Nadir

Twenty Four Months Ago

The pounding at the door wakes me up, I am not expecting anyone and even if I was I don’t think anyone would come to my place at this God forsaken hour. Rubbing my eyes I drag myself out of bed and go to the door where the knock is coming from.

‘What the hell Joshua, what time is this?’

He throws himself inside the house and I can smell from his stench that he has been drinking.

‘Why didn’t you go to your home? What do you want here?’

‘Because Sheena can’t allow me to be this drunk, because she thinks my sperm count goes down when I am drunk.’

‘Well does it?’

‘What sort of a stupid question is that?’

‘If your wife suggested it then she knows what she is talking about.’

‘Dude I am tired, we can’t just have sex without her talking about children. I can’t even enjoy being inside my wife anymore because it feels like a task.’

‘I see.’

‘Is that all you have to say?’

‘Joshua you never tell me anything, you always talk to mum so why are you telling me all this today?’

‘Is it wrong to talk to my brother?’ he asks sounding really drunk and as much as this irritates me I have to hear him out.

‘Sheena and I are not working.’ He adds after much silence and for the first time I see his face.

‘You don’t have children. You are working.’

‘I wish I could view the world the way you do Ems. You don’t give a shit about family or anyone that is out of your skin, you just live your life the way you want.’

I have heard this way too many times and I wish I could be offended but honestly I am not.

‘I want children Ems. There is nothing we haven’t done. Nothing we haven’t tried.’

He blinks the tears away rapidly.

‘And now I can’t talk about it with Sheena because I don’t want to make her feel like it’s her fault. All the medical personals we have seen have confirmed that we are both fine but I just don’t know what the problem is. I don’t know Ems.’

I look at him.

‘I am not a spiritual person Joshua but have you for once thought that maybe God is not giving you children because you are not ready for them?’

He looks at me, his face changing and if I am not mistaken he has sobered up.

‘I don’t know.’ I begin as I shrug my shoulders

‘Children of course are a gift from God but then how are you going to raise them when you don’t protect your wife from your family? You don’t put her first and you have been cheating on her. I don’t think you can mock God.’

He stands up.

‘You don’t have the right to talk to me about how I treat my wife, you wouldn’t know anything about marriage even if you tried. And you are here looking at me and talking about God not giving us children because we are not ready, what about the street kids on the street? What about those girls that are abused in homes? What explanation do you have to give Father Emmanuel?’

‘Your sarcasm wont take you anywhere.’

He looks at his phone.

‘Let us go.’

‘Where are we going?’

‘There is this chick that I need to see, she is telling me she is with her friend who is drunk.’

‘So you want me to baby sit?’

‘Not exactly, but you can take advantage of the situation. Have sex with her or something, besides you will be leaving soon I don’t think you will even remember her.’

‘Are you insane? Why would you suggest that I have sex with someone that is drunk? What happened to you?’

‘You owe me Ems, I have not told mum about this peace keeping rubbish. You need to do this for me.’

‘Fine.’ I say giving up. Any other day I was going to refuse but how can I? he is very close to mum yet he hasn’t told her anything.

Instead of using his car we use mine, he tells me the club where we are going to and I instantly frown because I know that place gets packed and most ladies go there to look for their next hook up. Joshua and I grew up in a home where we were not allowed to party or club, we both stayed home whilst in UNI and he only left home after marrying. I on the other hand fought mum and got my way out of the house, I tried to start the life of the party but I discovered it wasn’t mine. I am not just sure when my brother changed.

We get to the club and it is fully parked but I give one guard some loose money and he finds me a spot and promises to watch the car. The club is exactly how I thought it would be, it is parked with a lot of ladies sharing tables and men eyeing them. Most are skimpily dressed and I shouldn’t be judging but I just can’t help it.

We finally get to the table where this ‘chick’ and her friend are.

‘Hey babe.’ My brother says to one of the ladies. She stands up and kisses him passionately. I notice the other one just smiling there.

‘How much has she drunk?’ I ask not waiting for introductions

‘He is as boring as you mentioned him to be.’

‘Jackie, meet my brother Ems.’

‘I wish I could say it was nice to meet you. Anyway that is my friend Nandy.’

‘You are not her friend, how can you allow her to drink that much?’ I ask feeling angry

I move past the two and grab the drunk lady by the hand.

‘Dude what are you doing?’ Joshua asks

‘Taking her home.’

‘Which home?’

I don’t respond, I am too angry to and I don’t understand why.

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️