PATERNITY XD
14
Chomba was very upset when I told her I was pumping the brakes on our relationship. Surprisingly she did not ask me why or make me drag things out the way I thought she would. She made me wish I had not dragged things out and cut ties long ago.
"You ended it?" Henry asked when I walked into his apartment and poured myself a whisky.
I threw the liquid to the back of my throat. "Yep," I said poring another.
"So why are we drinking?" he said getting a glass.
"Because I still feel like shit, I really liked her," I said honestly.
"Have you told the good doctor?" he teased. No, I had not told Lindi, she wasn't taking my calls for the last week and quite frankly I didn't blame her. Every time I played back that day, I realise there was more I could have said.
Between us, sex was never a problem but communication. For someone like me, actions speak louder than words.
"Achi," Henry started.
"I am not here for a lecture."
"I hate to break it to you, Lindi won't wait forever. Instead of drinking here, which I don't mind, I suggest you find your way to Munali," he said.
I knew she was home, Thulani was at my parent's place. They had him for the holidays. I could go and see her but I was scared.
I could feel the alcohol worming its way in my system even as I got behind the wheel, I convinced myself that it was now or never.
Lindi opened the gate and closed it as I drove in and parked haphazardly next to her door. She watched me as I stepped out of the car and locked it. She walked behind me as I led the way into the house. I went straight into the kitchen, I needed a lot of water.
She stood at the threshold of the kitchen door and watched me. Arms folded and unimpressed. I knew that look, it turned me on most times. riling her up turned me on. I emptied my pockets onto the counter.
"Have you been drinking?" she asked.
"Just a bit," I admitted.
"And you got behind the wheel?" she paused reaching for the car keys I had just put on the counter next to my wallet. "You have a son that needs you should you really be doing such wreckless things?"
"I needed to see you," I said.
"I would much rather talk to you when you are sober," she said firmly. I didn't know how to convince her I was sober. It was late evening. She went to her room and came out with bedsheets and a pillow.
"You can sleep on Thulani's bed," she announced.
"I broke up with Chomba," I said making no move to get the bedding. She stared up at me, a blank unreadable expression on her face.
For the longest time, neither of us spoke. She put the bedding on the sofa, folded her arms and watched me.
"So?" she taunted.
"What should I do? Tell me and I will do it," I declared.
She just looked at me. "We can talk when you are sober."
"I never stopped loving you. Sure I tried to forget you and move on, but I have never managed to forget. I don't regret what happened last week, I just regret the fact that we didn't talk about it then."
"Why didn't you say this last week?" she asked.
"You wouldn't have believed me as long as I was still with Chomba."
She dropped her folded arms and I semi-relaxed.
"You decided to go drinking first before coming here?"
She was like a drill instructor just when I thought I was getting there, she has something else.
"I went to see Henry, I did not intend to come over, but I haven't been sleeping so well."
"He forced you to come," she accused going to lock the doors, I realised then that it was after 20. She wasn't going to let me go.
"He didn't have to, I thought you were still mad at me."
She didn't respond, I covered the distance between us. ''I have been drinking, but I am not drunk," I begged.
"We can talk in the morning," she said and turned to go to her room.
It took me an hour to go and knock on her bedroom door. I pushed passed her when the door opened, I ignored how she looked at me.
"Marry me," I begged.
"Achi," she began. But something about the way I looked at her made her hold her tongue.
"I need time to think through it," She said. "And you need time to recover from your ex."
"Okay, that's fair. If I am spending the night here, it's in your room. We already made a baby together, so yeah."
"Fine, no funny business," she said quietly.
I surprisingly fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow. The stress and tiredness from the week must have caught up. I was comforted that Lindi didn't say no to my proposal so there was hope.
I woke up with her in my arms, her breathing was even so I knew she was awake.
"Good morning," I said kissing her lips. She smiled.
"Good morning, " she replied.
"So how much time after my ex are we talking?"
She laughed. "Patience is really not your forte."
I pulled her into my arms, knowing where she was coming from and understanding she wanted to protect Thulani from a rash decision on our part. Yes, I knew, but still, I wanted her to say yes and us to be a family as soon as possible.
The End, XD