Night Before the Swing

Bringing Papa back Home

CHAPTER 34

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Two days later, Nala woke up angry at her father and she knew that only one thing would cure her anger. A chance to tell Christian what an ass he was to his face. She needed to vent out and not to just anyone but Mason himself. She wanted to tell him to die and go to hell. She wanted to tell him that she hated him and that he is not her father. She took a wild chance and dialed his number and the phone rang for a long time. She called again, thinking her father was just looking at her call not sure if he should answer it. She gave up after four attempts and called Tony who drove to her soon after the call. When Long opened the door and saw Tony, he didn't even greet him. He simply turned around and shouted "Nala, Tony's here." Tony felt shy and smiled then walked in. He just knew that Long had figured it out and it was both embarrassing and pleasing. He waited in Nala's room while she took a shower and Narrel joined him soon after. The three sat together outside talking about everything that had nothing to do with Christian and Neaty.

When Tony was getting ready to leave, Warren called but Nala didn't feel like talking to him so she ignored him. When her phone rang for the third time Tony offered to deal with the situation and Nala allowed him. Tony was very gently with Warren and even allowed him to talk to Narrel. During that conversation, another call kept coming through but Tony discouraged Nala from disturbing a father-daughter conversation. After the fifteen-minute conversation, Nala walked her boyfriend to his car and found herself desiring a repeat of what happened on the afternoon of Christmas day.

Nala arrived when the family was already sitting. "She's out of your league" Tony's brother, Tim, said as Nala took her seat next to her boyfriend. Nala was introduced to Tony's two older brothers, Tim and Harries. She didn't know this but Tony's mother died when Tony was five years of age. Mr. Zondo raised his sons alone with the occasional help of his girlfriend who was spending Christmas with her own family too.

After the very brief lunch, Tony's brothers together with their father, went to watch football on TV. Tony knew Nala wouldn't enjoy that even though he would, so they went to his room. Tony's lips moved from Nala's lips to her neck and twenty minutes later, they were breathing heavy, lying next to each other naked. Nala felt embarrassed walking to the TV room to say goodbye but no one seemed to notice her now untied hair.

Narrel joined them as they walked to Tony's expensive new ride and disturbed their plan to kiss before separating. Nala's phone rang again and it was the same number that was calling when Narrel was talking to her father. She ignored it and hugged her boyfriend goodbye. Narrel ran ahead of her mother and Nala walked to the balcony and sat there looking down at Danver apartments. She couldn't see the security personnel but she knew they were somewhere down there. Christian was probably keeping an eye on everything through someone. An hour later, she decided to check if Tony made it home safe and saw the many missed calls from the same number she didn't recognise. She decided to return it and it rang once then a rough, deep voice answered.

Voice: Hur is dis?

Nala: Hi, you called me first. I was just returning your call. Sorry I think you've been dialing the wrong person.

Voice: Nor. You call the person here and he doesn't answer now I call your number. You do know him?

Nala: Know who?

Voice: Dis man. He's here for two month now. His number you are calling.

Nala asked for the description but the man's English was too poor. Finally, she asked the man to take a picture. While she waited for the visual, Nala imagined receiving a picture of her father looking sick or worse, crazy like Neaty. She thought about running down stairs to let Long and her mother know but ended up waiting anxiously alone, looking at the now dark grey sky. She couldn't bring herself to look at her father's apartments anymore. She felt scared at what she was waiting for. She hated her father when she woke up that morning but she would be hurt to see him crazy. His punishment should come in a form of a prison sentence, not insanity. Her phone pinged and her heart leaped to her throat. She waited for the picture to load but she could already make out what she was seeing. She began hyperventilating. Tears rolled down and as soon as the picture cleared, she let out a keening sound accompanying her tears. She sat back down and cried like a little child while looking at the screen of her phone. A minute later, her phone went blank, confirming the end of life as she knew it.