Emily episode 13 – 14

Emily

Episode 13

Dressed in a black suit. He entered the restaurant. He pulled a chair and sat down waiting for his cousin brother.

“Sir! Can I take your order please?” attended the waiter.

“No, thanks. Where is Billy? Ohh here is.”

He walked to him and sat opposite.

“You know I am a very busy man,” he said placing his phone on the table. “What so important that you couldn’t tell me over the phone.”

“I want you to fire that man. Whats his name..Andrew.”

“Fire him! Why would I do that? He is a very hærd working man and the customers love him unlike my other stuff.”

He looked at his cousin brother.

“Are we not cousins?” asked Max.

“Of cause we are but I can’t fire him. Could you care to explain why you want me to fire him? Because I have never had problems with him. I wouldn’t want to let him go.”

“Listen Billy. Remember that I am also the owner of this restaurant. I helped you with the capital. You will do as I say. Fire him or else this restaurant will be put under my name.” His deep voice, with a hint of accent, was firm and commanding. “I don’t think I need to tell you again.”

“But come on man. Why do you have to be this cruel? Andrew never hurt you. Did he? You took his wife away from him. He is a saint but you..a disgrace to manh-od. You couldn’t keep your thing in,side your p-nts.”

“Watch your mouth Billy!”

“Or what? I feel pity for that woman. I wish she knew what kind of person you are,” said Billy with confidence.

Billy studied his cousin brother’s face, looking for a hint of compassion, but there was nothing. He didn’t want to fight with him. Neither did he want to fire Andrew. Max unfolded his arms and rose from the chair.

“Fire him today. Are we clear?” he whispered squeezing his hand.

“Let me go Max!”

“Calm down. Chill. No need to get mad. We in public, obviously I wouldn’t want to blow your brains out. You fire him then I won’t hurt your wife,” he threatened. “Ciao ciao.”

He walked out of the restaurant leaving Billy with his heart pounding really fast. Did he just get threatened by his cousin brother? Yes, Billy was much afraid of Max. After he witnessed the murder of Max’s friend when he shot him. After he found him in his bed with his wife. He stood up from the chair and noticed Andrew. He watched him getting into the restaurant. He looked down not wanting to make an eye contact.

“Morning, sir,” greeted Andrew.

“Morning!” he responded without looking at him.

“My shift is yet to start. So I am going to put on my uniform.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he faced him.

“Pardon, sir.”

“You are fired!”

He didn’t want to say it but he just did.

“But what did I do?” asked Andrew with a hint of confusion in his voice.

“You not good for this job. Customers are always complaining about you,” he had to lie. “Here is your money,” he placed the envelope on the table.

“But sir…,”

He couldn’t hear no more. He grabbed his car keys and intended to walk out of the restaurant. Andrew’s first reaction was to swift he wanted some explanation. He reached out and took hold of his arm. He knelt down on the floor.

“Please, sir. Don’t chase me out. Don’t fire me. Don’t let me go,” he wiped the tears. “My daughter is in the hospital. I am broke and need money. If I did something wrong, forgive me. I will apologise to the customers,” he sniffed. “You are a very good person.”

Billy dropped a tear. First time to see someone kneeling in front of him, begging. But he had no choice. He needed to let him go. He cleared his throat.

“I don’t care about your daughter.” He didn’t mean it but needed to hurt him so he can go. “Now leave my restaurant and don’t bother coming back,” he spoke rudely but deep down regretting his actions.

He pushed Andrew out of the restaurant while he couldn’t stop begging. Even have been thrown out of the restaurant. He stood by the door banging it. Billy ignored him.

“Oh God! What have I done? Forgive me Andrew,” he said to himself.

Andrew got up and started walking heading back home. After getting fired, he was jobless again. It was back to square one. All hope lost. He remembered how happy he was, thinking he had everything a man could wish for..a beautiful wife, a daughter and a son and a well paid job. Now he had lost everything. Deep in his thoughts, his phone rang.

“Dad! It’s Calvin.”

“Whose phone did you use?”

“A friend. Mrs Stick is removing things from the house. She is throwing us out dad. I don’t know what to do.”

“Okay okay I will be there.”

He hanged up the call and took a taxi at his house. Upon arrival all the things had been put outside and Mrs Stick was nowhere to be found.

“Where is she?” asked Andrew.

“Gone!” responded Calvin. “She came with some men and threw our things out. She locked the house and took her keys. What are we going to do dad?”

“I am so sorry son. It’s all my fault. I couldn’t pay the full rent. I guess we will need to sell all of these things and look for a one roomed house,” said Andrew sitting on the ground, hands on the head.

