Nadir

Once Peggy has left I no longer have the energy to play the game anymore. Martha keeps looking at me obviously wanting to know what I am thinking but my brain refuses to think of anything other than what Peggy said.

‘Do you think she is telling the truth?’

I breath out deeply. After the stunt Joshua pulled I am not sure I will be able to trust anyone ever again. Ems despite his loyalty to his brother looked to me like he was out to hurt him and not me, besides he was open about this from the word go it’s just shocking that we are here right now.

‘I don’t know about you but I think I trust Emmanuel.’

I pick up my glass of wine and drink from it.

‘Yes he is crude and has his faults but he is one of the few that has been genuine from the onset. He could have walked away in the beginning, he could have showed his true colors but he has been here all along I don’t see the reason why you should have doubts now.’

I get chills on my body at the thoughts lingering in my head. What if all of them are part of this big skim? Martha inclusive? If she hurt me once why can’t she do it again?

‘You look thoughtful.’

I shake my head and stand up. I stagger a bit and realize that all these months of not taking wine had me cleansed because I haven’t taken so much wine and already I am feeling drunk.

‘Are you okay?’

‘Never been better.’

I walk to the bedroom and once inside I lock myself. After washing my face, I pick up my phone and call the one person I should never be calling.

‘What do you want Nandy?’ Mrs Jacobs Senior asks

‘I see you still have my number.’

‘You know you don’t have to be sarcastic right?’

I laugh.

‘Are you okay? Have you been drinking? Should I ask Joshua to come over?’

‘No ma’am, you don’t need to ask your son to come over. And yes I am drunk because in my sober state I would never call you like this.’

‘If you are drunk you need to stay away from your phone, you should lock yourself up in your room and get some rest because the last time you were drunk.’

She pauses.

‘The last time I was drunk go on.’

‘Nandy I hate that you had to go through what you did. It’s just sad but you can not hold Joshua accountable for what happened forever. You were sober when you got pregnant. You wanted this as much as he did.’

‘And you were okay with everything even though you knew that he was committed to someone else?’

‘Nandy I am sorry to say this but Joshua is my son and my allegiance is with him.’

I laugh. Putting the phone away from my ears.

‘Isn’t it funny how everyone keeps talking about Joshua being the saint? How everyone is loyal to him? How no one can see what he did to me?’

‘Nandy Joshua is just being what any good man can be, he wants to make sure Sheena doesn’t go through this alone and that is why he is sticking by her side.’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Everything the two of you shared, you think there was a lie in all that? You think he didn’t love you?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘Nandy have you taken your meds?’

‘What medication? What are you talking about?’

I think she is about to respond when the door opens, Martha walks in with some oils in her hands and a bottle of water.

‘What is this?’

‘Your medication.’

‘What do you mean my medication?’

She wears this face and I can’t really tell what’s going through her mind but whatever it is, isn’t good.

Joshua enters the room, and he looks really sad. Like he has lost some weight too.

‘What is he doing here? Shouldn’t you be home to your wife?’

He looks at Martha and she has that same look that she had earlier.

He gets the meds from her and comes to sit next to me, I want to pick up the bottle I was drinking from but then realize that it’s a bottle of water.

‘What are you doing here?’ I ask him feeling light headed

The door opens and a third person walks in who looks like a doctor.

‘How is she doing today?’

Martha shakes her head.

‘It will take some time.’

‘It’s almost two years Doctor.’

‘It’s even worse for most, give her time.’

I try to open my mouth to say something but I get drowsy and close them.

I am not sure how long I have been sleeping but when I wake up it’s with a bottle of wine in my hands and I quickly drink from it trying to shake off the dream.

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️