat up and started a new search. ‘Evelyn Nanyangwe,’ he typed.

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There were a lot of people with the same name but he finally found the one he was looking for further down the list. He clicked on it and went through her profile.

“Dang!” he cussed when he realized he could not see much of her details due to her settings.

Kelvin threw his phone down in frustration and picked up his television remote control. He laid back on the sofa and started watching tv, a grim expression playing on his face.

Evelyn went through that week like a robot, anxiously waiting for the weekend to come so she could bury herself in movies and forget about her family drama. She was not sure about what sort of feelings she ought to have for her mother and just what exactly she felt about her.

For so many years she had imagined a fairy tale reunion with the woman who had given her life but her out-right rejection had shattered Evelyn to her very roots. After everything she had heard about her mother from George, Evelyn was not sure any more what to think or expect.

However, there were two things Evelyn was most sure of; that her mother was not the woman she had thought her to be, and that she was better off not having her in her life. And thus, thinking that she had her mind made up, Evelyn pushed herself though the week with a forced smile on her face.

Unfortunately, there are certain kinds of pain that no matter how much you try to convince yourself that you are alright, your mind and body know better. And thus, Evelyn would find herself shedding tears at the most unexpected times and there were those nights when Thando would force her awake from her her turning and tossing, all covered up in a cold sweat.

“You know you’ve been like this for days now,” Thando remarked as she helped Evelyn out of her pajama blouse. “It’s so cold and yet you are sweating like a pig.”

“I am fine,” Evelyn said, now only dressed in lace undergarments.

“I think that this is more serious than you make it seem Eva,” Thando made herself comfortable on her friends bed. “I can only imagine what you must be going through. Have you ever considered getting some help? You know…like a….”

“You mean like a shrink,” Evelyn gave her a look and then laughed.

“I know, it sounds ridiculous but think about it Eva….”

Eva moved to lean her back against her head board. “I will not be seeing any shrink Thando,” she vehemently said. “I admit that this thing has deeply affected me in ways I never thought possible but I will get over it with time. I was just caught by surprise, that’s all.”

The look on Thando’s face said she wasn’t buying any of the things her friend was saying but she still nodded and proceeded to give her a hug.

When the weekend finally came, Evelyn found herself alone at home while Thando had traveled again for a work project. Being a social worker, Thando was in and out of town constantly following up on numerous projects she was in charge of.

Evelyn turned on her small TV in the bedroom the moment she woke up and she went straight to her list of Series and Movies she had set to record during the week.

Evelyn was deeply immersed in an episode of The Blacklist when she heard a knock on the door. At first she ignored it, thinking whoever it was had come for Thando since she had not yet given her new address to her friends. She was hoping whoever it was might get tired and leave on their own when no one answered the door.

It didn’t go according to her expectations. The person kept knocking and knocking until Evelyn was forced out of bed.

She flung the door open with such force it almost hit her in her in the face. She was more than ready to scream at whoever it was that had rudely forced her out of her bed when there she gazed upon Kelvin.

“You?” Evelyn was starring at him wide-eyed.

Kelvin was smiling mischievously as he looked at her from head to foot.

It took a moment for Evelyn to discover the source of his happiness. She remembered what she was wearing; a white negligee that left very little to the imagination.

Evelyn quickly covered herself in the right places with her hands before running back into the house, giving Kelvin a whole other view of her back in the process.

Evelyn walked out of her bedroom a few minutes later in a pair of sweatpants and a matching top. She almost jumped in fear when she found Kelvin seated comfortably in the living room.

“Are you always this rude?” Evelyn asked from the other side of the room.

“It depends,” Kelvin said, a mischievous smile still playing on his lips. “If a woman with your kind of figure stands in front of me half naked, I would not be foolish enough to alert her of her state of almost-nakedness. It’s not everyday you a guy gets confronted with such a view so forgive me for being a man.”

“I don’t remember letting you into the house,” Evelyn said.

“Oh,” Kelvin said. “That’s what you meant?” Evelyn was not sure if he was feigning ignorance or not.

“I meant both!” She yelled. “What are you doing at my house anyway?”

