ECHOES OF LONELINESS episode 63 – 64

ECHOES OF LONELINESS

Part 63 – Broken Heart

[Two Months Later]

I finally gathered the courage to reply to Ayanda’s messages. She just couldn’t stop sending messages. I really don’t know what she wants me to do. It is already too late.

Me: Are you really talking to me after everything you did to me?

Ayanda: Wow, thanks for finally replying. I am sorry for everything. Believe me, I am now paying for my mistakes

Me: What’s going on?

Ayanda: Siyabonga is now a prisoner. My wh0le family fell apart. I lost my mom

Me: You lost your mom?

Ayanda: Yes. After everything that Siyabonga did, my mom suffered a heart attack. She was hospitalized for five months. We didn’t have money to pay her hospital bills so after five months, the hospital discharged her despite being weak. I tried so much to get the money but I couldn’t because our bank accounts are frozen. The rest of the family members did not help so they left me with my mom. Two weeks after my mom was discharged from the hospital, she passed on. I was alone, I had no one and I still don’t have anyone. A month later, the court gave a verdict. Siyabonga got ten years imprisonment so I don’t know how but I lost the house and everything else that belonged to Siyabonga. Apparently it had something to do with tax not being paid. It’s just a long story but it’s true that I lost everything

Okay, now I really feel like a monster. It is all my fault.

Me: So where do you stay?

Ayanda: I had some cash so I used all of it to get myself a one bedroom apartment

Me: Renting or…?

Ayanda: Yes, renting

Me: How do you now pay your rent?

Ayanda: I am working as a waitress at some local restaurant so I can pay my rent

Me: And school?

Ayanda: I finished school last year

Me: With what money?

Ayanda: Scholarsh¡p was never taken away from me

Me: That’s nice. So why don’t you look for a job?

Ayanda: I am looking for a job but the arrest of Siyabonga ruined everything for me

Me: Meaning?

Ayanda: His arrest was on TV

Me: You are lying, right?

Ayanda: No, I am not

Me: But why?

Ayanda: I don’t know. I guess it’s because he was a business tycoon

Me: I am really sorry for everything. I feel like it’s my fault

Ayanda: It’s not your fault. It was bound to happen

Me: Why do you say that?

Ayanda: You are going to hate me. Let it go

Me: Why would I hate you? I can never hate you no matter what

Ayanda: A year after you told me about Joseph, the orphanage and Siyabonga I found something and kept it to myself

Me: What is it?

Ayanda: Some papers, photos, and videos

Me: Of what?

Ayanda: How Siyabonga planned to kill your parents with The Samuels. Photos of Siyabonga with your father. The footage of your parents’ car accident that was planned by Siyabonga and the Samuels. I saw everything, Wame

Tears streamed down my face. When Adam mentioned how my parents were killed by the Samuels, he also mentioned the name Siya, I just didn’t know that he was talking about Ayanda’s father.

Me: Do you mean that?

Ayanda: Yes, I do

This means that I don’t have all the evidence. I truly did not know that Siyabonga had something to do with my parents’ death.

Me: Did you say that you saw a photo of my father with Siyabonga?

Ayanda: Photos

Me: Why were they together?

Ayanda: They were friends long before you were even born

Me: What? Are you serious?

Ayanda: Yes, Wame. I also did not know until I saw what I saw. I am sorry

Warona walked in.

Warona: Sister, why are you crying?

Me: (Smiles) I am not crying

Warona: You are crying. Who made you cry?

Me: No one. Do you need something?

Warona: No. I just want to sit with you

Me: Where’s Kate?

Warona: She’s sleeping

Me: You should also sleep. It’s really late

Warona: No, I want to be here with you

Me: Okay, sit down

Warona: Did I make you cry?

Me: No, you didn’t

She wiped off my tears.

Warona: Don’t cry, please. I love you

Me: (Smiles) I love you too

Warona: I’ll be right back

Me: Sure

She ran out of the room. I wonder what she’s up to.

Ayanda: Are you still there?

Me: We will chat later. Warona wants something to eat

Ayanda: Sure. Please greet her for me

Me: I will

I put my phone down and just cried. How can people be so cruel? Why would you kill someone who was once your friend? Why would you want to turn someone into an orphan?

Today Warona and I are orphans because of people who were once close to my family. We are orphans all because of my grandparents.

I wish that my grandparents were still alive so that I can be the one to kill them. I hate them so much.

Part 64 – A Helping Hand

Warona walked in with a bowl of ice cream.

