The Bet – Episode 14
THE BET Episode 14
©Tisa Phiri
“Do you think she’s really okey? ” Mrs Kangwa asked her husband when she hung up a call she had made to Lucy. she had been calling her since they left her.
I just can’t help but feel she’s not doing well there “are you sure it was a good idea to make her to stay with them?” She asked her husband who was busy helping feed the chickens.
“Oh my dear wife, take it is. I know what am doing. out of all this, James will learn to be responsible. I understand it will be rough on Lucy for some time but James can’t hurt her especially when Jack is around.” Mr Kangwa responded.
“Well.. I think that stern order for Jack to look out for Lucy untill everything was okay before moving out was a good thing to do.” she sighed lifting a small bucket her husband was using to put feed in the chickens.
“I wonder what James wants. just look at that girl, for the past years she has worked here I have come to love her. she’s so decent and hærd working . Look at how she helped with the animals here, not to talk of her good relations with others.”
“Yeah she’s beautiful too and I know my grand child will be so cute” Mrs Kangwa smiled proudly.
“Well pray your son gets to his senses and be there to help her through this so that he doesn’t give her unnecessary stress. ” Mr Kangwa said looking at his wife.
“His mine alone now that he’s done something wrong uh? ” She teased ” I thought he was your favorite son. what happened? ” Mrs Kangwa let a laugh.
Lucy took a bath after breakfast one Saturday and prepared to go into town. She walked to Jack’s bedroom to say bye to Jack knowing so well she couldn’t disturb James whom she saw walking in earlier around 04 am, “he was probably drunk” she thought to herself as she stood to knock on Jack’s door.
She had been around for 3 weeks now and over time she started getting used to James ignoring her. he would only greet her whenever they met either in the passage or kitchen. If he finds her seated in the living room he would go straight to his room.
Over time she realised she had grown close to Jack, they would chat and laugh. He told her stories of them growing up. how he and James were raised as responsible kids. she wondered how James ended up being so outgoing and reckless with his life.
“He wasn’t always like this ” Jack had told her. “he’s usually home from work and used to drink once in a while, this behaviour am seeing now is something else and if it persists I have no option but to tell mom and dad. ” he explained sadly.
“Am a curse in his life then. he’s right Jack..” Lucy had complained, “I destroyed his life and I feel so bad about all this. I swear, I never intended to get pregnant and later on tell him. it’s your mother who noticed and she insisted I told her. she told me she was certain it was Jame’s as she had known what was going on.
“I know my dear, don’t bother yourself to explain. I thought we agreed no more stories to stress you out please.. ” Jack responded and smiled. Jack really made everything else seem so easy.
“Come in!” she heard Jack call her in bringing her back to the present. Jack sat on his bed looking at his laptop. He looked up to see who had knocked on the door and he couldn’t help admire the figure before him.
She wore a black pencil skirt with patches of small prints in pink it went slightly above her knees shaping her h¡ps and seemingly still flat stomac, one wouldnt tell for sure she was almost 3 months pregnant, a black sleeveless blouse that had an open front outlining her now more rounded br-ast, a small gold chain around her neck falling right on top of the cle-vage.
He stared at her smooth exposed legs and swallowed hærd, ” she is perfect,” he thought to himself forgetting he had been watching her in silence.
“Is anything the matter?” Lucy asked when she realised how quite Jack was.
“Yea yeah! am sorry, I was taken by your beauty ” he smiled clearing his throat
” please come on in.. ”
“No, am not here to sit Jack. I just came to tell you am going out to do a bit of shopping in town and will meet a friend afterwards.”
“Well that’s okey, but how are you going into town? I mean you can get my car ” he told her.
“Thanx Jack but I can’t drive yet. not to worry though, I will get a cab outside. The maid told me I can get one by the corner.” She pointed out still standing by the door.
“Oh no, not a taxi Lucy come on, we have vehicles here how can you even think of booking? No way.. just give me a minute I change into something decent” he said point ing at his shorts.
“I don’t want to bother you Jack, please you have done enough already. it’s okey, besides I might take long since I have to meet a friend.”
“Well am not complaining Lucy and am not letting you on a taxi too. So wait for me or I change with you here” he teased making Lucy shake her head and walking out.
He drove her to town and walked her from one boutique to another. “I need to change my wardrobe, all my clothes are becoming small ” she laughed as they walked.
“You don’t look any different dear ” Jack responded.. “in fact you look more beautiful” he added with a smile.
“Wait until I have a potberry reaching steps away” she laughed.
He settled all the bills for her clothings that day and when she met up with her friend later on Jack told her he would be somewhere near and that she could call him when she was Done.
“See you soon then, ” Lucy waved at him as she got out of the car to the place she went to meet her friend..