“Can’t a guy visit his friend at home?”

“Friend?”

“Aren’t we friends?” Kelvin asked. “I know your name, I know your parents, I have helped you a couple of times and I even know where you stay….I think all those things put together constitute friendship. Besides, there is a dame good reason why I came to sit down here unless…unless you want me to stand up so you can see….” he was deliberately looking down at his trousers and Evelyn immediately caught on.

She immediately backed away from him with a disgusted look on her face.

“You are nuts!” Evelyn said.

Kelvin innocently shrugged his shoulders. “I was just trying to be polite.”

“You call that polite?” She was pointing at him.

“You came at me almost naked,” Kelvin defended his virtue. “What the hell was I supposed to do? Whether you like it or not you are a very good looking woman…and my body just….”

“Okay,” she raised her hand towards him to keep from talking further. “I get it, you can stop it now. Let’s change the subject to…how about you leave now?”

As if he had not heard a thing, Kelvin shifted slightly in his seat to make himself more comfortable, putting one leg over the other and throwing Evelyn a daring look.

“You of all people know what kind of relationship I have with your fiance and mother in-law.” Evelyn tried to reason with him.

“What do you think they will think of me when they hear that we are hanging out? What exactly do you want from me? You couldn’t have just popped up at my door for nothing. I might not be that bright but I know how to read situations. Everything about you tells me that you are up to something.”

Kelvin was quiet, thinking about what to say to her. She was right not to trust him. He had spent the past week cooking up reasons for seeing her and then more reasons why seeing her was such a bad idea.

Evelyn had been on his mind from the moment he had laid eyes on her and she had somehow implanted herself in his head since. Kelvin was not sure what his feelings towards her where; whether it was mere curiosity, pity or something more, he was not sure…but he wanted desperately wanted to know.

“I can see you thinking,” Evelyn pulled him out of his reverie. “Are you trying to use me…you know, since you know that I am your mother in-law’s somewhat Achilles heel? I heard you rick folks get married for reasons other than love.”

Kelvin managed a laugh this time around. “I guess you are quite perspective after all,” he said.

“So I’m right,” Evelyn said. “You want to dig up all the information you can find about me and then use it against the woman that gave birth to me so you can gain some advantage over her?”

“Not necessarily,” Kelvin said. “But the business world is ruthless so…anything is possible. I am going to be honest with you though, if an opportunity presents itself where I could gain from divulging the information I know about you, I am going to use it. I know that if the roles where reversed, my mother in-law would not hesitate to use her cards against my family.”

Evelyn gave up hope on seeing him leave any time soon and went to sit down, facing him. “I told you, I want nothing more to do with that family so if you think that….”

“Relax Eva,” Kelvin said.

“Don’t call me Eva,” she told him. “You and I aren’t that close.”

“Why is it okay for you to hate me due to my association with your mother and yet…yet it’s not okay for me to like you based on that very association?” Kelvin asked.

“I take it you are used to always having your way, isn’t it?”

“As a matter of fact yes,” he said proudly.

“Do you even love Moola?”

“Of course I do,” Kelvin answered a little too quickly. “Why do you ask?”

Evelyn shrugged her shoulders, “just curious,” she said.

“Do you think I don’t love her?” He asked, separating his legs and leaning in towards her.

Evelyn laughed softly. “Why are you acting all defensive? It was just a simple question.”

“Moola might be a little eccentric but she’s a lovely girl,” Kelvin said.

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?” she asked him. “And did you just say a little eccentric? A little? I once saw her slap a waitress at a restaurant in one of those buildings owned by her father. She demanded that the waitress get down on her knees and beg for forgiveness and when the poor girl did, your fiance took the bowl of soup and poured it on top of her head…while everyone watched.”

Embarrassment flashed across Kelvin’s face. “Okay, maybe she is extremely eccentric, but she has many more good qualities. She was just raised differently from most people. Her father is after all the richest man in the country. Even Presidents and ministers worship him.”

“I guess that’s what you love about her…a marriage union with that kind of family can open all sorts of doors for anyone right?”

“Yeah, that’s a fact,” Kelvin admitted.

