Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 29
âŠBOB’S POVâŠ
Lately, my life seemed to be crumbling down to shambles. Everything was falling apart to the extent where the ongoings in Chinua Achebeâs âThings Fall Apartâ seemed like an understatement to me.
Firstly, Angie was murdered by only God knows what psychopath and then my only son Fred was framed for the murder and arrested. As if all this wasnât enough, I just had to find out that Fred had gone to bed with my late wife and the child she had been carrying had been his. Like seriously? To add more salt to the my wounds, Fred had to be found guilty by the court and sentenced to death. Could life get any better?
To top icing on the cake, Alicia just had to pass out right there in the courtroom.
I rushed towards where she and the Curtis guy were. Alicia lay on Curtisâ laps as Diana sprinkled some water on her(Alicia).
I really hated the guts of the Curtis dude but I had to be close to him today so as to ensure Alicia was alright. Why, I still loved her.
Aliciaâs maid Mulenga was frantically telling the people who were hovering over Alicia to disperse and leave space for some fresh air.
âDoes the condition seem serious?â I heard myself ask.
Curtis didnât even bother looking at me. âNo. I can feel her recoil, sheâll come to soon. Dee, more water please.â
âIâm on it,â Diana replied and sprinkled more water on Aliciaâs face.
The cop Baison had now taken off his jacket and was using it to fan Alicia. Monde and Lubona on the other hand just stood like spectators.
Alicia finally regained consciousness.
âMy son,â she croaked. âTell me heâll be alright.â
Amidst all this commotion, we hadnât even noticed Fred being led away. I peered down at Alicia and seeing her in that condition got me so emotional that I rushed out of the courtroom to where my rented car was parked. I kicked one of the rear tires in frustration and cussed out loud, âShit, shit, shit! Why does my life have to be this f—-d up? Why does that old son of a w—e Webster Habeenzu and his b—h for a daughter Angie always have the last laugh even when they are now six feet under, decaying?!â
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Fredâs execution day was scheduled to take place in two days time. But before that, Alicia and I were allowed to pay him a visit at the central police station where he was being kept.
Once in the visiting room, Alicia and I sat beside one another. Her eyes were puffy from all the crying that she had done.
âI believe everythingâs gonna be alright.â
âYou do realize this is your fault, right?â
I cocked my head to gaze at her. âMy fault? Say what now? Exactly how is all this my fault?â
âI canât believe you even have the nerve to ask. Bob, had you not taken Fred with you to Kenya years back none of this would be happening.â
âAnd you think blaming me will change things, huh?â
âThere, that attitude right there,â Alicia said, pointing a threatening finger at me. âBob I swear to you if anything happens to Fred I wonât forgive you. Iâll turn the earth upside down if need be but Iâll make sure you pay for ruining not only my life but Fredâs too.â
I swallowed. I had never seen Alicia this angry. I was thinking of what response to give her when the warden brought Fred in, he was in shackles as usual.
As soon as Fred saw his mother and I, he broke down and rushed to hug both of us.
âEasy there,â I rubbed his back. âYour mother and I are here for you.â
âYour fatherâs right, we are and weâll always be here for you.â
We all took our seats. The warden didnât seem to be leaving the room any time soon so it dawned on Alicia and I that we had to talk to Fred in the wardenâs presence.
âHow come we could never be happy?â Fred asked after heâd wiped his tears. âHow come our lives have to be so full of drama? How come I have to die at the age of 18? How come-â
âSshh,â Alicia cut him short, placing her hand on his. âSome things are just beyond our understanding, Fred.â
âIndeed theyâre. I believe you two have come to say farewell?â
Alicia sighed and the tears betrayed her as they kept on flowing. âI donât want you to think of this conversation as us bidding one another goodbye.â
âCome on, Mother. Thereâs no need to sugar coat shit so just get on to the farewell part.â
âFred,â I said. âWatch your language, boy.â
âDad, if youâre here to chastise me then you might as well just leave.â
âRelax, Fred.â Alicia said. âI- no. Your father and I just want you to know we love you and whatever happens, youâll always be dear to our hearts.â
âI didnât kill her, I swear.â
âWe know,â Alicia and I said in unison.
