CUSP

The morning was busy, I didn’t realise it would be like this dealing with O’Brien’s clients directly. Ms Mutale has been very helpful in making sure that I get everything correct even though her attitude towards me hasn’t improved.

At lunch I order food on Ulendo eats and when the rider brings the food I go to the cafeteria, it is a bit noisy as people know each other and are having different conversations. I look around the room for somewhere I can sit until I notice where Claudia is seated and she is just alone.

‘Can I?’ I ask pointing at the empty chair

She doesn’t respond instead just nods her head.

She has a bowl of tacos and glaucoma with her, it smells divine and for a minute I almost wish I had bought the same.

I open the Nando’s pack and remove the vegetable friend rice, the chicken and soda. I am not sure how to even start the conversation but it feels really uncomfortable.

‘Is there something you want to tell me?’ She asks after much silence

‘No Claudia, I was hoping you tell me what it is that has gotten you like this.’

‘You seriously don’t know?’

‘You tell me.’

She shakes her head and sighs in frustration

‘We have had a good thing going and I don’t see the reason why all of a sudden whatever you are feeling has become so big that you are allowing to get in between us. We have always talked about these things and found a way of moving passed them.’

‘How do we move past the fact that you are sleeping with my brother? That you are the reason he left Astridah?’

I choke on my food, I cough out for a few minutes before gaining composure.

‘I am sleeping with Besa?’

‘Don’t act so innocent, you want to pretend like you are this nice person meanwhile you have ruined that girl’s life.’

‘Claudia time out.’ I say looking hard at her

‘Time out.’ I say again

‘Where is all this coming from? How long have you known me for you to believe this?’

‘How am I not to believe it when you are pregnant for Besa.’

I stand up, she is insane and I am not taking any of her nonsense.

‘I think you are not okay, you need to clear your head and get back to planet earth because whoever is messing with your head is doing a good job.’

‘Walk away Wane, because you and I are done. I can’t believe that you even accepted to hang out with the poor girl when you knew that Besa was going to break up with her. He already told mum and dad that you are pregnant for him and he wants to settle down with you immediately.’

‘I don’t know where you got this rubbish but I will get to the bottom of it.’ I say walking away

I have lost my appetite, why would Besa tell his folks such things? I mean what sort of madness is this?

Knowing I won’t be able to get any answers unless I call him, I pick up my phone and do just that. He picks up on the first ring.

‘Besa what sort of madness is this?’

‘I told you to show up for the party didn’t I?’

‘Are you insane? Why would you tell your parents that I am pregnant for you when in actual sense I am not?’

‘Because you will be.’

‘Besa this is insane, I don’t love you. I don’t have feelings for you, Astridah was a good person and you two deserved each other.’

‘And what makes you think we did? Who has even given you the right to decide who I deserve and who I don’t?’

‘And yet you have the right to tell such lies about me right?’ I ask feeling a sharp pain in my stomach

‘You need to sort out this mess Besa, this is my life you are messing with.’

‘I am your life and you are my life.’ He responds

I cut the line and sit on my desk, the pain is quite strong and each minute it gets even worse.

‘Are you okay?’ Ms Mutale asks walking in on me

‘I will be.’ I say swallowing hard

‘Take a bathroom bath, it is still lunch break.’ She says looks sympathetic

I walk to the bathroom and lock myself inside one of the rooms, I sit on the toilet sit for a while but then feel like peeing so I remove my underwear only to find that it’s stained in blood. Which is a little weird because I already finished my period and I am not about to start any time soon.

I sit on the toilet bowl and pee, when done I wipe but when I stand I am shocked to find that it’s not pee that came out but clots of blood.

I stand looking over the drain not understanding what just happened, this is a first and I am scared out of my wits because this might be serious. Why in God’s name would I be passing out clots.

Without thinking twice I get my phone and capture then send to O’Brien, he is the only person I can share this with and I hope I won’t regret it.

..

Your Friend and Author

Winnie

🌺