Three Empty Words – Episode 8

_08_

She pulled her hair back as the bitter taste in her mouth returned, this was the third time she was throwing up from the time she got up. She stood up and flashed the toilet before rushing to the sink to wash her mouth.

Her hair was now down and she was looking at her pale face in the mirror, the five pregnancy test kits that were all positive facing her.

‘How did I get careless?’ she cursed dumping them in her bag

She knew if she threw them in the trash can, the nosy maid would probably see them. She walked back to her room when she heard a knock, it was probably Zaria. ‘Good morning beautiful.’ Zaria greeted with a plate of hot pancakes

The two had gotten close the few months they had been staying together. ‘Thank you so much.’ She said

Zaria wanted to make small talk but the stench of the pancakes sent Xeno back to the bathroom to throw up.

‘Baby are you okay?’ Zaria asked running after her

‘I am, just haven’t been too fine since last night.’ She lied touching her forehead as if to fake an illness

‘Oh sad, I will ask the driver to take you to my doctor.’ ‘Thank you.’

‘I would have loved to drive you myself but its just unfortunate that I have to pick

up the kids from the airport.’

‘The kids?’ Xeno asked surprised

‘Yes Suzyo and Sandy.’ She responded a smile curving at the corner of her lips ‘I can’t wait to meet them.’ Xeno lied

She hated them, she hated the fact that now she was going to have to share the love that her father and Zaria had been showing her.

‘I will check on you when I get back.’ She said leaving the room ‘Sure later.’

Xeno threw the pancakes in her trash can immediately Zaria had left, she would deal with the boys when they got there now she had to face Nthando – the guy who had supposedly impregnated her. She grabbed her car keys and a bottle of soda water from the fridge, she texted him saying she was on her way and like expected he didn’t respond.

Getting to his place didn’t take much time as congestion hadn’t yet built up; she parked just outside the gate and carried her handbag.

She just couldn’t understand why a grown up man would still be living with his mother; speaking of his mother, the lady hated her after the Xenia incident and had told her son that she didn’t want to see him with her.

She rang the doorbell and waited for someone to respond.

‘It’s you.’ Vanessa, Nthando’s mother said

‘Good morning ma’am.’ She said softly

Xeno was many things but she feared Vanessa ‘What do you want here?’

‘Can I have a word with Nthando please?’

Vanessa looked at her from head to toe before ushering her in.

She walked straight to his room per her habit, the bed was well done and the room was sparkling clean. She heard the water running and was guessing he was probably taking his bath.

She put her bag on the bed and started going through his things, they were photos of him and his mother. In some, he was looking very happy with a beautiful lady on the beach. She picked those photos and stared at them for a while, if she had her way; she would snatch the happiness off their faces. Not that she was in love with him but because seeing them cozy made her feel sick.

‘Who allowed you in here?’ he asked looking angry when he came out of the shower

‘Hello to you too.’ She said sarcastically

He went over to where she was and grabbed the photos from her hands putting them nicely in one of his drawers.

‘Who is she?’ Xeno asked now seated on his bed ‘Nothing like you.’ He said in anger

‘Are we okay? You don’t have to sound so upset.’ She said before rolling her eyes He grabbed some clothes, walked back to the bathroom then came out after he was dressed.

‘What do you want here?’ he asked trying to keep calm

‘You thought you could sleep with me then later ditch me?’ she asked unconcerned ‘You knew it was just sex so what are you talking about?’ he asked before laughing

‘Five times just sex?’ she asked with a chuckle

‘Let me see, first in the bathroom. At a bar. Secondly in the car, thirdly.’ ‘Just shut up.’ She said now feeling irritated

‘I could go on. What we had was just sex so don’t get big headed.’ She grabbed her bag and took out the testers.

‘Congratulations daddy, you are fertile after all.’ She said getting up ‘What is the meaning of this?’ he asked throwing them back at her

‘Do you want me to give you a graphical explanation of how I got this?’ she asked pointing at her belly

‘You weren’t on the pill?’

‘Maybe if you had the decency of taking me to a room, I would have remembered the pill.’ She said squaring him

He blocked her way and locked the door.

They both kept quiet.

‘You plan on keeping it?’

‘What? No.’

He looked at her with a questioning eye

‘Come on, does this look like the body to keep another human being? And besides you are not the type of man I would love my child to have as a father.’ ‘Now that’s comforting.’ He said before sighing

‘I just wanted to let you know, so that if my abortion doesn’t go as planned; it’s on your conscious.’ She said picking up her bag

He scratched his head.

‘Are you sure about this?’

‘Dead serious.’

He walked her out the house until she got to her car outside.

‘By the way, that lady in the photo.’

‘Yes?’ Xeno asked fastening her seatbelt

‘That is my fiancé, we are getting married in a month.’ Xeno felt her stomach knot but she faked a smile ‘Congratulations.’ She lied

‘Thank you, and please tell me how it goes.’

She drove off as the tears freely fell on her cheeks, what was she thinking? Yes it was just sex but she had just hoped that Nthando would feel a certain way for her. That he would suggest she keeps the baby even though she wouldn’t, but hi suggesting it would have meant so much.

‘Guess you will always be alone Xenosah.’ She said to herself as she got into Chilumbulu road.