Luyando, Book 1, Episode 4

By Brian Ngoma

LUYANDO: EPISODE 4

When Tyson left the city, he had gone to search for greener pastures. He had graduated from the university and had searched for jobs but to no avail. Someone had told him about an opportunity in a different province and with excitement he left. What he found there was not what he expected. Thinking about how long he had travelled, he decided to take the job despite it being contrary to what he studied at the University. Each day that came by was disastrous. Two years down the line, things were not changing.

He was deciding to come back when he met Angela. They became friends and she was so good to him. She introduced him to some guys she knew who were dealing in cars. She did several favors for him. At last, things were looking up. However, Tyson didn’t know that Angela was in love with him. One night, they had gone out to have some beers with a couple of friends. Angela and Tyson went back home together. 'Won't it be a problem for your parents if you spend a night here?' Tyson asked, 'No, not really, they know have gone out and they are not expecting me', she answered. She prepared some food for the both of them and they ate. They talked for hours till she decided to tell him how she felt about him. 'Tyson Iam in love with you'. Tyson was surprised but thinking about how much she had done for him; he did the most stupid thing a man can ever do to a woman he doesn't love. He knew deep down that he just saw her as a friend but he kissed her. Before he could know it, they were both in bed and there was no going back. He needed her and so did she.

Days later, Tyson discovered that the business he was involved with was not entirely legal. The guys Angela had introduced him to, lied to the both of them. Tyson was working as an Accountant for them. The people he worked for were dealing in stolen cars and extorting money from people who needed to buy cars. At one point, they travelled to a different city where Tyson accompanied them and he had an opportunity to meet one of the people who was swindled. After the deal, Tyson's conscious bothered him and he decided to opt out of the business. Without telling anyone, he left the for the city.

'So you thought you could come to our town and impregnate our daughter and run away', Luyando pondered on those words as she left Tyson's place. She wanted him to see her but she knew she would just cry recklessly. She left Tyson's place in tears. No sooner had she left Tyson's place, than she met one of his friends. 'Luyando How are you?' Tyson's friend greeted her, 'Iam fine thanks, Iam sorry who are you?', she asked him; Oh we haven’t had the opportunity to formally meet, Iam Derrick, Tyson's friend', He answered. 'Nice to meet you Derrick', 'it’s my pleasure Luyando', 'I can see, you are from seeing Tyson, is he around?'. Luyando felt like crying when she answered him, 'Yes he is'. After answering him, she left him standing. Derrick just looked at her and entered Tyson's yard.

Luyando got home feeling broken. She had found out that her best friend went behind her back. The man she was falling for turned out to be who she didn't expect him to be. Everything had fallen apart. The only consolation she had was that the two most important people in her life would always be there for her. She entered the sitting room and found her grandmother looking at a set of photos while crying. When Luyando's grandmother saw her, she wiped out the tears and pretended to be fine. 'What’s wrong granny.' asked Luyando, 'Nothing my child, just some memories'. They sat in silence till Luyando broke out crying. 'Grandmother, Priscila betrayed me and Tyson .............. ' She could not finish the sentence but cry. Her grandmother put her in her arms till she stopped crying. Luyando told her grandmother everything that had happened that day. 'You know that your grandfather left me for a younger woman', said Luyando's grandmother. Luyando was astonished when she heard this. 'What? I thought grandfather was dead, but why didn't you tell us', she asked. 'Your brother knows, we didn't want to tell you because of the way you regarded your grandfather, he’s an idol to you', she replied. 'And after he left, have met two men but things never worked out, my point is, it doesn't always work out but you just have to keep hoping, and when it does, it won't be easy'. 'I hear you grandmother but it hurts', 'I know child, but time heals all wounds, if any consolation, your brother called me earlier, he’s coming in three days, and i have been wanting to ask you Luyando, did he tell you that he wanted to buy a car but he was swindled?' She asked, 'No granny, when did that happen? 'a few months ago', 'How stupid was he to be swindled?' The two women mocked Josi for his foolishness. They had supper together and both went to bed.

