Solitude – Episode 30

SOLITUDE

 

_30_

 

 

I woke up the following morning wanting to believe that it was all a dream, but it wasn’t. The firm was gone and there was nothing that I could do about it now except wait on the police who in my opinion were taking their sweet time.

 

After taking a bath, I ate some noodles and drove to the place where the firm once stood.

 

What was surprising was to find contractors working on site, they were removing all the dirt and cleaning it up.

 

‘What is happening here?’ I asked one of the men who was dressed in a red overall

 

He looked at me without a word

 

‘Excuse me.’ I said to another who I asked the same question

 

‘We are cleaning the site ma’am.’ He responded walking out

 

I didn’t expect anyone to start cleaning without informing me first, as far as I was concerned this was a crime scene and the police had not updated me on any developments.

 

I felt my stomach turn when I saw Mrs. Nakamba’s car parked on one side of the land, I could recognize it any day.

 

She rolled down the window after I knocked once.

 

‘What do we have here.’ She asks a smile on her face

 

‘What are you doing here?’ I ask feeling my blood boil

 

‘I am parked here Nella, go on and leave me.’ She says

 

‘There is something fishy here and I won’t leave until I know what is happening.’ I say

 

One of the men dressed in work suits comes just before I leave.

 

‘Ma’am we will be done clearing the land and might start building tomorrow.’

 

‘Isn’t that great news.’ She says clapping her hands

 

‘Building?’ I ask

 

‘Nella you are just a little girl in this business world, I would advise you go back to your make up brushes because you could never amount to anything.’

 

‘The firm is mine so what are you talking about?’

 

She laughs, a mocking laugh.

 

‘Don’t waste your time with me, how about you ask your partner?’

 

‘What partner?’

 

‘August of course.’ She says

 

I don’t wait for anything else that she says, I know August can not be involved in all this. If anything he has been the only person that has been good to me since the passing of Chileshe.

 

I try his line a couple of times but it keeps taking me to voicemail, but I don’t stop. I am determined to get a hold of him but after many unsuccessful tries I decide to drive to his place. I have never been there but I know the address.

 

As I drive I keep thinking of what Mrs. Nakamba said, if anyone should have betrayed me then it was supposed to be Chanda and Chibesa, not August.

 

When I get to his place I look around, the guard has told me that he is swimming at the backyard but since I have never been here I almost get lost until some soft music leads me there.

 

 

He is in the pool when I get there, a towel is nicely folded on one of the pool chairs and some alcohol is in a glass on the side table. I wait a second before he comes out, his body wet; only in shorts and a bare chest. I am trying so hard not to drool over his body because of the pressing issue at hand.

 

He doesn’t smile when he sees me, I can swear his eyes dart all over the place but I ignore that.

 

‘Nella.’ He says as I hand him the towel

 

‘August.’ I respond watching him wipe his now bushy hair

 

‘What are you doing here? I mean you have never even asked for directions to my place.’

 

‘Is it wrong for me to visit? you have been to my place a couple of times.’ I say

 

He smiles

 

‘Sorry for my manners.’

 

‘Please do come into the house.’ He adds

 

I walk behind him, thanking my inner goddess that I am in trainers and jeans because heels would have made me fall with how my knees are getting weak looking at him walk majestically

 

We get into the house and he offers me a seat, it is manly. Decorated in grey and black, I can almost say it looks like a lonely place except for the few photos hanging on the wall and that must be of his parents.

 

He comes back after some minutes now dressed in dry shorts and a round neck t shirt.

 

‘Can I offer you anything?’ He asks

 

‘I am fine thank you.’

 

 

I see how he is still avoiding to look at me ‘How is Chanda?’

 

‘She was discharged this morning.’

 

‘Oh.’ I respond

 

‘Yes she was feeling much better so the doctors released her Silence

 

‘I went to the site this morning.’

 

‘Okay.’

 

‘Someone is building on the site.’ I say making sure not to remove my eyes from his

 

‘Okay.’

 

‘August what are you not telling me?’

 

‘Nella listen.’

 

I shake my head

 

‘You are going to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth.’ I say feeling my blood boil

 

‘I am not the right person.’

 

‘Who is?’

 

‘That should be me.’ Chanda says

 

I look at her devilish smile and I know I have been played.

 

‘What have you done Chanda?’

 

‘The question should be what have we done honey.’

 

‘Who is we?’ I ask my tears threatening to fall

 

‘My husband and I.’ She says showing me her ring finger which is enveloped in a massive diamond ring

 

‘August.’

 

‘Nella I am sorry.’

 

I stand there trying not for the tears to fall but the more I blink them back the more they fall.

 

‘I trusted you.’ I say

 

‘Never trust anyone in this business.’ Chanda says

 

‘Oh shut up.’ I say and she looks almost threatened then laughs

 

‘I will leave you two alone and I hope this is the last of her I see.’ She says to August, kisses him deeply on the lips then walks away

 

‘August.’

 

‘Nella I am sorry but I had to do what I had to.’

 

‘It was for the money right?’

 

‘Nella.’

 

‘August my mother entrusted you to be my lawyer, she could have appointed anyone but she chose you.’

 

 

‘And she is gone, so is the firm.’

 

‘Just like that huh?’

 

‘Nella the faster you accept this the better it will be for the both of us.’

 

I laugh, allowing the tears to fall.

 

‘Aren’t you the biggest fool I know.’ I say tears streaming down my face

 

‘Chileshe trusted you, she allowed you to be my lawyer only because she knew you would be faithful to her memory. But what do you do? Ditch all that, all for what August?’

 

‘Nella you will never understand.’

 

‘Is that so?’

 

‘Yes.’ He says eyes down

 

‘You know what, I see now that you are weak. Because if you were even in control of what you were doing you would have at least looked in my eyes but you can’t.’

 

‘You have lost everything Nella, everything now belongs to the Nakambas.’

 

‘This is what it was all about right?’

 

‘It has always been about money, you can’t even hang around for passion.’ I add

 

‘Enough Nella, we all know you are in it for the money too.’ Chanda says joining us

 

I look at her

 

‘If it wasn’t for the money you wouldn’t have stayed this long, and I would be generous to hand you some shares only if you accept.’

 

 

‘I see why she never left you the firm, she knew the kind of person you are.’

 

‘And you?’

 

‘There is a bond that a mother and a child have that can never be broken.’

 

‘A mother and what?’

 

‘You adopted orphan?’ She adds

 

‘Nella don’t.’ August begs looking at me

 

‘My mother might have made many mistakes but she wasn’t wrong when she left the firm in my name and even if it takes the life out of me I will fight for it.’

 

‘Your mother?’

 

‘Get your facts right, I am coming for you Chanda because you might have been raised as a Chanda but I am the one with the Chanda blood flowing in my veins.’ I say turning around to walk out

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‘And you.’ I say stopping to look at August

 

‘I bet your parents would be disappointed to see the kind of man you have become.’ I say then bang the door in their face