THE WIDOWER.

CHAPTER 39.

CJ dragged his tired body off his office seat. He wanted to go home and sleep. Two days have gone by without a glimpse of Nora and Olive seems determined to stay at Jade's not that he minded.
Even Mumbi pointed his lack of appetite and dullness in his eyes. His colleagues also asked him if he was okay but he waved them with 'I am fine' slogan. He was pushing everyone away so he could grieve alone. Daniel invited him for a hike as a fundraise towards children with disabilities on the coming weekend and he wasn't up to it.
He walked towards his car only for a energetic Pendo to come his way.
"Hey! " she greeted.
"Hey." CJ replied tiredly.
"You look tired but sleep can wait. I have a surprise for you." She announced.
"What? Right now? Can't it wait?" CJ groaned.
"Nope! Let's go." She dragged him towards her the gate.
"We are going on foot?" He asked.
"No! silly, I called an uber." She giggled.
"We can use my car." He offered.
"We are saving the fuel by cost sharing." She chided.
CJ kept silent as they went to the awaiting car at the entrance.
"How did you know that I will be done by this time." He asked the already settled Pendo.
"I asked one of your colleagues and I called the uber like twenty minutes before you came out but you delayed and ten minutes extra gave the uber to be here on time." She explained.
They drove through the less traffic road and CJ's sleep vanished.
Pendo stared at her phone before snapping a selfie with a surprised CJ .
"Memories!" She gave a laughter.
CJ grimaced at what would Nora think if she saw that picture. He turned as they came along a beautiful place and halted.
He stared at the place only for Pendo to drag him out if his reverie.
"This is village market and it is the largest shopping,recreation and entertainment centre in East Africa." She spoke with so much delight.
"What are we going to do?" He questioned Pendo.
"First bowling, I invited some of my friends so we can compete, then lunch how about that?" She filled him in.
"And there are VD games and a trampoline park which I know is going to be awesome." She dragged him to the reception area as she waved to some of her friends.
They paid and got shoes and socks for bowling.
They walked towards her friends who she introduced him to.
"This is Justin,May and Caleb. We have been friends since our university days." Pendo introduced her smiling friends.
"This is CJ, we work in the same hospital but different wings. He is a good friend of mine." She introduced the uneasy CJ.
"Well let the game start!" May howled.
CJ was changing into the said shoes while Justin stared at him with unreadable expression.
He noted Caleb and May all smiles and he realized they were a couple.
"Are those two?" He questioned Pendo.
"Yeah since our third year in Campus. They have been together." She looked at them wistfully.
They started the game and CJ offered to watch them at first.
He saw how much Justin vied for Pendo's attention but she kept slighting them.
They kept competing as May whispered something in Caleb's ear making his eyes twinkle and draw her near him and kissed her.
CJ turned away realizing he almost kissed Nora the other day and he had almost fallen of the pedestal wheel of chastity.
He was now aware of his environment and was determined to stay on guard.
"Come on CJ,your turn. Remember those two are our villain. They always win but be vigilant and don't let their innocent faces fool you." She gave him a briefing.
CJ rubbed his hand together relishing the adrenaline that swept across his body.
"When was the last time I had fun?" He thought.
He threw the bowl knocking down the ten pins and that was a strike.
"I knew you were my best bet!"she giggled.
They had more rounds to go.
CJ let the steam off by throwing the bowl and earning better scores than Caleb and May.
Their game was over when they sat to take some drinks.
He opted for a chilled mango juice while others picked their refreshment.
"Where did you learn to bowl like that?" May asked.
"Back in the US my uncle taught me bowling and he was good at it." He explained with a smile.
"Wow! You lived there? Which part?" May was now intrigued.
"Los Angelas." He replied.
Justin was still wearing unreadable expression and CJ sensed some hostility from him.
They went on conversing but CJ withdrew to watch them. He drank his juice counting the minutes he would go home.
He texted Jade to ask if Olive was ready to go home so he could come by and pick her.
Jade replied that Nora has taken her out to buy some groceries and she will bring Olive home much later.
CJ relaxed but something nagged him about Nora and the Pendo showing up at her birthday party.
"Hey Pendo,I need to leave." He tapped her abruptly.
"There is so much to do yet." She whined.
"I know and I am sorry but I need to go." He spoke.
"Okay I am coming along with you." She said picking up her purse and waving her friends goodbye.
CJ saw Justin gritting his teeth at him and made a mental note to ask his deal.
CJ had already called an uber.
They walked towards the entrance and waited for it.
