RENTED LIFE 27

 

AKANWA KANDI 66

Mrs Mwape Senior was reading a book and sipping on some wine, she was excited about many things. Her son was definitely going to come with many gifts and he was good at spoiling her. She couldn’t wait. However, it was now almost 8pm and she was concerned, she went to the bedroom in search of her phone but she could not see it.

“This memory of mine” she sighed as she sat on her king sixed bed.

Mrs Mwape had anything money could buy at least whatever she wanted she could get. What else would she ask for? Since her husband passed, she did not lack a thing. She was content her sons always provided what she needed and she bragged about this wonderful life to whoever cared to listen. As she sat at the edge of her bed, she felt uneasy and decided to check her handbag for her other phone which she normally didn’t use. She had 16 missed calls. No one would call her that much. Quickly looking through the phone she noticed one familiar number but before she dialled it there was a knock on the door. Mrs Mwape did not leave alone, she had grandchildren around and her brother lived with her at the farm but in a smaller house with his family. He often suffered humiliation as he was not doing well. His brother was Philip. He had been contacted by Augustine’s workmate who was the last person Augustine spoke to hence the police calling him at the accident scene.

“Ba Philip what do you want it is late” Mrs Mwape said

When she unlocked living room door Philip and his wife walked in, there’s something about how they looked that made Mrs Mwape worried. She looked at them both as they looked sad.

“what is the matter?” she asked

“Mulamu… let us sit down” Philips wife said.

Ordinarily, Philips wife and Mrs Mwape senior would not talk much. She was obviously of a lower class and they had nothing in common but she really had a heart of gold

“what is it?” she asked as she tried to stop Philips wife from touching her.

“Bashi Patrick…” she said emotionally.

“Which bashi Patrick and what about him?” she asked wonderingly.

Philip broke the news,

“Patrick has died in a road accident”

Mrs Mwape senior immediately passed out and everything just went silent. The grandchildren were now in the living room in panic and by the time they understood what was going on they were screaming in grief while Philip arranged for Mrs Mwape senior to be rushed to the hospital.

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June’s older sister Mulima had a best friend based in France and when she got the news she immediately informed her best friend to reach out to her sister. The two managed to track June’s location and Patricia (Mulima’s best friend) decided to drive to the location wither husband as they prayed together in the car. It was about an hour drive. The two were very spiritual and together they prayed and sung as they headed to the hotel.

The hotel staff were kind and very remorseful when they heard what had happened, they arranged for a psychologist immediately to accompany Patricia and her husband to the hotel room. They still did not know whether the news had reached June and her children but at least they were calm to realize that they were within the hotel and had not gone anywhere.

June was chatting with while her sons were playing a game on the tv. The door rang and Kabwe got up to get it. When she swung the door open she could not recognize anybody so she just smiled.

“Hai…” she greeted.

June quickly came to the door and she recognized Patricia was her sisters childhood friend.

“huh… no… wow… is this ba Patricia?” June said in shock

Patricia smiled and they hugged. She tried to keep it together.

“Let me guess Mulima is behind this right?.. its been forever.. please come in” June said happily without connecting what might be the possible reason behind this visit.

Patricia, her husband and the psychologist named Melisa entered.

“Wow.. I can’t believe it… I am so happy to see you… please take a seat” she said as he invited them to her hotel living room.

June asked many questions and she was in very high spirits to connect anything was amiss. When everyone was now calm… Patricia moved closer to June and put her arm around her. June was wondering why as found the gesture confusing.

“My dear June we came here because something has happened….” She said.

June looked at them wonderingly.

Kabwe and her brothers were not in sight as they went to another room.

“June my dear, you know when the Lord gives, he also takes away/ sometimes we do not know why we just trust that he is right…”

June looked at Patricia as her heart sunk. She remembered her mother who had serious BP.

“Is it my mother?” she asked nervously.

“no… its Augustine…”

“which Augustine?”

“Your husband, he died in a road accident”

June was a little confused and she went into shock.