The Changing Tides – Episode 22

The Changing Tides – Episode 22

A Story By Tisa Phiri

Paul was in his bedroom when he heard a vehicle enter his yard. He didn’t bother to see who it was assuming it was probably a friend to his cousin Grace who had come to visit her it being a weekend.

He was startled by Chanda’s shouting and excited voice from the front door. .

“Oh my God! I can’t believe am seeing you right now !” she shouted hugging Maria.

Maria smiled hugging her back.

” How are you my dear, you have grown so much I wouldn’t recognise you on the road” Maria exclaimed at her.

Paul heard Maria’s voice and he stood almost running to the front door. He stood numb by his bedroom door, realising what has happened between them wouldn’t let him get so excited, he sighed heavily and opened the door to go to the sitting room where he could hear the voices coming from.

Standing before his eyes, was a fine looking Maria, the long weave on her head falling on her body top and the leggins down making her look more beautiful that he last saw her. The wide smile she wore on her face making Paul realise and remember how much of the beauty she was.

Maria’ smile faded when she turned to look at Paul who had stood quite watching her as She talked to Chanda.

“Hi… ” she greeted him casually.

Musonda moved closer to Maria at the sight of Paul, like trying to mark his territory.

Paul walked towards them his face expressionless and he extended his hand to greet Musonda who held it and shook it gently.

“How are you ? ” Paul managed to say to him.

“Am okey thanks,” Musonda smiled widely.

Maria looked at the two guys exchanging greetings and her heart beat faster. The look on Paul’s face showed her he seemed to have moved on as the presence of another man besides her didn’t seem to affect him.

“Well Musonda, this is Paul, the father to the baby, and Paul, this is Musonda” she introduced them.

“Sorry we just burged in.. I had to come see the baby I was so worried,” she tried to smile.

“I hope you don’t mind Paul, and if it’s so much of a bother, we can take him and I can see him from somewhere else, stay with him for some hours and I will surely bring him back later” she explained looking straight at Paul.

“Oh I see, i cannot say this was not a surprise but since you are here already, you can see him. You don’t have to take him out after all he’s not well as you know,” Paul responded.

He was still talking when Grace walked from her room and joined them in the sitting room.

“Well!, look who decided to show up” she teased.

“Now you care about your son all of a sudden?” she shouted raising her hand at Maria.

” You surely have no shame Maria, after going awol sleeping with a wagon of men you have the courage to walk into this house to throw your rubbish in this house? What the hell, Paul please can you tell this clown and her whatever to leave this house” she added sarcastically.

Musonda charged forward as she finished her sentence,

” call her names again woman and you will have me to face” he spat angrily.

Maria stepped forward and held Musonda pulling him back.

“Come on Musonda, don’t give in to her sacarsm, some people are just not worthy it. ”

“Enough now! ” Paul shouted looking at Grace..

” cuz, go back to your room and please stay out of this” he scolded her.

“Well” Grace made a face,

“don’t say i didn’t warn you Paul, this girl has always caused more harm than good” she said walking away.

“Chanda Please take me to my son now, I came here for him and not to satisfy people’s ego” Maria said looking at Chanda who stood quite watching everyone.

“Yes aunty he’s this way he’s sleeping” she told Maria and directed her to the room.

Maria held Musonda by the hand and they walked to the bedroom where The boy was.

She lifted him from his sleep placing him on her laps as she sat.

“Oh my baby, I missed you so much” she whispered hugging and kissing him. .

“Mommy” Paul open his weak eyes looking at his mother..

“yes sonny, am here now it’s alright you will be fine” she whispered to him tears in her eyes.

The feel of a high temperature on Paul’s body getting to her skin.

“Hey, say hi, to uncle Musonda” she smiled at him pointing at Musonda who stood a step away from them..

“How are you big man?” Musonda smiled holding Paul’s hands. .

“fine,” he responded in a low tone.

“Get well soon okey?” Musonda told him still holding his hand as Maria’s eyes were on her child.

“Let me leave you two alone, I will be outside in the car, call me me if anything” Musonda told Maria after some minutes of watching her with her kid.

“That’s okay, and thanks for standing up for me there” she smiled at him.

“I won’t let them get to you” he nodded

She removed the things she had bought for baby Paul and handed him some fruits.

“Let’s go we wash them clean sonny” she smiled putting him down and held his hand as they walked to the kitchen.

“Just look at how his face has lightened up after seeing you,” chanda told Maria as they went to sit on the couch and baby Paul sat on his mother’s laps.

“So what did the doctor’s say is wrong with him?” She asked Chanda.

“Well you should ask me that as am the one that went to the hospital with him” , she heard Paul who just walked in the room respond. .

She turned to look at him and sighed. “Sorry I thought you weren’t nearby ” she told him casually.

“What did they say?” She asked him.

He went on explaining the condition of the child. Maria lifted Paul’s head and opened his mouth to check the sores. “It’s a good thing they are drying out now” , Paul told her as he sat opposit them.

“Yeah I can see just a few down his throat, ” Maria responded.

Paul went quite just watching Maria, wondering in his mind who the good looking guy outside in a big vehicle was. Maria looked so good he felt a grip of a mixture of jealousy and hurt in his throat .

“Excuse me” Maria sighed holding the now playing baby. it seemed like that’s all the boy needed to get well as he had started moving up and down in the room looking stronger.

“Am going outside to see Musonda” she told Paul who nodded silently.

She walked out without turning back and walked to Musonda who stood talking on the phone.

Unknown to her, Paul was watching from the window as she stood next to Musonda leaning on the vehicle.

