Lost and Curious

Chapter 3

He looked at his wife for the second time, now with a diminishing smile. Sophia never bothered to ask what the sudden silence was all about, because a moment ago Brad was telling all sorts of lies and they were laughing their lungs out together.  She just continued with her dishes as if she didn’t care. Brad was now following every move she made with the dishes as his memory was taken three years back, how they got to know each other and all the events that led to their marriage. His vision suddenly transited to a supermarket setup, around 5:30 in the evening. Brad was coming from work, physically and mentally exhausted, and he knew he wasn’t gonna gather the strength to cook for himself. One Madeira cake, and a Schweppes orange pet, he was good to go. He wasn’t a good cook anyway, one day he tried to follow a Spaghetti Bolognese recipe that he saw on YouTube, but the outcome wasn’t very pleasant. Brad loved baked food like he was incubated in an oven. He always made sure there is something baked close to his bed so that if he wakes up hungry at night he finds some comfort. Stupid as it sounds, it was a custom.

As he approached the bakery section, he saw a formally dressed, short and beautiful feminine stature moving from the other side of the supermarket heading to where exactly he wanted to go. ‘Oh lady, please don’t change direction,’ he prayed in his heart, maneuvering his way to where he calculated they would meet. Sophia’s face became more visible and clearer as the two approached each other. ‘This face is not really new to me’ he said to himself. Brad tried to remember where he had seen this damsel but he couldn’t. Then for a moment he lost his vision of all the Steak pies, Chelsea buns, sugar donuts and cream puffs and began to ponder about his future with this kind of a woman. Indeed, she was beautifully made. Relatively light complexion, round face and a diastema composed her facial look, not forgetting her big rabbit-like eyes that would always come first in your mind when you think of her.

In his entire life, Brad had only been in one serious relationship that also piloted to a serious break up and for a few months that followed he thought he wasn’t going to get into a relationship again. Perhaps this encounter was going to change his mentality. Of course it was wrong for him to judge the feminine group in its entirety by only one black sheep that he had come across.

“Uh, I’m sorry but, are you buying on cash?” Sophia asked. Brad woke up in great confusion, and he acted as if at first he didn’t hear what she had said. It was a common question though, in the era of cash shortages and high cashing out costs.

“What did you just say? Oh, umm okay never mind, I wasn’t here.” His dictionary got blank. He continued whilst patting his pockets with his right hand, “Ohm I may not buy with cash but I can help if you want some cash.”

Sophia smiled a bit, with her head aside as if she had some elements of doubt in what he had said. Brad smiled back, and his eyes would tell, ‘yea, I said something meaningful’. He knew the conversation was not going far because both of them were running against the clock. The best thing was to make sure they continue talking so that he figures something along the way. Brad began to think of how to get her number – in fact how best to ask for her number. Unfortunately, fate had a different view on that.

In an aristocratic composure, Brad looked straight into her eyes, forgot what he wanted in the supermarket and in a soft and tender voice he said, “You can take whatever you want and then we go and do the arithmetic there, don’t mind me I didn’t want to buy anything, just some window shopping.” He had thought of the arithmetic already. Most of the times Brad carried a few business cards in his pocket. It was going to be easier for him to just give Sophia a business card and wait for her. However, it was going to be hard if she ignored, probably she was a hard-to-get type. Sometimes you need a small push to realize and go for what belongs to you.

“Thank you very much, okay if you don’t mind you can wait for me at the till.” To Brad that was a bad idea, put your hand on a hot plate for a minute, it seems like one hour, but sit with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute, it’s called relativity, he wanted to know more, he couldn’t let loose, and he didn’t want to miss a chance. Brad decided he would make the rounds with her. The major problem laid in is lack of confidence, you could feel by the way he talked that it’s not his area of expertise. He stammered on almost everything, though he fibbed saying he was traumatized by her beauty.

Brad didn’t have much of a responsibility in the family he was born because both his parents were pensioners, all siblings working and he was the last born, and single. He wouldn’t mind losing his small cash that he had been given as transport allowance at his first- and five-months old job especially if it was for the one he loved. It was funny how he replaced a 500g OMO washing powder packet that Sophia had taken with a 2kg saying a bigger box was more convenient and he would pay for it. They had just known each other but he was already taking responsibility, maybe he was acting, typical masculine.

Some of the things that men can do when they are struck by the lightning of love, they can kill a rattlesnake with bare hands, just to show they can safely keep those they love. They can do the impossible; I guess love is worth the sacrifice. They can climb a eucalyptus without any safety rope...It is said that every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Was Sophia’s heart going to whisper back? Maybe she only wanted cash. The two finished packing Sophia’s groceries and went outside. Sophia asked for Brad’s number so that she would transfer the money into his account, but surprisingly he asked her to keep it for herself and not to give him back. She smiled as if she was saying, ‘I saw this coming’ and insisted on giving it back to him but in vain.

