THE ROMANTIC OFFICE SAGA: PART 47

THE ROMANTIC OFFICE SAGA: PART 47

The realization that I was about to spend a night inside a police cell, perhaps with some other criminals made me shudder. I could see the guys I was sharing same cell regaining their consciousness as their silhouettes began sitting in the dark. Suddenly, I heard a male officer shout, “Time for roll call, go to each cell and make sure all dogs are intact!”

We were the dogs. I could hear them doing a head count in the next cell and when our turn came, they opened the cell and came in with a very bright flash light and used it to point to our faces.

“Boys, I need to see their faces.” A female voice of a woman who seemed in command shouted. The way the other officers were replying told me she was of senior rank. They illuminated our faces and when my turn came, the light was too much to my eyes I looked away. The woman came forward with lightning speed and gave a hot slap and told me, “Look at the light stupid brat. Do you think you are too smart?”

I looked at the light and would not see the officers faces since they were behind the light. I was told to say am number 5 and warned I had better remembered that number for the rest of my stay in there. After they finished counting us, one of the male officers pointed the light towards me while saying, “Madam, this one was the trouble maker, he came in and began beating the other dogs. What do you suggest we do with him?” I knew that did not mean good for me at all. I was so much afraid I was shaking.

“Let me look at him properly, perhaps he should try me. It is long since I practiced my Tae kwon do.” The lady said. For some reason, the voice sounded familiar but could not remember where I heard it last and when.

The lady studied my face for some time but as soon as she looked at me, I knew she was up to no good when she commanded a male officer to lead me to what they referred to as “high office.” I knew better not to resist as I anticipated a long terrible night. 

When I got there, there were executive chairs and I could tell that the office was of a very high-ranking police officer. I sat there waiting. The officer left and told me, “Good luck young man.” Was the lady coming to beat me? I wondered.

When the female officer got inside, I did not have the courage to look at her face. She took a seat and barked an order, “Look at me!” I looked at her shaking with dread. 

I could not believe what I was seeing, or rather who I was seeing in front of me. I thought I might be in a night mare. 

“Where have we met?” The lady asked. I was too confused to remember her name.

“I guess you were the lady who took our case.” I told her.

She looked at me and asked in a softer voice, “What did you do to be brought here?” She asked.

“Madam, it is a long story, you probably won’t believe it.” I told her avoiding eye contact.

“Call me Regina.” That is when I remembered her name.

“I was brought in for forgery. I made a fake certificate for someone and I thought it would work, but it is a long story.” I really never wanted to tell her the whole story as I felt it would take almost entire night and she might not believe it anyway.

A police officer came in and saluted before saying, “Madam, we want to close the cells until tomorrow…” Before he could even finish his sentence, Regina told him, “It is ok. Go and close. I also want to go back to the other station and then go home. Am also tired.” The officer saluted and disappeared. 

Regina looked at me for some time, stood up and told me, “Follow me.” I followed her silently. We went to the counter where I was booked earlier on and she said, “Hand me over his file, I am taking him to the other station. Also give me anything else that belongs to him.”

After the officer gave her everything, I followed her to her car that was parked outside, a Land Rover Defender model that seemed brand new.

She drove silently until we reached to our destination and she drove to a residential area inside the station which by the look was where senior officers lived since each house was on its own spacious compound and was large. 

We alighted from the car and she led me into her spacious living room. She disappeared for some time and when she emerged it was obvious she was from her bedroom as she came wearing a civilian outfit, wearing a very long robbed dress that made her look like a Somali lady. 

She sat, switched on her big television which continued to play some music in low tune then turned to me and told me to narrate to her the whole story without leaving anything that might be of importance. 

I opened up to her and told her it was all about a lady I love, and that the whole saga was the reason why we even got conned in my pursuit for money to redeem her certificates. But when I mentioned that it was Derrick who put me behind bars, she cut me short and asked, “Derrick? Which Derrick?”

I replied, “Derrick Wainaina. The owner of Smartex stuffing company and BLUE CRYSTALS LIMITED.”

Regina remained silent for some time.

“Do you know him?” I asked curiously. 

“Yes, I know him, please continue with your story.” Regina told me.

I narrated a lot more and when I finished, I just remained silent.

“Tony, I must first tell you that was a very foolish thing to do. All in the name of a woman? What if you sacrifice all that and she later abandons you. Won’t you suffer a heart attack? There is danger in loving some body too much. You should have known that by now. Look at you, a young, very promising man with a bright future risking a jail term because of someone who is not even your wife.”

I did not answer but the statement sank in and torn my heart into pieces. What if Sally abandoned me after all I have done for her? I felt like giving up on her already but it is what Regina said next that surprised me.

