My Ex-boyfriends Friend – Episode 10

MY EX-BOYFRIENDS FRIEND – Episode 10
A story by Kennedy C Katongo

I didn’t know who I was anymore, filled with frustration I didn’t know how to respond to the Facebook posts and comments.
-3 WEEKS LATER-
Days gave no chance to any man, I had stayed at my house for 2 weeks straight, it was only in the third week that I would go out and also take walks.
Major kept me company, from time to time he would send me photos of the short movie he was creating for his exam. And like always, he would encourage me to let the past be.
“You can’t lock yourself up forever, how will you make a difference that way? You need to face reality head on.” He would say.
“Thats easy said than done, the whole Zambia has lost trust in me.” that’s the thing that bothered me, and that’s how I would answer every time.
Like a joke, Major would come closer to the camera and in a calm whisper… He would say, “If life gives you lemons, make some lemonade out of it. Learn to make the problem work for you.” He would say cocksure.
I wished I had the type of confidence he had, but nope, fear had found its way.
My boss commanded that I go to the hospital, maybe I would be given some mood stabilizers, after a strong battle within myself… Trying had to respond to what will people think?
Won’t it go viral again? The fact that am now doomed and depressed.
.
.
.
“Excuse me nurse, am asking for Doctor Mwanza’s office.” I asked. She wasn’t polite enough and gave no proper help.
I decided to walk back to the reception as I could not recall the location of her office.
“Hey! How are you” I said downheartedly.
“Hello sir, how may I help you?” She asked as she gave her glasses a push and finally looked at me.
“Am kindly asking for help, where can I find Dr Mwanza’s office?”
“Huh; which Dr Mwanza?” She asked.
“What do you mean by which Dr Mwanza?” I questioned her.
“Sir you need to calm down. I want you to help me serve you better.” She answered.
“I am calm, am looking for the female Dr Mwanza.” I responded.
The lady seemed to not even care as I asked her, without looking at me, she typed a few things on her laptop, looked at me and did the same thing again.
“Do you have an appointment?” She then asked me.
I knew were she was going with that question, and I knew very well that I had to lie for me to just go through.
“Yes I do, can you just give me the damn directions please!”
“Is everything okay here?” A voice of another lady asked.
Before I could attempt to answer her I turned to see who it was. It was Dr Mwanza.
“He was asking for directions to your office, he says he has an appointment with you.” The old lady said. She was a pain in the butt, serious face and good at what she did.
“It’s okay, his a patient of mine.” She said as she signed into a big blue book.
“Follow me.”
I didn’t need to be told twice, with her white white lab coat she walked her way down the corridor with me trailing behind her.
°=°=°=°=°
“I don’t like what you doing…” Angel said as I walked in.
Since the previous day, this was my return home.
“Am okay, don’t worry.” I said as I threw myself on the chair.
“How dare you tell me not to worry! Have you heard yourself? Sisters don’t do that. I don’t like this path you taking.” Angel said with her voice raised.
Even though I never gave her a glance, I could tell she was pissed and was about to make hell rain on me.
“Let me bath and will talk about it…” with that said I stood up, barely walking I managed to drag myself to my room.
It was only 12hrs and I was drunk.
.
.
.
After having my bath, I desired to take a nap, but again I knew that would have only made things worse between me and Angel. She never liked to be ignored, trust me, I learnt it the hard way from her.
For that reason I walked into the living room and sat on the floor with her. I wasn’t a baby, but I surely knew how to behave as one.
With my heard on her laps, I said, “I don’t know how to say this. But the truth is am really hurting. At times I try not to think about what Kalaba did but I can’t help myself.”
“There is nothing wrong to have loved and lost, because from that you have come out with a memorable experience, something you can share with other ladies to make them strong.” She smiled as she spoke, “Besides you said it yourself that many of these ladies are suffering in their marriages.”