The equation that Brad was trying to solve at this moment was how to get her number. At first, he thought he was going to play some wiles to get it without her knowing but now this sounded imprudent, immature and communal. Now to give her a business card, he hesitated. You could see the gentleman failing to stand comfortably, breathing a bit faster.

“Thank you very much, mister Chibike, I think I should be on my way now,” What? Did she just mention his name?

“Wait a minute? How do you know my name?” he was confused.

Sophia bowed down her head in respect and chuckled, “bye bye”.

To Brad this came as a Hiroshima bomb that kept exploding further in his mind until she was gone. He was bored, only to wake up from his thoughts to his wife asking, “What exactly are you thinking about Brad?” and he was back in his kitchen again. Sophia left the dishes and came closer to Brad. She bent down and kissed her husband on the cheek, with both her hands over his shoulders. She was trying to entice Brad into telling her what really was bothering him.

“You know Sophie, God is a genius.”

“Tell me, what is it?” She was curious to know why her husband for quite a long time had appeared to be thinking deeply. He softly rubbed and caressed her cheeks in greater appreciation. Brad pretended to be serious at first but then burst into laughter as he asked,

“But how did you finally get my number?”

Flabbergasted by the response, Sophia refrained and laughed back to where she was doing the dishes to wrap up. Brad was seated on a small stool just on the opposite side of this small kitchen, about a metre away. He always loved to be in this room whenever Sophia was working in there because the big window just above the sink gave a wonderful view of the outside world. He could see clearly the traffic light controlled intersection of Josiah Tongogara and Prince Edward streets. One evening Brad had witnessed a fatal head-on between two vehicles on that intersection, and that incident always popped up in his mind whenever he looked through the window.

“So that’s what you were thinking all this long?” Sophia asked, turning back to Brad smiling, “With all due respect my dear husband, it’s not for me to disclose the mysteries behind my tricks.” Brad stood up holding his cell phone, smiling.

“But you are not going to use them anywhere, what’s the use of keeping them to yourself?”

“They are my intellectual property,”

“When you got married, you surrendered all your tricks, abilities and strengths to us. I did the same, so come on and tell me.” He pleaded.

“African husbands never change; they want to be regarded as gods.”

“That’s not my fault, at least you know,”

“Whose fault is it?”

“Our great-great grandfathers,” they both giggled.

“Maybe today I may tell you, but tell me first mister Chibbs, why didn’t you plainly ask for my number in the first place? You were trying to play nobleman, right?” Brad put his cell phone in his back pocket and went closer to his wife. He put his arm on her left shoulder and began to massage. Sophia took a cloth that she was using to clean the sink and put it to dry on the bugler bar. She paused in silence whilst looking outside the window, to allow the massage to sink deep into her mind. She could feel it easily because she had her tight sleeveless body top on, the maroon color of which matched with Brad’s muscle top. They both had grey bottoms and red pata-patas to get rid of the floor polish from wooden tiles.

“Ha-ha you know I thought it wasn’t cool, we had just met and I was afraid you would think I’m too fast, but didn’t my actions show?” He asked.

“Of course, they did, but you almost missed the boat.” She replied whilst holding Brad‘s right hand and pulling him out of the room, “Come here, I want to show you something.” Brad jumped on Sophia’s back, with his hands around her neck like a kid. Sophia failed to balance well and almost fell down on the floor.

“Hey Brad, want us to fall?!” she screamed. They both laughed as they entered their sitting room.

Saturday was a day of rest for both of them since they were not going to work. Sophia was a Registered General Nurse working for a private hospital along Baines avenue. Most of the Saturdays Sophia worked half-day, but now because she was pregnant, she was exempted from going to work on Saturdays. Brad was a marketing manager working for one of the established hotels in Harare, T1Grand Hotel. Every day after work he would pass by the hospital, picking his wife with his Honda Accord company car. They were staying in Montagu flats where they were renting and they had 2good bedrooms. Their 4 bed roomed house was still under construction in Monavale. When you entered their home, you could feel love in the atmosphere. It was a couple anyone could cherish and admire. Ruva, Sophia’s younger sister who was 15years old was staying with the couple, doing her O level. It’s true what they say that love is like wind, you can’t see it, but you definitely can feel its presence and tell. You may not quantify it, but you definitely can visualize the results.

“You know it’s funny how things happen. I also didn’t care at first, maybe because I was in a hurry.” said Sophia. They both dropped themselves in a double leather sofa like kids who’ve finally been allowed to video game. Sophia opened her Compaq laptop that was on the coffee table and continued, “But when I got home something happened, and you were responsible. That 2kg OMO box you forced me to buy? My uncle was angry at me for wasting money, and I couldn’t tell him it was you who bought it for me. He shouted at me furiously as if I had plucked off one of his eyes.”

