The Changing Tides

The changing tides episode 14

The changing tides episode 14
She stood by the window watching outside as Paul and her son played with a ball. They looked so
good together and she was amazed at how much Paul and the baby had bonded so much that
she couldn’t help feel jealousy as her son would want to be with his father most of the times.
She smiled as tears of joy fall from her eyes.
” Indeed he’s a God of second Chances,” Maria thought to herself as she continued watching.It had been 2 weeks since she was discharged from the hospital and Paul had insisted she went
with him to his house. He did not said anything about their relationsh¡p or what had happened in
the past.
Everytime Maria would try to ask about him forgiving her, Paul would change the subject and tell
her it was not time to say anything. Over the days this started bothering Maria as she felt uneasy
with his silence.
He however wasn’t showing he was upset or anything. He was always smiling, he would bring out
stories and laugh through them but without mentioning anything about the past and Maria got even
more guilty.
One day Jake who was usually the main visitor to the house came over and Maria asked him.
“Tell me Jake , since I came to this house Your uncle will not allow me to say anything about what
happened. He’s quite and he’s acting like nothing happened. What is going on here? ”
Jake sighed and looked at Maria,
“you know what I think? Uncle Paul has not said anything because he doesn’t want to push you
into anything, at least thats my thought. He wants you to decide things on your own, he knows
you are sorry Maria and you have apologised several times, don’t you think he wants you to live
passed your shame? ” he shrugged
“Maybe he wants you to forgive yourself first, the fact that you are always apologising just means
you are not really seeking his forgiveness but your own. Forgive yourself and move on, be free.”
Jake added.
Maria looked at him, shaking her head
“I don’t know Jake, you have always been my friend and I honestly don’t even know how you
manage to cope with me after all this I did to your family. You know sometimes it’s funny how the
good in other people just brings out the dark in yourself. You see the good people around you and
all you see are your own stains and wonder why every One is so Good” Maria smiled with tears.
“You know all this time I was feeling like I was in the dark, everything around me until my son
came, was not making sense.” She wiped her tears..
Jake held her hand,
“I have always told you Maria, you should never let your circ-mstances define you. Don’t let God
take something away from you for you to realise how precious it was.” Jake nodded at her.
Maria smiled ,
“since when are you so wise dear Jake , ” she teased him.
“I love you so much my friend and I know I have a brother I never had in you.” She leaned her
head on him and they both sighed with smiles.
Jake let a laugh,
“am glad to have you back too. Too bad we won’t be playing and chatting as we used to now thatyou are almost my auntie” Jake laughed and Maria joined him.
“Hey mama!” Maria heard Paul mimicking Baby Paul as he called her out from outside. She had
not realised how long she had been standing watching them while her mind was lost in memories.
“Hey guys !” she smiled raising her hand. She held the long dress she had on that morning and
walked to the door to go and join them outside.
“What’s up? ” Paul asked her holding the baby’s hand.
“I noticed you have been absent minded for some time.”
“Am okey Paul, I was just enjoying the game you guys are playing” she faked a smile. They sat
down together watching baby Paul as he continued playing with the ball.
Tasha had stopped coming since she heard Maria was at Paul’s place. But that day she walked
into the yard on her heels her dressing as catchy as always.
“Good afternoon guys !” she greeted Paul and Maria and Maria looked at her then back at Paul
wondering what she was doing there.?
“Afternoon” Maria responded watching as Tasha gave Paul a hug and a pack.
“I came to check on you it’s been a while” she smiled her eyes on Paul.
Maria felt the tension building up as Tasha pulled a chair nearby and sat next to Paul.
“Excuse me” Maria told them and went in,side.
She couldn’t help feel jealousy of Tasha and the look in her eyes showed how much Tasha was
displaying the fact that she was not there for anything good.
Paul and Maria had not been sleeping in the same room since she came back. They slept in
separate rooms and since Paul never told her anything Maria had decided to give him time and
space thinking that maybe he was strugggling to make a decision about her. .
She grabbed her small phone and dialled Doro’s number and started chatting avoiding thinking
about Paul and Tasha outside.
She was busy on the phone when she heard a soft knock on the door.
“Hey girlfriend, let me get back to you” she told Doro and cut the line as she walked towards the
door. shocked to see Tasha by the door, Maria held on to the handle.
“Tasha,” she sighed.
“What can i do for you?” she asked her.
Tasha smiled,
“mmmmh I see you playing wife with Paul huh? I wonder how you manage to sleep under thesame roof with the man that you left for pr-stitution. I want to unsderstand that maybe you were
desperate and needed help when you were beaten up by those mafia you used to sleep with, but
now that you are okey, what the hell are you doing here?” She asked with a wicked smile.
Maria looked her leggings, she took her eyes up to the pink see through top that Tasha had on.
For someone else maybe Tasha was beautiful but Maria knew that even in her poverty she was
far more beautiful than her. Ignoring the the urge to tell her that fact, Maria smiled,
“Oh I see, so that’s why you came huh?
Am so sorry you are looking for entertainment in a wrong place and person. I don’t do commedy
and am not ready to talk to you. If you have issues with why am here please you know the owner
of the house. Talk to him and am sure you will get your answers. Now if you will excuse me I need
some fresh air” Maria smiled walking out. Tasha was lost of words she watched her walk outside
her anger growing.
Maria found Paul holding the baby outside. He looked so calm she wondered what was going on.
Tasha followed her behind and before Maria could say a thing? She smiled at Paul.
“So we are done am glad to know Maria is doing okay now, after the accident and I think am
heading out now guys ” she added looking at Maria with a face.
“That was nice of you Tasha you know you can always come to this home we are practically
