The Housemates – Episode 9

THE HOUSEMATES – Episode 9

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

I ALMOST ABORTED

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Max’s eyes popped when he heard her say she read his post. Even after she returned to class, she had suddenly made an imprint on Max.

Once he reached the staffroom, Samuel wasn’t there. Regardless of how talkative and liked Max was, he always found it hard to hold conversations with people he wasn’t used with. The staffroom was filled mostly by Maluba’s group, the newbies even though she wasn’t there.

“You seem to be in Mars right now.” Samuel commented as he stood in front of Max. Behind him was a young lady, a pupil. She had brought a hip of books that needed marking.

“What were they righting this time around?” Max laughed as he saw the books.

As the one girl was putting the books on the table, Samuels space to be exact, she gave Max a smile and waved at him, “Hi Sir.” She said as she left.

“What just happened apapene (right now)?” Samuel asked with a frown.

“You pupil said hi, what else happened?” Max said without giving it much thought.

“Man, you so smart and yet so damn when it comes to reading body and sign language.” Samuel sat next to his friend, “Listen, that girl just hit on you.” He said in a whisper.

“Thats madness man, I know when a girl is flirting. All she did was say hi.” Max commented as he got one of the pupils books to check what they were working on.

“You know what, next time you talking to a girl. Just try and look at her for once. That’s all I ask.” Samuel said as he put his hands together.

Just as they were talking Maluba walked in. She looked at Max who was engaged in a story he was reading from the exercise book he had gotten.

“Max! Your neighbor is here.” Samuel whispered.

“Shush.” You don’t need to make it look obvious that we talking about her.

“I think she already knows.” Samuel responded.

“What you m-e-a-n…” Just as Max paused to look at his friend Maluba was standing in front of him.

“Sorry to disturb you. Asking if you might be found with change for K100.” She said. This time she was a bit polite, maybe it was because the class she went to on her first day sucked the arrogance out of her.

“I think I have… ” Samuel jumped in quickly. He got his wallet and pulled out two K50 notes. For some reason, Both Maluba and Samuel kept their eyes locked on each other. It was like non of them cared about the money for a split second.

“Thanks a lot. You a life saver.” Maluba said as smiled warmly at Max’s friend.

“I think I like her.” Samuel said as he watched her walk away to join her friends.

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“That guy hasn’t stopped looking at you.” One of the girls Maluba was going out with said as they met.

“Which guy…?” She asked.

“The one who gave you change.” She responded.

“He seems to be a flirt.” She giggled as they walked out of the staffroom.

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“You can’t just change someone money and fall for them. It doesn’t work like that.” Max laughed. His eyes still focused on the book.

“Am guessing you haven’t head of love at first sight homie.” Samuel responded with a laugh.

“You are the one who told me to always order food that fits me. And right now, you over doing it, you ordering more food than you can eat.” Max commented.

“What the heck are you reading?” Samuel asked Max.

“This kid is good. She has written about her grandmother’s cooking skills.” He laughed once again as he closed the book and looked at Samuel who seemed serious about Liking Maluba.

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I ALMOST ABORTED

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“Its just been 2 years, I don’t get why his so freaked out about the whole thing. Their is still time for us to have children, his just 29 years.” Chongolo laughed.

“At least give him the real thing.”

“Nope, so that he gets me pregnant on purpose. Nakana (I’ve refused)!” She objected strongly.

Nyambe laughed, she knew how crazy Chongolo could get at times. Looking at what she had accomplished from the little time she began doing business, it make much sense if she thought having children would slow her down.

Nyambe use to be the same way, she also thought she would travel to South Africa and even Dubai for her business but things changed the minute she found out she was pregnant.

Before she told her boyfriend about it, She went to Doctor Yhu for a scan. She was prepared to have an abortion at all costs. To make matters worse her boyfriend could always talk about how he wasn’t ready to settle because he had a lot of things he had to do.

“Ho-w long have you know?” Dr Yhu asked Nyambe as he was scanning.

“I have been okay, keep just began feeling nauseated last week on saturday. Then this week the vomiting started.” She responded.

“I see. You say- you want abortion, that not possible.” The medium height Chinese Doctor said as he tried his best to construct his English properly.

“What you mean, why? If it’s money you want I will pay.” Nyambe said as tears kissed her cheeks.

She was now traumatized. The thought of what people would say, not only that but her parents who were very strict and spoke ill of the young women who had been knocked up.

“Please Doctor, My friend recommended you. She said you good. I can’t have a child right now. Am not ready.” She cried.

“The thin’ is, you 3 months preg-nant. Not only… Not just that, you have two. Twins!. I think… the reason you not know early is because you not have pre-pregnancy sickness like most women do. And also fat, You big already so pregnancy no show.” Dr Yhu explained.

Nyambe cried, She was now certain that her boyfriend would demand that she keeps the pregnancy. After all, he always wanted to have twins.

She sat with Chongolo and imagined how different her life would have been if she never got pregnant in the first place.

“You deep in thought. What are you thinking about?” Chongolo asked her.

“Am thinking about the time I wanted to drop my pregnancy.” Nyambe responded.

“Oh! I remember when you came home after coming from the doctor. You looked a mess.” Chongolo laughed.

“Thats true. I was afraid of being rejected by Bashi Mpundu. You know how he would talk about not being ready for marriage and all that. At times I feel like I trapped him in this marriage.” Nyambe commented.

“Don’t think such. The Rock is a good man. I don’t think he would have ditched you.” Chongolo commented.

“Ah! these men, you can never be to sure. I mean, just look at the number of single mothers right now, most of them are suffering in silence. Their once upon a time beloved man can’t even send money for the child. That is what scared me.” Nyambe spoke calmly, “Being a single mother who has a good is good. Noti (Not) you a school dropout and then baby daddy denies you… eh! Life is hard boi (friend).” She added.

Nyambe encouraged Chongolo to think about how she had been treating Peter. She went on to tell her not to take him for granted just because he was kind and took her easily.

“Family members talk, if he was to tell his family what was going on in your marriage. You wouldn’t like what would come next.” Nyambe warned her.

“I just don’t know Nyambe. I try to get myself to the point of having a child but I just can’t pull it through. Not right now at least. But I will definitely think about it boss.” She smiled.

“You better do. Make the man happy.” Nyambe giggled as they both laughed.

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On the other side of the day, Bwalya was home alone walking up and down in the kitchen cooking in advance before he could leave for work around 12 hours.

That’s when he remembered he hadn’t told Max what he had done, he got his phone and immediately dropped his pal a text.

BWALYA: “911.”

°°°°°TO BE CONTINUED°°°°°