“You should really leave now,” Evelyn said. “I need to get ready to go somewhere right now.”

“This is just another way of you trying to get rid of me isn’t it?”

Evelyn laughed and got up. She walked over to the door and held it open for him. “Either way, you have overstayed your welcome.”

“Okay,” Kelvin stood up whilst raising his hands in surrender. “I am going to leave now,” he was walking towards the door. “But I will come and visit again soon.”

Evelyn glared at him. “No!” she said. “Please don’t do this again, I mean it,” she said.

Kelvin only laughed as he walked passed her to his vehicle.

*

Beatrice was excited to have her husband back home after two months of being so far away from home. She had chosen to remain home to prepare his dinner while the driver went to pick him up from the airport.

Shadreck Mwangala smiled when he entered his house and was welcomed by the smell of freshly cooked food. He silently thanked the heavens for giving him a wife that enjoyed preparing him home cooked meals.

“You are here my love!” Beatrice came rushing from the kitchen into the living room to give her husband a welcoming hug.

“Oh I missed you so much,” she said and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I missed you too my darling,” the sixty-five year old man wrapped his young bride into his huge muscled arms.

For a man his age, Shadreck was well-built and looked more fit that most men his age.

“How is my number one woman in the whole world doing?” He asked as they walked hand in hand upstairs.

“She was missing you terribly but now she is a very happy woman,” Beatrice said chirpily, squeezing his hand some more. “How was your flight?”

“Not bad,” he said smiling. “But I am just glad I will be grounded for the next four months. No trips for four straight months, can you imagine that?” He was looking at her endearingly.

Beatrice was all smiles. “That means I get to have a date for my fundraiser for the orphanage,” she said excitedly.

She opened the door to the bedroom and allowed him to enter first.

“hmmm, I missed this smell,” he said of the lavender scented air filling the room. He grabbed his wife by the waist and pulled her towards him.’’whispering into her ears he said, “I am starving.”

Beatrice laughed and slightly pulled her head away from him. “Only after you take a warm bath and have your supper.” She said, and then leaning in she whispered, “you can have me for the rest of the night,” she teased before moving away from him to lay his laptop bag on the table.

“This is exactly what I missed about home, being spoiled like this.” Shadreck proudly said.

Beatrice turned to face him again. “I will be downstairs setting up the table while you bath.”

“I have never understood why you never let anyone help you with preparing meals. We have two housekeepers, I am sure one of them must be good at cooking.” Shadreck said whilst taking off his coat.

“I have told you several times my love, they are housekeepers, not chefs.” Beatrice said, moving closer to take the coat from him.

“You also refused to hire a chef,” he reminded her. “It’s not like we can’t afford one. I just hate seeing you getting all worked up and tired worrying about what to cook.”

“You should know me by now, I can’t trust anyone with food meant for my husband. I feel safer knowing that I am the one that prepared everything for him. Women can be very cunning, you have no idea.”

Shadreck laughed as he sat on the edge of the bed. “Carol and what’s that other one’s name,” he scratched his head trying to remember. “Problem is you keep firing the maids before I even get to master their names. You are such a perfectionist Beatrice.”

Beatrice laughed and knelt down before him to remove his shoes and socks. “You are a man, you wouldn’t understand how women’s minds work.”

“But you’ve fired the boys working outside as many time as the females working inside.”

“Are you trying to say that I am a bad boss?” Beatrice feigned crying.

“No, no, no,” her husband said. Holding her by the shoulders and lifting her up to so she could sit on his laps. “You are the best boss…I just think that you are too much of a perfectionist. But I trust your judgement of course. It’s just that…sometimes I think that you still think about your past…you know, how you lost your fiance to another woman. I would never do that to you you know.”

“I know,” Beatrice said, quickly avoiding his gaze.

“I left something on the stove,” she quickly got up from his laps and started heading towards the door. “You go in there,” she pointed towards the bathroom. “…and I will head downstairs to finish up everything.”

Shadreck got up, “I really wish you were joining me,” he said to his wife who was now standing by the door, ready to leave at any second. “Where’s that little fox?” He asked as he walked to the bathroom.