family” Paul told her and shook her hand .
Maria watched in silent as Tasha walked away knowing she was playing nice with Paul and she
understood her intentions.
Shaking her head, she walked back in,side and went staright to her room.
“Just when I was starting to think I can live past my mistake now there is someone I know will be
the one to constantly remind me of it. How ironic” Maria sighed. .
“She’s right though, the question is what am I doing here if Paul won’t even tell me about anything
at all?” she asked herself as she lay down in the bed her eyes up.
She recalled Jake’s words. “Don’t let God take something away for you to know how precious it
is”
” oh God I need your help” she whispered covering her face.
Paul walked to the dinning table after the maid called him and Maria to the table. He had decided
to give Maria her space to sort herself out and even when he so much desired to be with her he
knew if he pushed her so much Maria wouldn’t make a decision freely. He wanted her to choose
him this time around.
“Am not with her intimately cuz,” he had told his cousin Grace.
“I don’t want to push her so much. She’s been through a lot and I want her to figure things out on her own so that when I finally make her mine again she’s going to be there with me. I love her so
much but she needs to learn to forgive herself in order for her to allow others to forgive her too.”
He had explained.
“Well, if you ask me Paul I would tell you that girl is no good for you. A woman who has already
exposed herself to that kind of life, how sure are you she won’t be sneaking out to go to the clubs
again? Open your eyes Paul, You have a good and decent woman like Tasha who is willing to live
with you and support your son. You don’t need that pr-stitute for a wife or anything… ” Grace
suggested.
“What? I didn’t know you are like that Grace, come on. Everyone knows how Maria ended where
she did I got her preganant remember? she was only 17. I am partly to blame for her mistakes
and am not going to abandon her now that she needs me the most. And I have told you time and
again I don’t love Tasha. It’s that woman you are calling names I love and whether you or anyone
else like it am going to see to it that I make her mine again.” He responded looking at her firmly.
Unknown to Paul , Grace would tell every discussion they would have with her to Tasha and now
Tasha was using that against Maria.
He sat opposit Maria at the table and saw how much she had been quite since Tasha’s visit that
afternoon.
“Maria are you feeling alright?” He asked her.
She raised her face and looked at him. “Am okey thank you. Maybe just tired or something I have
been doing nothing the wh0le day and you know that can be boring sometimes” she faked a
smile.
Paul looked at her and back at her plate. “Is that why you won’t eat your food too?” He asked.
“I don’t like beef so much but don’t worry I can have a cup of tea later” she responded.
Paul knew something was up.
“Could it be Tasha?” He asked himself. He recalled Tasha told him she wanted to talk to Maria
and help comfort her and maybe encourage her to get back on her tracks for the sake of her son.
Paul had smiled at that thought,
“well Tasha am glad you are a good friend.”
” Yeah sure Paul, we are friends from way back and what affects you affects us all” Tasha had
said and walked to Maria’s room.
“So you had a nice chat with Tasha?” He asked Maria and she almost dropped the glass of water
she was holding in her hand at the unexpected question.
“Oh yeah!” She faked a smile.
“She’s a good friend I bet” Maria lied.
” I have noticed you have been close lately huh? I saw her at the party for Paul’s birthday too”
Maria said not realising she sold herself cause she had not intended to tell Paul she Had come for
the partyMmmmh I knew it, so you came for the party, the t-shirts and the toy car?” He asked looking at
her.
“Yeah sorry I couldn’t come straight up you know the….. ”
“It’s alright,” Paul cut her short.
” I understand. Am glad you came though i knew you cared for Paul despite whatever happened”
he added .
“Yeah,” Paul coughed before continuing
“Tasha came then, she helped org-nise the function and you know us men are not so much into
such things so it’s like she was spear heading everything” Paul smiled his heart pumping fast at
the thought of how he almost slept with Tasha, feeling guitly he betrayed Maria.
“But we are just friends don’t worry yourself” he added.
Maria put down the cup.
“Excuse me I have to check on Paul he’s sleeping on the couch I want to take him to the
bedroom now.” She spoke standing up.
“Sure,” Paul responded watching her as she held her dress and walked away. He shook his head
and wondered what was wrong now. He had seen how relaxed Maria had seemed to be as days
had gone by. But that day he saw that deep sad look back on.
The time he walked to her room so he talks to her and maybe clarify something about his feelings
for her he found Maria in bed holding Paul so close her eyes shut. Slowly he closed back to the
door and walked to his room.
Maria heard the door close and she sat back up. She had heard footsteps and prentended to be
sleeping as Paul walked in. She held her knees close to herself and gazed to the wall her.
“I can’t blame them” she whispered to herself.
” It’s all my fault, I don’t seem to hold anything in place my wh0le life, I had family but now am
alone, I was in school and things didn’t just work out., a man loved me and now I can’t seem to
have him as I thought I could. The only thing that is so tangible in my life is my son.” she told
herself holding baby Paul’s sleepy face.
“God give my life meaning again” she sighed wipping the tears that where filing her eyes again.
Convincing herself she had to find a better way out of everything in her life.
“If only i could go to school” she thought to herself as she lay back down to sleep.
“At least that would give me something else to hold on to in my life and maybe a proper meaning
in society.”
But how was she going to go back to school since she had not saved up enough to even get
uniforms and books. Plus everything she had she asumed by now since she never went back to
her old house was stollen together with her belongings.
Doro told her the time she was coming out of the hospital some people had broken into her houseand took everything she had.
Maria wiped some tears and closed her eyes hopping some day she could experience better tides
flowing in her life.

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