Not Another Love Story – Final Episode

NOT ANOTHER LOVE STORY

Episode – 40

#IVY
“Ma’am, is everything okay?” The attendant asked me.
“Yeah, I just need a bottle of water. Can I get one ticket to Dubai please?” I smiled.
“Sure… You can just help me with your NRC number.” She said warmly.

I gave her the number and watched as her face went from bright to pale in a snap.

“What! Is something wrong?” I asked her.
“Yes. But don’t worry, I will contact the manager and you can go to his office, he will be able to attend to you.” She said.
“I don’t understand. Why should I see your manager? Can’t you tell me what’s wrong?” I asked her.
“I’m not in the best place to do that ma’am.” She answered me.
“Just cut the ma’am crap. What the hell is going on! Talk to me, am here.” I lashed out at her.
“Your NRC number has been blacklisted… It means…”
“I know what that means. Damnit! That old man… I knew something was up.” I said as I got my bag and walked out.

“Mum! What has your husband done?” I asked her.
“What do you mean Ivy?” She asked me.
“He got me blacklisted with Proflight,” I told her.
“What!” “Let me talk to him…”
“What’s there to talk about? Just the other day he was all charming and agreed for me to leave the country and this is what he does… Why can’t I just be happy for once! It’s not fair.” I told her.
“Ivy, don’t go anywhere am coming to get you.” She said.

The story of life tells us that we will all die eventually. Well, that’s just part of it _ dearth is always behind us following patiently. In that moment of anger, when I was busy shouting at mum… It so happened that a car was approaching from the other side, people shouting and screaming but I couldn’t hear a thing and just when I got it… The next sound I heard was “Boom!”

“Somebody call an ambulance!” Those words echoed countless times until I couldn’t hear them anymore.
.
.
.
#ALLAN

“You’ve got to help me out, man. You know I was good to you and your family when I was on top.” I told him as he escorted me out of the office.
“I know… We will forever be grateful for that, Allan. Right now things are rough, I can’t make any promises _ especially ones that I can’t keep. When the old man comes in, I will surely put in a good word for you.” He told him.
“Stories Written is a great company. One of the top tier in the Zambian publication sector _ please man, talk to your dad for me. Am on the rocks right now.” I told him.

It was getting hot and tiresome, I still had a few letters left to drop. I didn’t think leaving my father’s shadow would make life so difficult for me. The cooperate world was a den of beasts, a rough path to navigate without a name to back you up.

Ivy is calling, huh! “Hello!”
“Hello, is this Allan?” A male voice asked me.
“Aah! I think so, what’s up?” I asked, a little confused.
“Good! Ivy has just been involved in an accident at the Airport…” I couldn’t let him finish… I was already moody.
“What do you mean she’s been involved in an accident, did she get hit by a plane?” I giggled.
“No, Sir. She was hit by a vehicle, you are listed as her emergency contact. Kindly come to Levy Hospital.” He said and hang up.
.
.
.
Life has a way of just making you feel useless at times and this was that time for me. I dropped my phone and began to shake, I didn’t know what to do anymore. Everything was just happening so fast.

“Sir! Are you okay?” The guard asked me. I watched as he picked up my phone and answered it.
“Hello… Yes, the owner of the phone is throwing a fit, he’s under shock right now.” I heard him say.

I couldn’t open my mouth, I knew what I wanted to say but it just couldn’t come out. A few minutes later, Lucas came rushing. Got me in the car and rushed me to a hospital in Cairo Road.

“What’s happening?”
“He seems to be under shock,” Lucas told the nurse as they rushed me to a room.
.
.
.
#LUCAS

‘Ivy’s mother keeps calling him. Maybe I should just pick up.’

“Hello!”
“Allan, where are you? Ivy has been hit by a car.” She cried.
“What! Mum, it’s me, Lucas… Allan is admitted at the hospital, he went through some sort of shock in the middle of the street.” I told her.
“My Lord. What is happening…” She cried out and hang up.

I now got the whole idea of what was going on. I immediately called his parents to alarm them of the situation that was happening.

