내 첫 사랑 che cha sarang by Varaidzo Melissa Chidzuu (beach read book TXT) 📕

“I’m finished!” Monica almost gave him a heart attack as she pounced on him from behind. Twirling about she paused and took a small bow in front of her father showing off the sari which she had found in her mother’s bags. “She wore that at a fashion photo shoot in Calcutta, India. I saw the spread in the September issue of ninety-six in the New Woman magazine whilst I was in a waiting room at the dentist’s getting my braces removed. At that time, I never imagined that she was to become my future wife,” he smiled but sadness shimmered in his eyes. “I can imagine her stretching out her arms in the wind, it’s so well kept because it’s special I guess. I hope she won’t mind,” Monica looked for approval on her father’s face. Josh just smiled and stood up making his way to the door. “She would be very delighted. I’m glad I told Jessie to come at another time because we have to have some quality time with her. I asked Felicia to order a nice fruit basket for her so it should be in the car by now. She told me that she missed the bitterness of the Granny Smith apples and…”

“You said that Jessie called the house when I was upstairs?” Monica inquired anxiously. “He said that it was nothing really important. He’ll come over and see you when you get back from the sanatorium. Don’t you want to see your mother anymore? You must know that she still highly regards you as a baby,” he spoke in a persuasive voice as he looked at her uneasy face. “Of course I want to see her! Jessie probably wanted to take me out so that we could celebrate my birthday but that can wait,” she smiled thinly. “Jessie’s in trouble again; I wonder what he’s done now,” she thought.

“You know what the doctor told me today honey?” Shuvai lovingly kissed her husband as she sat down directly in front of him, her eyes penetrating through his. Over the years, her constant trips overseas with her mother in law had transformed her into a much better person, the kind of wife expected for a man of Alan’s caliber. Dressed in a silk summer dress, very short to blend in with her motive she had hurried into the spacious bedroom with a victorious look inscribed on her face. He was seated on the bed sending some emails to potential clients in Cyprus when he tried not to ignore her.

“Yes, what did Dr Mangwiro say this time,” he put aside his laptop and did his best to smile. “I’m seeing Dr Fredrik from now on. I don’t trust that man anymore,” she patiently informed him, probably irritated by his pathetic pretence. “Anyway, Dr Fredrik said that I’m not too old to have another baby. I may be thirty-five of course but I have the body of a twenty-one year old because of my healthy lifestyle. He said we should try rather than burden our minds with boneless myths,” she spoke in a seductive voice as she slowly leant over to give him a long lingering kiss. Alan froze, he just did not want to do this right now but Shuvai was like a hurricane. “Where’s Adolph? Aren’t you supposed to be picking him up from school now?” he asked out of breath as she forced herself on him. “Today is Saturday. How silly of you! Adolph went with Avril to play at your mother’s today,” she said reaching down for his belt. “Right now, mommy and daddy are going to make him a little brother or sister to play with,” she whispered.

Alan could not back down right now but he had to do something. Skillfully reaching for his cell phone he dialed the house’s landline number which he had saved as auto-dial number one for his convenience. Prayerfully; he waited for the phone to ring so that he could volunteer to go and answer it making a clean escape. But right now he had to play along because one knows better than to cross a woman in need.

“Yes, what did the Ice Queen say? She caught a cold I guess and now she can’t see you!” Dakota mocked Jessie as he made his way back from the men’s room. He looked at the entrance and thought of the Rainbow hotel across the road, Monica’s father had taken them there for dinner one day when his grandfather had passed on. It was a real trying moment because he had been at the same sanatorium as Monica’s mother and he was twelve by then; very young and devastated at the time. But now he was a twenty year old good for nothing waiting to pounce on the family fortune once his grandmother dies of which the chances looked dim at the particular moment. His parents had died in a plane crush whilst traveling to China to seal a big business deal and the only surviving relative he had was his granny as his parents had no siblings and his mother’s parents had died long ago.

The only good thing that had come up in his life was Monica and he valued the person she was because she was everything he never would be. She was hard-working and motivated him to go back to school and attempt to tame the lion of education again. The only obstacle in his life was Dakota, but he could not let her go because she soothed his cocaine addiction and satisfied his monstrous hunger for sex. “Shut up! Don’t you have anything nice to say for a change,” his hands shook as he patiently waited for the drug to travel through his vessels. “I’m just being frank. Anyway, are you seeing her tonight?” she looked at him in disgust. It was clear she did not like little Miss Perfect and never made an effort to hide it. “They’ve gone to see her mom but I’ll be jollying down her place later,” he stirred up Dakota’s anger with a smile. “Ha, let’s see her get you half of what I sacrifice for you, you ingrate. You’ll regret it if you go see her!” she stormed off irritably.

