Beating The Odds – Episode 23

Beating The Odds – Episode 23

© Brian Ngoma
7:44pm

Cayn sat in his car outside Subway Cairo road. He had followed Tasha Ngoma and she was inside with a couple of friends having dinner. He had left his mother sleeping at the clinic and told the nurses in charge to call him if anything out of the ordinary happens to her. This was the first time in a while that he had something solid regarding his long lost sister and he was determined to get to the bottom of it all. He had already found her username on Facebook but her profile was set to private and there was none significant to what he wanted. It had been an hour or so since she got into the eatery and he was getting tired and hungry. He sagged his back against the seat and thought about what earlier happened between him and Sky that day. How he reacted to her bugged him but that was not important, knowing who Dr. Tasha Ngoma really was, was of vital importance.

At exactly 9pm, Tasha and her friends got out of the eatery. He watched them as they walked to the car they had come with. Like all women do, they couldn’t stop talking and laughing. All her friends entered the car but she didn’t. He watched her wave goodbyes to the friends and started off heading to a Taxi rank. She got into the Taxi and it started off. He followed the Taxi and he was surprised where she was driven to; Hollywood City, one of the famous and notorious clubs in the city. What would she be doing here? He asked himself as he watched her walk to the entrance. She said something to the door bouncer smiling at him and entered. He parked his car and got out. When he got out, he looked at himself, still wearing the clothes he had worn when he went to the police station and the head sock. He got to the entrance and entered.

The club was not packed been that it was a Tuesday. There were only a few people here and there talking, laughing and having some beers peacefully. He didn’t see Tasha but he knew she was still in the club. He decided to sit at the far end of the counter. He ordered a lager and waited.

Coming out of the hallway was Tasha scratching her eye. Once he saw her, he knew she was from the ladies, she walked to he counter and grabbed a sit. He watched her order a cider. From the way she talked to the Bartender, he could discern she was a regular. Perhaps, she’s waiting for her boyfriend or friends. Why would she come to a club alone? An hour passed and she was still alone. She had drunken three Ciders by now and she seemed tired. Cayn was getting confused but he decided not to intrude.

After a while, a man joined her. He was now sure that she was waiting for someone. He decided to leave the club and continue his investigation the following day. Just as he was about to stand, he heard Tasha shout at the man. “Leave me alone, i told you i don’t want!”

Cayn bolted. Everyone’s eyes in the club shifted to her and the man. He tried to grab her hand but she slapped him. He was furious he grabbed her by her top and shook her. He wanted to slap her when Cayn got hold of his hand. “Don’t you dare?” his eyes glowed with fury.

“She’s a slut man,” the man protested.

“Mr. Simfukwe!” Tasha exclaimed.

“Let go of her now,” Cayn ordered the man.

“Or what?”

“Sorry,” Cayn said before punching the man in the face he fell to the ground and didn’t get up. “Let’s go,” he dragged Tasha.

“What are you doing here Mr. Simfukwe?” she asked as he led her outside.

He took her to his car and stood her by the door. She was wasted and couldn’t even stand properly. He wondered why a descent lady like her would stoop herself so low. “Where do you stay?” he asked her.

“I don’t want to go home,” she answered almost falling down.

He quickly held her and placed her back against his car. “It’s late, you have to go home and you are really drunk.”

“I don’t want.”

He nodded his head and opened his car door and slowly helped her to get into the car. He walked to the driver’s door and entered. “Tell me where your place is i drive you there.”

She started dosing in the seat. He shook her and yelled at her. “Tasha!”

Scared, she said, “Okay Okay, do you have to be such a douche about it?” she rolled her eyes. “My place is just around the corner, Villa.”

Cayn started the car and asked. “Address?”

“Plot 234 opposite Villa Executive Lodge,” she said closing her eyes.

“Hey Hey Hey don’t you sleep on me,” he turned on his sound system to full blast.

She opened her eyes and looked at him annoyingly. “What’s wrong with you? Did i ask you to take me home? What were you doing at the club? I thought you were taking care of your mother.”

“I could ask you the same questions. Don’t sleep on me.”