“I heart you. You always make things seem so simple. I feel like I have failed myself though.” I said placidly.
“I won’t dispute with that, you failed the moment you started associating yourself with Chanda…” Before she could continue I objected which lead to her shushing me.
“I understand his a great fashion designer, but the guy is no good. All he does is just have you try on his cloths for free and take photos”
“Aaah Angel!” I exclaimed.
“Am just saying the truth, even in all of Kalaba’s foolishness he never allowed you to sleepover at someone else’s house. Because of Chanda you now take alcohol… I don’t like such a life mwanda.” Angel said seriously.
“You making it sound like we never use to drink and club.” I responded.
“We use to do that, but what did we gain from it? If alcohol is going to make you miserable then you have no right taking it.”
“When did you start sounding like Granny?” I asked Angel.
After giving me a heart felt lecture, both Angel and I got glued to the television as we watched ‘Justic League’. I made up my mind that I would tell Chanda to stay away from me, he had promised to connect me to big names which hadn’t happened in the last 3 weeks I had been around him.
“Kalaba’s mother wants to see me,” Angel said out of the blues.
“Why does she want to see you? It’s not like she hasn’t seen you before.” I said.
“Am not sure, but it’s Captain who told me so. I don’t want to come between Captain and his family. Moreover I never ask their son for money, he just brings on his own.” Angel sighed.
“At least you even let then take the baby. God knows, if it was me… I wouldn’t dare. I wouldn’t even think of leaving him with them.”
My reaction as I spoke sent Angel into another one of her laughing zones. I mean, she easily laughed and got cracked up.
“By the way how is Mwango?” She asked as she tried to control herself.
“I don’t know, we hardly communicate these days. Things have just changed between us… Personally I feel there is some sort of emotional-gap between the two of us.”
“You mean, you guys don’t click anymore…?” she asked.
“Don’t put it that way, it doesn’t sound nice. But I guess yeah. You can can say that.” I responded regretfully.
“What can a brother do, your display photo is filled with you and Chanda.lol”
“That’s not funny Angel. Not funny!”
“Nothing is ever funny with you Kutemwa.”
°=°=°=°=°
Dr Mwanza was in her own world. Once we reached her office she offered me a seat.
“So, what do you have to tell me such that you even had to lie.” She said as she sat down.
“I don’t know, I feel like something bad is about to happen, I feel myself becoming antisocial and over thinking stuff.” I answered.
“Kalaba, have you heard of ’Withdraw symptoms’ before?” She asked me.
“Not really, but I think I can make out the meaning.”
“Withdraw symptoms come when a person abstains from that thing that gives them excitement and in other instances pleasure.” She said.
He voice was a melody, from word to word she would pause to smile. I noticed this was just her being herself.
“But I don’t remember stopping anything.” I said.
“Anything is a vast word Mr Kalaba.” She responded.
“Please, you can just call me Kalaba.”
“Okay Mr Ka… My bad, okay Kalaba.” She smiled, “The thing is, people isolate themselves when they lose something that made sense to them…”
“Are you a Psychologist? Because you sounding like one.”
“You didn’t come here to ask me what profession am in, I can write down a prescription for you…” before she could finish I humbly cut her short.
“Am sorry, I didn’t mean to sound offensive.”
“You didn’t, I just hate unnecessary questions from my patients.”
My conversation with Dr Mwanza lasted another 20 minutes, she asked me question after question and finally grabbed a piece of paper.
“I will write you something, if you don’t feel better after a week you can come and one of the doctors will check on you.” She said.
With two long strokes from her pen, she zigzaged her way to the bottom of the piece of paper.
“Here, you can get this at the Pharmacy, go down the hall, keep you left, you will find a burner with further directions. Thank you.” She said as she handed me the paper. I had nothing to say but thank you as I left her office, I had never thought I would see a day when a lady would treat me with such an attitude, cold and vivid as the night.
It was as though I was invincible to her.

TO BE CONTINUED…