Three Empty Words – Episode 5

#05 (Unedited)

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Nothing in the world could have prepared me for what I had just experienced, I felt my already wounded heart break into a tiny million pieces. I believed family was the sole foundation on which everything stood. I thought family was supposed to protect you from the vices of the world and not opposite. Family was supposed to have your back when the whole world was against you but that was not the case for me. My only family was Xeno, the only one whose blood I shared apart from dad but she didn’t look at me as such.

I took one last look at her and ran out of the place as fast as my legs could take me. I didn’t know where I was going but I would rather be anywhere than close to the very people that wanted to do me harm.

I kept running until I ran out of breath, in that moment I knew that I would pass out and my wish was that death instead claims me. In my condition I didn’t have to do anything that would strain my breathing, I felt my legs grow weak and a white light that I saw each time I was about to pass out appeared.

‘Death I hope it is you this time.’ I whispered as I fell to the ground and blacked

out

*

She allowed the tears to fall once again, it was two hours after Xenia’s run off and nothing had been heard from her. Her phone was off and it being a very quiet neighborhood; no one had seen her run out or where she might have been. Scott kept making phone calls in hopes that a search warrant might be approved but the mighty Zambian police told them to wait at least forty eight hours before saying that she was a missing person.

Francie was still patting her foot on the ground, something she did only when nervous.

‘Here.’ Scott said handing her a cup of hot tea

She took it gracefully but didn’t take a sip from it, she was too disturbed to think of anything else apart from her little girl. Xeno on the other hand was just seated in her seat with Zariah not looking worried.

‘How about we prepare you a room, going back to chisamba will mean that you will be too far from here and I have a huge feeling she hasn’t gone too far.’ Scott said

Both Zariah and Xeno stared at him not believing that he was actually suggesting that

‘I don’t want to be of inconvenience to any of you.’ She said drained ‘We have enough room, besides you are the mother to my children.’ Zariah looked at him again.

‘Can I have a word with you?’ she asked when she couldn’t take it any more He walked behind her unconcerned, he actually couldn’t tell that he had hurt her and she was probably going to give him a tongue lashing.

‘Yes?’ he asked once they were out of sight ‘What was that about?’ ‘What do you mean?’

‘How do you invite your ex into our home? Without my permission for that matter!’ she barked

‘Wait a minute.’ He said with shock

‘What?!’

‘Firstly Francie is not my ex, she has never been and will never be. And secondly when did I ever ask permission from you to invite someone into our home?’ ‘Scott I will not take this kind of disrespect from you. Is this why you insisted on us coming back to Zambia?’

He shook his head unbelievably

‘Zariah my daughter is missing and the only thing that you want to do is throw tantrums about your insecurities?’

‘Maybe if you were in my shoes you would understand how I feel, she is a woman. A very beautiful woman for that matter and it is only right that I feel some type of way when she is around.’

He opened his mouth to say something but closed it immediately.

‘I will not have this conversation with you.’ He said and walked back to the living room

Francie was still holding her cup of tea, it had gone cold too and her eyes were now puffy from the crying. She didn’t even look at Xeno, as much as she was upset with her; she was still her daughter and talking to her in anger would only make her regret whatever she would say afterwards.

Scott forced her to go to bed that evening against her wish, as she lay down and tried to close her eyes; memories of her daughter kept flooding. Her fear was that something had gone wrong with her and no one would be able to find her, she was scared that she had failed as a mother and she would never forgive herself if her little girl went through something terrible. *

Kelvin got up from the couch and went to check on his guest, he was worried about her. He was coming from his evening jog when he had seen her laying on the pavements just a few blocks away from his home. He thought someone would come after her when he had sat on that waiting bench for over twenty minutes, but when no one showed up; he carried her to his apartment and laid her in bed.

He didn’t know what to do or who to contact after much thought he decided to call the only family he had; his brother.

‘Is she awake yet?’ his brother asked when he got there

Kelvin was grateful that he had managed to come despite it being so late

‘Nop, she is still unconscious but her pulse is not as weak.’ He responded leading his brother to the bedroom where Xenia was laying

Kangwa looked at her for a while before walking out, he was grateful that his young brother had saved the girl but was worried because they didn’t know who she was and if her people were to find her with him; they would consider him otherwise.

‘What are you thinking of?’ Kelvin asked

Kangwa scratched his head

‘Have you considered the possibility that maybe her people might think you just kidnapped her?’

‘Well all that matters is I didn’t leave her out there.’ He responded

Kangwa smiled, Kelvin was only twenty five; fourteen years younger than him but the young accountant was wise than most people his age.

‘We shall wait for her to wake up so that we see the way forward.’ Kangwa said getting comfortable on one of the couches