Mended Hearts – Episode 4

Mended Hearts – Episode 4

© Jennifer Godwin

Mrs Johnson brought out an old picture of a young woman, she started crying and clinching unto the picture.

Am so sorry Margret, please forgive me, they blackmailed me, they threatened me, I know I did something terrible, something that is not supposed to be done to a friend let alone a best friend, I have carried the burden for 26 years and it is weighing me down, and I think the past is hunting me because Jay left home for the past 8 years and no sign of him yet, I called his number severally and it was switched off, I went to the company to look for him and was told that he has not been to the office for long, I know he never loved me but at least he puts up an act infront of the kids and am okay with that. we need him, the kids and I, I don’t know why he left, what I did 26 years ago still hunts, I see you in my dreams every night, the tears in your eyes that night, the pleading look you gave to me but I still had no mercy please forgive me, I know Mara will never forgive me if she knows what I did, am so sorry. Mother, she stifled immediately Mara called her, she hurriedly put the picture back into the drawer.

So tell me is your name Mara shortened from Samara? He asked feeling foolish for asking that kind of question but he doesn’t know how to start up a conversation with her, Mara looked at him and shook her head, my name is Amarachi, but people shortened it to Mara, what do you do, tell me about yourself, he asked finally feeling relaxed. Am a business lady, she answered in-differently, Kenny kept calm waiting for her next answer but it never came, he decided to ask the questions himself, what kind of business? I sell the ladies stuff she said trying to discourage him from asking further but it didn’t deter him from doing so, what do you mean by ladies stuff? Sanitary pad? Is that it? She chuckled, is that the only ladies thing you know? Well if it is not sanitary pads what else is it that you will feel shy to talk about? I sell hair weaves, hair extensions, hair attachments of any kind, she managed to say.

That’s beautiful he said, where is your shop located at so that I can drop by sometimes to greet you, that is not necessary Mr Williams, she nervously said, she doesn’t know what his presence is doing to her and she doesn’t need him to get closer. But I mean no harm, I just want to know more about you please, he pleaded surprisingly that he is actually begging a lady for something. slow down a bit you will drive into the next street, okay he replied. Please I need the address to your shop, or you can give me your contact, drop me in front of that blue building Mara said shutting him up.

Wow, Kenny exclaimed after halting in front of a magnificent building, it is a duplex painted blue with a touch of white, is this lady rich? Who are her parents? Why does she live in an expensive house. Wait you live here? He asked aww stroked, thank you Mr Williams, I will see you some other time she said unstrapping her seat belt.

Amarachi, he called her please I need your contact, I need to see you again. Mara stiffled, No one has ever called her name in full before, even when her mom gets angry she calls her name to the fullest “Amarachukwu* she even adds her surname sometimes, she rolled her eyes, her mom can be dramatic sometimes. But there is this feel of sensation that passed through her immediately he called her name, it set her inside ablaze, she felt like hugging him for protection, she has not felt like this before not even when her ex calls her “Amy” she smiled, people have different ways of calling her name but she will consider answering her full name from now onwards, it sounds appealing on his lips.

He watched her smile, those alluring lips he can do anything to get a taste of, he felt like kissing her already, is he in love with this lady? He asked himself mentally. Number 45 Edede street Royce road, he heard her say, what? He asked, you asked of my shop address didn’t you? I just gave it to you, number 45 Edede street Royce road, she called out again, but am sorry you can’t get my contact, good night Mr Williams she said immediately getting down not giving him the opportunity to call her back, she was just scared that she might just lean into him for a hug if she stays further with him, Kenny watched her dumbfounded until she knocked and a younger version of her opened the gate for her, he smiled getting her shop address is an improvement.

Mara entered the house smiling, she has never felt this way before, she hoped to see him again. Kosi where is Mama? She asked her sister, mama is in her room, good night sis see you in the morning, she said going to her room.

Mara decided to greet her Mom before retiring for the night, as she got close to her mother’s room she heard her sob, she gently opened the door and watched her mom as she clinched unto something that she could not see from the door post, “mother ” she called and saw her hurriedly put something back in to the drawer. She moved close to her hugging her, I miss your father Mara, I miss him so much, she cried. It’s okay mom, I miss him too but we can’t do anything about it, stop crying she consoled her.

