A Prayer And A Dollar – Episode 24

#24

Denise felt a wave of pain and anger run through her, who was this Miso girl to actually treat her the way she did? She wanted her and her child out of their lives plus Josphat not to know any happiness ever again and by all means she would do everything possible.

She sighed and ate the last piece of her cake, she had to drive to Chawama now to see her father, she hated that place but that was the only way to do things now. From Makeni mall to Chawama where Miso’s father lived, the distance wasn’t far. She drove to the place with her head fixed on the target, if she had to entice the old man she would do it just to get what she needed.

She parked just outside the grass fence and without even wrapping a chitenge on her tight dress, she walked into the compound.

Feeling disgusted and almost turning back, she remembered she was only doing this once.

‘How can I help you?’ a young many who looked like was born of rugs asked her ‘I am looking for Mr. Banda, I am an old friend of his.’ She lied

He eyed her from bottom to top, she smiled.

‘Come with me.’ He said after a while

She led him to the back of the house and there on a reed mat was a man lying down.

‘Papa you have a visitor.’ Mabvuto said

He didn’t bother to look up because he didn’t have strength, Mabvuto went to where his father laid and helped him up; putting a stool on his back for support. After that he offered another stool to Denise who almost declined but did when the two men kept looking at her.

‘Can you excuse us?’ She said looking at Mabvuto ‘Papa will you be okay?’

‘What is worse than this?’ he joked followed by him coughing

When he disappeared, Denise fixed her eyes on the dying man and couldn’t be more thankful that she had come here today.

‘You lied to my son, I do not know you.’ Mr. Banda said in a weak tone ‘I can see you are dying.’ She mocked

‘Young lady if you are here to mock me, I would advise you leave and never return.’ He said with all his strength

She laughed

‘Trust me I am here to save you and all you have to do is shut up and listen.’ She said taking charge

She looked at him again and could only think of one illness.

‘I have the means of getting you medication, of moving you into a better home and probably giving you a better life for a long time.’ She began ‘Who are you?’ he asked

‘That doesn’t matter, all that matters is that I can make you leave this place today and you will be in a better home. I will make sure your health is back on track and your immune system won’t drop ever again. You can have the food you want and alcohol you want and women too.’ She said in a conniving voice

His face brightened and she knew she had held the bull by its horns ‘Except nothing is free.’ She said wiping the smile from his face ‘What do you want in return?’ he asked

‘You won’t do what your daughter told you to do, you will varnish and never see her until I say so.’

He wanted to say something but she threw a stash of money on the mat. ‘That is five thousand kwacha to get you food for today.’

She threw her business card on the mat too

‘That is my number in case you change your mind, there is more where that came from.’ She said and got up dusting her behind

Mr. Banda was left there looking at her, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He so much wanted to make things right with his daughter before he died but then

here was an opportunity presenting itself to better his life. He had missed his life, he missed going out there. He missed partying and having women in his bed, most importantly he wanted to find the woman that had infected him without any empathy.

‘I will do it.’ He shouted using as much strength

Denise smiled but didn’t stop walking, immediately she got to the car; she called someone to come over and pick them up. In the next hour, another vehicle came that got Mr. Banda and Mabvuto without any of their items and took them to a house that she had built without anyone’s knowledge.

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Khan was busy going through some files when his door opened, he didn’t need to look up to figure out who it was, he knew her cologne.

‘What do you want here?’ he asked with less care

‘Is that how you welcome a lady?’ she asked pushing the door behind her ‘Denise tell me what you want and leave.’

‘I want you.’ She said dropping her bag on his table He stopped what he was doing and looked at her ‘Excuse me?’ he asked

‘Khan tell me what I don’t have, tell me why after all these years you had to deny my advances and yet went on and dated someone as cheap as Miso.’

‘The same cheap Miso bore your husband a son, an area where you failed terribly.’ He said

‘Damn you Khan! Just tell me what I should do, tell me what you want from me and I swear I will do just that.’ She pleaded ‘Anything?’

‘Yes anything.’

‘Leave my office and never return; and if you can, divorce Josphat and start your life afresh because the city is about to get dirty.’

‘I am not doing any of those things, I will leave this office but this is not the last of me you are seeing. I will be back and I will make you beg for me.’

She paused

‘As for Josphat, I am not divorcing him. He is my meal ticket and if I can’t have his love at least let me enjoy his money.’ She said

‘Then enjoy the money whilst the world laughs, he has filed for custody of Xavier. Full custody.’

‘Josphat is not such a fool, he is a minister and wouldn’t want to get his name in the mud; his ego wouldn’t allow it.’ She said getting her handbag

‘He is a man who wants an heir love, not even ego is too big to put aside.’ He said Denise watched him for a while and stormed out of the office

#A_PRAYER_AND_A_DOLLAR

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