'Luyando! Luyando! Luyando! called her grandmother, 'What is it now? It’s too early' she answered. 'There is a visitor for you' her grandmother replied. Luyando thought who that could be for it was just Nine in the morning. She came out of her bedroom and found it was Tyson. She didn’t expect him to show up that early. She was still her pajamas and got a little bit embarrassed. She went back to her room, washed her face, brushed her teeth and wore a chitenge and a vest. 'So what has brought you here Tyson', she asked him, 'I know you know', 'He answered. 'What do I know?' 'About the girl at my place', 'What girl?', 'Angela', Who is Angela? I don’t know anyone by that name', 'Derrick told me that he saw you leaving my place yesterday and you didn’t look well', 'Oh he did?' 'Yes, I have been trying to call you since yesterday but your phone has been off', 'The battery died on me, and I forgot to charge it,'.... 'I can explain the whole situation Luyando', What’s there to explain Tyson, I heard everything, go home to your Angela, isn't she in your bedroom as we are talking now?' 'Don't be like that Luyando', Like what Tyson, what do you expect you lied to me', 'I didn't see it necessary to tell you about Angela because it was a onetime thing', 'OH you’re even proudly saying that, men'. Tyson panicked because he realized that what he had said was stupid and he projected. 'What about the BMW? he asked, 'Now it’s about the BMW', Luyando replied, 'Tyson if you don’t have anything to say, I suggest you leave'. 'Please Luyando, hear me out', he said calmly.

She could see through his eyes that he was sincere and he wanted to tell her something. She let him explain the whole Angela drama. 'So you didn't know she was pregnant?', she asked him, 'No I didn't, Iam not that irresponsible, even though I don't love her, had she told me about the pregnancy, I wouldn't have left the way I did'. 'But she is at your place, just get married already', she told him sarcastically, 'You know it’s you I need', he told her. 'I cannot think straight now Tyson, and this Angela thing is new to me so I need time to process it and its just ten in the morning', she smiled. 'And I didn't sleep at my place, I spent the night at Derricks, I needed to think', Tyson told Luyando, 'Good for you Tyson'. Tyson left Luyando's place with a heavy heart because he knew he was in deep trouble. He didn't know what to do with Angela. Her parents had left her at his place.

Josi arrived at 8pm and he called his grandmother. 'Tisa, Iam in the city but there's a friend I need to see before I get home', he told her. Josi used to call his grandmother by her first name Tisa. 'Why can't you see him tomorrow morning, its late', she replied. 'no, it’s urgent I need to see him tonight', 'The problem is that you’re stubborn Josi,' Tisa You worry too much, Iam coming in an hour or so, 'Tell pumpkin that Iam bringing her Pizza', 'alright I will, she's here impatiently waiting for you and of course on her phone'. Josi laughed on the other side of the phone and hang up.

Three hours later, the women got tired of waiting for Josi. Whenever Josi was coming to visit, he would first see his friends and would reach home around two or three in the morning. It was 11pm and he had said he would be home by 9pm. Luyando had fallen asleep on the couch. Her grandmother woke her up and told her to go sleep in her room. She asked if Josi had come. The both agreed to sleep because they know that was Josi's habit. Luyando's grandmothers phone rang, it was Josi calling. 'Where are you Josi?' asked Luyando's grandmother, 'Iam in the neighborhood, you remember that story I told you about being swindled', Josi asked his grandmother, 'Yes I remember, what is it?', 'guess what, i have just seen one of the guys who swindled me and I want to confront him now', No wait, you have to call the poli.........', Josi hang up the phone. Luyando's grandmother was worried. She told Luyando. Luyando tried calling her brother to stop him from confronting the same person but he didn't answer her. They were both awake, they couldn't sleep.

It was now three in the morning and they hadn’t heard anything from Josi. Luyando decided to call the police. She was told that they couldn't do anything till sunrise. They tried calling Josi's phone but he wasn't picking up. Luyando wanted to go out to check on her brother but her grandmother stopped her.

Dawn came, Luyando and her grandmother didn't sleep. they washed their faces and left the house to go in the direction Josi had said he saw the culprit who swindled him his money. From a distance they saw a group of people looking at something in shock with some women's hands on their heads. Luyando asked one of the people coming from there. 'What is happening aunty?’, ‘There is a man who has been badly beaten, no one knows if he’s still alive, some people have gone to get a taxi to take him to the hospital', the woman replied. Luyando and her grandmother looked at each other.........