IS THIS LOVE Episode – 11

IS THIS LOVE – Episode 11

A story by Kennedy C Katongo 

 

SILENCE THAT HURTS

The following day Matimba was silent. Sunday came and the. Monday, my first shift was started at 17hrs. I remember rushing to the room to chance my clothes, got a two buns and made a saturated solution of sugar and eat fast. It was already 16:30, I didn’t want to be late and that made me rush.

When I arrived at work, everyone was busy walking around with trays and others with small note books.

“Are you the new guy?” A chubby guy like this asked me, I almost jumped, I haven’t noticed him standing at the corner of the counter.

“Yes I’m.” I cleared my throat to add a little bit of strength to my voice.

“Go to the back and ask for Lydia. She will orient you on what’s needed and were you will be working from at the moment.” He said, there was a serious look on his face, it didn’t take me time to conclude he was more of the incharge and made sure everyone was doing their work.

I walked by the counter as I found myself at the back of the store. That’s was where all the M&B magic happened. Frying pans, pots on the stove, plates on the sink and a lot of food to be cooked. There was even a line with papers hanged on them. I never got close to read what was on the paper but I assumed I knew because two guys kept looking at them from time and again.

“Excuse me Sir. Am looking for Lydia.” I told one of them.

“Lydia! The new kid is here.” He called out. ‘What! Did he just call me kid to my face?’ I thought to myself in a marathon.

“You can go outside you will find her.” He ordered.

‘outside… I thought I would be serving tables and making tips.’ my smiling face went off.

When I got outside, my eyes were taken, I had just seen beauty in person. Lydia was beautiful. She wasn’t slim nor chubby… She was just there… Her height was between tall and medium and she was light in complexion.

Even though I was rushing to meet her, it felt as though I was walking way to slow.

“Hello… Chileshe right?” She asked as she gave off a warm smile.

“Yes… Yes.”

“That’s good. I was put to speed on your situation and for the time being I will be the one monitoring you till the time you get to serve tables and wait on people.” She spoke word after word and her voice was so calm, made me feel like I was listening to a therapist.

“Are we together so far?” She asked me. I guess she might have noticed how glued and absent minded I looked.

“Am following.”

“So… We can start with the boxes for the vegetables and then the lattice will follow. When you done here, let me know and I will show you around.”

That was how work began for me, by lifting boxes every day.

A week had gone by and I hadn’t heard from Matimba. I would see her online but I restrained myself from texting her since I had already left her a bunch of messages which she hadn’t responded too.

The best I could do was keep my cool and just wait for a miracle to hit. Work had been of great help, it meant that I had no time to infatuate about her and break my own heart for thinking too much about a relationship that only existed in my imagination.

I convinced myself it was just a moment and there was nothing more too it, after all, situation are the layers that made it possible for us humans to even think of things such as ‘love at first site.’

It was on a Friday. I had not made any friends at work even though I now managed to talk to everyone once in a while. I was lucky to do the morning shift, the only lecture I was having was going to start at 14hrs.

I sat in the kitchen with the cook as I eat some expensive food that I couldn’t pronounce. Him and I usually saw eye to eye on a lot of things.

“So what do you think of Lydia?” He asked me. He was busy cutting some biscuits as he spoke.

“About Lydia? Why do you ask?” I giggled nervously.

“Just that I’ve noticed how you look at her.”

“Me! No… I don’t look at her.” I laughed nervously. I couldn’t believe that the way I looked at her was so obvious to people.

“It’s okay bro. You don’t need to get uncomfortable. Lydia is a diamond, it would mean you are gay if you didn’t notice her.” He laughed. I was sweating everywhere and couldn’t even catch the joke.

“I can tell you this. If you not planning on doing something about it then you better just stop day dreaming. Very important.” He said as he sprinkle a bit of floor on the pan and began to place the flower shaped biscuits on the pan.

“Don’t be busy. You telling me Lydia is single?” I asked.

“I didn’t say she’s single. I just meant it’s better to have your feelings expressed than holding them back. You never know, it might just be you lucky season.” He got the pan and took it to the oven. His words, though not filled with hope did make sense.

So that day, when my shift was over, I got my things and left for campus in a hurry. When I got to the room I found my friend had just left. Thank goodness he had cooked something.

I got my phone and went on Messenger…

CHILESHE: ‘Am not really sure if I misunderstood what was going on between us that day we met. Despite that, I thought you and I had a connection and that’s why I’ve been trying to get to know more of you as I can.’

I hit hesitated to hit the send button. Till I just pressed it, after all, I had nothing to lose. I placed the phone on the bed and went to take a quick shower, the one water one soap kind of shower. When I returned I found she had replied.

MATIMBA: ‘Sorry I haven’t replied to any of your messages. It’s just that am tired of going round in circles and being hurt every time I try to open up to someone. You seem like a good guy, but that’s just the side of you that you’ve shown me.’

CHILESHE: ‘We are all humans. I don’t mind us being friends for the time being – that will make it easy for you to know me. It’s not like am asking for marriage… Lol.’

MATIMBA: ‘I will think about it and then get back to you. Your suggestion sounds good though. Am guessing you started work, how’s it going?’

CHILESHE: ‘Its going well. It’s not something am used too but it’s good.’

MATIMBA: ‘That is good to hear. Am sure you will get used to the system soon. It’s all about paying attention. What are you up too?’

I began my sentence by saying ‘am from bathing’ and then had to delete it cause it just sounded wrong in my head.

She asked me a lot of questions at once, I could tell she was trying to make it up for leaving me on seen.

MATIMBA: ‘What are you doing after class?’

CHILESHE: ‘I have nothing planned. Will just be at the room I guess. Why?’

MATIMBA: ‘I’ve you heard of Ken’s Pub and Grill?’

CHILESHE: ‘Yes I have. It’s got to be the one at Northmead market if am not mistaken.’

MATIMBA: ‘Yes, that same one. If you can manage coming there we can link up. My friend and her man are having a party.’

CHILESHE: ‘Sure thing. I will let you know once am done with class.’

That moment was where she needed to ask me if I drunk alcohol or not but nope! She didn’t. I got dressed up, had a piece of sausage from the pot and was off to class. It seemed like the big mans advise had worked after all.

What was going to come was something I didn’t know, but I was ready to see how things would unfold.

 

To be continued…