“It’s Friday today,” Beatrice said, glad to have a change of topic. “There is only one place she could be.”

“She is still pining after that fiance of hers?”

“You mean Shadreck?” Beatrice laughed softly. “She’s still crazy about him but the good thing is he feels the same way. I have to rash down now my love, you take a shower and we can catch up all you want once you are done.”

“Most certainly,” Beatrice heard him say before he turned on the shower.

Evelyn had just gotten home from work and had not even put her bag down when she heard a knock on the door.

A pair of hands grabbed her by the collar and neck the moment she opened the door and she was forcefully pulled outside.

Before Evelyn could even register what was happening, she was pushed hard to the ground by the two women attacking her. She used her hands to keep her bottom from hitting the ground and ended up bruising her palms against the hard ground.

Not one used to physical confrontations, Evelyn was not sure what to do and all she could manage was to ask, “who are you people? What’s going on here?”

“Did you just ask who I am?” Moola moved closer to her and laid her six inch anorexic heel onto her leg.

Evelyn quickly moved her leg and managed to get back up on her feet. Dusting the dirty off her hands, she asked. “I remember you,” she was pointing at Moola. “You are a Mwangala.”

“How about we start pulling her hair out right now?” Cassie asked, looking more than ready for a fight.

“I don’t have that much hair so,” Evelyn was saying before the glacial stares from the two girls shut her up.

She might not have the courage to engage in a physical fight, but her vocal skills ere usually on point…as long as they didn’t pick the other option that always embarrassed her whenever she was nervous; freeze.

“Is that what attracted Kelvin to you, your smart mouth?” Moola asked.

“Kelvin?” Evelyn said. “Is that why you are here?” she then scoffed. “And I thought you were here because of something else. So you don’t remember me?” She asked Moola.

Instead, Moola threw her a blank look. “Why would I know someone like you?” She turned to Cassie for confirmation.

Cassie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know her. Until today, I have only seen her from afar.”

“I was at your place a few weeks ago talking to your mum. I was waiting by the gate with a suitcase when you guys drove in.”

Moola tried to remember. “Are you my father’s relative? What is this? Because my mother kicked you out so you go after my man?”

Evelyn laughed, silently wondering where the confidence was coming from. “I am neither your father’s relative nor I am after your man.” She said sternly. “You should have spoken to your mum and to your man before coming all the way here to embarrass yourself.”

“What did you just say?” The two girls asked all at the same time.

“If you want to know who I am, ask your mother and as for your man, do tell him to stop bothering me because I am not interested in being his friend.”

“Let’s just beat this b---h up and get out of here M,” Cassie suggested.

“I would love to see you try that,” Thando said from behind them.

Evelyn could barely hide her relief upon seeing her best friend.

“Who are you girls?” She addressed Moola and Cassie. “What are you causing a commotion at her house?”

“Don’t you know who I am?” Moola asked her, pointing her finger at herself.

“Don’t you ever get tired of asking people that question?” Evelyn asked.

“I don’t care who the hell you are as long as you can get the hell out of here right now before I box both your heads in.”

“You wouldn’t be talking to me like this if you knew who my father is,” Moola returned.

Thando laughed. “Well, then you should have brought your father with you here so we can have a man to man talk. I don’t know what you think my friend here did to you but whatever it it, I am sure it is a misunderstanding which can be sorted out if you all spoke like human beings instead of acting like animals.”

“Your friend here is a fiance snatcher and we only came here to teach her a lesson. A girl like her does not deserve any kind of respect.” Cassie said.

Thando was overcome by fits of laughter while the two girls watched in astonishment. Evelyn on the hand was laughing, not at the accusation that had been leveled against her but at Thando’s unexpected reaction.

“Is she talking about that guy that’s always coming here bothering you to be his little friend?” Thando asked once she recovered from laughing.

Evelyn nodded.

“Perhaps it’s a good thing you are here,” Thando turned to Moola. “I take it that Kelvin guy is your fiance?”

“He is as good as my husband,” Moola answered. “We are getting married in seven weeks.”

