The changing tides episode 8

The changing tides episode 8
Paul thought about the lady he just paid to have a talk with. He was surprised how easily he was
able to express himself with her.
She was so quite that he wondered if that’s how she was. He noticed how most of the times her
voice didn’t sound so normal, it was like she wasn’t really who she was.
But he couldn’t figure out why she spoke in a funny way”Helo sister,” he answered his phone the following morning , it was a Saturday and he knew he
had to go and pay them a visit.
“What time are you coming Paul?” He heard his sister ask.
“I will be there by 10 sister, let me just prepare myself,” he added.
“Paul this is almost 30 minutes to 10 hours, so you over slept” Margret scolded.
“I know sister I had a few drinks last night. I will get there in time don’t worry yourself. ”
That morning the family had gathered to prepare a small party for Ben who had graduated from
the university and Paul knew he had to go on time to help with the preparations. Aware that the
sister won’t tolerate him going late, Paul quickly cleaned his teeth and had a quick shower before
rushing out.
After going round collecting drinks for the party, Margret called Paul as she did her final
preparations of food with the maid she had hired after Maria.
“Paul how is it going with you? We have not talked in months. Tell me how you are and if you have
any lucky finding Maria. one of my workers at the shop told me he saw her some months ago on
the streets selling some fruits or something.
But when I told him to help me find her he said he couldn’t find her. It seems she had disppeared
from the streets. A woman who saw her last said Maria was pregnant. She probably has a child by
now.”
“What? You mean someone saw her and you are telling me this now, sister?
Oh God no!,” Paul shouted angry.
“Am sorry Paul but I didn’t want to raise your hopes. After all they said she stoped going into town.
no one has seen her for months now. They all have no idea where she is” Margret explained to
Paul.
“This is getting out of hand, how can Maria be so irresponsible and subject my child to that kind of
life. I swear if anything happens to my baby I won’t forgive” her Paul snapped angrily.
“I know I was wrong with what I did and that she has no idea how I feel about her but that’s no
reason to deny me the rights to know my own blood. Its not fair sister, no it’s not. ” he shook his
head.
“Paul, you have to calm down. You and Maria are not the same. You grew up in a home and with
someone to guide you through life. You reason out of what you have experienced. But put yourself
in her shoes. She was only 17, a teenager who grew up in the streets. And you made her pregant
without even giving her assurance of a better future she always dreamed of. You can’t judge her
so harshly come on,” Margret scolded him.
“The only way here is to make sure we find her before that child is subjected to more pain.” She
added.
Paul sighed sadly,
“it’s almost 2 years and I still long to see her, I really hope she’s okey this is really eating me up Icant even look at another woman now, it’s like all I need is her and my baby. I don’t know how am
going to work through this my sister. ” Paul lamented sadly.
“I know it’s hærd but try h-rder, maybe try going through the compounds, just maybe you can
bump into her one day. I don’t think she has gone that far.” Madgret suggested.
“Well, it’s almost impossible because I have no idea which compound she must have gone to but I
will try. A journey of thousands miles right?” He said nodding his head as his eyes were set at his
sister.
“Uncle Paul. The fire is ready,” Josh called him from outside.
“Am coming my boy! ” He shouted back..
” Let me see that fire,” paul indicated to his sister.
“Go right ahead” Margret smiled at him.
She shook her head as she watched him walk out. She had noticed how Maria had affected her
brother’s life and she wished there was something she could do to help her brother.
Later that day Paul was rather quite as he watched the people dance and chat cheerfully
congratulating Ben for his graduation. He tried to keep himself with everyone but he couldn’t just
stop thinking about what his sister told him. Maria was seen pregnant .
He was right to assume that was the reason she ran away. And now that he was sure she had a
child he had more reasons to keep looking for her.
“Mom told us what happened uncle, am sorry,” Jake stood next to Paul.
“I just hope you find them soon” he added.
“Thanks Jake, I hope so too.” Paul responded.
“So you love her huh?” Jake asked with a laugh.
“I do my boy, very much that most of the time she’s all I think of.” He answered honestly.
“He’s crazy about a girl who ran away” Grace, his cousin answered from behind.
She had joined the family and was helped to find a job at ZESCO where she was working with
Paul.
They were first cousins and they both where kept by Margret since they where kids until Grace left
for copperbelt after completing secondary school. She was the woman Maria always saw with
Paul and assumed she was his girlfriend.
Am tired of your stories Paul. Imagine she’s all we discuss even over lunch. My friend that girl is
torturing you. You better man up and start living like a normal man, find a life man” She added
with a frown.