“Wow, my friend, you never told me you sorted out things with your man. I cant help admire you Lucy, that guy loves you and the way he looked at you. wow! And he’s so cute,” Harriet exclaimed.
Lucy looked back at were Jack drove away, shaking her head, “how I wish he was James my dear” she responded sadly, ” that’s not him Harriet that’s his brother.”
“What? Oh no Lucy don’t tell me that man is not James. ” Harriet asked sadly.
“What can i tell you dear. James can barely look at me and later on drive me into town.” she said indicating her friend to sit on the chair outside hungry lion at Manda hill.
“Oh no, am so sorry Lucy. I thought now you guys are okey and things are back to normal, you are 3 months pregnant my friend that man needs to man up and stop treating you badly it aren’t good for your child at least let him know how you feel my friend, maybe it will help” Harriet added.
“I have tried and am tired. I have cried over that man i swear I love him. Dispite what he’s, done my heart still wants him and it hurts so much Harriet, thank God Jack is so supportive. I could have died with depression in that house.
You know I called my aunty to help me reason with uncle and make me leave that place. guess what she told me..? ” she paused
“What?” Harriet asked holding Lucy’s hand as she was shedding tears. “She told me uncle said if he didn’t want me then he should keep me and return me the way I was before. that I should stay until i give birth and then leave the child with James.” She cried tears rolling down her face.
“Oh no.. that’s hærd Lucy, believe me. no matter what, the moment you will see your child you won’t ever feel like leaving her or his side it cant happen.. ”
“I don’t know what to do Harriet ” she cried. ” I miss my lonely life sometimes and I wish i never fall in love, am I stupid? ” She sniffed looking at Harriet.
“No my dear you are not stupid. its unfortunately most women are in your situation. you know when a woman is in love we go miles for these men, some even spend their wh0le fortune just to please a man. Others do many silly things just to make a man love them back, but unfortunately you know the case.
Don’t beat your self over this, it’s not entirely your fault Lucy. stop crying now and put yourself together. remember this child can feel all your emotions you can have a depressed child, that’s no good” . She encouraged her.
“Am just so tired, Harriet, I can’t sleep properly knowing he’s in the next room and doesn’t even feel I exist. It hurts to be cared for by his brother when he’s around and so much okay. Jack is an angel my friend I can’t help admire his gentlemen and calm character. what could i be without him? ”
“Yeah I saw him Lucy and I can’t help feel Jack loves you more than you think.” Harriet nodded.
“Oh no, he doesn’t love me, he told me he’s in love with someone who doesn’t love him back.” she said with a chuckle.. ” how funny..”
“Mmmmh If you ask me Lucy I would say that woman is you. I saw it, the way he moved to open the door for you, the way he held your back to help you out of the car and the way he looked at you as you walked here. My friend that guy is into you and you are being blinded by the love you have for that stupid brother of his to see it.”
Lucy looked at her friend.. ” oh no I didn’t think of it in those lines, it can’t be,” she said with a small voice her face sad.
“Believe me he does, it doesn’t take an expert to see a man in love.”
Lucy was quite for a while, remembering how Jack cared so much for her, his smiles, the way he went over to her room every morning and evening to say good morning or good night.
“But why does he do that? I mean love me, if at all he does?” She asked her eyes focused on the table.
“Mmmmh just like asking why do you love James? Lucy it’s the heart not the mind, the two don’t reason in the same way dear.” Harried answered seriously.
They spent the wh0le two hours talking about Lucy’s issue. She cried through most of it pouring her heart to her best friend, who was married. By the time she realised how hurt she was feeling, Lucy felt light headed and before Harriet could move to hold her she fall back down in the chair and fainted.
“Lucy! Lucy! Come on.. wake up.. Lucy please!” Harriet shouted shaking her unconscious friend.
People started gathering watching them, “oh no she fainted, someone help me here” she cried holding her friend. she got Lucy’s phone and quickly looked through her contacts and got Jack’s number who picked it immediately.
“Lucy are you done now? ” He asked without saying helo.
“No , it’s Harriet please Jack come over Lucy just collapsed we need to take her to the hospital.. ” Harriet responded.
Without asking any more Jack cut the line and got into his car, luckily he had gone to Arcades, he drove to manda hill and in a few minutes he was there.
Lifting Lucy to the car, Harriet ran behind him as he walked his long steps.
She got in the back and he instructed her to hold her close as he cruised to the hospital.
Praying in his heart she and the baby where okey. He was almost crying but tried to contain himself for fear of embarrasing himself in front of Harriet.
He watched holding his head as the nurses pushed the bed into the Doctor’s room. He told them she was pregnant immediately they got there.
“your wife will be fine don’t worry sir ” one of the nurses told him before heading back to the Doctors room. Jack nodded and looked at Harriet who was now seated on the bench.
To be continued…
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