SILENCE

The two had been ushered into the house and now were comfortably seated in the living room waiting for Elisha to finish dressing up.

‘Good morning.’ Larna greeted when she walked in to the room but stopped in her tracks after coming face to face with Fernando

‘Are you okay?’ Ben asked

‘I am, something about him that looks familiar.’ She said thoughtfully

‘Well I doubt you have seen him before because he just flew in from Namibia where he grew up.’

‘Oh okay, but do you have a brother maybe because honestly I feel like we have met.’

Fernando loosened his tie as he began to feel some pressure building up, she couldn’t possibly recognize him. She was only fourteen and was badly beaten to see his face clearly.

‘No I don’t have a brother.’ He said

‘I see, I guess this world has two people that look alike.’ She said helping herself to seat on the couch

They made small talk as Ben kept saying nice things about his friend, Larna could tell that he was probably trying to recommend him or something.

‘Who do we have here?’ Elisha asked when he walked in

He was wearing a ruby red suit as well, it was as if they had planned to dress like that but Fernando rocked in his compared to the two.

‘Remember my friend, I told you a lot about him.’

‘Oh yes I do, Fernando right?’

‘Yes him.’

‘That name brings a lot of memories though.’ Elisha said as he unfastened his buttons

‘Good memories I hope?’

‘I wish I could say that.’

They both laughed

‘Seems there is another Fernando out there that is a bad person.’

‘We need to get going.’ Ben said looking at his watch

‘Just a minute.’

Elisha called Larna to a separate room where he explained that he had to go back to work but Fernando was a friend who he had hired that would be helping her stretch her muscles and just be around for anything that she needed.

She had no problem with this because as long as he was friends with Elisha then she sure trusted him.

She stood by the door as she watched the vehicle drive out, she was beginning to feel good about herself and a part of her wanted to at least try and make things right with Elisha.

‘You have been standing there for a while now.’ Fernando said putting his jacket on the couch

Larna stared at him, his muscular body quite visible in the shirt he was wearing.

She swallowed hard.

As if aware of the effect he had on her, he smiled mischievously.

‘Well he is all I have known after the accident, it just feels strange that he has gone for work today.’ She said looking outside again

‘I understand, you will probably get used to this in no time.’

She smiled weakly and walked to the kitchen where she placed a kettle on the cooker.

‘Want some tea?’

‘That will be fine thank you.’ He responded

He had learnt along the way that the best way to attack his opponent was to know each and everything about them; he was aware of every tiny detail about Larna’s life but being there with her was different. He needed to know her reactions, how her emotions operated and all.

‘Black or green.’

‘Green please.’

‘Nice, I love green tea too.’ She said

She poured some for him whilst waiting for the bread to warm up in the oven.

They sat opposite each other and immediately engaged into conversation, for once since the accident Larna laughed genuinely.

*

Fernando was funny and she appreciated just how much he always tried to make her feel beautiful even though she was disabled.

‘I have an idea.’ He said one day

She looked up at him and wondered what it is he had up his sleeves this time

‘Don’t look at me like that Larna, come on it will be fun.’

‘What do you want Fernando?’ she asked still focusing on the magazines that were on the floor

‘I want us to go and see a movie.’

She almost choked on her saliva

‘You are joking right?’

‘Larna come on, it has been over five months since the accident. It is high time you go out there.’

‘I was never the going out person in my childhood and I am pretty sure I was like that even in my marriage.’

‘Which is why I feel life has given you a different chance at life.’

She looked up to his face as if he had said something wrong.

‘Larna listen to me, I know you want to keep to yourself; I know you want to live in this house forever but you are still young and very beautiful.’

He paused when he said that searching for a reaction on her face

‘Yes you are beautiful and I am not saying it to make you feel good but because I mean it.’

After much thought she went to the bedroom where she settled for a long black dress with a gladiator sleeper on her right leg. Holding on to her clutches, she stared deeply into the mirror swallowing really hard because she was sure she wouldn’t survive a minute facing the world.

‘You look beautiful.’ He complimented

‘Thank you so much.’

He helped her into the car when they got outside and drove them to levy junction, all through the journey she was quiet and he figured she was probably nervous.

He turned to face her with a smile as he rubbed her hand, he would have locked his fingers with hers but he didn’t want her to get scared; he needed to earn her trust.

‘Do we really have to do this?’ she asked when he parked the vehicle

‘We have been through this Larna, you need to see the world. You need to face your fears if you have to live again.’

She sighed deeply and allowed him to lift her from the vehicle since she wasn’t yet strong to do it on her own.

As they walked into the mall, her heart kept pounding rapidly but with each smile he gave her she was comforted. Heads turned as they walked and soon enough she realized that it was Fernando the ladies were looking at all along.

They got to the cinema and Larna was so nervous that Fernando had to hold her waist from time to time which made her even weaker.

He looked at his phone when it rang and excused himself.

‘Ben?’

‘How is it going?’

‘A step at a time cousin.’

‘Okay I trust you.’ Ben said dropping the line

He turned to look at a nervous Larna with a stare that could burn nations.

‘In due time little brother, I will avenge your death.’ He said walking back to where Larna was