A Cry For Love – Part 26

A CRY FOR LOVE – PART 26

© Tisa Phiri

Chisomo..

The following morning, I woke up from the sound of a tractor moving outside. Shaking off the bed, I realized where I was. I had fallen asleep so much I could not hear someone walk in the room I was, I just found a try beside my bed with a teapot and a sauce set. I sighed waking up. My head was hitting hard I took my medicine with some pain killers after which I went to take another bath. My wounds from the C- section were still healing and the pain so much.

Walking outside I took in the view of the farm. Right in front of me was a wide field. The tractor I was hearing was at a distance, tiling the land. The man from the previous night was driving it, another man was standing some meters away from him the two seemed to be talking. I took the silent moment to look around the area, where I stood was a wide veranda built with natural materials, some brown reeds and grass, the floor was wooden too. I stood a step in front and turned to look at the full view of the house. it was small but beautiful, the environment was so refreshing, the morning breeze was so fresh and so different from what it felt like breathing in the air in the clouded compounds of Lusaka, it felt home and for a moment I felt safe.

“Chisomo, you are supposed to be thinking of your babies now” I hit myself inside realizing the comfort around the place was taking over my sad thoughts.

“Good morning” I heard the voice of the man from behind me, I had moved to the back yard watching the Chickens.

“Good morning Sir” I tried to smile but it didn’t last.

“Am sorry I over slept, and “

“don’t be silly, you needed that rest, I told one of the ladies around this farm to serve you some warm tea, you will need it, it’s becoming cold the season for rains is around the corner.” he smiled standing there in his gumboots.

“Thank you Sir, but I must take my leave now, I got to go” I stammered

“What? No way, I am sure you have something to tell me, or if not, you can just stay here and get better. You are still sick I can see you look pale. Though am able to tell you don’t have amnesia like I thought last night “He giggled.

“Am sorry about the amnesia thing I didn’t really deny your assumption.

“I understand you couldn’t trust me. But it’s all good what is important is you are safe her and you can stay as long as you need to” he smiled assumingly.

I tried to talk him out of the idea of staying but he insisted, it was like he could read my mind and knew I had nowher1e to go. That day he showed me around and made sure I ate the food that was prepared by the woman he called the wife to the man who used to stay and watch the farm for him.

A couple of days later, he told me he was going back to the city and would only come back after a day.

“in the meantime, try to get over your past pains and if you feel like telling me the entire story, then you will tell me, who knows maybe I can be of help” he added before leaving.

He was right, I needed to tell someone what was going on, I could not stay away from my kids, I knew so well they needed me and I too needed them, fear gripped my heart whenever I thought of going back to Lusaka. I tried to think of ways in which I could have them back, but with Jay dead, I had no idea how I would do it alone, I felt so sad and alone, I spent most of the days on the fields helping the farm man and his wife, they wondered why I wanted to work so much, unknown to them, that was my way of getting over sad thoughts. I worked all day long and at night slept in tears, I hoped Mario was okey and would take care of them.

A couple of days later, the man I came to know as Colonel Bwembya came back. He had bought some food stuffs and other farm materials. The time he drove in I was working in the small garden weeding the tomatoes.

“Do you know the boss is in?” Mrs. Phiri, the wife to the man taking care of the farm called me standing outside the garden,

“Really? That is good, I will come greet him soon” I tried to smile.

“look here Chisomo, you have worked yourself too much in this farm, take a break now will you, besides, the boss will not take it lightly we made you work like this. You are his Guest and still recovering for crying out loud.

“Am okey really, what was I to be doing here all this time? Come on Mrs. Phiri I did this on my own accord so stop worrying” I patted her hand. She smiled and looked at my face.

“I know something must have happened to you back in the city, but I also know you are a strong woman and will pull through, stop running away from your past Chisomo. Sometimes the best way to face your fears is to face them head on” she encouraged me and walked away I watched her in silence.

She was right, I had to man up and face my fears, that moment I walked to see Colonel Bwembya and decided to tell him everything. By the time I was done, he shook his head.

“my dear, I cannot even imagine the pain you have been going through, but now that you have trusted me to tell me the truth, I will personally make sure you get your kids back, that officer will take responsibility.” He spoke.

