THE WIDOWER.

CHAPTER 24

CJ opened the door of the restaurant and walked in searching for someone. She waved at him with a wide smile signaling him over. CJ walked towards her with a small smile.
"Hi, Pendo." He greeted politely as she replied with a smile.
He sat as the waiter interrupted their pleasantries to take their order.
CJ ordered vegetable rice with fish while Pendo took a simple pilau . CJ started asking what their meeting  was about only for Pendo to shake her head.
"I know..let's discuss it when our meals are done." She said.
CJ's eyes widened but relaxed noticing how different she looked without her glasses. "Okay,what shall we talk about?" He asked.
"Let's know each other. People don't just pop in our lives. There is no coincidence my father always says." She chuckled.
CJ thought of how bold she was and decided there was nothing wrong with getting to know her.
"You first. "He spoke.
"You already know my name. I come from a family of four. Two sisters one brother. I am the second last born and my father's favorite girl." She said with a laughter
"Why favorite?" He asked as the waiter swung in with their orders.
"Thank you." She said, "because I am the only one who pursued education while others pursued marriage and kids." She spoke.
"Is marriage and kids a bad thing?" He asked with a raised brow.
"No! He wanted them to be educated first before marriage. My father always wanted us to be empowered women in the society because he came from a family where his sisters were not taken to school by my grandfather who thought women belonged in the kitchen. To be seen and not heard." She explained.
"Wow! Now I understand your father." He said as silence fell on their table.
"I also want a family." She said with a giggle.
CJ found himself laughing. Pendo had an aura about her that spoke of optimistic view of life. She was bright and cheerful.
"Tell me,how is Olive doing?" She asked.
"She is doing fine and very active in everything. I had to scold her when she tried to skip her meds saying that Jesus is able to heal her. Well I told her that's true but He also wants her to be responsible." He fondly recounted the story.
"Well,I believe in miracles too. I have seen children walk in there lifeless and come out healthy. God is a good God." She breathed with a smile in the last part.
"You are a christian?" He asked now that she had gotten his full attention.
"Yes I am, I serve in a church down town. I have been since I was ten years old. " she explained with glimmering eyes.
CJ was thrilled with her honesty and sincerity. He could feel her joy which was contagious and CJ was now intrigued.
"What about you? How did you get born again?" She asked.
"How did you know I am a christian?" He interrogated.
" The day Olive was brought in, I saw you pray for her and read the Bible from your phone." She shrugged.
CJ was taken back and answered with a smile,"five years ago to be precise." He answered. He signaled the waiter and  asked for a glass of water.
"Wow! Amazing. Why did you move to America?" She queried after swallowing her food.
CJ went stiff but looked at her and thought of the real reason. He cleared his throat. "I left because there was nothing here to live for."
Pendo stared at him and nodded in understanding,"I get it,my brother left too when things got hard and rough after losing his mother. My dad had a son with another woman before marrying my mum and they were not best of friends. When he lost his mother he went to Qatar. I have not seen or heard from him for ten good years. It hurts my dad that his only son resents him. I hope to see him some day." She finished explaining with a small smile.
CJ looked at her and thought of how it had been a long time before he shared his true thoughts with anyone. Nora was not yet ready to have such conversations with him even though she was the woman he wanted.
Here was a friendly face he could use.
"I am sorry about that." He said as the waiter came to take away their empty plates.
"It is okay, I pray for him daily to return home safely." She said moving to take a document from her hand bag.
"I called you here to share what I found out about who Olive was and I traced back to all hospital records of children who had heart surgeries in the past eight years." She explained.
"You did that?" CJ exclaimed.
"Not me, I got an IT guru who helped me. Since there were so many Olives in the city let alone our country." She giggled.
"What did you find?" He questioned with his eyebrows lifted.
"Well, her name is not Olive Metta. She lied I cross examined her medical reports and the day she was born and her real name is Sarah Nzimba." She said pushing the photographs of little Olive.
CJ was too astonished and went on to look at the small baby with tubes and another of her recovery.
"She was born on June 28 to Emily Nzimba and the father unknown. It turns out that her mother was assaulted and she was a result of that. She tried to abort Olive but she was taken to the hospital immediately. When Olive was born,the doctors discovered her heart problem and good beneficiaries including Emily's godmother took care of the medical bill and she recovered but not fully. Emily did not want the child and her sister couldn't take her in.
One night she tried drowning her and by God's mercy Olive was rescued. The godmother took Olive in and stayed with her until she passed on this year and Her aunt took her in and then you found her." Pendo narrated the ordeal with sympathy to the little girl.
CJ was almost roaring with anger and pain. He stayed quiet and composed his racing thoughts.
"What is her aunt's name?" He asked. Pendo hesitated watching him.
"Gladys Nzimba. She is not legally married but lives with her boyfriend." She explained .
CJ stared at the documents and for a moment got lost in his thoughts.
"The entire incident was on news that year and Gladys was stuck with Olive after their godmother died. I guess that's why she lied to you,thinking if you knew her you would also reject her too." Pendo concluded.
CJ was now staring at Pendo with intensity wondering how could one family treat that  child in such a manner.
He was afraid of taking her back to her aunt who was sure wanted rid of Olive but first he had to talk to Nora and Jade about the issue.
"Thank you so much for this information. Thank you for everything." CJ thanked Pendo as he touched her arm. Pendo smiled.
"It is the least I can do." She mumbled. He stood up signalling he had to leave and pay their lunch.
"No! I got this after all I am the one who invited you for lunch." She waved off CJ's offer.
"Allow me,do this." He said without waiting for her reply and went straight to the cashier and paid it.
Pendo picked her bag and walked across the restaurant towards the parking lot.
CJ caught up with her and he said his good byes as he had somewhere to be.
He had to meet with Nora and Jade.
His phone rang and the caller's ID made CJ grit his teeth. He just switched it off and drove home.
He wanted to hug Olive and now he had a strong urge to just keep her with him.
As he rode home he gripped his wheel so tight in thought of what could have happened to Olive.
"Sarah?" He whispered her name thinking of how it is suited her but to him she will always be Olive.