I Will Wait – Episode 25

_25_

 

For the first time in hours Yolanta had managed to sleep, now it was 06 in the morning and true to his word dad was up and ready to drive her to Lusaka. ‘Good morning.’ He said without even looking at me, his gaze on Yoyo who was comfortably laying on my chest

 

‘Good morning.’

 

‘Wake her up, we need to leave.’ He said with command

 

‘She just managed to sleep, can’t I wake her up after an hour?’ I asked in a whisper making sure not to wake her up

 

‘I am your father and I know what’s best. Let her sleep now and she will hate you for the rest of your life.’ He said as he walked to the kitchen

 

I slowly woke her up.

 

‘Did I over sleep?’ she asked covering her mouth with her hand ‘Your breath is fine and no you didn’t.’

 

She looked at me and smiled, it was the first time she was doing that in two days. ‘Let me take a quick bath, we need to leave.’ She said standing up

 

I held her hand, for some reason I wanted to assure her that I wouldn’t leave her side and I was debating if it was the right thing to do.

 

‘What?’ she asked when I was tongue tied

 

‘I am coming with you to Lusaka.’ I said after a while She just smiled and walked away

 

‘Um um.’

 

‘Jeez dad you scared me.’ I said when I turned to face him as he sipped from his mug cup

 

‘You need to sort out your issues with your brother.’

 

‘Is this the right time to talk about this?’ I asked stretching my body ‘You two used to be close.’

 

‘Growing up happened.’ I responded as I stood up

 

‘Cornelius seriously, you are the older one. Make peace with him.’

 

‘And that is something coming from someone who shows his children who he prefers?’ I asked

 

 

‘You will not disrespect your father young man.’ My mum said appearing from the master bedroom

 

I lifted my hands as a sign of surrendering, the thing about my parents is that no matter their differences they always had one voice. Something I believe was necessary to run a home.

 

I smiled at her and dashed into my room.

 

‘Jesus.’ I said looking at the mess in the bathroom

 

‘Sorry, morning sickness.’ Esther said wiping her mouth with the sleeves of her night gown

 

‘Do you need anything?’ I asked politely as I moved over to open the windows ‘Just a glass of water.’ She said rushing back to the rim of the toilet where she puked some more

 

I went to the kitchen and grabbed some water from the dispenser.

 

‘Add some lemon.’ Mum said

 

‘What?’ I asked

 

‘It will make her feel better.’ She said

 

I got a fresh lemon from the vegetable rack and squeezed half of it in the water, got a spoon and mixed it well before going back.

 

‘Here.’ I said handing her the glass

 

She took a sip then smiled.

 

‘Thank you.’ She said after wards

 

‘You are welcome.’

 

I helped her up and cleaned the messed up floor, after wards I let the air get in from the windows so that the stench would be no more.

 

As I packed a few clothes in my case, I wondered if asking who was responsible for the pregnancy was the right thing. She wanted to accuse me of being the father to the unborn baby but now that everything didn’t work out for her good I was just hoping that she would come clean.

 

‘Once we get to Lusaka I am going back to my parent’s house.’ She said after much silence

 

‘I thought you said you were not in good terms with them.’

 

‘True, I am the black sheep of the family. They were happy to hear that I found myself a good man from a respectable family, actually thought you could tame me.’

 

We both laughed

 

‘You will be fine.’ I said

 

‘Yah, it will get hard but I will survive.’

 

***

 

My bath was quick, I didn’t want to waste much time because all I wanted was to be by my father’s side. Now more than ever he needed me.

 

***

 

I walked into the hospital with the weight of the world on my shoulders, Mr. Kazadi had driven me and his wife in their car whilst Wane drove in mine with Kendra. Cornelius and Esther were in his car and Cornell was alone in his, I was rushing and everyone was trying to keep up with my pace.

 

When I got to dad’s ward, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling. From the glass window separating us, I could see that his body was connected to tubes and his breathing rate was something not promising, he had a tube connected from his mouth to his brain and others in his body. I was told he needed the life support if he had to stay alive but being in coma was as good as being dead according to the doctors because dad had not showed progress.

 

Mum immediately stood up when she saw me, her eyes were sore and Uncle George was with her. I ran into her hands and broke down like the little child I once was when she first met me. We both cried really hard. Wane ran into her father’s arms and for the first time I saw fear in her eyes but he broke the hug when he received a phone call. Uncle Kaluba came and embraced her while she continued crying.

 

After a while I introduced the Kazadis to my family and mum was grateful to them for welcoming us into their home and bringing us back to Lusaka safely. Mr. and Mrs. Kazadi excused themselves because they wanted to get some rest, they drove to Cornell’s house where they would be staying for a week. Wane and Kendra were driven by Cornell to my apartment, I didn’t know how we would do it but somehow I had to sort out my differences with her.

 

After a while I went to the cafeteria to get myself and mum some coffee. ‘She is a pretty woman.’ I heard Cornelius say

 

‘I thought you had left.’ I said handing him a cup which was meant for mum ‘Thank you.’ He said

 

I led us to an empty table and settled there

 

‘Have you been inside the ward already?’ he asked

 

‘The doctors are saying it’s quite risky seeing that I am emotional.’ ‘He shall be well.’

 

‘I pray so.’ I said wiping a tear

 

‘So I was thinking, since I am in Lusaka and I don’t have a place to stay, can I?’ I choked on my coffee before he could finish his sentence.

 

‘You are not staying with me.’ I said

 

‘You didn’t let me finish my sentence.’

 

‘But I know what you would say next.’

 

‘You are naughty Yoyo.’

 

I couldn’t help but laugh.

 

‘Yoyo sounds funny coming from you.’ We both laughed, he held my hand slightly.

 

‘I am thinking of moving in with mum until dad gets better.’ I said ‘That’s a good idea except you can’t fool me.’ He said ‘What is that supposed to mean?’

 

‘You are avoiding your sister not so?’ he asked

 

..

 

Tbc

 

 

 

I WILL WAIT