Fredâs voice was now choked with emotion. âThen why do I have to pay for someone elseâs crimes? Why does life have to be so unfair?â
âItâs life,â I feigned toughness. âSometimes itâs fair, sometimes itâs not.â
For the next few minutes, Fred, Alicia and I forgot about our son being executed two days from now and we instead talked about some of the happy memories that weâd created when we were a small happy family.
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I sat in my apartment that evening with a bottle of Scotch in one hand. My life was a total mess and the least on my worry list was the fact that I had no job. But a job could wait cause I had enough money in my bank account to cater for my needs for the next three years or so.
The biggest problem on my list was the thought of Fred being killed two days from today. WTF? I wasnât going to sit back with my arms crossed across my chest and watch my keen get murdered for a crime he didnât commit, was I?
How did I know he wasnât guilty? Because he was my son and I knew him like the back of my hand and so there was no way someone could convince me Fred had killed Angie. Even if Jesus Christ were to descend from heaven and tell me Fred was the murderer, Iâd have a hard time believing him.
That night, I didnât sleep a wink as I kept on tossing and turning, thinking about how to save my son from this sticky situation he was in.
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A day past and now only a day was left before the execution. Let me not even get started on how much tears Alicia was shedding back at home. I had paid her a visit earlier today and the Curtis dude and I had tried our utmost best to console her but no, she just had to cry, cry and cry. I didnât blame her though. After all, sheâd had two miscarriages whilst I was married to her and if she lost Fred too, that would surely shatter her.
From Aliciaâs, I went to Manda Hill to grab some necessities. It was while heading to my car with shopping bags in both hands that I ran into Daniel Mkandawire. Does the name ring a bell?
Let me refresh your memory a bit if it doesnât. Daniel Mkandawire was the mafia guy who had blackmailed me years back and it was thanks to him that all this was happening.
âIf it isnât my very own boy, Bobby Chizinga!â
âHello, Daniel. Itâs nice to see you again but Iâm quite busy so Iâll just trot along. Have a nice day by the way.â
âEasy boy,â Daniel held me by my elbow and led me to a vacant table where he literally shoved me to a seat. He sat down too. âMy friend Websterâs no more.â
âI know, I was even at his funeral.â I wasnât in the least way interested in talking to Daniel. âI also heard he was poisoned. Let me guess, you are behind his death.â
âOuch,â he chuckled. âIâm not but I know who is. You wanna know?â
âIâm not falling for your tricks this time you sneaky bastard.â
âYeah, right! Iâll tell you anyway. Itâs his lovely daughter Lubona.â
My mouth went ajar.
âYoh, close that before flies rush in,â Daniel mocked. âBelieve me you his daughter killed Webster. Why she did it, I still donât know but she did kill him. Rumour has it she might have even murdered her sister.â
âWhy are you telling me all this?â
Daniel leaned forward. âBecause I owe you one for saving my ass twelve years ago. Bob, Iâm not your enemy and I know the pain of losing a son so thereâs no way Iâm wishing that on anyone, not even my nemesis. If you donât believe me then I suggest you go over to Lubonaâs house and ask her how her Dad died. Iâm sure her facial expressions will tell you all that you need to know.â
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âSo, how exactly did father in-law die?â I asked Lubona. It was night time and I was over at her place. Danielâs words had really gotten to me so yeah, here I was.
âHe was poisoned, Bob. I thought you knew this by now.â
âSure. What I donât get is how he was poisoned and why anyone would kill a man as kind hearted as your father had been. All this seems kinda absurd, doesnât it?â
âYeah,â Lubona was shifting uncomfortably in her seat. âBut Dadâs dead, Bob. Why do we have to talk about this right now?â
I shrugged. âIâm sorry for being insensitive. I must have guessed this is a sensitive issue for you. After all, he was your father.â
She forced a smile. âApology accepted. But I do miss him, I sure do.â
Once I was outside her house, I gave Alicia a call.
âBob,â she picked up after a few rings. âWhat want you?â
âAlicia, I know who the real murderer is. Finally our Fred can be saved.â
âBob, tell me you arenât joking cause if youâre then drop it cause this is really a sick joke that you pulling.â
âIâm not joking. The real murderer is-â
I was cut short by a blow on the back of my head. I turned and the floodlights outside Lubonaâs house illuminated an angry Lubona with a huge log in her possession. Before I could react, she hit me a couple of times and I blacked out.
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