Beating the Odds episode 12

Beating The Odds – Episode 12
 
© Brian Ngoma
 
As soon as they got to the Lady’s house located in Chilanga, she called her personal doctor and had herself checked. Kani refused to be checked. In fact, he refused to do anything he was told until she suggested a bath for him and some food. His face beamed at the sight of food. The lady knew he was hungry but he had to wash up. She told Yohane to help him out but he refused. Yohane only took him to the bathroom where he waited for him to finish up. The lady came with a trousers and t shirt both sizes of him. He was surprised because from the time he had reached the house, he never saw any young boy his age.
 
“Don’t be shy, eat,” the lady said observing him when he was eating.
 
He dag in. He had not had a decent meal in the last 24 hours and the food was well prepared. The only person he knew who cooked that nice was Veronica. His face got sad when he thought of her.
 
“What’s wrong?” the lady asked.
 
He stopped eating. “I am full.”
 
“Are you sure?”
 
“Yes.”
 
“Okay let’s talk now,” the lady said.
 
He shifted uneasily. He was dreading that but it was inevitable. The lady was a stranger to him and so was he to her.
 
“I’ll start,” she sat upright. “My names are Thelma Simfukwe. What are yours?”
 
“I am nobody,” he answered looking around the house.
 
She laughed and said, “You can’t be nobody, you have to have a name that your parents gave you.”
 
He looked at her blankly and said nothing.
 
“Okay I’ll call you John Doe for a while,” she smiled.
 
“What’s a John Doe?” he asked.
 
“Since i don’t know your name and you don’t want to help me, so in the meantime I’ll call you John Doe. It means not having an identity like you call yourself ati Nobody.”
 
He looked away.
 
“So what were you doing at the middle of the night?” she asked. “Where those men with you?”
 
He nodded in refusal.
 
“Okay why are you afraid of the police? And when you saw that officer come you got scared, what is it? Did you kill somebody?”
 
“No i did not,” He answered defensively.
 
“Listen John Doe, you have to help me out here. You helped me and what you did was extraordinary. Facing those two grown up men for me, that’s something i can never forget. I owe you but help me out here. I don’t want to keep a murderer here. So tell me the truth.”
 
He raised his head to look at her. He observed her wrinkled face and could see she only meant well. He saw the way she looked at him, it was sincere and she only wanted to help him. He had to tell her and he did. He told her everything that by the time he was done, she was in tears. She looked at him and called him to sit beside her. She held him close. “It’s going to be okay.”
 
He felt at home. In her hands he felt safe. She let go of him and said. “Would you like to see your mother?”
 
“How? I don’t even know her name,” he said sobbing.
 
 
“Don’t worry about that, from what you have told me. The best place to go is the orphanage. I can find everything there.”
 
He had never dreamt of a day where he would see Mayi again. “I am scared,” he said. “I am a bad boy, Mayi won’t be happy to see me. I have done a lot of bad things.”
 
“That’s why you have to change. We won’t go now but you have to start school so that you have something to tell her, wouldn’t that be nice?”
 
“I don’t like school,” he frowned. “I don’t want it.”
 
“Every child has to go to school. Will you tell me your name now?” she asked.
 
“No,” he answered. “I am sorry but call me John Doe.”
 
A week later, Kani and Thelma got close. Kani was always helping out at the house. He even saw some pictures of a young boy which were everywhere. He wanted to ask who the boy was but failed. One day he gathered some courage when they were having lunch together with Yohane. “Thelma, who is the boy on the pictures?” he asked.
 
Yohane looked at Thelma. Thelma smiled. “That’s my grandson, he died two years ago when he was thirteen. Just like you.”
 
 
“Oh I am sorry,” Kani said.
 
“It’s fine John. He was a free spirited soul. Sadly, he was diagnosed with cancer and passed.”
 
“His parents?”
 
“They couldn’t take it. The grief was too much. They went to Australia saying everything here reminded them of their young son.”
 
There was silence each focusing on their plates. They all couldn’t eat, it was like a dark cloud had gone over their food. Kani wanted to stand up when the bell rang. He looked at Thelma and then Yohane.
 
 
“Don’t worry,” Yohane got up. “It’s probably the women who sell tomatoes.”
 
Yohane had been told about Kani and he liked the boy too. Him and Thelma had agreed not to mention him to anyone. It was their secret and he had brought some light in the house. It had been dull since the death of Thelma’s grandchild. Yohane walked to the door and opened it. “Afternoon officer,” he said loudly ensuring Thelma had heard.
 
Thelma quickly stood up and grabbed Kani’s hand and led him to her bedroom. “Don’t leave,” she ordered him.
 
As soon as she left the room, he followed her secretly. He saw her sit down next to Yohane and the officer. He couldn’t forget his face; it was the Blank shot officer. He had even named him that, ‘Blank Shot’.
 
“Officer,” Thelma said calmly. “To what do we owe this visit?”
 
“Sorry for the inconvenience madam,” Blank shot officer said. “How are you now?”
 
Thelma looked at him blankly.
 
“Oh sorry, i was there the day of the accident. I reached the scene when you had just left.”
 
“OHHH thanks i remember, i had to rush that day. I called my driver here to come pick me up,” she looked at Yohane who kept a smiley face. “Don’t tell me you have just come to check how iam faring officer,” she smiled.
 
Blank shot laughed. “That too,” he paused. “I’m investigating a robbery. A young boy probably 14 or 15 but with the things he does, one can think he’s 16,” he laughed, but saw Thelma and Yohane had expressionless faces. He composed himself and added. “My officers said you were with a boy the day of the accident who matched our description.”
 
“Yes,” Thelma answered.
 
Blank shots face beamed. Finally, he was getting somewhere. “Where he is he?”
 
“I didn’t say he’s the one officer,” she smiled. “That’s my grandchild.” She stood up and grabbed a photo from a table and handed it over to Blank shot.
 
He was in dismay. He grabbed the photo and saw the boy on the photo was totally different from what he had in mind. He had seen the boy he was after. He couldn’t get over what he had done, jumping to the edge of the fence and throwing himself to the other side. It haunted him. “Can i see your grandson?”
 
“I am sorry detective he travelled to Australia to join his parents,” Thelma answered.
 
“Thank you for your time madam. If anything, here is my card. Call me. The boy is still on the run. He’s considered armed and dangerous,” Blank shot stood up and shook Thelma and Yohane’s hands. As he turned around, he got the sight of the dining room and saw three plates on the table. He stopped. “I can see three plates on the table,” I thought you said you are only the two of you.”
 
Yohane and  Thelma looked at each other. Eavesdropping behind the door, Kani leaned against the wall scared.
 
 
To be continued