“Ok, I will try to talk to Derrick and try to persuade him to be easy on you. As for you, take care of yourself, avoid getting into unnecessary trouble.” Regina added.

I looked into her for a while and told her, “Thank you Regina, I really don’t know how to repay you.”

“You need not pay me, what are friends for anyway? Now feel free to clean up in my bathroom I will drop you to your place and call it a day.” Regina said and stood up but when I stood up to go to her bathroom, I suddenly felt so dizzy and lost my balance. I tried to support myself using the glass table on her living room but instead I fell on it and it glass pieces flew on all direction on her the living room brown carpet. I tried to support myself but instead I caught some pieces of the glass with my left hand and felt some sharp pain as one glass pierced my hand; I was left feeling so weak I literally fell on top of the glasses with my chest and some pierced my chest, my abdomen and my hand. Luckily, I wore a thick cardigan that day.

“Oh! My God! Tony, are you, all right?” Regina wondered out loudly and dived to save me from going completely flat on the glasses. I vomited so hard such that I felt breathless. I could not see clearly and I knew probably I was going to faint.

Regina dragged me to one of the bedrooms and laid me on a low bed, took off my cardigan and my shirt. Some small glass pieces were sticking from my chest and I was bleeding lightly. I was so powerless I watched Regina do everything and I was completely unable to even talk. She went and came back with some warm water which she used to clean me up after plucking the glass pieces from my body. I was no longer feeling pain, I was numb.

After Regina cleaned up my chest, she noticed that my trousers were wet. I had not noticed that I had peed on myself when I feel down. Regina took off the trousers but left me with my boxers on and proceeded to clean me up all over the body. 

After she cleaned me up, she looked at me and asked, “Can you now sit up or stand? How do you feel?” I did not answer but when I did, I asked her, “I feel terrible, I think I should go to hospital.”

Regina looked at me, smiled and told me, “All will be well. You are suffering from a complete nervous breakdown or some sort of extreme panic attack. Normally happens when someone has been arrested and is very much afraid. We have seen this so many times, nothing to worry about. You will be all right. You need to rest and relax. If you don’t mind, I will bathe you.”

At that time, I was so helpless did not care what was done to me as long as I remained alive to live to see another day.

Regina completely got me naked and bathed me like a child with warm water that made me feel a bit better. She then took some deep heat ointment and applied on all my joints all over my body. She then took some body lotion and smeared me all over the body but she avoided smearing on my genitals and after she was done, she looked at me and told me, “Now, you can apply to the rest body parts I have not applied. Let me get you some clothes to wear.” She brought me a pair of boxers, a jean trouser that was a little bigger than me and a T shirt. She then told me to lie on the bed as she prepared some supper.

She brought me some Githeri mixed with English potatoes, Cabbages and a banana fruit. She then disappeared but when she came back, I was feeling sleepy lying on the bed.

“Tony, I think you better sleep, you shall go back tomorrow to your place.” Regina said.

“Thank you.” I mumbled and blacked out.

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I woke up feeling weak and tired at around 9 am. I was alone and I thought Regina had gone to work. I stood up and was able to walk to the toilet. I then walked slowly to the living room and found Regina seated on her official uniform on her phone. She waved me to sit down. After she finished talking on her phone she looked at me, smiled and greeted me, “Good morning, Tony. How are you feeling?”

“Good morning, Regina. Am feeling better now.” I answered her.

“Let me serve you breakfast, or do you want to leave immediately?” Regina asked.

“It is ok, you can serve me.” I answered Regina and she went and brought me some coffee and brown bread. 

I noticed she had replaced her glass table with a small mahogany table which had an oval shape. 

“I am sorry I broke your table, I shall repay you.” I tried to tell her but she answered immediately, “Ah! No problem. I will get another one. Besides the one that got broken yesterday had a small crack and I guess that is why it broke so easily.”

“I want to meet Derrick today to handle your case. Expect my call anytime from tomorrow. In the meantime, let me take you home. Go and relax. I have cleared your case and you won’t appear in any criminal records. But do not do anything that will put you in trouble again. Furthermore, nowadays women are independent and your fiancée should be able to take care for herself without relying on a man. Tell her to pull up her socks. There are so many ladies who are empowered and are single and anyone can snatch you from her. So next time you talk to her, pass her my message; she should face life on her own not putting her fiancé into trouble in the name of love.” Regina told me with a serious face. I kept thinking so much about her words and kept thinking, “Probably am being a fool.”

I also wondered, why hadn’t she called since? But on looking at my phone, I realized it was off.

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Regina drove me to my place and dropped me there. I was so grateful for her kindness and realized there were some members of the armed forces who still had a human heart.

Immediately I got inside my house, I connected my phone to the wall socket and put it on. 5 text messages buzzed immediately, 4 from Sally and one from Carol.

