Echoes Of The Heart

Episode 31

“May I help you?” Asked the man that had opened the small pedestrian gate of the house Sibu was parked in front of, obviously mistaking her for a guest.

Sibu rolled down her window and said, “Sorry, I think I got the wrong address. The house I am looking for should be a couple of blocks behind…I must have passed…really sorry for the inconvinience.”

She then reversed onto the street and drove back in the direction she had come, all the while keeping check for any vehicle that might be following her.

Later that evening, Martin came to collect Jacob so he could spend the night at his place before he left with his mother the next morning. Sibu had to fight the urge to talk to him about having been followed because she feared Martin would take that as licence to involve himself in the affairs of her life under the guise of protecting her and his son.

Once Martin and Jacob were gone, Sibu called Sibeso to offload.

“I don’t even think today was the first time Sibe,” she told her friend. “You remember that day I went to see my aunt, while I was parked by the roadside watching her store, I had seen that same vehicle parked behind me and when I looked, I found some strange guy looking directly at me. I just brushed it aside, didn’t think much of it although the guy did give me the creeps. When I was done with my aunt, I found himhe still parked there except this time he made himself busy reading a newspaper.”

“Are you sure it was the same vehicle?” Sibeso said from the other end of the line. “It could have just been some random person parked behind you. Who would be following you around really?”

“That’s what I also want to know,” Sibu replied. “I am very sure it was the same blue car. That first time I was able to see the driver’s face through the windscreen but not this time…but I am very positive it is the same car.”

“Maybe it’s Maleficent,” Sibeso suggested. “She is the only species I can think of in your life capable of doing such a crazy thing. Maybe she is trying to dig up some dirt on you so you can get her son full custody of Jake.”

“I thought about that too…she is the only one that came to mind. Aunt Tafadzwa is too money hungry to hire someone with such an expensive ride just to follow me around. Unless I really managed to piss her off when I declared war against her and this is her sick and twisted way of getting revenge.”
“ Ummm, ” Sibeso said. “I doubt its Maxine, that one is the juju voodoo kind of person,” and laughing, she added, “She would rather get a quick fix than waste time following you around, for what?”

Sibu let out an airy laugh. “You are right. But this thing is really making me nervous.”
“You will be out of town by tomorrow so you wont have to deal with Maleficent’s nonsense for some time…unless the stalker decides to follow you to South Africa…then we will know it’s Martin that hired him to spy on you and Ted.”

“Martin is immature but I know for a fact he isn’t capable of such craziness.”
“He did hire a PI to look into you before, didn’t he?” Sibeso reminded her. “Isn’t that the same kind of crazy?”
“Ah,” Sibu sighed. “I just don’t know what to think any more. It’s not like I am some rich person or the daughter of some rich guy and…Sibeso…” she paused in mid-sentence, her voice dropping to a whisper towards the end.

“What is it Sibu?” Sibeso asked, her voice filled with concern. “Did he follow you home? Why have you gone quite? Sibu…should I call the police for you? If you can’t talk just say ‘um’ and I will know. Can you hear me?”
“Sibeso,” Sibu said in a very low register. “Could it be my father?”
“What?” Sibeso was caught by surprise. Sibu’s father was a forbidden topic between them. Sibu had never initiated talk of her father before.
“What if it’s him?” Sibu asked again.

“After all these years Sibu, what could he possibly be looking for? It’s not like you have any more kidneys left to give if he’s looking for a donor. Besides, didn’t your aunt say he was some poor bloke who ran away because he couldn’t afford such a huge responsibility as a child? What would a guy like that be doing driving around a Jaguar?”

“Maybe he has money, it’s been twenty-eight years since.” Sibu said.

Sibeso scoffed. “Yeah right, if he is rich, then I am Jill Gates, Bill’s long lost daughter. Stop killing yourself over who might be following you. If they meant to do you any harm, they would have done so by now. I am sure it’s Maleficent. We all knew that eventually that Botox would launch a war against her brain. She’s finally lost it.”
“I hope you are right,” Sibu said unconvincingly.

“Of course I am right,” Sibeso replied with conviction. “What time should I come to pick you up for the airport tomorrow?”
“Ten,” Sibu replied. “Martin will bring Jacob straight to the airport since he’s spending the night with him.”

“What if he decides to hold him hostage so he can keep you from leaving?” Sibeso asked.

“He wouldn’t do that Sibe. You really sound like an anti-fan these days,” Sibu said. “Aren’t you the same person that used to get excited every time you heard his name?”
“I was a kid then!” Sibeso yelled, obviously embarrassed by the memory. “Blame it on the raging hormones. It was better before I knew him personally. Knocking up that crazy b—h was the last straw for me. I just feel like kicking him in the nuts every time I lay eyes on him so he can never breed again.”