Warona: Sister, I told you not to cry. Why are you still crying? Please don’t cry or else I’ll also cry

Me: (Smiles) Shut up, monkey

She wiped off my tears.

Warona: Don’t cry, I’ll get you water

Me: Thank you

She got me a glass of water.

Me: Thank you, honey

Warona: You are welcome. I have some delicious ice cream for us. Let’s enjoy it

Me: Oh, you are such a sweetheart

Warona: Not a monkey?

Me: (Giggles) Not a monkey

Warona: (Smiles) Sister, I love you

Me: I love you too my dear

Warona: Do you love the ice cream?

Me: Definitely. It’s delicious

Warona: (Smiles) It’s very delicious. Please don’t ever cry

Me: Okay, dear

Warona: Why were you crying?

Me: Uhh… Because I miss Ayanda

Warona: Were you chatting with her?

Me: Yes, dear

Warona: I forgot how she looks like

Me: I understand. You were so young when she went to UK

Warona: Let me see her pictures

Me: Now?

Warona: Yes, please

Me: Okay

I showed her Ayanda’s pictures.

Warona: She’s beautiful

Me: That’s true

Warona: Let’s face chat with her

Me: Me and you?

Warona: Yes

Me: Let’s enjoy our ice cream, we’ll face chat with her tomorrow

Warona: But why tomorrow?

Me: I just want to spend the rest of the night with you

Warona: Really?

Me: Yes

Warona: So will you allow me to sleep in your room tonight?

Me: Yes, dear. You are always welcome

Warona: (Smiles) Kate is already sleeping so I don’t mind sleeping in your bedroom with you

Me: Okay honey

Warona: Sister?

Me: Yes?

Warona: Why are you still not married?

Me: What’s that supposed to mean?

Warona: Mother Nina is getting married next week. Brother Thabang is married and brother Keith is also married so why are you still not married? Didn’t you tell me that brother Alex is going to marry you?

This girl never cease to cut my tongue. I am really speechless.

Me: Uhh…

Warona: What?

Me: Let’s enjoy our ice cream. Don’t ask me questions

Warona: Why not?

Me: Let it go

Warona: Sister, brother Alex really loves you

Me: You are just six years old, what do you know about love?

Warona: (Giggles) Don’t you love me?

Me: I do

Warona: I know that you love me so I know a lot about love

Me: Warona though. You really talk too much

Warona: Really?

Me: Yes, really

Warona: Okay

Me: I am feeling cold now. Let’s sleep. Thank you for the ice cream. I really enjoyed it

Warona: You are welcome. I’ll take the bowl back to the kitchen and wash it

Me: Okay. Please be careful. Don’t break it

Warona: Okay, sister

Me: Will you really wash it?

Warona: Yes, sister

Me: Uhh… Don’t wash it. I’ll wash it tomorrow morning

Warona: No sister, my teacher told us that we should always be neat

Me: This is different, baby. Let me wash the bowl

Warona: Why? Don’t you think that I can wash it?

Me: I am afraid you might break it

Warona: I won’t

Me: It’s Alex’s bowl, honey. He really loves it so please don’t break it

Warona: No wonder it’s the only different one in the kitchen. But what is it doing here?

Me: Yesterday when Alex came here, he was eating from it

Warona: Why did he bring his own food? Don’t you give him food?

Me: That’s not what I am saying. He was rushing somewhere that’s why he came with it. He… Uhh… Why am I even explaining this to you? Go to the kitchen and wash that bowl. You talk too much

Warona: (Laughs) Okay, I am going

Me: Why are you laughing?

Warona: Because you are funny

She left. Her mouth is getting bigger by the day. She’s really something else.

[The Next Day]

It’s Saturday today so there’s no work for me or no school for Warona. So we called Ayanda as Warona wanted.

Warona was so happy after talking to Ayanda. She couldn’t stop talking about her.

I called Thabang and told him everything about Ayanda and how Ayanda lost everything. I also told him that I want to help Ayanda where I can possibly help. I want Ayanda to come back to South Africa and stay with me. There’s nothing left for her in UK. Her stupid father ruined her life and her mother is no more. The rest of the family members left her so there’s nothing for her in UK.

Thabang told me that he’ll take care of everything and that Ayanda will be in South Africa before I know it. I am really happy. Truly speaking, I never stopped loving Ayanda even after everything that happened. There was a time in life when I also needed help and Ayanda was there for me. I am not going to abandon her like her family members. I will always be there for her.

To be continued…