Chapter eight

Algeria, Algiers

Saturday 12June 2021

“Do you think you’ll be safe going close to that poor dear child Dr Reynolds? She’s very sick and our local doctor said there was a possibility that it could be the Ebola virus,” Father Martins anxiously rested his hands on the young African American woman’s shoulders. “That’s why there are medical tests Father and safety clothing. Don’t worry too much; I’ve been doing this for years,” she waved her medical kit and smiled reassuringly at the priest who clearly had his doubts. “If only I didn’t look so young and maybe if I were a man is what you are thinking,” she frowned in her thoughts.

“Fine, if you insist but I suggest that you see her in the morning. I’m afraid that our lighting isn’t up to standard and you must be tired after that long flight,” he said going to the back of the jeep to collect the rest of her stuff. “Thanks for the concern Father but I’d rather see her tonight so that I can have peace. I’d like to sleep over what I would have examined, you must understand that I would be more weary in the morning if I don’t do it now because I won’t even fall asleep. Anything you use in your parish is enough for me; I even brought my battery powered night lamp if that will help. I usually study at night you see, even when I’m away from home,” she helped the priest with some of the luggage he was carrying and followed him into the enormous cathedral.

As they walked through the large doors, she was welcome not only by the warm candle lights but also the profound sound of the organ as the pianist played Sir Elton John’s Candle in the wind. Enchanted by the beautiful music, she dropped her bags on the bench and let the notes soak in. Quietly closing the doors, the priest joined the fascinated pediatrician. “He’s like an angel, played every night ever since we took him in,” the priest smiled. “When was that?” Nyarai asked curiously. “A long time ago, I don’t remember when but it feels like yesterday when he came in soaking wet, drenched by the rain with tears in his eyes,” he began gravely. “What had happened?” she asked with so much concern in her voice. “He was an unfortunate victim in a family dispute between his parents. If it wasn’t for his two friends who guided him here in the rain, he could have lost more than his sight. I don’t mean to be stereotyping but you know Muslims, they are a tough community. We’ve had many death threats coming in lately, most of them accusing us of the bad things we’ve done by taking in children who run away from violent homes and empowering widows so that they do not have to throw themselves at their deceased husbands’ brothers,” he looked at the young man up on the podium. “Abdul’s mother sprayed sulfuric acid into his eyes just to spite his father who did not want him to leave his house. By that time, he was in his first year at a University in Egypt and had returned home for the holidays. You can imagine, a life destroyed by a selfish woman. Abdul swore she could have done more if he hadn’t sneaked out of the house. The local doctor could only prevent the acid from further corroding his eyes otherwise Abdul had to learn to live in the dark,” he emotionally narrated the story; a firm fist was cradled in his left hand as he tried to calm himself down.

“Does he talk about it sometimes? I mean did this whole incident affect his relations with people?” she asked eagerly. “He doesn’t mix well with strangers I’m afraid but I don’t blame him. He doesn’t trust anyone,” he answered timidly. “Can I talk to him sometime? May be I could examine his eyes,” the young doctor found herself obliged to help all of a sudden. “I’ll try and talk to him first; we don’t want to surprise him, do we? Now, how about a hot cup of chocolate before you go to bed?” he stood up and carried some of her bags. “No, I still want to see that girl. Please get someone to take my bags to my room so that we could be on our way.”

Alan waited patiently for his scotch in Josh’s living room. He looked at the pool outside the window and felt like dipping himself in the cool water and forget about everything. Sunday was the only day he could have sometime to himself if Shuvai had not dragged him like Adolph to church. Poor kid; sometimes he felt for him but oh well, growing up was growing up. Who would want a rebellious nine year old to add to their bigger problems?

“The house is too quiet for my liking today. Where’s Monica and that lazy Barbers boy?” he asked Josh as he handed him the glass. “Church I suppose, even though I’ve got my doubts. You know teenagers these today,” Josh threw himself on the couch and switched on the TV with the remote. “If only people could stop lying in God’s name busy blaspheming as if they’re some holy sheep whilst during the week they drink themselves green and cheat on their spouses,” he joined Josh who moved away from him a little.

“The gym’s keeping Shuvai busy these days, too many obese people struggling for her attention. I’ve seen her in action; she’s too pushy nowadays that one would suspect that she’s taking