Nadir

Martha has been staring at my ring for what seems like forever. It’s been two days since Ems asked me to marry him and she still hasn’t contained her excitement. I thought I was the hopeless romantic but the way my sister has been shedding tears has me amused.

‘We need to start planning the wedding.’

‘Child hold your horses; I am still trying to digest what just happened.’ I say lifting my hand towards the light so that the diamond on the ring is shining.

‘I won’t allow you to be the kind of bride that stresses over planning. If we start early, we might finish everything on time and you will have the rest of the time to worry about other things.’

‘I understand but there is so much that I need to digest.’

‘Like what exactly?’

‘Like this.’ I say showing her my screen.

Joshua is calling, he started calling yesterday and I am pretty sure it’s about the engagement.

‘Why don’t you pick up?’ Martha asks and I can sense the irritation in her voice.

Immediately the line cuts we hear a knock at the door.

‘I would be damned.’ She says rushing to the door.

Lo and behold Joshua in flesh and blood stands right at our door, hands in his pockets and looking like he is about to breathe out fire.

‘The dead do come back to life huh?’ Martha asks with sarcasm.

‘I am here to see Nandy.’

‘Look what the cat has dragged in.’ I say standing up.

‘Can we talk away from her?’

‘I will excuse the two of you.’

Instead of us being in the house I decide to walk outside. Joshua is no longer welcome in my house so there is no need for him to be allowed inside.

‘What do you want?’

I am not sure how many times I have replayed this meeting in my head. I always wondered why someone would just go mute on me after everything we had been through. This is a man I was supposed to share a life with. A man that was supposed to be the father of my children and the one I would build empires with and conquer the world with. But this man left me in a hospital bed to mourn the death of our children alone, he never called or texted or reached out in any way. He made sure to block me in case I ever tried to reach him and now twenty-four months later he stands before me looking like a dragon that is about to burn everything in it’s way.

‘You are getting married to Emmanuel huh? Is that your way of getting back at me?’

I laugh.

‘It’s funny?’

‘No Joshua it is not, but how about you start by asking how I am doing? How about asking about where your sons were buried? How about asking how I have been all this while? How about that?’

He opens his mouth to say something but closes it.

‘I dare you Joshua, I dare you to say something because I really want to know what has been going through that precious mind of yours.’

He sighs deeply.

‘Emmanuel is my brother and you getting married to him will cause a longer bridge between us, one that can never be mended. It’s okay that we have our issues as sibling but you can’t be added to that.’

‘Why exactly did you come here? To lecture me about the man that I can or can not get married to or remind me about the existing issues you have as a family?’

‘Nandy I told you a long time ago that Emmanuel is not good for you and I will tell you this again.’

‘You know what’s funny Joshua.’

I pause for effect.

‘All along you are the one that has been telling me about how bad Ems is, you have been telling me to stay away from him but weirdly he has never said anything bad about you.’

A low shadow casts his face.

‘You thought he talks about you didn’t you?’

He looks down.

‘I really wanted to hear what your excuse was Joshua for leaving me on that cold bed to deal with the death of our boys. I have tried so many times in my head to come up with excuses why you did what you did but it always brings me to one thing – you are just a terrible person. And you should be ashamed of yourself for standing in my presence like this. I hope you get everything that you deserve because people like you.’

I pause realising that I might just be wasting my time.

‘I had a whole plan laid out on how I wanted to hurt you, how I wanted you to feel the same way you made me feel but letting go of everything has proved to be a better way of moving on. I am getting married to Ems. I can only wish you light and love. Make this the last time you ever come anywhere near me.’

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️