Sat. Oct 12th, 2024

November 7th, 2019. 6:55PM 22

 

‘Some people find happiness, others take it whilst the better part of us

create it.’

 

Mulife gets a call whilst we are having breakfast; Olipa calls him and tells him that he needs to rush to Handsworth where she is staying with Lackson.

 

Nowherewearestaringather,noneofuswithanythingtosay.Shehas been crying since we walked in and she hasn’t even been able to tell us what the problemis.

 

She continues to weep silently as Mulife holds Olivia, the child looks like she is feeling the pain that her mother is feeling and is almost on the verge of crying.

 

‘Let me hold her.’ I suggest

 

I see Olipa eye me but Mulife hands me the childanyway.

 

I walk out of the house with Olivia in my hands, I am hoping that being outside will help her calm down.

 

We seat by the veranda, with me lost in my own thoughts. I just can’t stop thinking of the reasons behind Olipa’s phone call and current situation.

 

‘Look what we have here.’ Lackson says with a smirk on his face

 

I feel Olivia’s grip on my body get tighter and I know whatever happened involves Lackson.

 

‘I have been well Lackson, how have you been.’ I respond instead

 

‘Iseeyouarestillthesamegirltryingtoactalltoughwheninactualsense youarejustsomedyingHIVpatient.’

 

I want to keep quiet, to just let it go but his daughter is here. Olivia as young as she might be needs to learn that it is okay to defend oneself and thatitiswrongtodwellinselfpityandallowtheworldtothrowdirtatyou.

 

‘Iseeyouarestillasarrogantasyouhavealwaysbeen.’Isaylookinghimin

the eye

 

He chuckles

 

‘I am not about to start playing cat and mouse with you, hand me my daughter.’ He says opening his hands

 

Olivia holds on to me like her dear life depends on it.

 

‘Give me my child.’ He yells this time around

 

IamconflictedbetweengivinghimbackthechildandhowtightlyOliviais holdingme.

 

Just then Mulife comes out of the house.

 

‘Iseeitisablacksheepaffair.’Lacksonsayssarcastically Mulife doesn’t respond, I hand Olivia tohim.

‘Daddy.’Thelittlegirlsaystearsfreelyfallingfromhereyes ‘Hush baby.’ He responds patting herback

‘ShouldItellheroryouwill?’Lacksonasks

 

‘You wouldn’t dare.’ Mulife threatens

 

‘You think so?’ he asks a scary seriousness in his voice. ‘Mulife hand him the child.’ Olipa begs now outside as well He shoots her threatening daggers and I see her whimper ‘What do you know about parenthood?’ Mulife enquires ‘And what do you know about fathering a child?’

 

I can see this is about to get ugly, Mulife is mad. I have never seen him this

mad and he is probably going to lose it if lackson doesn’t stop. ‘We are leaving.’ He finally says pulling my hand

‘What?’

 

‘Now?’

 

He continues to walk towards the car

 

‘Iwouldn’tdareifIwereyou.’Lacksonshoutshandsshovedinhispockets but Mulife doesn’tstop

 

‘Are you coming with me or not?’ he asks me angrily

 

‘Mulifepleasedon’t.’OlipabegsgoingtohissidejustbeforeputsOliviain the car and locks herin

 

‘Are you hearing yourself?’ he asks her before yanking her off him

 

‘I gave you one simple instruction, to take care of Olivia and what did you do?’

 

‘Mulife I am sorry I know I failed you.’

 

‘Don’tyoudaresayyoufailedme,youhavefailedasamother.Youhave failed your child and as a woman you havefailed.’

 

‘Mulife.’

 

‘Olipa you disgust me.’

 

 

‘What was I going to do? What was I supposed to do? I had to take the

easy way out.’

 

Mulife laughs, an angry and bitter laugh and am left confused wondering what she told him when they were in the house.

 

‘Easy way out?’ he questions

 

‘Mothers don’t take the easy way out, mothers fight for their children, mothers fight tooth and nail just for their children to have all the love and care and in the world.’

 

He pauses as she continues crying.

 

‘Olipa you know what you need?’

 

‘Fixing,becauseyouareabrokenhumanbeing.’Headds ‘You can’t go with her, it has been doneMulife.’

‘You will have to kill me first before you get Olivia from me.’ ‘Please don’t make this harder than it already is.’

‘Olipa I was there, through it all. Olivia is practically my daughter and you want me to watch as you animals take her away from me.’

 

‘Mulife I promise you will see her whenever you want, you know I can’t lie to you.’ She begs but he gets into the car and bangs the door in her face

 

I know it’s my cue to get in the vehicle and as soon as I get in, he drives off.

 

 

ThespeedatwhichheisdrivingisscaringmebutIdon’tdaresayanything, I am scared out of my bones and I keep looking at Olivia who is not saying anything but instead keeps smiling at me from time to time, it’s as if she knows that he can never do anything to hurther.

 

We finally stop in Kafue at a deserted bush and Mulife gets out of the car, locking us inside. From where I am I see him scream but I can’t hear his voice and then from the screams comes the tears, he stands in a way that Olivia can’t see him. I can’t hit against the windows because it will get the little girl scared.

 

After what seems like forever he finally opens the car and getsin.

 

‘Howwouldyouliketogoonavacationprincess?’heasksher I don’t know why but his words make mescared.

‘I would love to daddy.’ She responds

 

He picks up his phone and dials a number.

 

‘Get me tickets for the next available plane to Seychelles.’ He says before

dropping the line

 

‘Everything will be fine baby.’ He says

 

We drive back to Lusaka in silence, Olivia has dozed off and I have

questions but I don’t know how to ask him or where to begin.

 

‘I will send a lawyer over because you might need him.’ He says when we

park outside my place

 

 

‘Mulife what is happening?’

 

‘Nothing you need to worry about as long as you follow my instructions.’ ‘Mulife.’

‘Thelma I need to do this and unfortunately I cannot put your life on a standstillandaskyoutocomewithme,youareyoungandbeautifuland veryvibrant.Iwouldn’twantforyoutostoplivingformeoranyoneinthe world.’

 

‘Mulife.’ I say tears threatening to fall

 

‘Go and live your life baby, I love you but I need to do this.’ He says

unlocking the door.

 

‘Mulife.’

 

‘Go.’ He says as he swallows hard

 

I take one last look at him, his face full of emotions. He is about to cry but I

don’t stay long enough to see him breakdown.

 

Winnie

 

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