__

It was a Saturday, Mara decided not to go to her shop, she joined her mother and her younger sister to clean the house, she remembered when her father was still with them, they were happy and complete, she wondered why he left, according to her mom she woke up one morning and saw a written note and a cheque of 5 million to take care of their daughters, he didn’t say where or why he had left them, she miss her father but she is still angry at him for leaving them. Her mother had refused to cash the cheque saying that until she hears his explanation on the reason he left she won’t touch the money.

She was in her room after the clean up exercise resting when she heard her sister shouting at someone at the door, she stood up to go see what the problem could be, she saw her mom going to check the same thing.

Kosi who is at the door? And why are you shouting? She asked her sister, it is no one sister Mara he was actually on his way before you came out, she hastily replied trying to shut the door.

Wait let us see who the person is open the door, her mother ordered, mom it is no one important, she replied grumpily opening the door. Oh my god Obinna what are you doing here? I thought I told you not to come here again? Mara yelled, Mara please we need to talk, just give me few minutes please he pleaded.

Mara what has come over you? Why are you shouting at him that way? Mrs Johnson asked, mom are you trying to tell me that you have forgotten so soon what the idiot did to my big sister because of money? Mom seriously? And you are been nice to him she angrily eyed her mother, Obinna please leave my house and never come back, I don’t want to ever see you, don’t you get it? Mara said almost yelling.

Will the two of you shut up? I didn’t bring you up this way, no matter what he did, for the fact that he is here means that you should hear him out, Mrs Johnson said, mom there is no way he is entering this house, Kosi said eyeing the gentle man standing at the door. Kosisochukwu Johnson I didn’t teach you to insult your elders, now go to your room and leave your sister to sort it out with him, their mother said already getting angry, please my dear come in don’t mind my daughters, make yourself comfortable and Mara am going to my room I don’t want to hear any shouts, did you get me young lady? Yes Mom she replied, good she said going to her room.

Mara am sorry for all the pains I have cost you am so sorry, Obinna please go straight to the point, what do you want? I have gotten a job at DALENA company, he said expecting her to be happy for him, okay and what does it have to do with me? Mara asked still not getting where he is going to with the discussion. I thought you will at least be happy for me but no problem, am here concerning what I told you the other time I came to your shop, am working at a great company now and I have gotten money, I want to spend on you Mara, I want to make up for all the times I didn’t spend on you when we were dating, I just want to make you happy he concluded.

Obinna take your filthy stinking self out from my house, I don’t want to shout because of my mom, now leave my house and please don’t come back, you disgust me Obinna. Mara I don’t mean it that way, I just thought I was going to make you happy with the offer. Leave my house this minute before I will do something crazy to you Mara said trying hard not to yell, okay okay am going Mara am going, am sorry once more, take care of yourself bye he left wondering where he had gone wrong, any other lady would have jumped at his offer but not Mara, her pride won’t let her, he shook his head moving towards his car.

___

My daughter, thank you so much for bringing me to owerri, those cotenants in our former house at Port-harcourt were making life hard for me and I was the only one staying there, I do all the chores myself, I told you and your brother that I needed a help but you guys never paid attention, but nevertheless am happy to be here, when is your brother coming over? I have not seen him for Long Funmilayo complained.

She rolled her eyes at her mother, the woman is a lot of things, she is a gossip, she talks too much, she likes trouble so she is not surprised that her former neighbors were not nice to her, she only brought her here because she and her brothers are the only people she has, they don’t know who their father is, but their mother can not stop telling them every day that their father put her in a family way and absconded with another woman, their mother’s house help then. She wondered if it is true, her mom can lie sometimes to make them hate somebody, she can remember when they were still at Port-harcourt, she came back from her friend’s house and met her mom wailing loudly outside, when she and her brother asked her what happened, she told them that their neighbor Baba Ayo slapped her and tore her clothes, she and her brother went to the man’s house and beat him up, their mother told them the importance of hating baba Ayo and they did so until they later learnt the truth.

She won’t be surprised to find

out that she also lied about her father but her brother is already filled with hatred for their father.