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Episode 14

They managed to sell some of the furnitures and looked for a house to rent. It was one roomed. There was no furniture just a matress to sleep on. They now used a prim stove to cook. It had been two days since they left Mrs Stick’s house. Chloe’s condition hadn’t changed.

“There is no improvement. She is getting worse like everyday,” said the doctor when Andrew had visited her.

“Are you saying my daughter is going to die?”

“All I can say is pray that we find a donor.”

Everyday he visited her. Since he had no job and used a bicycle to go to the hospital. He tried finding a job but couldn’t get one.

Early in the morning he woke up and prepared breakfast for his son.

“Your breakfast is ready son. Why are you dressed as if you going to herd cattle?” he said teasingly.

“Dad, seriously. How can you say such thing? It’s so funny you taught me how to fix a tie but still I struggle a lot. Mum us..,” he stopped at mid sentence.

“Your mum used to fix it for you. I know I miss her too. I miss her food, smile and the way she laughed. She was one big hell of a person.”

“You can say that again dad. Remember that day when we slept late watching soccer with her,” said Calvin smilingly trying to fix his tie.

“Oh yes I remember. She got mad at us when her team lost. She had to switch off the television for us not to finish our game,” said Andrew polishing his son’s shoes sitting on a bucket. “A drama queen she was.”

“Indeed she was. I can’t believe we talking about her. But dad. Is love always like that? After what happened between you and mum. I am scared to get married. Gosh this tie.”

“Let me help you with that. Seems we need to go back to those lessons again,” he took the tie. “You see son. Your mum and I might have divorced but that doesn’t mean it will happen to you.”

He looked great in his white button down shirt, tucked into a navy blue trousers with black shoes.

“You know I can almost pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming,” he said to his father after he fixed his tie for him.

He nearly broke down and cried, that’s how happy he was. His father had bought him a new uniform.

“Thank you, dad. You sold your laptop just to buy me a uniform. I promise to work hærd,” he said and hugged him.

“I am grown up please. Don’t make me cry. You my son and I can do anything for you. It’s such a pity Chloe isn’t here. By the way,” he took his wallet from his pocket. “Money for taxi and lunch. You don’t have to walk today.”

“No, dad. Use that to take a taxi to the hospital.”

“No no remember I have got a bicycle. You take it. Mr Headmaster.”

They both laughed.

“It’s good to see you smile dad. You got me worried that time I saw you drinking,” he grabbed his bag from the chair. “I hope you won’t drink again. Anyway let me go to school. I will see you later big man,” he walked to the door.

“Say hie to my daughter-in law.”

“Dad!”

“What!”

He smiled at him. It made him very happy seeing his son in a good mood. He cleaned the room and later cycled to the hospital. At first it was not easy but he got used to it. It was around eleven when he arrived at the hospital. The doctor allowed him to see Chloe. Thinking that he could hold his tears. He started crying seeing his daughter lying on the bed. He sat on the chair and held her hand.

He remembered the times he used to rock her to sleep while a lullaby toy would be playing quietly. He would wait until she was in a deep sleep before putting her down. By the time she was 13 months, not only could she sleep comfortably out of his arms and without feeding through her naps.

“You would have a quick feed when we got into the bedroom. Then roll away and explore, play, roll and climb,” he went on. “After a while you would lay down and go to sleep. One of us would always lay down next to you. Sometimes you would come and cuddle up to us,” he wiped the tears. “I miss you my princess. Daddy miss you and guess what. I bought you another dolly. Her name is Sofia the first. Hang in there my princess,” he k-ssed her on the cheek.

He said a prayer and got out of the room. He passed by the market and bought some tomatoes and onions. He headed back home. He sat in the house, waiting for his son. It was five and he hadn’t shown up. He quickly called his class teacher.

“Mr Kasonde. My son hasn’t shown up home. Is he still at school?” asked Andrew worriedly.

“No, sir. We dismissed them around one so they can have time to study,” responded Mr Kasonde

“Ohhh. Thank you!”

He hanged up the call.

“Where is he?”

He waited for him. Hours passed. He kept pacing up and down the room hoping that he would show up. His phone rang deep in his thoughts making him jump on his feet. It was around 10pm.

“Hello!” he quickly responded.

“Is this Mr Andrew?”

“Yes yes it is. Who is this?”

“Officer Mildred Ncube from, Sauerstown Police station.”

“What can I do for you?”

“It is about your son.”

“What about him?” asked Andrew nervously

“You better come to the station,” she said and hanged up.

Tbc