A Prayer And A Dollar – Episode 27

#27 (Unedited)

He woke up just after 9am, he was having a terrible headache from all the drinking he had done the previous night. He walked to the bathroom and stood under the shower allowing the cold water to hit his body; this is not how he had imagined his life to turn out but now nothing much could be done.

He hit the shower glass as he thought of all the trips that he used to take; of course paid for by the government, the fat allowances that he got for seating in his office the whole day and doing absolutely nothing and now all that had varnished in just the blink of an eye.

After what seemed like forever, he wiped his body and walked to the bedroom. As if his life wasn’t messed up enough, he found Denise packing her things.

He took one glance at her then walked to his dressing table where he picked up a bottle of lotion and started to apply slowly on his smooth skin.

He didn’t have the energy to ask her what she was doing or where she intended to go, at this point all he wanted was to drown in alcohol and his sorrows.

‘Can we talk?’ she managed to say after clearing her throat ‘She wants to talk?’ he chuckled talking more to himself

‘Josphat I know you are going through a rough patch but there is something really important that I want us to discuss.’

He put the bottle of lotion down, grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and put them on.

After which he got a short and t shirt and dressed up.

‘I am all ears.’ He said standing just opposite her with his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

‘Josphat I am leaving.’

‘Safe trip.’

‘I mean I am leaving you.’ She said again

‘Okay.’

She looked at him with shock

‘Okay? That is all you have to say?’

‘Tell me something Denise, what exactly do you want me to tell you huh?’ he asked almost laughing, an anguish laughter

‘I am just wasting my time here.’ She told him forcefully grabbing her travelling bag

He moved to the small refrigerator in the room and got the last bottle of whisky that he had left, not bothering whether she was out of the room. She stopped just half way through the door.

‘Screw you!’ she said the words slipping out of her mouth His lips curved with a smile without even turning to face her.

‘You know what Josphat; everything that has happened to you.’ She paused as if calculating her next words carefully

He eyed her, then drunk from his bottle.

‘Everything that has happened to you, you deserve it!’ she yelled

‘When you are done please close the door behind you.’ He said in a calm voice She laughed.

‘I can’t believe there was a time when I was madly in love with you. A time when I believed in your potential and everything you were capable of.’ She blurted out making a disgusted face.

She stood there waiting for him to say something but he didn’t instead continued to drink from his bottle.

‘Josphat you are an excuse of a man now, a real man doesn’t do what you have been doing to me. A real man was supposed to face challenges with his wife and talk them out and not going out running into the hands of every Mil and Mon he saw out there.’

He gave her a nasty stare, probably because she had touched a muscle.

‘What are you getting at? You said you want to leave and I am okay with that, I haven’t even held you back what I don’t understand is why you are still standing in my presence.’

‘This is the last of me you are seeing and trust me no one will ever tolerate you as much as I have. No one will ever have my patience and stand you.’

‘Bravo!’ he said clapping a number of times ‘Not only did I marry a thief but an actress too.’

He took another sip from his bottle, put it down then grabbed it again to take a huge gulp.

‘I think you deserve a standing ovation, you deserve your own award giving ceremony. You my wife deserve a grammy award because I don’t think anyone could pull off what you have.’

‘You are drunk and I won’t waste any more time talking to you.’ She said trying to walk out but he blocked her way

‘I was going to allow you to go without hearing a piece of my mind but it seems you are so focused on hearing what I will say.’ He said laughing in her face, his mouth odor hitting her

She closed her eyes a little, this was not her husband. The venom in his voice scaring her, the devilish look in his eyes making the hairs on her back stand. ‘Josphat don’t hurt me.’ She pleaded

He laughed, pinning her more against the door then shook his head vigorously.

‘I was but just a young boy, I loved you. I worshipped the ground you walked on. I was willing to do everything and more for you, but what did you do?’ he asked trailing his finger on her cheek

She turned her head to the other side.

‘I loved you Josphat.’

‘Liar!’

‘At some point I did, I wanted to make this marriage work.’

‘No you didn’t, you loved what my name came with. You loved the power, the prosperity. You loved that you could get the life you ever wanted whilst with me and now that you can’t; you want to leave me.’

She didn’t dare look at him, her tears falling as she struggled to get away from him.

‘The more you fight me, the more it will hurt.’ He said now moving away from her He took his bottle and drunk from it.

‘When they said that life wouldn’t always be rosy I had no idea this is what they meant. Denise I could have laid down my life for you but you pushed me to the wall, the empty I love yous and I will stick with you through thick and thin!’ he said that and hit his bottle to the wall

‘I want you to get out of this house and out of my life, I never want to see your lying and good for nothing face in here.’ He yelled

She wiped her tears.

‘Everything you own, I won fifty percent. Yes I will not come back into your life but this is definitely not the last you are seeing of me.’

‘Oh I missed my wife, now that is the Denise I know. Always looking for the finest things, eating from the highest of tables, conniving and manipulative. Being sweet doesn’t look good on you, you know.’ He said with a chuckle

‘I will have to be damned to give you any of my hard earned money, you had your chance woman now run along.’

‘I guess I will see you in court then.’ She said with a wicked smile

‘I will be happy to see your face when the jury learns just how you stole from me and built properties using my money.’

She looked at him with shock. He laughed

‘Yes honey, I was a minister but still very brainy. And I know you have always loved my brother, so if you want half of my properties; how about we work as a team. Split those two up and we both win.’ He said moving to where she was and kissing her on the forehead.

She didn’t move.

‘Now that’s better, get your travelling bag and put back those clothes you bought with my money back in the closet.’ He said

#A_PRAYER_AND_A_DOLLAR