Heart Desire – Episode 23

HEART DESIRE – Episode 23
A story by Jochrine Kunda
BLESSINGS
***We all turned to look at the woman who just came in and everyone looked unfamiliar with her face except for Thomas’s grandparents, his grandma warmly welcomed her, brought her towards us and I felt Thomas freeze since he was holding me
Thomas: isn’t this the woman I found you with at the mall some time back?
He got no response then she kneeled besides the bed and tears streamed down her face
“My granddaughter please keep an open mind about what she’s going to tell you, her journey hasn’t been an easy one so please set her free”
Thomas grandma told me and I just nodded since I had no idea what she was talking about then the room went silent
“Seventeen years ago…….”
She narrated the wh0le story, I didn’t know what to feel that moment, I was angry, sad, frustrated and just ended up crying
Me: SO WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS TAKING THOSE DRUGS ALL THOSE YEARS? OR MAYBE I SHOULD ASK WHAT WILL BE THE EFFECT OF THOSE DRUGS THESE MONTHS THAT I’VE BEEN TAKING THEM ESPECIALLY ON MY BABY?
***I lashed out at her***
Thomas: I’m going to sue you, no that’s just so easy I’ll make sure you pay for every tear she ever shed
Grandma: No, Thomas she’s here trying to make things right and you’re speaking of the unthinkable
He got up and left the room then his dad followed him, everyone was looking at me waiting for my response but I just cried hysterically as she kept asking for my forgiveness. The woman was led out while Thomas’s mother tried calming me down and everyone else left
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I felt like a different person after the news I received that day, I still thought it was just an imagination even though we had done a test and both our results were negative and our baby was healthy. I had forgiven the woman as difficult as it was and Thomas told me just to let it go and let the woman rest in peace since death was knocking at her doorstep for her to come up clean. Thomas’s parents were great people that made me feel like I was a part of their family, the day he put a huge rock on my finger in their presence really meant a lot to me and I finally had people to call mom and dad, they even began calling me by their family name, Musonda
We had just come from the NGO that Thomas and Justin had set up in my name and I was more than glad to join the fight against stigma, I was determined to help out people out there, to make a difference, to change a life and take the org-nization to the next level coz experience had really taught me a valuable lesson. We were about to get home and I couldn’t wait coz I was tired and Thomas promised to m-ssage my feet while I br-astfed Thomas Jr who was a replica of his dad and I could tell that he would behave just the same way as his dad when a call came through and it was from grandma, I knew that because she once called me informing me that Mary’s mother had passed away some time back and Thomas only let me attend her burial with him
Thomas: aren’t you going to pick up??
***He brought me back from wondering why grandma was calling***
Me: it’s grandma calling
***he frowned then parked the car on the side of the road***
Thomas: what does she want?
***I shrugged my shoulders***
Thomas: let me have Jr
I handed him to his father then i said a short, silent prayer before picking it up and put it on loudspeaker then I heard grandma cough uncontrollably
Me: grandma.. ar…are…you okay?
***I waited for her to stop then she spoke with a breaking tone***
Grandma: Blessings can you please come, I need to see you
Me: ummm…. I….I
Grandma: I need to make things right with you
***I remembered what happened on the day of Veronica’s wedding***
Me: I’m sorry grandma… I can’t co….
Grandma: I know you distrust me but please give me a chance to make things right before I die…I know my time is near an…..
Me: no please don’t say things like that
Grandma: I know what I’m saying Blessings
Me: okay, I’ll come over tomorrow afternoon
Grandma: thank you
She said as if running short of breath and continued coughing then I looked at Thomas
Me: I feel sorry for her
He just gave me a blank stare while I took the baby from him and he continued driving….
I went to see grandma the following day but Thomas insisted that I went with Veronica in case something happened so Justin drove us there after dropping Jr off at Thomas’s grandma since they couldn’t let me go with him. I noticed how Justin and Veronica flirted with each other but I decided not to say anything and kept myself busy on the phone talking to Thomas since I was nervous about the visit coz I tried talking to the two several times but they just wouldn’t listen. We got to grandma’s and Veronica and I went in, Mary threw us nasty stares but I ignored her then Kabwe walked in just then and offered us seats
“Let me tell grand grandma that you’re here”
I smiled at her then she disappeared to grandma’s bedroom, I looked around and couldn’t believe that I once lived in that house coz the environment just felt different
“You must be a successful gold digger for you to look this good but I know your type very well, you seek pleasure elsewhere and chow his money”
Mary said startling me from my thoughts and I looked at her then at Veronica who also seemed lost
Me: is she talking to us?
Veronica: I was also wondering or maybe she’s talking to the huge rock on your finger
Mary’s eyes were popped out as she looked at my ring then got up giving me one deadly look, her eyes filled with hatred then she stormed out. Kabwe returned minutes later and told me to go to grandma’s bedroom with Veronica right behind me, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her lying on the bed with burned skin like she was electrocuted, she coughed out blood, she had cracked l-ips and several hiccups and I felt like crying right that minute
Grandma: Bless….. Blessings
Me: yes grandma I’m here
***I let her feel my body with her hand***
Grandma: I’m sorry for every bad thing I ever did to you
Me: I’ve long forgiven you grandma
Grandma: I’ve done bad things you can’t imagine, I killed all my children, I killed your mother, I offered to sacrifice you to the cult….
Me: is that why I got sick?
Grandma: ye…yes….I’m sorry for everything I’ve done Blessings…. My time has come
Me: I forgive you
She had hiccups and we called out to Kabwe so we could take her to the hospital but she took her last breath right in front of my eyes….
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THREE MONTHS LATER
*** I was glad to say that I had thee perfect wedding, everything was amazing from my designer dress to the venue, the events, the food everything went according to plan. I was told to have all the single ladies gathered and Veronica joined them, I gave her a disapproving look but she ignored me so I turned and threw my flowers. I was surprised that they landed in Veronica’s hands and she waved them at me after Thomas’s mother shouted that she’d be the next bride…….
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I was doing my shopping one evening with Thomas Jr and drove back home when I was done, he taught me how to drive. I wanted to get home early and avoided traffic coz I didn’t want Thomas returning from work and find me not home so I took a route that wasn’t busy. I played gospel songs while singing along and a car parked right in front of me, I tried going back but two men dressed in black came out of it and approached me while pointing guns my direction and indicated for me to be quiet. They opened my door and one took Jr from his strapped seat, I tried fighting him and the other held me tight placing a cloth on my mouth containing chloroform coz I was out instantly…
To be continued…