BITTER_LOVE
Chapter 9
ALICIA’S POV.
Some jobs are quite demanding. It was past 11 PM but in spite of the late hour, my colleague, officer Baison Daka and I were out in the field. This time we had targeted a newly opened bar and instead of closing at the appropriate time which is 22:30hrs, they were still open.
“These people really love trouble, don’t they?” Baison asked as we stepped out of the police van. “I mean, why not just corporate with the government and close at the right hour, huh Alicia?”
I shrugged as I got my gun and cocked it. There was no need to use the gun but I surely needed it to threaten the people who thought of themselves as tough cookies.
“Honestly Baison, I don’t know.” I truthfully said. Officer Baison and I were close friends so we usually referred to ourselves by our first names. “Let’s get going already. As it is, it’s too chilly and I just wanna be home. In bed.”
The fantasy of being in bed almost made me turn back.
As we stepped over the threshold of the bar, people began scattering out of the bar through the back door. But three unlucky teenagers ended up being caught by Baison and I. The one in my grip was trying to wiggle himself free.
“You better stay still,” I sternly warned as I handcuffed him. “Or I’ll bust your stupid head, a—–e.”
Baison Daka chuckled as he handcuffed the two guys with him. “That’s officer Zulu for you, sonny. Get on her wrong side and you’ll experience hell on earth.”
One of the guys Baison had apprehended winced. “Officers, please don’t take me to the cells. Have mercy on us. I was just forced to come here. Please, I promise I-”
“Oh just shut up!” it was the guy I’d caught speaking now. “We didn’t bring you here by gunshot, did we?”
“Your friend has a point. Now let’s get going cause I wanna go home. Get moving!” I ordered in a shrill voice, shoving the dude forward and out of the bar.
“What a long day it has been,” Baison sighed. He was behind the wheel driving me home. He was giving me a ride because my Spacio was at the garage. For servicing, again.
As for the three trouble makers we’d caught at the bar, they were over at the police station where they’d spend the night. We’d call their parents the following day and charge each parent or guardian K200 each as bail.
Baison and I were off shift and as such we were headed home. Instead of driving me to my house, he drove me to his.
“Why did you bring me here?”
“Huh Alicia, would you mind coming in? There’s something I gotta do inside. I promise I won’t be long.”
“Okay,” I sighed.
As soon as we were inside Baison’s house and the door was closed, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me, catching me offguard. It had been long since I’d had a man kiss me this passionately but I still managed to push him off me.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Alicia,” his hand was skimming through my weave. “Don’t tell me you’ve not been longing for this. Now please just keep mute and savour the moment.”
As he k!ssed me more, I surprisly heard myself whisper, “Do you have protection?”
Baison winked. “I’m loaded, honey.”
I wrapped my arms round his neck and my legs his waist. We were undressing one another as he k!ssed me all the way to his master bedroom where we threw ourselves to the bed.
“Baison,” I said, as I belt my trousers as it was part of my uniform as a policewoman.
Baison lay silently on the bed. “Mmmmh.”
“Haul yourself up and drive me home. And just for the record, the fact that we’ve just had s*x shouldn’t give you any ideas cause you know too well I’m not up for grabs. This was just a mistake, no strings attached.”
“Your wish is my command, boss.” He was teasing me as he got dressed.
After we were fully dressed, Baison drove me to my house in Northmead. Yes, I’d relocated to Lusaka years back.
“See you tomorrow, my feisty policewoman.”
“See you tomorrow.” I stepped out of his car and watched him drive off.
What a jerk, I thought as I got into my compound. I can’t believe he’s finally managed to have a taste of my honey pot. Alicia, you gotta be strong next time girl. Don’t let your desire take over your judgement. You definitely cannot afford to be this careless.
I rapped on the door and there was an answer almost immediately. Mulenga always waited up for me. Mule and I were almost now like family. She’d left the Copperbelt and followed me to Lusaka to still work as my maid as she now had a son to cater for though the son was back in the Copperbelt living with his grandparents, Mulenga’s parents.
“You’re late tonight,” said Mule casually as she opened the door and I stepped into the house. “I almost concluded you weren’t coming home tonight.”
“I’m here now. Mule, please lock up. I’m going to bed,” I stifled a yawn. “I’ve had quite a long day and as a result, I’m really exhausted.”
“Okay madam. Sleep tight.”
“Thanks. You also have a good night.”
But I didn’t go straight to my bedroom as I ended up passing through my daughter Faides’ room. I watched the girl’s sleeping form and her striking resemblance to my late sister Lisa took me back in time….
It had hurt to learn Bob, Fred and Angie had left the country, for good. What devastated me the most was that neither Lubona nor her dad knew what country they’d relocated to. For Lubona, I believed her but the dad, not so much. He had always favoured Angie more so I wouldn’t be shocked to learn he knew her whereabouts.
Anyway, I ended up slicing my wrists in a bid to end my life as I just couldn’t seem to gather the courage to live without Fred nor Bob.
I was hospitalized and sadly, didn’t die.
“I can’t believe you could be so selfish!” yelled Lisa. She was peering down at me while I lay on the hospital bed and people in the ward were now watching us. “Alicia, how could you even contemplate committing suicide? Yes it hurts you not to know your son’s whereabouts but that’s not the end of the world, is it?!”
Monde grabbed Lisa’s arm. “Lisa, please calm down. You’re causing a scene and people are watching.”
“Let them watch! I’m only yelling so that maybe Alicia can-” she didn’t get to finish her sentence. Lisa went pale and slumped to the floor. Tests were conducted on her and the results revealed she was 5 weeks pregnant.
****************
We were seated at home two weeks later as I was now discharged.