"Are your friends Christians?" CJ started a conversation.
"Yes they are. Caleb,May and I go to the same church but Justin goes to his parents' Church in Ruaka." She explained.
CJ scratched his head wondering why it was bothering him so much.
"If you are worried about Caleb's and May's PDA you shouldn't, I got used to that." She probed his inner turmoil.
"You are okay with that? Are they married?" He asked with a frown.
"Not yet but their parents know of their relationship. They have been together for a long time and I don't judge their life choices. They will eventually get married." She explained with a tiny smile.
"Well, I know it is not in my place to say this but if I am going to be my brother's keeper you should talk to them about sex before marriage is sin." He finally let it out.
Pendo was puzzled and watched him for a while and spoke,"yes it is, but should I bother with what they do? They do love each other and it is not my place to tell them what they can or cannot do."
"Would you mind if I had sex with while we dated?" He probed her with a raised eyebrow.
"If I say I would, I will be lying. I don't see anything wrong with that." She hinted.
"That's the problem. Would Jesus be okay with it?" He went on.
Pendo was quiet .
"This is the truth Pendo, whether you and I like it or not it is sin and if Jesus is not okay with me being a pedophile then He is not okay with me fornicating either. You and I know the truth but if we keep suppressing the truth the name of God will be blasphemed among those who are ungodly and non-believers. You and I are our brothers and sisters keeper if we don't tell them then we are partaking to being against God and His laws. God is not only against those who do wrong but also those who agree and applaud those committing them." CJ explained.
Pendo nodded and opened his mouth to say something when the Uber arrived.
They slid the car and drove back to the hospital.
"I also think Justin is interested in you." CJ tried to lighten the mood.
Pendo smiled, "he is but I don't think I can reciprocate." She confessed.
"Why not?" He queried.
"Because I like someone else who probably like someone else." She said sadly.
"Does this someone else know about your feelings?" He asked.
"No and it wouldn't change anything even if he were to know." She said curtly.
CJ kept quiet and looked at her.
"I think you should talk to Justin and make things clear." He advised.
"He has been pursuing me for an year now and every time. I turned down his proposal." She explained.
"A year? Why don't you give him a chance?" He probed.
"Maybe because he was my campus crush and he dated my friend back then making me feel stupid for pinning on him." She chuckled.
"So you are making him grovel? Does he know you liked him before?" He laughed.
"Yes my friend told him of how much I liked him back then and she only wanted to date him as a competition. He came back later to apologize but I friend zoned him. He deserves it." She said with a cruel smile.
"Did you bring me today to make him more jealous? If so it worked the guy was watching me with eyes of a hawk." He chuckled.
"No, I wanted to cheer you up." She stared at him.
"Thank you." He appreciated.
"You should talk to Justin and let the by gones be by gones. He may be truly regretting for not dating you earlier but talking things out may smoothen the harbored grudges." He told her as they got to the hospital.
"Thank you for cheering me up." He thanked her and went to his car.
Pendo walked towards her car with a lot of things in her mind.
She looked at CJ with a longing and she knew he was a rare kind that she had hoped but his heart belonged somewhere else.

******
CJ slumped on his bed after taking a shower and started dozing off. His mind was on what to do with Shona's betrayal and if God is still working for his good.
He turned to stare at her picture framed on his bed side drawer.
"Why did you not tell me the truth?" He whispered.
He thought about every worst case scenario if the accident never happened and he would be more shattered than now.
He closed his eyes and prayed for strength and for grace to walk through this valley that was so dark. He wanted God to help him trust Him that this was still part of His plan for him.
There was a bang and bell ring on the door.
He knew that was Olive who loved using the bell.
He was excited to see her and Nora.
He opened the door. Olive walked in and gave him a hug while Nora stood with hands behind her back pockets.
"I missed you Bunnie." He exclaimed.
"Me too!" She signed.
Olive went to put down her bag pack in her room as Nora stepped in carefully.
"I promised to drop her." She spoke.
"Thank you. Come in." He offered.
Nora hesitated.
"Maybe another time." She declined.
"I am sorry for what I said that day and you were right that I was shutting people out. I am sorry I made you feel insecure and I should know better than that." He apologized.
Nora nodded.
"Please come in I want to talk to you." He pleaded with her.
She agreed and walked in to the living room.
CJ was relieved that he had not scared her off to oblivion.