15
*TWO YEARS LATER*
Sau walked into the house with a bright smile on his face, nothing was better than coming back to a home that was full of love and laughter.
‘Hey little man.’ He said to little Xavier who was busy with his small car ‘Miso!’ he called as he picked up the boy from the floor
She came running with one heel in hand and the other on her foot
‘Lord you scared me, is something wrong with Xavier?’ she said getting him from his hands
‘No, was wondering where you were.’
‘Lord you should stop playing like that, you almost gave me a heart attack.’ She told him kissing her child’s forehead
Little Xavier smiled at her, Miso and Sau were the only ones that he had and she had promised herself that she would protect her child with her life if she had to. ‘Are you ready?’
‘Dude I have one shoe on how do you ask me that question?’ she asked causing Xavier to laugh who was behaving like he was understanding what the two were talking about
‘Let me hold him, you need to get ready or else we will be late.’ He said getting the child from her
She smiled and rushed back to her room, she was going to get her diploma for the tailoring course she had done. It had not been an easy job but she couldn’t be more thankful to her brother for always standing by her side even when the whole world had given up on her.
She pulled on a black dress that she had made herself, her feet were in black stilettos; her hair which she had allowed to grow into a curly length was dropped and she finished off the look with a red lipstick.
She stared at herself in the mirror and felt a pain engulf her from two years ago but she quickly brushed it off knowing that she had come way too far to allow emotions to get the better of her. Looking to the side of her dressing table; she picked up her mother’s portrait and kissed it.
‘Continue resting in peace Misozi, I will always love you.’ She said wiping a little tear
Sau walked in and looked at her intently, his sister was a strong lady. At twenty six she had vowed to do everything the world had told her she wouldn’t do, she had picked herself up and made something out of her life.
‘Mama is proud of you.’ He said smiling
‘I know she is, I just wish she was alive to see this day manifest. To see Xavier.’ She said another tear dropping
‘She has never left, she will always be here with us no matter what.’ He told her kissing her cheek
She smiled at him and they walked hand in hand as he held the baby in another. She sat in the backseat whilst he drove them to the Copperbelt University where the graduation was taking place.
‘Who would have thought that you would be here today?’ he asked through the rear view mirror
She smiled as she was br**stfeeding Xavier
‘Honestly speaking I am supper nervous.’ She responded
‘And you know I had no idea that your school was under Copperbelt University.’ ‘I too didn’t know until recently, imagine getting a diploma in tailoring without a grade twelve certificate.’ She said laughing ‘It can only be God.’ He responded
‘True.’
He focused on the road again when they drove into the school, they were already a lot of cars parked because people from different walks of life had come for the graduation. The tertiary school had branches all over the country but the graduation had to be done at the main campus.
‘How do I look?’ Miso asked nervously
‘You look just fine, now give me Xavier.’ He said getting the baby
They walked into the hall and it was nicely decorated with beautiful material, the guest speakers were all seated at the high table and students were seated in their seats. She recognized some of her course mates and put on her gown before going to her seat.
At exactly 09am the whole ceremony began and speeches were made according to protocol.
‘Now for the three best students, we have come up with an award that will push them into bettering themselves as they begin their journey outside school life.’ Their chancellor said
The top student was called, second and Miso came out third. They were given a sum of money which would help them start up their own business and she couldn’t have been happier.
‘I knew you would make me proud.’ Sau said when the ceremony was over and now at hungry lion where they were having their lunch
‘But you know it wasn’t easy right?’ she asked looking at Xavier who kept yawning
She picked him up and started to br**st feed him.
‘Lord that child can eat.’
‘I wonder where he got it.’ She laughed
‘Probably from thefather.’ Sau said, the words slipping out of his mouth quicker than he intended
‘Lord Miso I am sorry.’ He apologized
‘It’s fine.’ She said swallowing hard
‘No it isn’t, I know you never want to talk about what happened to you two years ago and who the father to your child is but I do hope you know that someday you will need to tell him the truth.’
‘We will cross that bridge once we get there.’ She responded an anger building up but she tried so hard not to show it
He lifted his hands in surrender and continued to talk about something else. Afterwards they went to Ackerman’s to pick up the clothes they had put on lay by for Xavier then she drove them home.
‘I will bath him whilst you prepare for school.’ He said
She rolled her eyes, she was glad that she was done with the tertiary education now she had to think of her grade twelve exams that were coming in six months’ time. ‘Can I just give up now?’
‘Not in this life time.’ he responded from the living room
*
‘What should I prepare for supper?’ Mel asked
‘I am not hungry.’ He responded without looking away from his lap top ‘Day five.’ She said before turning on her feet ‘What did you say?’
‘I said day five.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’
‘This is the fifth day without you eating.’ She responded She was genuinely worried about him
The past two years had been hard on him. ‘Don’t you think it is high time you move on?’
‘Melba we have had this conversation over and over again.’ He said ‘And nothing concrete has come up not so?’ she asked
‘I just want the truth, I just want to know why she left without a word. Why she cheated on me with Josphat.’ He said clenching his fits
‘Sorry to say this but maybe Miso was not different from the rest, come on Josphat has money and he can buy anything in the world. I am certain he bought her.’ She said before clicking her tongue, she had begun to despise Miso
‘A lot just doesn’t make sense Mel and I swear I will find out one way or the other.’ He said remembering the video he had received of Miso in Josphat’s arms.
*
Miso and Say
#A_PRAYER_AND_A_DOLLAR