When will we go to the mall? Funmilayo asked her daughter bringing her out from her thoughts, we will go tomorrow mama, she told her.

Good, the earlier she starts going out the better for her, she has a plan for coming to owerri, she knows how long it took her to convince her twins to bring her to owerri and that is to look for two people, Caleb Johnson and Agness Johnson, by the time she will be through with them, they will grovel and beg her for mercy she grinned.

__

Kenny smiled again, he can’t still believe that he will be meeting with Mara in the evening, and he will have all the time to ask all the questions that has been bothering him, he must be curious to have answers to those questions that could be the reason he is excited to meet her, it cannot be love, yes he said aloud nodding his head, it cannot be love.

Mara was already dressed waiting for Kenny to pick her up, she couldn’t help but smile, is this love? She asked herself, she fussing all morning hoping and for evening to come quick, she even told her mom that she wished that God gave her the gift of taking the world forward or backward, her mother laughed at her silly thought. Speaking of her mother, she has been looking sad and burdened lately, she looks like someone that is keeping a huge secret from the world and each time she asks, she assures her that everything is okay, her smile faded she hopes she is truly fine, she wouldn’t want to loose a mother too, she was interrupted by the loud honk that sounded just outside the gate, why is he honking so loud, he should have called that disturbing the tranquility of the neighborhood, oh yes, it’s true she didn’t give him her contact the night he brought her home and the other day at the shop too she refused to give it to him, she made a mental note to do it this night. Paaaaaarrr he honked again, am coming you don’t have to bring our house down, she said brushing past her hair off her face.

Obinna has been staring at a particular nothing for the past 30 minutes, karma is really at work in his life, the thing he did to Mara, kasie has done it to him, her fiance came back from the state and they are going to get married there, he shouldn’t have left Mara, he sobbed, all these money, the car, the house, the job, they are nothing compared to Mara, it is sad that he is just realising it now, he will definitely go back to her and beg, maybe she will take him back.

Mara has been trying to hide her uneasiness, she scanned the restaurant immediately they entered and found out that she was the only one not putting on a gown, he had insisted they drive to Cubana and now she is feeling nervous, she needs to shop for dinner gowns she concluded trying to make herself feel okay.

Kenny noticed the uneasy look on her face and wondered what could be bothering her, she looks beautiful in her navy blue jeans, a white crop and a white fila canvass, she completed it with a navy blue Victoria Beckham hand bag, he has been checking her out since they came and saw the name of the designer boldly written on the bag, she looks so beautiful he uttered inaudibly. Are you okay? He asked her, am fine she answered, are you sure? Yes she answered firmly. what would you want to eat? Kenny asked picking up the menu, “I will have fried rice, salad and chicken she answered, that’s her favourite food and even if she eats it everyday she won’t get tired of it.

Tell me about yourself, he said after they were done eating. My name is Mara which you already know, am a business woman, I have a younger sister, she is a 100 level student at Federal university of Technology owerri, (FUTO). my Dad is an importer and exporter of Electronics and gadgets, he was staying at port-harcourt but had a minor problem and decided to relocate to owerri. Wow Kenny exclaimed, no wonder the expensive house I saw. You will have to introduce me to him, I might want to partner with him, he said and noticed her face fall, you can’t meet with him, he left home 8 years ago without any trace, we looked for him, went to the police station, called him severally on phone but we were never successfull, she said surprised that she was not crying already, am so sorry Amarachi, Kenny said feeling sorry for her, “it’s okay I have gotten over it”.

At the party that night, you went stiff when you saw kasie and her lover why? Do you know them? he finally asked after braving himself. Mara hurriedly gulped down a glass of water, she didn’t expect that question, well she will have to answer him, the more they talk about it the more she gets over the heartbreak, he is my ex she blurted looking away, what? Your ex? What happened? Was the fault from him or you? He left me immediately he found someone rich that got him the things he wanted she said nonchalantly. He was surprised, she is a strong lady, she is hurting from her father’s disappearance and also from heartbreak, he felt like protecting her from her foolish ex that dared to hurt her, he doesn’t know what she is doing to him but one thing he is sure of is that he is madly in love with her.

To be continued

 

ALL EPISODES