“Your uncle… that man was a seraph of dreadfulness,” Brad interjected.

“He has got a strong military background that explains his domestic policy.”

“Ohm I see. I guess his children sleep in barracks every day,”

“Actually they all do 50push-ups and 5km marathon before doing anything, early in the morning,”

“So you were doing the same when you were there,” Brad giggled.

“Do I look that stupid?”

“You look horrible when it comes to exercises, I know,”

“Well, I gave him a permanent excuse and he never bothered me again,”

“As expected, so what happened next?”

“I went and locked myself in my room and began to think of you, and at this moment I think I really needed you. I opened my gallery and I got this.” Brad was paying greater attention as if he was listening to a sermon. He looked at the laptop and saw a very rare selfie picture of them two. It was almost impossible to believe this picture existed.

“What? Where..?” (Chuckling), “Ahh, this is totally unbelievable, come on Sophia you are a damn genius. Wait...  but the number...?” He was more curious.

“I then remembered you greeted someone I knew in that supermarket, a girl that stayed in our hood, and she was my only hope.”

“Chiedza, she was an attaché receptionist at my first job. She gave you the number?” He asked in multiplied curiosity.

“Hey, you don’t wanna hear that, come on you said we are going to buy some stuff for our first anniversary, tomorrow didn’t you?” she asked.

“Oh, by the way, I guess we should go now,” he responded.

“I’m very anxious of this anniversary fad, I’m afraid,”

“How can you not be afraid? It’s your first time,” He said.

“But we’ve always been celebrating birthdays since childhood,”

“Yea, it was you then, now it’s ‘us’, and that makes a difference,”

“Indeed, I just appreciate God I’m still with you,”

“Not less than I do, you are a jewel, Sophia”

“And you are unique Brad; you have that gravitational force that always pulls me close to you all the time,”

“Ha-ha babe, that’s too much for me,”

“You deserve it; I should give it to you,”

“Well, I’m so grateful. I believe I’m the happiest man on earth right now. Come on lets go,”

“You are calling yourself now,” Sophia cackled as she stood up. They both did short preparations and left the house in haste.

1st anniversary is something worth celebrating in this century. Managing to stay for a year in marriage is a triumph. Statistics on couples that divorce before reaching this milestone can make you marvel if people really marry because of love, for it is common knowledge that the best and beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart. It is a great error to fall for the things that one can touch, see or hear. Sunday afternoon was the most convenient day for the Chibike’s celebrations. Invitations were sent earlier to closest friends and relatives. Saturday night was a busy night for everyone in Brad’s house, including the cockroaches. They were all going to church Sunday morning, so they wanted to leave everything in order for convenience. The effort was worthy it; they finally hit the sheets around 1am, real dog-tired. Sophia was extremely good at baking, and Brad fully supported her on this because he loved cakes. He always said that baking is one of the most important abilities a woman should possess before getting married.

Soon after church, the three went into their car and Brad started it slowly off the parking lot. He looked at his wife who was dozing already on the mother seat and chuckled, “Sophie, did you hear anything today, what was the title of the sermon?”

Sophia woke up and stretched, “What…? Oh, leave me alone Brad, you know we slept very late,”

“That doesn’t matter; it’s not the pastor’s fault. If I was him I was going to stand all culprits up in public to shame the devil,” He said. Sophia rolled her eyes in despise.

“Fortunately, God knows who to make and not to make clergymen,” They all laughed.

“You never know, maybe it is coming,”

“What is coming?”

“The calling,”

“I pray not, you’ll act like a child given a hammer, treating everything you see as if it was a nail,”

“Or a baboon that’s picked up a razor-blade; shaving all other baboons on the back.” Ruva laughed from the back seat and supported her sister.

“But I don’t understand what was happening today, even the deacons were dozing.” Brad said.

“Next time you focus on the word of God, and not on what other congregants are doing.” Sophia said.

“I rest my case, your majesty.” Brad laughed. The conversation went on until they reached home. Brad quickly dropped the two sisters and rushed to town to buy some quick stuff there. They were surprised some close friends and relatives were already there. Mambi, who stayed upstairs on the same flat, was also there and she helped a lot as a close neighbor. Brad came back from town within a few minutes and the ceremony officially started. With the Comic Pastor being master of the ceremony, they laughed their lungs out. They played both adult and youth games, at the same time filling bellies with roasted meat and sausages. After some time the cake was unveiled, one that Sophia had prepared by her own magical hands and speeches went forth. The party was just like an in-house wedding, with Brad in his smart casual and Sophia in a sky blue gown. All activities on the list were done very well until Elvis left the building. It was a day worth remembering. Later, Sophia and Ruva escorted their parents to town where they had left their truck. Brad’s uncle also joined them. He had his two sons almost of the same age around 6years and Ruva was carrying one of them as they walked out.

End of Chapter 3