The Undisputed – Episode 25

The Undisputed Episode 25

© Tisa Phiri

” hey Sali!” Joe called out walking towards the car seeing how she wasn’t moving.

She opened her mouth to say something but closed it right back. His facial expression was unreadable, she couldnt tell whether he was still mad at her or he was feeling sympathy.

” come on my love, you are home now, lets go inside ” Joe held her hand

” my love?” Sali sniffed surprised he called her that after what happened.

” i wanted to tell you, i swear i tried but i was so scared, i thought you would leave me that am not a good person. I didnt know the man would die on me.. i was just… i …” she burped crying out.

” come here” Joe pulled her close instead. ” i know you didn’t mean to and am sorry i let you go like that. I missed you so much love. Nothing will change the way i feel about you, i can’t tell my heart to stop loving you because of a mistake or an assumption from the past. ” Joe held her face up.

” you are not mad at me?” She smiled amid tears.

” i was but i can’t help it. I love you” he smiled at her. ” we will do this together from now onwards , okey?, Am not leaving you alone anymore.”

” Come on lets join everyone inside” Joe pulled her down still holding her.

They walked in smiling following Mattie and Kelly who went before them.

They all sat down Joe still holding Sali, he sat on the arm of the couch where she sat. Thandi lifted her legs folding her knees as she sat on the couch opposite were Sali and Joe where, Alex taking up the space next to her.

On the other single couch, Sat Kelly who looked quite and lost in thoughts.

Mattie didnt sit. With all the spaces occupied she decided to stand her head leaning on the wall on the door way to the kitchen.

” I don’t even know how to thank you gentlemen for being here for us, Alex for working so hard to get out on bail and Kelly, ” she paused looking at Kelly who was still looking absent minded, ” thank you for giving us all that money to match up what we needed to afford the bail. Joe, my ever loving bro in-law” she smiled teasing him as she always called him.

” even though you almost jerked out on my Sali, am so glad you are here for her and us” she smiled looking at Sali and back at Mattie.

” we are so blessed to have you all. Its always been the three of us and now we have come to cross paths with you all and am glad you have shown us that there are still good people around this world” she giggled making some gestures as she spoke.

” yeah Thandi has said it all. Thank you guys, whatever reasons you have for helping us we appreciate it” Mattie added looking at Kelly as she spoke.

” love!” Alex, who seemed to talk more amongst the guys responded with a laugh.

” love?” Thandi looked at him questioningly.

” yes love, Thandi, you should know that we are here because each one of us feel love for you girls” he smiled looking straight at her seated next to him.

” well, am happy too and the most grateful of all being the cause of….”

” if you say that again i swear i will slap your stupid face Sali!” Mattie raised her voice making everyone laugh.

” well, i really feel like my whole body was dipped in dirt, am going to take a long bath as you two start preparing something to eat. We need to feed these sweet souls” Thandi stood up waving her hands at the guys as she mentioned the word ‘sweet souls’.

” i thought 3 days in police cells would make you change your altitude towards cooking you lazy girl ” Sali scolded her laughing.

” we will cook as you girls wash up” Alex suggested standing up and rubbing his hands.

” yeah great idea man, lets show them men can cook too” Joe agreed standing too.

“” no ways man, am not burning myself in the kitchen” Kelly responded atleast wearing a smile this time his facial expression easing up.

” don’t worry Kelly, you can do the cutting, while we deal with the heat and pots” Joe laughed pulling him up like they have been friends for some time.

The gilrs laughed shaking their heads.

” well, we left everything in there. You guys can do the honours” Mattie pointed at the kitchen.

The girls went on to take baths, as the guys went to the kitchen. They could hear them laugh and talk as they bathed.

” well, what now?” Sali asked as she applied lotion on her body.

” what do you mean?” Mattie asked pulling down a body top.

” well, i know we have to wait for the outcome of the courts. But am talking about those men in there. Kelly loves you Mattie i don’t know how you are going to pull it together with the issue of him being married. On the other hand, Alex is single and we all now see how he looks at you Thandi” Sali giggled.

” well forget about me guys, i told you am not going out with him” Thandi sighed placing her head on a pillow, she was fully dressed in a loose jumpsuit.

” why not, the guy is single, educated and good looking too.” Mattie replied.

” well am not doing it forget it guys. Am not ready and its not fair i make someone wait for me to get hold of myself, when he can have someone else out there to cherish him. No, he seems okey but am not dating him” she shrugged holding another pillow close.

Mattie went on telling them what Kelly said about his wife before. Explaining why he was seemingly sad.

” poor Kelly ” Sali shook her head.

” yeah poor him” Mattie sighed sitting down.

” its been a long three days i really hope we won’t go back to the cells” said Mattie.

Sali spoke up, ” well guys, i am not certain about my tomorrow. I might get a long sentence in prison so…” she paused looking at her friends

” okeeeey!” Thandi sat up.

” am going to give myself to Joe today” Sali spoke straight up.

” Sali you want to…. oh God” Mattie looked at her.

” please let me do this, what do i have to loose anyways, here i was thinking am going to be his at our wedding night but now am not sure he’s even going to marry me after this. His family is obviously talking him out of our marriage. Who would blame them, am just a poor girl with some history of witchcraft and murder. Please guys let me not die without having a moment to hold on to, a part of him that will take me through what awaits me in future” Sali spoke with a note of sadness in her voice.