#############
A WEEK LATER
#############

“Welcome back,” Lucas said as I walked in.
“Thanks.”
“So, how is she doing?”
“She’s much better. The Doctor says she will be discharged after a week.” I told him.
“That’s good news. I will have to visit her.” He said.
“When I saw her in there, all those machines beeping and the tubes, it was like a part of my soul had been crippled. I didn’t know what to do, all I could do was just look at her. I feel like all this was my fault…” I told him.
“Come on, we’ve already been through this. What happened to Ivy has nothing to do with you. Life just happened. You don’t have to blame yourself.” He comforted me.
“What can I think? Seriously, tell me, bro… If I wasn’t foolish enough to try and run away all this wouldn’t have happened.” I told him.
“We can never know. What you need to do is accept whatever has happened and find yourself in all this chaos. Am going to be with you. Am here for you bro.” He said as he tapped my back. “There is some food in the kitchen if you are hungry. Am going to meet up with Mutinta.” He added as he walked out.

I got my phone and called Mwape but her line was off. Without having a job to worry about, I dedicated the following days to find her.
.
.
.
#MWAPE
FOUR MONTHS LATER

“Hello… Hello! Is this Mwape?”
“Who am I talking to?” I asked.
“It’s me, Allan. Thank God I’ve found you.” He sobbed.
“Sorry, am busy. I can’t talk on the phone.” I told him.
“Don’t hang up… Please, am begging you.” He begged, a crack in the way he spoke could be heard.
“What is it?” I sighed.
“I know there is nothing I can say that will change what I made you go through. If I look back then, running away was the worst plan ever… I don’t blame you for walking out and deciding never to look back. After all, we are all human _ the weight of the world just becomes unbearable at times, not fighting seems like the best fight. I’ve been trying to get your line, I’ve spoken to that bookkeeper friend of yours but none of them could help me.” He said.
“Is that so, then how did you get my number?” I asked him.
“Lucas…” He giggled. I couldn’t help but laugh. It could only be him.

“I appreciate your effort. I’ve just come to terms with the truth, I can’t be with you. Your family _ they want someone who has a worthy background, a great education and all that… That, that just isn’t me. I’ve had to walk the wilderness to get to this point in my life and am not going to lose myself to become someone I ain’t. Am sorry, Allan.” I told him.
“I understand. So, Aaah! Is it true?” He asked. Hearing him break down and still act tough broke me.
“What do you mean?”
“I hear that you are pregnant. Is that true?” He asked calmly.
“Does it matter?”
“I know am not the best man, but then, even fools get the chance to know what’s happening.” He told him.
“Yes, am pregnant,” I responded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked me.
“You are seriously asking me that? Have you met your family? Am already the gold-digger from the ghetto, what will be the next title? Am after your families money. I don’t want that.” I told him.
“I get what you saying. But, I have every right to know!” He exclaimed.
“I have nothing more to say to you. Please, am begging you… Leave me alone. I just want to work hard for my family, I don’t want another love story. Am fed up.” I told him.

Without giving him the chance to reply, I cut the line and blocked him.

“Is everything alright?” Lucas asked me.
“You told him! What’s wrong with you?” I shouted at him.
“I swear, I’ve not told him anything. I just have him your line and cooked up a story of how I got it. Please!”
“If you plan on being my friend I expect you to shut up. You promised me you wouldn’t say a thing to him.” I told him.
“Am sorry, now can we go already? Everyone is waiting for you.” He noticed how stuffed I was, not planning to move an inch… He held my hand and pulled me.
.
.
.
It was still a puzzle for me on how Lucas found himself in Kasama. I was positive it was coincidental, but the more I thought about it… The less confident I became with my thoughts.

I know this isn’t the end of all this, after all, am carrying his child. The time isn’t certain, but I’ve got a bad feeling _ that feeling that says ‘am going to find you’.
I don’t know where this road am on is going to lead me. One thing is certain, it’s going to be crazy.

THE END!

KENNEDY C KATONGO