“I don’t want any trouble with all of them, all I need are my babies, and they can have their money and their lives sir I don’t really care” I told him as a matter of fact.

“Now, tell me about this man? What is going on between the two of you, like seriously cause from where I sit, I can see something else in your eyes whenever you mention his name. Is he special to you?” he asked

“no, no sir, he is not, like I told you everything was organized by the woman and I just did it to save my mother`s life.” I swallowed hard hiding the feeling i had for Mario,

“well then, if you ask me the story is not adding up, why would a woman plot and scare you away if at all there is nothing between the two of you?” he asked, I looked at him and down the floor, I didn’t want to talk about Mario`s love confessions and my actual feelings for him too. All I needed was to heal my pain of being away from my kids.

“look here Chisomo, if you need me to help you get the kids back, don’t close in anything, you have to let me in on the truth, that way I can find a way to help you” Colonel Bwembya insisted. In the end I told him how I felt about Mario and all he told me about his feelings for me.

“Well, well, now I will go ahead and try find this man then the rest can follow” he assured me. I was so glad.

He came back the following day and told me he found Mario from Headquarters and had talked to him a bit.

“I didn’t tell him about you in details but I tried to find a way of asking what was going on in his life. From the look on his face and what I heard, he searches for you. The few people that I could find to ask anything about him, told me he was in some big fight with his fiancé and they had a matter in court where this fiancé is claiming the babies are hers. “He explained his findings and all along I shook my head.

“Is she mad? She has the guts to go to court over the babies she never gave birth to?” I sat back wondering how far Ketty was going to take the matter.

“She is mad?” I cried out.

“So now, we need to wait for the next court session so you can show up as a witness before the actual judgement” the colonel added.

“I don’t understand, on what basis did she even sue him?” I asked

“Well, I am not sure but a day after tomorrow we will find out what is going on. Just be ready to face that woman again and you have to promise to be brave so you can stand up for your babies, no more running away” he held my hand in comfort and I smiled honestly grateful for what he was doing for me.

“I don’t know how I will ever repay you for this Sir” I sighed looking at him as we sat in the couch.

He smiled and held my hand, “Marry me” he said with so much passion.

“What?” I asked him standing up.

“You want me to marry you, is this some kind of joke?” I asked.

“No, my wife is long gone, my kids are far away, I feel lonely and need a companion, I know am old but I can make you happy Chisomo I can have you and your twins and take care of all of you till you are okey.” He moved closer I had to flinch back

“Hear my cry and marry me when all this is over. Over the week I have fallen for you” the old man went on confessing his love for me I was left tongue tied.

“What is wrong with all the men I find? “ I asked myself

“I cannot have any man near me, they spoil everything confessing love. It all started with Mario, then Jay now this old man?” I asked myself looking out the window.

“Chisomo, just think about it, I love you” the man went on and I could not hear any more, I run outside and went to hide behind some trees crying myself out. Wondering how on earth I was going to get the help I needed when the man I had trusted to help had just broken the last piece of my hope.

“My God what is wrong with me or is it the men I find in my life?” I asked myself. It was now late and it was getting dark by the time I decided to walk back to the farm house. Col had left I didn’t find his vehicle.

“Mrs. Phiri, where is the boss?” I asked the lady as she walked to the kitchen.

“He left” she smiled at me holding a basin with vegetables.

“He left?” I asked.

“Yes, he said he will be back late though, something like he wants to clear his mind” she nodded her head.

“Oh okey” I responded walking on to the room which had become my bedroom.

“By the way, he looks sad, is anything the matter?” she asked,

“No” I responded sharply then stopped to look at her.

“I mean, I don’t know for sure Mrs. Phiri, how I can know. I thought you knew the old man well enough” I responded sounding as casual as possible.

“well I know him that is why am asking, since you came here, the man has been so happy, he works more, he is more cheerful, it is like you brightened his life “ she spoke with a smile.

“Oh I see” I tried to smile back and past her. I sat down holding my head lost in thoughts. Wondering how I was going to get back my kids without having anyone else hurt in the process, I honestly felt like a curse at the moment.

To be continued

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