“Good for you,” Thando said sarcastically. “But here’s the thing sweetheart, help that husband of yours to train his eyes not to wonder. He keeps coming here bothering my girl claiming he wants to be friends but we all know that’s bullshit. He needs to stop and you are going to help him do that, okay?”

Moola didn’t know how to respond and so she remained quite, her eyes turning red.

“Let’s get out of here,” Cassie grabbed her friend’s hand and led her away.

“Don’t forget to help him!” Thando shouted from behind while Evelyn laughed.

“That was cruel,” Evelyn told her friend as they walked into the house.

“She’s such a brat,” Thando said, throwing her handbag on the floor before throwing herself on the couch. “Do you remember that day she threw soup on a waitress?”

“Of course I do,” Evelyn said. “How can I ever forget that?”

“If I wasn’t a christian I was going to say that go after her man…just to teach her a lesson.”

Evelyn laughed, “thank God you are a Christian then because I would never do that.”

“Er,” Thando shrugged her shoulders once, “there’s no crime against thinking or imagining things. It just pisses me off when I think about the fact that I breathe the same air as such people in this world. Did that Kelvin guy call you again?”

“He never called today,” Evelyn answered, sitting next to Thando on the couch. “I don’t even know who gave him my number and his line is private so, I can’t tell whether it’s him calling or someone else. I have no choice but to pick up his calls every time thinking that it might be an important call from someone else.”

“I have a really bad feeling about that guy,” Thando was saying. “Why does he insist on wanting to be your friend when he will be getting married to your step-sister? Is that normal?”

“I know right,” Evelyn said, a far-away expression on her face as she recalled the reasons he had given her for wanting to be close to her…reasons she had not been able to share with her best friend.

Telling Thando those reasons would automatically mean that Kelvin would no longer be welcome at their house and Evelyn was not yet sure if she would welcome that development or not.

However, the biggest question Evelyn seemed to be grappling with was why she cared so much about not being able to see Kelvin again. It was obvious she did not like him, but why did she care for his company so much?

“How was work?” Evelyn immediately moved to change the topic.

“Moola knows about your little side-chick,” Cassie told Kelvin the moment Moola had excused herself to go to the bathroom.

Kelvin had been watching a group of girls dance their hearts out on the dance floor when he was forced to turn and look at Cassie. From where they were seated in the VIP section, the group had the perfect view of the dance floor below and they could see everyone coming in and going out of the club.

“Side chick?” Kelvin asked. “Are you high already?”

“Don’t try to be smart with me Kelvin,” Cassie said. “I might young but I am not dumb. The only reason Moola isn’t all up in your face is because she is too proud to confront you about it since she doesn’t have enough evidence. But I know what I saw.”

“And just what did you see?” Kelvin asked with a smile on his face. He found the whole theme rather amusing than accusing.

“I saw you constantly come in and out of that girl’s house in Hansworth.”

Realization finally dawned on Kelvin’s face and then he laughed. He had known this moment would come eventually and it did. “You mean Evelyn?”

“Yes, that same one,” Cassie said. “And can you believe what that girl said when we confronted her?”

“You confronted her?” Kelvin was almost getting out of his chair but he stopped when everyone around the table turned to look at home.

“Sorry guys, you can get back to your beer.” Kelvin told his friends before turning his attention back to Cassandra.

“What did Evelyn say when you confronted her?”

“She said that you are the one who’s busy chasing after her and not the other way round.” Cassie provided.

“What?” Kelvin laughed.

“Well, actually, it was her friend who said that. That Evelyn of yours said you are the follows her around wanting to be her friend and her friend said that we should tell you to stop bothering her because they know you want to be more than just friends with her.”

“And Moola believed that?” Kelvin asked.

“She did, those girl’s were too convincing and to make matters worse, that Evelyn girl didn’t seem at all interested in you. Instead of us embarrassing them, they ended up taunting us and we ran out of there as fast as we could.”

“So that’s why Moola’s been in such a bad mood this evening,” Kelvin said.

“You think?” Cassie asked sarcastically.

“What are you guys talking about?” Moola had joined them.