Lisa who was seated opposite me was saying, “Alicia, I’m really stuck between a rock and hard place. The baby I’m carrying was conceived through a one night stand and the guy responsible for it says he wants nothing to do with the baby. He suggested I terminate the pregnancy and I think he’s right so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“You will do no such thing,” I hotly told Lisa and joined her on her seat. “Lisa, the child you’re carrying is a gift from God and there’s no way I’ll sit here and watch you murder an innocent child.”
“Oh come on, sis. Quit exaggerating. Abortion isn’t murder. The baby’s merely a fetus yet.”
“According to medicine, it may not be but to God, it’s human and aborting it only means you have committed murder.” I placed my hand on hers. “Big sis, I know you’re not ready for this but just as you encouraged me to move on with my life with or without my son in it, I want you to learn to love your unborn baby and welcome it into this world. I promise you’ll love the feeling of motherhood.”
It took more talking to convince her but Lisa finally agreed to keep the pregnancy.
***************
The months dragged on and there was still no news about either Bob, Fred or Angie. I was back at the boutique and spent my free time with my heavily pregnant sister and my two friends, Lubona and Monde.
When the time for Lisa to deliver arrived, I rushed her to the nearest health facility where she gave birth to a bouncing baby girl seven hours later. Lisa was fast asleep when I paid her and the baby a visit. The baby was fast asleep beside Lisa.
“Your baby’s adorable,” I told Lisa when she was finally awake.
She flashed me a weary smile. “Thank you.” her voice was too low. “Alicia, I don’t know why but I’m feeling too weak.”
“It’s must be the aftermath of labour and child birth.”
Lisa shook her head. “I’m a nurse, remember? Thus I know too well what I’m feeling is not normal. You know the feeling that people get when they are about to die? I think that’s the one I have.”
“Don’t say such,” I reprimanded her. “Lisa, you’ll get well and we’ll stay together. The three of us. You, my niece and I.”
She shook her head. “I’d I’ve loved that.” she spared her daughter a glance. “She is really an adorable child.”
“Yes, she is and-”
“Promise me one thing,” Lisa cut me short, slipping a finger into my hand. “Please promise me you’ll love my daughter as much as you love Fred. Promise me you’ll make her your own daughter. She doesn’t have to know you aren’t her real mother. I think it’ll be better if she thinks you’re her biological mother.”
“Lisa,” a tear had just rolled down my cheeks. Lisa’s tone and words were getting me emotional. “There’s no need for me to promise you anything. You know I already love this girl like she were my own.”
“You have a kind heart, sister. Life hasn’t been fair to you but I hope my gift for you makes up for some of the pain. When the time for christening my daughter arrives, please name her Faides. After our beloved mother, may her soul rest in eternal peace. I’ll be watching after you, Alicia. I promise I will.”
I was now crying. “Don’t say such things, sis. You’re really getting me emotional.”
Lisa died an hour later. I was literally alone in this world. Both my parents were dead and now so were my siblings.
For Faides’ sake, I decided to stay strong and forge ahead. After Lisa’s burial, I put my house on sale and it was after selling the house that I found myself a spot at a night school. I’d leave Faides with Mulenga whilst I attended classes and sooner rather than later, I sat for my grade twelve exams which I passed with flying colours. I was really determined to make myself worthy of Faides. I wanted her to have a good life.
When it came to selecting a career, I decided to become a cop. I don’t know why but I found the profession sexy, fun and challenging at the same time so a year later, I was employed as a policewoman.
******************
Faides was two years old now and to her, I was her real mother and she’d believe this for as long as I was healthy. I’d only reveal the truth to her on my deathbed.
It was in this year that Monde got married to Blessings and their wedding was the talk of the town. Lubona on the other hand seemed to be enjoying her work as fashion designer way too much that marriage seemed the last thing on her mind.
Mulenga got careless and fell pregnant. Three years later, I was transferred from Mufulira to Lusaka and so Faides and I relocated, Mule followed us months later, leaving her son behind.
Life in Lusaka was routine. I’d go to work, come back home and spend some quality time with my daughter, go back to work and so on and so forth. Baison and I became friends when I was promoted as chief of police at Emmasdale police station and I was shocked he was willing to be friends as most of my colleagues now hated me because of my post. Well, him and I clicked and we became the best of friends but I wasn’t proud of what had transpired between us tonight.
My dating life was pathetic. Mostly because I didn’t date despite the many suitors that came my way. Well, I was done with men and they were the last thing on my mind. But I’d gotten careless tonight and let Baison have me. I wasn’t going to get that clumsy again, no way.
Now as I watched the beautiful sleeping form of the 10-year-old Faides, I couldn’t help but recall that today marked exactly 11 years since I’d last set eyes on my son. I wondered where he was, how he was doing, what he now looked like now that he was 18. Oh crap, I missed him like hell. But he was gone and I was content with Faides as she was such a sweet little girl.
I k!ssed her forehead and retired to my room where I dumped myself on the bed and slept.
I woke up at eight the following morning and took a shower. I knew Faides was already at school so I opted to stay in my room as I waited for the time to hit 9:30 AM. My shift would begin at 10.
I grabbed a mystery-r0mance novel from my bedside drawer. The author of the novel was a Zambian author by the name or Curtis L. Maliti. The author was 36 years old and I knew this because I’d been stocking him on the Internet.
I sat on my bed and began reading the novel, each page captivating me and making me get obsessed with the writer of the amazing piece to the core. I wondered how a man could write such passionate stories and the romantic parts were really romantic. Let me not even get started on the mystery.
Even though Curtis L. Maliti resided in Britain, I had a hunch that I’d one day meet him and get his autograph. The mere thought of being in the same room with him got me excited.
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