They all went silent with Cayn concentrating on getting her home and thinking about ways in which he could engage her conversationally and let her spill out some information.

“I admire how you care about the wellbeing of your mother though. A few men do that. A lot of them are scumbags.”

“Is that the reason you went to a club alone?” he looked at her. “A man?”

“No No No No, I am a lesbian,” she laughed. “I am just kidding,” she reached for the compartment.

“Don’t touch anything,” he shouted at her.

“What the hell’s wrong with you man? Chill Mr. Simfukwe and No it’s not because of a man that i went to the club, it’s my parents.”

“Your parents?” he was startled.

“Yes, my parents,” she looked at the window.

“What about them?”

“I am tired of them pressuring me to find someone to marry me. Come on, Can’t a girl just have a career and no one to pressure her around to get married? I hate this society.”

Cayn blurted out. “You must be kidding, right? Is that the reason you are drowning in misery with alcohol?”

“Don’t laugh at me. You wouldn’t know you are not a woman. My young sisters are married and i am not. They put a lot of pressure i feel like evaporating,” she groaned.

“Sad, are they your………….” he paused thinking about how sensitive the question was.

“Biological parents?” she finished the question for him. “Yes they are but i hate them as it stands. If it’s mom, she’s been calling me all night, look at the number of missed calls,” she showed him her phone. “Who calls someone 32 times Huh.”

Cayn’s hopes were shattered. This Tasha had biological parents which were both alive and well. Perhaps, she was never told, he thought. He looked at her and she was staring at a picture on her phone. “What is that?”

She looked at him and smiled. “Even though i hate them sometimes, i love them but they just get on my nerves,” she showed him a picture.

It was a baby and her parents on the photo. “Who is this?”

“That’s me when i was a baby with my them. everytime I’m upset with them, i look at this. It calms me down.”

He turned his eyes to the road and almost dropped a tear. It was another dead end. He was fed up. He was done with his sister, Tasha. Wherever she was, he didn’t care. He only needed to take care of Mayi now.

“That’s my house there,” she pointed at it.

He parked his car and got out. He opened the door for her and helped her get out. He led her to the gate and as he was about to knock, the gate opened. It was Tasha’s parents. “Who are you?” the father asked.

“He’s my coworker dad?” she answered, “Mr. Simfukwe thank you, goodnight,” she passed her parents with her mother following her.

Cayn turned around and walked to his car. When he opened the door, Tasha’s father called him. He stood while he walked to him. “Yes sir.”

“Thank you for bringing her home safely. She’s been having some troubles lately with work and life. She’s just so young and all these pressure is driving her insane. Been 24 has proven to be difficult for her.”

Another sign hit him in his face. She was not his sister. His sister couldn’t be 24, he thought as he looked at the old man talk. Tasha was probably 26 or 27 from the information he had on his hands. “Stop pressuring her to get married,” he said as the old man gaped. “Yes, you heard correctly, just stop and you will see she will be fine. She’s an intelligent hard working young lady, she deserves space. Let her do things at her own pace and when the right time comes for her to get married, you won’t even ask. Goodnight sir,” he entered his car and drove out of the street.

Disappointment was all over his face, he felt like crying or screaming but he couldn’t. He felt a huge lamp on his throat he wanted it to go away but it didn’t. He needed to talk to someone and there was only one person he could talk to. He grabbed his phone and dialed Sky’s number. It was off. He tried her other line, it was equally off. “She’s mad at me,” he said out loudly. “I will just have to go to her.”

He reached Sky’s place and found the gate locked. He was desperate. He needed her. He had no option but to gate crush. He climbed the wall fence and got into the yard effortlessly. He walked to Sky’s flat and found the door opened. He checked the time and it was 01:44. He felt his heart rate increase. He pushed the door and found her laying in a pool of blood just by the door to her bedroom. He hurriedly ran to her. “Sky!” he shouted her name.

“Cayn,” she opened her eyes.

“Yes baby it’s me i am here, what happened?” he held her in his arms. “Who did this?”

“You chased me when i needed to be by your side,” she sobbed.

“I was stupid, i am sorry, who did this?”

“Let’s leave the country Cayn,” she softly said. “Let’s leave everything behind.”