” Sali, oh sweaty. Come on, dont say that. Alex said we might all get out free. We have to be optismistic” Mattie stood to hold her.

Thandi added, ” yeah she’s right. We have come a long way and we can’t just end up like that after everything we have been through. Please God give us a break on this please!”

” but if you think you are ready to give yourself to him sweety, we won’t stop you provided you are happy, we are in support of you. Joe is a good man and am sure he won’t change his mind any time soon. Enjoy yourself love” Mattie spoke.

” yeah sure Sali……” Thandi couldn’t finish her sentence and they heard a knock on the door.

” we are done here. Are you girls okey?” Came Alex’s voice.

” yeah we are out in a minute!” Thandi responded.

” he’s a bit loud!” Thandi whispered to her friends and they giggled not raising their voices.

” he’s a lawyer remember! But so sweet” Mattie hit her shoulders and they all laughed as they left the bedroom to join the men in the other room.

An hour later,they were done eating and Alex left first. Telling them he had to go through his work place that afternoon and see Harold afterwards to brief him on the case.

Sali asked to leave with Joe, wincing at her friends as she said her good bye. Even though she was a little bit tired, she felt she needed some time alone with her man and talk over their issue calmly and properly.

” will bring her back before its too late” Joe told them.

” yeah, last time you said that she was put in jail” Mattie teased.

It was all silent after the three left. Thandi, Mattie and Kelly who seemed relaxed to leave sat quitely in the living room.

” am going to lay down now, i can use some sleep” Thandi excused herself.

” thanks again Kelly” she looked at him.

” rest well my dear i will soon leave too. ” he smiled

” take your time” Thandi chuckled her eyes focused on Mattie.

” well, i should probably go now, everyone has” Kelly looked at Mattie.

” can i talk to you for a while? I mean if you are okey with it” she added quickly.

” ofcourse” Kelly smiled.

Mattie wanted to ask him about what was going on, her mind warning her to stay away but her heart longed for him. She wanted to be the one to comfort him in his sadness. The sad look on his face that he was trying so hard to smile at her but she could see he wasn’t his usual self. For a moment she had forgotten everything he ever did to hurt her. If not for the love she felt for him, she would scream and hit him hard for all the pain he had caused her in the past. But no, all she felt was the desire to get close to him and help him through whatever was disturbing his inner peace.

” am sorry about what happened with your wife. I can imagine what you are going through but i can relate to the feel of hurt. ” Mattie started.

” Mattie, i can’t stop thinking about it. Imagine i have lived almost 4 years of my life knowing i have a child. Just to discover she is not mine. The worst part of all, i made you get rid of the kids i possibly could have had with you. Now you can’t have kids anymore. I killed my own kids and i feel so awful, it hurts so badly i could not sleep last night. Why did i have to be such a jerk. I was so stupid and thought i had something with Joy and didn’t want her to find out i cheated on her.

Am a bad person Matilda, i made you go through hell and cheated on my wife, i bet am now paying for my sins” Kelly spoke with so much pain he was shedding tears.

” am sorry, am so sorry for what i did to you Mattie, you were right, I have no right to claim your love when i was so much evil to you. I blame myself for everything.” He went on crying loudly now as Mattie shed tears watching him.

She felt a huge lamp of pain on her throat and she cried with him. ” Kelly stop please. Thats enough, you have made some horible mistakes too but that does not justify what your wife did to you. Am sure this will pass” she held his hand to comfort him.

“I know Matilda and thats why i have decided am filing for a divorce. Am no longer going to stay with her. Its over!” He wiped his tears.

Mattie was quiet as she listened to his explanation about how he discovered his wife’s lie. He cried through his speech.

” its okey Kelly you have to calm down now” she whsipered rubbing his back as he cried on her shoulder.

” please don’t push me away. I know i don’t derseve you but dont push me away Matttie, i love you and you make me feel normal and sane. ” Kelly looked up at her eyes.

” i don’t know what to say Kelly. People will not understand. You know how the world is everyone will point at me as the cause of your divorce and i don’t have the best record as it is already. I want to live the remaining days of my life in peace you know.” Mattie responded not taking away her eyes from his.

” do you love me?” He asked unexpectedly his gaze into her warm wet eyes strong and tender.

” Kelly…. i.. ” she stammered

” tell me the truth Mattie i swear i will never bother you again if you say otherwise.” He pleaded turning her face at him when she tried to look down.

” say it babe please” he whispered.

Mattie sighed deaply, ” I love you yes, i can’t stop thinking about you Kelly but..”

” shshshsh, thats enough my babe you dont have to add anything else to such beautiful words. I promise you i will live the rest of my life trying to amend my past actions. I love you more every day that comes. Give me a chance to prove myself to you please ” he kissed her hands tendery.

” can i kiss you? He asked holding her face to his forehead.

” Kelly” she called his name closing her eyes as she felt his strong breath touch her facial skin.

” please” he whispered back rubbing his finger on her lips.

He shifted himself closer filling the gap between them completely and stealing a glance a her face as she kept her eyes closed. He smiled before landing his lips on hers and she responded making him glad and happy.

To be continued