Nadir

I deliberately didn’t tell Jackie about the bank card because she was going to advise that we go and drink our hearts out. Which of course is not a bad idea but the way I met Joshua was through me having amnesia from alcohol, I am not doing that to myself again. After talking to him I take a long relaxing bath and get into the dress. It’s a perfect fit and I look amazing.

I ask the guard to take photos of me which I post on my status with the hope that he sees them. I drive to the mall and the first thing I do is go to the nearest ATM just so I can see the amount of money on the card. I am beyond shocked when I see the figure and it gives me an idea. At my age a man giving me a bank card I can’t go about the city buying clothes or drinks, so gathering all the energy I walk into a furniture shop. I don’t know how Joshua will take it but I pick out a set of furniture, make a payment and leave them details of where to deliver. When done, I go to an electronic shop and buy a TV. A huge part of me is feeling guilty but for him to have left me the card and that much money, he probably knew what he was getting himself into. After finishing with the purchases, I get myself some ribs and fries from my favorite restaurant and head home. The furniture and electronic shops arrive a few minutes after I do with the deliveries. When done, I tell myself I will put everything in order the following day as I feel tired and I just want to take a bath and eat my food. I am just about to hit the shower when there is a knock at the door.

‘Mr. Jacobs.’ I say with shock, he was supposed to be in Chipata.

He reaches for my face and kisses my lips, removing the air from my lungs.

‘I missed you too.’ I say with a smile when he lets me go.

‘I had to get on the next plane to Lusaka immediately we buried. I wasn’t going to stay another minute without seeing you.’

I find myself smiling again.

‘Welcome home.’

‘Thank you.’ He says before kissing me again. We have never done this before yet it feels so natural.

‘Someone went shopping.’ He says when I welcome him into the house

‘I made use of the card.’

‘I was hoping you would.’

‘You are not upset?’

‘Why should I be?’

‘I spent so much money.’

‘If I wanted you to buy lunch or a drink I wouldn’t have put that much money, I was hoping you would replace the furniture.’

‘Thank you so much.’

‘You are welcome.’ He says kissing my forehead.

‘You smell like a pig.’

‘I know.’ He responds and we both laugh.

‘I left the geyser on, the water should still be hot.’

‘It’s okay for me to use your bathroom?’

‘Go and bath.’

I lead him to my bedroom, it’s the first time he is going in there. I told myself I was going to do the right thing with him. Joshua is a great guy, I don’t want to mess this up. I give him fresh towels and a new tooth brush. He must have his things in his bag but a part of me hopes he knows that he can come and bath again here tomorrow and use the tooth brush.

‘Let me prepare you something to eat.’

He shakes his head.

‘What?’

‘That is not how this works, I cook for you and not the other way round.’

‘But Joshua.’

‘You know this is how it works, we are not about to change the rules.’

‘I didn’t realize we had some unspoken rules.’

‘Now we do.’ He says before kissing my forehead.

He closes the door to the bathroom and I pick out some clothes from the closet and other things I might need since I have decided to go and bath from Martha’s old bedroom. I am just walking across the room when I hear Joshua’s phone ring. I want to ignore it but something tells me to go and check who is calling. It’s a strange number but true caller brings the name Sheena. It stops ringing and a few seconds later a message pops up. I don’t open to read it but the first sentence I see on the screen is ‘Josh I have been trying to reach you, call me..’ I don’t get to read the rest of the message unless I open the whole text which I choose not to. I am not sure why but I feel a tag at my heart, if this person mattered the number would have been saved unless he doesn’t want me to know who she is or she is someone from his past.

Feeling depressed I go and take a shower, I am feeling stupid for being hurt over a message I didn’t finish reading but my sixth sense is telling me there is more to this Sheena lady and I just can’t ignore it. When done I go to the kitchen where I find Joshua busy typing away on his phone seriously.

‘You okay?’

‘An ex bugging my phone, I blocked her everywhere and now she is using a different number to call me.’

‘Sounds like trouble.’

‘She isn’t.’

‘Why did you break up?’

‘She cheated on me with Ems.’

‘Your brother?’

‘He says it was a one night thing but when I forced the information out of her I discovered they had been at it for months.’

‘That sucks.’

‘Hence us not being close.’

‘I am sorry Joshua.’ I say now feeling bad that I was judging him.

‘It’s okay, I dumped her anyway and now it works better that he is away and not trying to steal you away from me.’

‘I wouldn’t go out with him even if he asked me out.’

‘He has a sweet tongue.’

‘I like your tongue better.’ I say going over and wrapping my hands around him. I kiss his lips tenderly mostly because I want to remove the guilt for my thoughts.

‘If ever you want to leave me, let it be for other reasons and not another man.’ He says looking at me straight in the eyes.

‘I am not going anywhere.’ I tell him and I mean it. I love what we have, I don’t want to mess it up.

‘Now what to cook.’ He says sighing deeply.

‘Let me put my phone to charge.’

‘Sure.’

I walk to the living room where I got it and my heart leaves my chest when I find a message request on Facebook from Emmanuel Jacobs. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’ I whisper to myself

…

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️