THE ONE

Chapter Five: Fruits

<<
[Max had been pouring all his energy into starting a gym. When his vacation started, his dad had secured an internship for him at his work place but he was more interested in his passion.

Working as an office assistant meant continuing to stay at home yet he really wanted to go at it on his own, even more, to get away from Joseph. He regretted ever considering getting physical with him.

After the punch, Joseph had passed out on the floor, blood oozing from the side of his lip.

"Joseph? Joseph??" Max panicked, crouching down to shake him.

He then knew why his father, step mother, teachers, neighbors, even Joseph, had always lectured him about fighting. His last victim had lost a quarter of his teeth, his dad swearing to commit him to a military school to be straightened out should he maim another.

He frantically checked the pulse on Joseph's wrist & without finding anything concrete, laid him flat on the floor. He pressed his ear on his chest, registering his faint heartbeat.

He phoned one of his boda guys, whisking Joseph to the nearest neighborhood clinic.
The nurses immediately eyed him suspiciously upon seeing Joseph's inflated cheek. They'd tended to his victims one too many.

"Ki ekibadewo?" (What happened to him?), they grilled.
"Azirise" (He collapsed), Max replied.
"Alinga gwe bakubye ekikonde.. Gwe amukubye?" (He looks like he was punched. Did you punch him?), one nurse grilled.
"Si..", Max hesitated. "Sigendelede. Tubadde tu-training-a" (I didn't mean it. We were just training)
"Bazadde bbo baliwa?" (Where are your parents?)
"Bagenze kola" (They went for work)
"Obagambye?" (Have you told them?)
"Sinaba. Mbade nina osoka omuleta mu dwaliro" (Not yet. I had to first bring him to the clincic)
"Kambakubile" (Let me call them), the second nurse got out her phone.

Max only wanted to inform them after he was sure his statement & Joseph's would be the same. He slipped into Joseph's ward but he was sound asleep. Glancing at the nurse on her phone, his heart raced, knowing his parents were going to find out the truth.

"Joseph?" he called, getting only so much as a groan in response.
"Ali mu bulumi. Muleke yebake" (He's in pain. Leave him to rest), a nurse came in.
"Bagambye bajja" (They said they're coming), the second nurse returned from the call.

He'd decided to return home, finding thirteen missed calls from his parents but he'd ignored them, deciding to pack all his belongings in his suitcase.

He'd later dozed off & was awoken in the morning by a call from an unknown number..

"Gwe obwedda oliwa?? Oli waka?? (Where have you been?? Are you at home?) his dad was on the other end.
"Iyye" (Yes)
"Tuva ku dwaliro kati" (We're leaving the clinic now)

He figured Joseph hadn't told on him yet so he went to the sitting room to prepare, spotting bloodstains on the couch.

He'd wiped them quickly & soon heard the gate open, his parents harrier pulling in. Seeing a puffy faced Joseph, led out of the back seat by his step mother, filled him with regret.

"Kayita??", his dad called. "Bino bitwale mu nju. Nebiri mu butu bijeemu" (Take these in the house & clear out the boot)

Joseph made no eye contact as he was led inside.

"Mulekelawo ozanya ebyo ebikonde!" (Stop those boxing lessons), his step mother asserted as Max entered with two green polythene bags.

Max glanced at Joseph, knowing he'd recited the tale he'd fed the nurses. He put the bags in the kitchen, & after doing the Sunday errands, had slipped into Joseph's room..