A Prayer And A Dollar – Episode 6

06 (Unedited)

They got home and the first thing that he did was to go to his study, he needed to find a way of helping Miso, he knew by doing this he was putting so much at risk but he cared less. Like what is the use of having a lot of money when you can’t even enjoy it? What is the use of having a mansion when you can’t even find any ounce of happiness in it? Well his wife said it was better to live in a mansion than being poor, her level of understanding was were too different from his.

Josphat knew that he had made some pretty bad mistakes, he knew that he had done certain things that he couldn’t even bring to the light but one thing that he was certain about was meeting Miso. He still remembers the first day he had set his eyes on her, she was going to the market with her twin brother, just the way she laughed freely is what had drawn him to her. He remembered sleeping that night and wishing that she was the one by his side, that was before he became the man that he was. He was still fighting his way up the ladder and when he finally became Minister, so much had happened that before he knew it; he was married and his wife was the envy of a lot of people.

But his marriage started to crumble, it wasn’t as perfect as it looked from the outside. Both he and his wife had pride and none of them wanted to humble themselves, they fought, they quarreled and both of them took to the bottle until he went to see his father again and saw her.

She was all grown now and from the hunger in her eyes he could see that she really wanted to make it out of poverty. But there was a problem, he saw how his young brother talked to her, Miso was a lovable girl and anyone that got to spend too much time with her would definitely be under her spell in no time.

He paced about in the study and yet nothing could come to mind, he wanted to do something for her, something that he would place money and emotional attachment to.

So like a mad man he drove to the hospital, it was already after visiting hour but that is what power did. It gave one the privileges that an ordinary citizen did not have.

He glanced at the watch and it was thirty minutes to nineteen, he wondered what she was doing as he got into the elevator.

Nurses kept blushing when he walked, he was good looking but of late life had taken a toll on him.

‘Good evening.’ He said almost whispering

‘Jesus what are you doing here this time?’ she asked in a sleepy voice

He noticed how she was holding her mother’s hand even though the woman was sleeping.

‘I wanted to apologize for earlier, I know I was supposed to tell you when I left but something came up.’ He said

By this time a pile of nurses were busy coming to greet him and he didn’t like the attention.

‘Can we talk in the car?’ he asked

Miso almost laughed but the lady that was on the other bedside offered to watch over her mother.

He looked at her as she led the way, she was wearing a different chitenge from the one she wore in the morning. She had on a pair of thick socks, a camisole and a thick sweater. She looked cozy and he couldn’t help but smile inwardly. They got to the car and he helped her with her door.

‘So why do you want to see me?’ she asked when they were looked inside and he had switched on the aircon

‘For starters how are you holding up?’

She sighed

‘I am not okay.’ She genuinely said

She had not talked to anyone about her fears, she kept thinking of the operation and what the outcomes would be, despite being positive another part of her was just scared that something might totally go wrong.

‘It’s okay to be scared, actually it is very normal and I don’t blame you.’ He said She allowed a little tear to fall.

He got a handkerchief from his side pocket and handed it to her.

‘Here.’

‘Thank you.’

She dropped a few more tears before telling him that she had to go. ‘You can always count on me you know.’

‘At what price?’ she asked wiping the last tears

‘Does it always have to be about a price? Cant someone just do something from their own free will without expecting anything in return?’

‘You almost sound like your mother, though she said I shouldn’t think of it as charity but a present.’ She laughed after saying that ‘Oh that beautiful soul, you saw her?’

‘I was there today, Khan actually brought me.’

Immediately his expression changed.

‘What did Khan tell you about me?’

‘But why would you think that your brother was bad mouthing you?’ she asked His face lightened

‘You are too nice you know.’ He said softly touching her face

‘I think you should go, it is quite late for a married man to be out with another lady.’

He laughed lightly

‘Marriage is not all rosy.’

‘And I won’t be the girl to listen to your lamentations.’ She said with a smile He smiled too

‘Okay let me get going, but I need you to have this.’ He said removing a bunch of notes

‘I cant take it, it is too much.’

‘Don’t use it now, I am sure someday it will come in handy.’ He said dismissively She said her goodnights and went back to the ward, all this while Khan was watching from his office. Immediately Miso was out of sight he decided to call his brother.

‘Khan.’ Josphat said after responding

‘Do not think about it, Miso is a good girl.’ ‘I genuinely like her little brother.’ ‘That is what you said with the last girl.’

‘I was young and stupid, I didn’t know what I was doing.’

‘She is different and has a mother who is dying. Don’t you have any mercy?’ he asked

The two brothers went on and on about the past and what had been done, all this while Miso was standing by the door and listening to the conversation. She felt hurt that she was being talked about like a ball that can be tossed from one leg to the other.

‘Khan and Josphat, I will make you my puppets.’ She said wiping a little tear from the corner of her eye

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