“Hey! ” Musonda put the phone back in his pockets and placed his hand on the car facing Maria who’s hands where folded. And since his back was on Paul.. this made Paul imagine things and his rage increased.

“I don’t understand you Paul, ” he heard Grace talk from his back.

“What’s with that girl? So much that even after a long period you still droll over her like a mad person.? ”

Paul looked at her and shook his head. “Just leave me alone already. I don’t want to discuss this with you or anyone else please” he snapped angrily.

“Mnmh that guy is surely hot and from the look of things he’s so much into her, it’s sad how you men are so blind to fall for her” she said with so much jealousy.

Chanda who was listening in to the conversation in the kitchen smiled to her self proud of Maria. Knowing so well that Grace and Tasha where responsible for what happened to Maria and the day she over head them talking, Grace had warned her not to say anything to Paul as she would be fired. This made her keep to herself and never brought the issue up to Paul.

Outside, Maria and Musonda where talking.

“So how was it being so close to him again?” Musonda asked her as she sighed in relief like she was held up when she was inside.

“Honestly Musonda it wasn’t easy at all. I couldnt get myself to look at him and I have never felt so much at unease in my life. I just had to come out here” she added with a laugh.

“You did great I think” Musonda smiled at her holding her shoulder as he mostly did.

“I don’t know what I could have done if you didn’t come with me, honestly you saved me a whole lot of insults and shame here. That Grace has a big mouth and she has never liked me for some reason. ”

Musonda looked at her…

“I wonder why you care so much about him when he makes you suffer so much my dear.i don’t like seeing you this sad. I like it when we chat and laugh back home without feeling confined .

Get your son already and lets go back where you are free to be yourself and where no one judges you and reminds you of your past… you deserve better Maria honestly, look at yourself, you have it all, the heart, the beauty to capture the attention of any man you want, the brains, you are more worthy than you actually think of yourself ” Musonda added still holding her hand.

She raised her eyes to look at him and smiled almost shedding tears.

“You always say the most catchy things Musonda, it’s not really fair that you are stuck with me right now when you are supposed to spend this weekend with the woman who loves you. I really wish it was that easy for me. ”

“I love you but just as a close friend. Am sorry I can’t give you more than that Musonda, I really am, I wish you knew how much I wish day and night that you where the one that my heart beats for…” Maria said touching the top of his hand which was on her.

He smiled,

” it’s easy if you make your heart believe what your mind is saying but not today, it’s your baby’s day and you need to be with him now and make him have the love of a mother that he missed all this time” he added smilling at her.

“I told you am gonna wait, I surely will wait for that day to come when your heart even in one pulse would beat for me.” He smiled

“So now what next? Are we staying here the whole day with all this tension or you will get the boy we go around town and bring him back later on?” He asked her.

“Yeah I think thats the best thing to do, ” Maria smiled.

“Let me get him then, I will be be back soon” she said walking away as Musonda remained folding his hands his eyes on her.

“Paul, we want to take baby Paul out for some time, will bring him back. I just want to be with him, you know after some time apart.” She told Paul inside the house.

“Mmmh I see,” Paul responded standing up facing Maria.

“And whose fault was it that he has to live without his mother?” He asked his voice sounding angry.

“Am sorry?” Maria frowned.

“Yeah you are sorry for what?” Paul answered back.

“You choose a life that isn’t appropriate for Paul and you think it’s whose fault? ” he spat.

Maria sighed,

“oh I see, you have so much anger in you Paul and am sorry I can’t do this with you right now, am here for my son and I won’t let you insult me or call me names again. There’s a man outside waiting, who came all the way with me. And am not going to play this drama with you so if you will, excuse me,” she said walking to get the baby changed into the clothes she had got for him.

Paul followed her and stood by the door as Maria changed the boy.

“Mmmh so you brought that guy here to do what? Make me feel jealousy? ” He asked upset.

Maria looked at him and shook her head.

“And why would you feel jealous for a simple prostitute?” She asked with a laugh.

“I told you I came for my son, whatever reasons you have believed that’s your problem.” She shrugged

“Maria” Paul pulled her hand as she walked past him following Paul who was running now excited that he was going out with his mother.

Maria looked at his hand that was holding her,

“what is it?” She asked without looking at his face.

Paul sighed,

“am um… where do you stay? ” He asked clearly changing the words he really wanted to say.

She smiled shaking her head.

“Let me go Paul and to answer your question that is not important to you I assume you think I sleep in the night clubs huh ?” She asked with a grin..

Without a word Paul let her hand go and she walked out calling out to Chanda and telling her she would be back with the baby later.

“Are you okey?” Musonda asked looking at Maria as they moved out of Paul’s yard.

“Yeah am fine guardian angel” she teased smiling at him.

” So where do we go now?” She looked at him and Paul who was leaning on the window looking outside.

” Let’s grab some food and then we can probably have some shopping I know women love that a lot” he shrugged.

Back at home, Paul walked around from one place to another. The scent of Maria in his nose he couldnt get himself to forget her closeness.

What hurt him the most was how relaxed maria was around Musonda and how she easily smiled at him. He recalled being the one doing that to her but he saw that wasn’t the case anymore.

“Well Paul,” he whispered to himself, “what do you expect when all you do is judge her.”

He tried looking at the video of the naked Maria with another man but this time.. it’s effect wasn’t as compared to how much he wanted her.

He grabbed the keys to the car following them just to see what they were doing together, following them at a distance as he saw them 3 vehicles ahead of him. Paul imagined them may be holding hands or that Musonda planting a kiss on her lips while she smiled.

“Focus!” He screamed to himself as the car swayed away from the road a bit.

To be continued

ALL EPISODES

 

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