Kelvin grabbed her hand and led her to sit on his laps. “I hear you are mad at me?” He said to her.

Moola wanted to turn to look at her friend but Kelvin put his hands on her cheeks and turned her face towards him. “I heard you confronted my side-chick,” he said with a smile on his face.

“Are you laughing right now?” Moola was obviously agitated and ready to blow at any minute.

“Calm down, she is not my girlfriend.”

“She’s not?” Moola quickly asked. “Wait, what am I thinking?” She added. “It’s not like I expect you to admit it to my face that you are seeing her.”

Kelvin was finding the whole thing amusing. “Are you jealous? I thought you were too hot to stress about other bitches?” He reminded her of her own words.

“That was before my own friend saw you going in and out of another girl’s house.”

“And you assumed I was seeing her just because of that?”

“Well,”

“That girl works for one of the largest law firms in the country,” Kelvin started explaining. “You know Ted Zulu right? The son of the former Minister of Finance?”

“Of course I know him. He married his best friend’s ex-wife and set up that law firm under her name. But what has that got to do with what we are talking about?” Moola asked.

“That firm is representing those five workers that got injured at my uncle’s factory. I was coming from Cassie’s place when I saw that girl and I remembered seeing her at court from a distance. I got close to her so….”

“So you could get her to reveal information about the case to you and then send it to your uncle’s attorneys?” Moola excitedly finished for him.

“Exactly!” Kelvin said.

“I knew it!” Moola said. “I knew that there was no way you would cheat on me,” she was now looking at Cassin accusingly. “This girl kept on insisting that you were up to no good and I just couldn’t ignore it.”

Cassie was just starring at her blankly, unable to hear whatever the two were talking about from where she was seated.

“Well, I am so glad this happened because for the first time I get to see you act all jealous.” Kelvin was smiling up at her.

Moola leaned in and planted a kiss on his lips. “Next time warn me in advance before I embarrass myself,” she told him. “I can’t wait to see the look on that girl when she realizes that you were just using her.”

“Yeah, me too,” Kelvin said, his features suddenly turning sober.

“I need to go to the gents,” he told Moola who then moved to let him stand. She was all smiles as she planted a kiss on his cheek and then grabbed Cassie’s hand to lead her downstairs on the dance floor.

“Come and join us when you are done!” She shouted to her fiance before exiting the room.

*

Tanzania

Lucy Ziwa had just put her six month old baby boy to sleep and was ready to hit the sack when her cell phone. She quickly picked it up and tip-toed out of the room.

There could only be one person calling her at such an ungodly hour. “Hello,” she said, slowly closing the door behind her and walked to the room furthest from her bedroom.

“Is everything okay?” Asked a woman’s voice from the other end of the line.

“Yes, it’s all good madam. It wasn’t easy to convince him but he finally agreed…but for only four months. He said no more than that.”

“Good,” the woman said. “Four months isn’t bad. We can work with that. How are the kids doing?

“They are all fine,” Lucy said with a smile on her face. “I just managed to put Reagan to sleep to now. I hope I can also get some much needed sleep as well before he wakes up again. It’s such….”

“I have to go now,” the woman’s voice cut whatever else she was about to say off. “I will see you soon and we can talk then.” And she ended the call without giving Lucy a chance to say goodbye.

Lucy put her phone down on her kitchen island and walked to the fridge. She poured herself a glass of water, drunk the water and turning suddenly, she smashed the glass onto the floor and sent the pieces scattering all over the place, brusing her left foot in the process.

She had awakened the baby again.

“Mum!” She heard her five year old shout from the other room.

“I am coming,” Lucy yelled. “Stay there, don’t come into the kitchen. It’s just a glass that has broken.”

She then looked down at her feet and saw her blood soaked foot.

As if in a trance, Lucy remained fixed in that position for some time while her son wailed for her attention at the highest stretch of his vocal cords.

And suddenly, as if unpossessed by the demon that had been holding on to her, Lucy lifted her head up looked towards the direction where her son’s cries were coming from.

Forgetting about the pieces of broken glass on the floor, Lucy quickly ran to her son, leaving a long trail of blood in her wake