Paul was quite as he listened to them talk. His mind could only imagine seeing his child and Maria
again.
The following Friday, a week later Paul went back to the bar in the hope of seeing Jessy (maria)
again.He watched as the ladies walked in the bar. Sipping on his drink.
Then he saw her walk in with a tight Jeans and see through top. Still with shades on.
He watched her sit and talk to her friend and walked towards them. .
“Hey ladies!” He called out his eyes on Maria.
“Hey handsome,” Doro answered instead. Maria bow down her head quite.
“I wanted to see you again Jessy,” he said looking at Maria and Doro opened her eyes wide at his
friend like, who is he?
Maria winked at his friend to keep her from saying any more.
Maria cleared her throat and brought in her fake voice.
“Hey I remember you” she said pretending.
” Paul? Right?” She asked with a grinn.
“Yeah it’s me. Can I have some moments with you again?” He asked her with a grin.
Maria shrugged and followed Paul. Avoiding his gaze all the way and Paul noticed how nervious
she was.
He had suggested they talked again and Maria as usual just listened and didn’t say a thing.
In their 3rd meeting, Paul had taken Maria to the room and as they sat in the dark again he asked
her some personal questions.
“So tell me about yourself since you have almost heard a lot about me.” He started.
“You have not told me the story about the woman you said you loved” Maria responded avoiding
to tell him about herself. .
She had fought so hærd to maintain her fake voice and her covered forehead. Even though Paul
could sense some familiarity with her he couldn’t imagine it was the love of his life he was feeling
so comfortable talking to lately. He was almost thinking he was falling for her but he convived
himself that was crazy cause he had never imagined being with a woman like her, a pr-stitute.
“So will you tell me? ” Maria reminded Paul when he stayed quite for some minutes.
“Well, there’s this girl I fall in love with. I never got the chance to tell her how I really feel. I loved
her since the first time I set my eyes on her even when I kept it to myself, all I could think of was
her.
She’s bit younger than me and I regret making her suffer by making love to her when she was not
ready. She displayed a sad face from that day. I remember it even though i was drunk. How much
pain I put her through but I was an idiot who couldn’t control myself.
Now she’s gone and I know she has my baby, she ran away after getting pregnant and I think she
was just scared to tell me. ” he sighed..
“You know what though?, I really wish she told me cause I swear to God I wouldn’t have left her
alone.
Now I have looked everywhere and I don’t just know how to find her. I miss her a lot,” Paul said
and Maria listened tears running down her face. .
She now understood what Paul was going through and she couldn’t help it. The sharp pain of
regret and compassion for the man who had no idea he was telling his deep feelings to the one
who he loved.But don’t you have an idea apart From the fact that she was scared and that is why she decided
to leave?. Maybe she thought she didn’t derseve you and you had someone else in your life that
she never wanted to be the cause of your break up.” Maria spoke up as she fought hærd to keep
tears from falling any more.
“I know right” , Paul sighed.
” I don’t know if Maria loves me or not, but I can just imagine her seeing my girlfriend coming home
yet I slept with her. She obviously thinks I just used her and I wish i could see her and tell her that
isn’t the case. I broke up with Tasha some months ago and all I want is to find my girl. My innocent
poor Maria amd tell her all is well” He added sadly.
Maria listened as Paul expressed himself further with every word chocking her. She couldn’t
control her crying and when she burst out . Paul sat up worried.
“Why are you crying Jessy? Did I say anything to hurt your feelings?” He asked holding her hand.
Maria stood up, “.am sorry Paul but I have to go. I can’t listen to this anymore I have to go. ”
“But? Why? ” Paul asked worried.
“I cant just be here Paul you deserve better and I can’t stand seeing you suffering ” Maria said her
voice was normal and Paul realised it was her, he quickly rushed to t-rn on the lights and when
he saw the tears in Marias face he grabbed the shades off her face
“Maria? ” He asked shocked.
“Is it you? ”
Maria stopped crying and her shocked eyes w¡dened. She had not realised her crying had given
her away. Seeing the shock on Paul’s face. Maria grabbed her small bag and ran out without
warning.
“Maria ! Maria! Please come back please,!” Paul tried to ran after her but she was too fast as she
had removed her shoes and ran away. By the time he got outside the lodge. she stopped a taxi
and got in and it drove off immediately.
He scre-med her name but it was too late, she was gone. By the time Paul got to his car to follow
her up he couldn’t even tell the direction where the taxi had gone.