“Tell me who did this to you.”

“Franklin.”

“That son of ………….” he breathed out heavily. “He’s dead and buried.”

“No Cayn, let’s just leave. There is so much happening that you don’t know.”

He got up with her in his arms and headed for the door.

“The police know what you are Cayn.”

He stopped and looked at her. She nodded. “What?”

“They know everything. The underground and everything. Boadi has definitely caught up now. Let’s leave the country. You, me and your mother before it’s too late, please,” she coughed.

He was confused. He looked at Sky in his arms badly beaten. He wanted justice for her and he was going to get it, but the cops were on to him and dangerously closing in. Since he was not caught yet, he knew they had no solid evidence on him. That would give him time to get Franklin and leave the country.

Earlier that night around 8pm, Shekinah parked her car in her home garage. She sighed as she walked to the door to her house. She opened it and was welcomed by a lovely joyful voice. “Mommy Mommy.”

“Yes my boy,” she hugged the boy. “How are you my prince?”

“I am fine mommy, i miss you,” the boy smiled. “Daddy too.”

“Hey love,” a husky sexy voice said in the kitchen.

“Hi baby,” she walked to the kitchen. “Cooking right?” she walked to him and hugged him from behind.

“You will get us electrocuted,” he laughed. “How’s been your day?”

“Crimes as usual,” she grabbed a sit and sat while watching him cook. She considered herself lucky. She married the nicest guy. “How was work?”

“Same, i knocked off early today. Around 12pm,” he answered.

“12pm?”

“Yes, i went to get your Prince from school and we went out.”

“Hmmm love, he doesn’t knock off at 12pm.”

“I wanted to have some bonding time with my son,” he laughed.

They had dinner and after getting done, they all washed the plates and went to bed. Shekinah and her husband sat in the bed talking about how their days were and made plans for the following day. When they were about to turn of the lights, a small knock on the door startled them. It was their son, he entered and got on the bed. “What is it my Prince?” she asked him.

“We forgot to pray,” the little boy said.

“Okay pray,” his father said smiling.

“Let’s pray,” he said in his little voice. “Dear Father in heaven, thank you for this day and thank you for giving me wonderful parents.”

Shekinah and her husband looked at each other with pride.

The boy continued. “God please protect my uncle Kani wherever he is in Jesus name. Amen!”

“Amen.”

Shekinah looked at the boy with teary eyes. “You never forget to pray for your uncle.”

“How can i forget Mayi?” the boy smiled at her. “Don’t worry Mayi we will find him. When i grow up, i will be an investigator, i will find him for you.”

Shekinah couldn’t help but drop tears. Her husband held her into his arms. “It’s time to sleep,” he kissed the boy and off he went.

“Kani!” Shekinah called the boy.

“Yes Mayi,” he answered.

“I will find your uncle.”

“Okay Mayi, goodnight.”

“God knows have tried,” she sobbed in her husband’s arms. “Not a day passes by without thinking of him. I let my brother down Trey,” she looked up to him. “When i was told that Mayi passed away, i was so guilty engraved the only thing that got me going was hope to find my brother. I couldn’t fail mother but i failed them both.”

“No you didn’t honey, you were young and a lot of things were out of your control. You will definitely find your brother. You’ve come a long way to give up now.”

“I have searched everywhere. Sometimes i think he’s dead. Why did i leave him at that orphanage? And to think of the people that adopted him were criminals, i get sick Trey,” she cried even more. I have done so much in trying to find him. The only thing i have of him is that old picture i was given at the orphanage, it hurts me i tell you.”

“I know, get some rest now,” he said laying her on the bed and they slept.

At 1am sharp, her phone rang. She woke up and it was Detective Boadi. She was surprised and annoyed. “Detective Boadi, it’s 1 in the morning, this better be good.”

“Hear me out please, this is the best news ever, that gun that was found at the crime scene in Kabwe.”

“Yes.”

“You wouldn’t believe who it belongs to.”

“Who?”

“Cayn Simfukwe.”

“What?”

“Yes.”

“But how?”

“We are about to find out. This is it Chief, we have him now.”

“True, this is it. We take him down dead or alive.”

To be continued

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