TOO FAR TO REACH 9

 TOO FAR TO REACH

CHAPTER 9

I had soon enough come to realize my sister wife went by the name of Mosha, she grew up a privileged Zambian young lady who schooled at Italian school and later furthered her studies in Russia. Mosha was a journalist by profession but turned out she never actually had a formal job, she ran a successful youtube channel which earned her decent money. I knew all this from her own mouth, she was a chatter box. Mr Mulenga had eventually returned with her belongings and a bag which had a vlogging camera, she wanted to document her hospital visit in her vlog meant for her channel. I politely opposed but Jeff seemed quite upset and he did not seem to stop talking about it. I had to destruct the conversation with questions on how grief ever gets better, I was missing my mother.

Mosha eventually started dozing and began nagging Jeff.

“Honey lets go and sleep in the car” she said.

Jeff handed her they keys and suggested he would meet her there.

“Honey please, let’s go, I am sleepy”

Mosha, threes a patient here and until her relatives are here I cannot leave” he said.

Let me mention that she was one of those annoying girlfriends who would be all over their men; she was so clinging and sitting on his laps most of the time. Jeff was fed up I could tell but he was trying to be polite because of me.

“She is right, maybe go on so I can also get some rest, I am tired” I said while yawning.

Jeff looked furious but reluctantly agreed while sternly warning her that he was not helping her carry anything. He held my hand and whispered goodnight before leaving. Something told me Jeff would not be gone for the entire night and I was right, he was barely gone 10 minutes when he returned.

“What happened? I asked.

“She has gone home… she will come tomorrow morning” he said.

“Oh.. I am sorry I really don’t think its right that you…”

“Pumulo, there’s no place I would rather be” he interrupted.

As Jeff lay on the couch, I looked at him wondering if he truly did this because I was an employee or maybe because there was any other reason. It didn’t look like he loved Mosha but then again what did I know? I was probably just trying to comfort myself. I looked at him try to close his eyes as he lay on the couch and I closed mine too, I knew he was tired. It was a long day and he had been with me since morning. He did not even have a change of clothes

Looking at Jeff sleep reminded me of the very first time I had spent a night over at his house, yes I had been to his apartment before. I was not as drunk as he thought I might have been when I insisted to go to his house as I would not help myself home alone. I remember walking into the lovely apartment and thinking I was in a hotel but realized chipata was two weeks back. We had literally partied together since. It even became routine. Jeff was willing to party or night with me if I was willing to tell him what was bothering me, I was going through something and my work was getting affected, Mr. Cloud needed me and so did Cloud investments. Jeff started getting close and asking about my work all the while offering drinks and night outs to any of my favorite spots provided I was ready to get back to myself. I do not think Mr. Cloud was aware that Jeff and I were hanging out together as much but he could tell a steady friendship had grown between us and he often teased us. Well, in those nights of going to wherever I wanted, we had managed to at least see the most amazing places in Lusaka, places I could never afford with my own money. Jeff was always cheering me up and soon I was myself.. in those cheering moments one moment that should never have happened ended up happening.

As my eyes remained closed and in thought, Jeff whispered with his eyes still closed.

“Sleep Pumulo”

“What makes you think I am not” I said with a smile as my eyes opened to look at him. His were still closed.

“You are not sleeping, you are thinking” he said.

“How do you know? I suppose it’s because you are too…” I replied.

Jeff’s eyes were still closed when he asked me a question. It was after a steady silence.

“Who is responsible Pumulo?”

Suddenly the silence was so intense that you could hear anything pass by except everything stood still. I knew he referred to my pregnancy.

My heart skipped and I tried to act unmoved but Jeff’s eyes were now open and he looked at me without blinking waiting for an answer.