#22
The drive back to chawama was quiet, her father wasn’t expecting her and that is what gave her more courage to go there. She was still angry at him, firstly that he had been used by Josphat to end her mother’s life quickly. Secondly that he and his new wife had moved into the house he had built with her mother.
Khan looked at her, he didn’t know what was on her mind but whatever it was must have been really bugging her.
‘Are you sure you want us to proceed with this?’ he asked She swayed in her seat.
‘I don’t know but this has to be done somehow, my father is the only person that can save me from Josphat now.’
He held her hand.
‘Whatever happens remember that I am here to stay, I won’t leave you; not now, not ever.’ He told her kissing her hand
She looked at him and smiled.
‘Thank you for being here.’
They parked just outside the grass fence, it looked like that was the only thing he had improved with the place.
She swallowed hard as memories of her mother hit her, she was a good woman and despite cancer being a deadly disease she didn’t have to be drugged to her death by selfish people.
She got a chitenge that was in her hand bag and changed into slippers. ‘I will call you if at all I will need you.’ She said ‘Please don’t hesitate to do so.’
She kissed his lips lightly and got out of the vehicle. She moved to what looked like a gate and pushed it open, the place hadn’t changed. It was like she had left it two years ago and at this point she was trying so hard not to cry.
She saw a lady putting some clothes on the line and she guessed it was her father’s wife but she looked younger from the last time she had seen her.
‘Excuse me.’ Miso began getting the lady’s attention She looked at her without a word
‘I wanted to find out if Mr. Banda is around.’ She said avoiding to say dad The lady clicked her tongue and walked away.
Miso stood there in awe not knowing what had just happened
‘Don’t mind that witch, which Mr. Banda are you looking for?’ An older woman asked
‘The owner of this house.’ She responded
The woman looked at her for a while
‘Please come with me.’
She led the way and walked Miso to the back of the house, there was a reed mat laid and a man that looked like her father was laying there.
‘Awisi Mabvuto (Mabvuto’s father) there is someone looking for you.’ She said She helped him to seat up as he leaned against the stool that was put behind him ‘Miso.’ He said with shock his voice barely audible
The lady looked at Miso.
‘How are you?’ she asked still standing
He looked down with shame and said no word
‘My dear take a seat, I will be with you in a moment.’ The lady told her pointing at a stool just opposite her father
She walked away and only came back with a jar of tobwa.
‘This is the only thing we can afford.’
‘You don’t have to.’ Miso said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes ‘Can you please excuse us?’ her father asked looking at the woman ‘Sure.’ She responded and walked away
None of them said a word to each other, Miso noticed just how much her father had grown. He was no longer the pompous man she had grown up knowing, it’s like death was looking for him and it wasn’t feeling any mercy for him either.
‘Child I am sorry.’ He began but the look she gave him made him stop talking ‘I am not here for your apology, I am here for one thing only.’
He looked at her, tears glistering in his eyes.
‘I have a child with Josphat and he wants to take him away from me, since you know what you did; I need you to testify against him if need be.’ ‘I have a grandchild.’ He said more to himself than to her
‘No you don’t, I ceased to be your child when you played a role in my mother’s death. You ceased to be my father when you abandoned me and Sau and went on with living your life. The only child you have is Mabvuto.’ She said now on her feet
‘Miso I am dying.’ He said with all the strength in him
‘I hope death only claims you after you do what you are supposed to.’ She said ‘Miso please listen to your father.’ The woman that had welcomed her earlier said Miso looked at her, then at her father before settling back on the stool.
‘The woman I had married.’ He paused to cough
The woman got up and passed him a cloth which was by his side to spit.
‘I thought she was everything that I needed not knowing that she was sick, she agreed to be my wife even with the virus in her.’ He said now tears falling Miso swallowed hard
‘I guess karma never forgets its victims’ address right?’ she asked
‘My dying wish would be to see your son, my grandchild. Allow me to just feel an ounce of love before I die.’
She laughed, shocking the two as tears fell down her cheeks.
‘An ounce of love before you die?’ she asked
‘Do you even know the conditions in which he was born? Do you have any idea how I managed to raise him up to where he is today? Do you know what I had to give up?’ she asked now on her feet
‘I only came to tell you that I need you to testify against Josphat, maybe; just maybe you will not perish in hell.’ She said as she got up
She walked as fast as she could to the front of the house only to be met by Mabvuto, he looked distressful. It was like life had managed to punish him and her father.
‘Miso.’ He said
She turned to look at him
‘Look at you, you have a successful young sister and here you are rotting in poverty like your father. You can’t even afford a decent meal for your child.’ The young rude lady said as she swayed with a baby on her back Mabvuto just looked down as Miso walked away
#A_PRAYER_AND_A_DOLLAR
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