Sibu chuckled. “You are nuts my friend. Go and attend to your hubby before he starts wondering about who’s keeping you busy this late. Goodnight, see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight sweetie. I love you, sweet dreams.”

Sibu laughed. “You are doing that for the benefit of your husband isn’t it?”
Sibeso laughed back. “ Kaili …you know,” she said. “He is busy giving me the eye so I had to thicken the plot for his imagination.” She whispered into the phone.
“I give up,” Sibu said laughing. “Goodnight, love you too. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Didn’t think I was just gonna drop Jake off and leave did you?” Martin said to Sibu.

They were standing outside while Sibeso and Jacob remained inside to wait for the check-in call.

Sibu was not surprised by Martin’s behavior. She had expected that much from him. If he would have it his way, he would also move to South Africa for the whole year.

“I will be popping in and out of SA to see you guys. There is no way I am going to let a whole year go by without seeing my son.”
“I know, you have every right to,” she told him.

“For real? You don’t mind?” He had not expected her to agree so easily.
“Why would I mind?” she said. “As long as you stay out of my life and just do what you came to do.” That sobered him up immediately. “What?” Sibu said upon seeing his reaction. “You had other ideas in your head didn’t you?” She called him out.
“I can try to accept the idea of you seeing other men Sibu…but not Ted, please.” He pleaded.

Sibu stifled a scowl. They were back to that topic again. “I already told you that nothing is going on between Ted and I.”
“Yet, nothing is going on yet but I know for a fact that Ted loves you. He told me to my face so many times and he had been waiting all these years for me to screw up so he can make a move. You are not going to date him, are you?” He was searching her face. “I am begging you Sibu…not Ted.”

“Why do you hate Ted so much?” Sibu asked. “You two used to be so close for so long.”

“I hate him because he is a better man than I am,” Martin confessed. “That fact pisses me off real bad. I hate him because I know he can easily take you away from me. If I had played a fair game back then, you would have gone to him and not me. I knew that and so I took you on that trip to Livingstone. He had openly told me how he felt about you the night before we traveled…I couldn’t let him have you.”

Sibu didn’t know what to say in response. She already knew that Ted had feelings for her, but only so much as a crush and not anything deep. But listening to Martin, she was for the very first time learning about just how deep his feelings might be.

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“Sibu, did you even hear a single word I said?” Martin called her back from her reverie. “Were you thinking about Ted?”
“No, of course not,” she lied. Fortunately for her, Sibeso appeared right at that moment.
“Time to check in,” she announced.

Just then Jacob too appeared, ran towards his father and wrapped his arms around his long legs.

Martin scooped him up from the ground and poked his nose playfully.

“You will come to visit us daddy, right?” the little boy asked.

“But of course!” Martin replied cheerfully, forgetting for a moment about the fears that had been running through his mind.

“Quickly say goodbye you two, we have to go back inside now.” Sibu said.

Martin put his son down and lowered himself down so they could have a little mano-a-mano while Sibu and Sibeso went back inside to look after their luggage.

“You remember what we talked about last night my son?” Martin said.

“I do!” the boy replied enthusiastically.
Martin motioned for him to take him through it.
“1. I have to protect mum from all men,” he started the list.

Martin was nodding his head proudly as his son said out the list they had entitled ‘duties of a good son’ the previous night.
“2, I have to tell any man that tries to talk to mummy that she is married. 3, I have to give you a weekly update of everything we do, and the last one…I have to take lots and lots of pictures with mum!” he had spread his arms wide to indicate quantity.

Martin clapped the minute he was done. “I am so proud of you little man. Your mother’s brain and mine created a genius. Put it here….” he put out his open palm and Jacob did accordingly before they headed back inside.

“I will call you when we arrive,” Sibu said to him.

“I won’t even get a goodbye hug?” And without waiting for a response, he closed the distance between them and held her tight in an embrace that lasted longer than Sibu would have liked.

“You are going to delay them,” Sibeso roared from the sidelines.

Martin reluctantly loosed his arms around her and Sibu quickly freed herself. “Take care of yourself Martin,” she said and then moved to Sibeso and hugged her tightly. “Let’s chat everyday my love,” she said to her friend.

“I am already missing you.” Sibeso was already tearing up.
“If I didn’t know any better,” Martin commented as he watched them still tied in a hug, upset that she had been fighting to release herself from him the whole time while she seemed to be taking her dear time with Sibeso.

“If you cry then I’m gonna start crying too and then Jacob will as well,” Sibu said whilst fighting back the tears and forcing a smile so that Jacob does pick up what was really going on.