I decided to Call Sally first.

“Oh! What is wrong? Been trying to call you since yesterday with no response.” Sally wondered.

“Oh! I am all right. My phone had a problem.” I lied but I resolved I would tell her everything later.

We talked for some time and I promised to call her in the evening.

Immediately, Carol called.

“Phew! Thanks goodness, I thought you had also disappeared like Zuhura.” Carol said with a sign of relief before asking, “What happened? You had gone to see Derrick. Did everything turn out well?”

“No, Derrick is such a stupid man. He instead called the police and I was arrested. In fact, I spend the night at police station.” The mention of police station made Carol nearly scream.

“Oh! My goodness. Don’t tell me.” Carol exclaimed.

“True. The dick head nearly threw me in jail.” I told Carol and she remained silent for some time, then when she spoke she said, “Tony, do you mind if I pass by your place in the evening, or if you can come to my place we can talk more.”

I thought for a while and told Carol, “Will come over, you can alert me on your way home.” I actually wanted to walk, to exercise my body. I was still feeling a bit weak.

I slept the whole day and only woke up to eat some eggs and bananas I had in the house, resumed sleeping and only woke up when Carol called a little past 5 pm. I came out of the gate and joined her and we walked to her place. My legs’ joints were aching a little due to the previous day clobbering but I was able to walk. 

We arrived at Carol’s place and she welcomed me to her one-bedroom house which was smartly furnished with lots of artistic feely in it. Clearly, this lady was a designer. 

Carol served me with some mango juice and we continued to talk as she prepared some supper. She prepared some mushed bananas, English potatoes and cow pea & meat stew. She told me she loved bananas a lot and I teased her, “How then should we know you are Ugandan?” 

As we ate, we got talking a lot and the conversation veered towards how to deal with the Kurd’s case now that Regina knew too much about me with relation to why I wanted the money so desperately. 

“By now, if you attempt anything and it backfires on you, you will surely end up in jail. You won’t always be lucky.” Carol told me in a warning tone.

“But it was never my intention to fall into trouble. Why would I deliberately go searching for trouble?” I asked Carol.

“You men love playing heroes especially in the name of love. Sometimes it is good to know your limit.” Carol told me looking at me.

“Right now, I feel like killing Derrick. If any chance shall ever present itself for me to avenge on what he did to me, I shall make maximum use if it. I shall ensure he licks the sole of my shoes.” I told Carol.

She looked at me for a while, chuckled and told me, “Tony, don’t be too cruel. Derrick Is a huge man beating him is out of question. He is powerful too and he seems to be well connected even with the police so forget about revenge. You cannot do anything against him. He probably owns a gun too. Forgive him.”

“Not me. If I ever get a way to avenge what he did to me, I shall do it. I wish I would get a gun, I would shoot him.” I said menacingly. 

Carol looked at me seriously and asked me, “Tony, can you shoot anyone?” 

I weighed my answer. I never would kill anyone. It has never been my desire to kill someone but Derrick had wounded my ego so much. I was so sure I would kill him given chance. “Yes, I would.”

Carol looked at me as if studying my feelings. When she spoke she said, “Let us stop talking about killing. It makes me feel afraid of you. But I would suggest you forgive him. Besides, you are free and Regina probably will convince him to wait. She might use her superiority to your advantage. Just wait and see how it goes. “

“But if it ever turns Irene was part of the game for us to get conned, I shall surely exact my revenge in whichever way including blackmailing him to get fired. This is too much.” I said feeling pained. 

“I feel your pain. I also hope she too was genuinely conned by Kurd. Otherwise why would she do that to us? That is to cruel.” Carol added sounding emotionless.

After we were done eating and talking about everything. I told Carol it was time to go. She did not object though she wished I took more time. She even tried to persuade me to come the following day or on a weekend to spend more time with her. But I really wanted to go and rest.

I took my phone that I had placed on her table and stood up to go.

“Wait!” Carol told me and disappeared to her bedroom. She took some time and I began wondering what she was up to.

When she emerged, she was holding a 2 foot very dark Maasai rungu.

“Haha, Carol you are so funny. What is this for? I don’t need it our neighborhood is secure and has no incidences.” I told Carol laughing.

“No, you need it all the same, am not going to escort you far since I want to come back and do some washing.” Carol insisted I take it.

I took it and she led me towards the gate.

We came out of the gate and immediately a motorbike rider stopped right in front of us.

“Hi, are you going somewhere? At your service friends.” He said in a very friendly tone. I immediately got at the back seat but before he left, Carol told me again, “Wait, step down.”

“What is it Carol, I need to go.” I was getting agitated and impatient.

“Come and give me a good night hug.” Carol said smiling shyly.

I looked at her and realized she was serious. I slowly stepped out of the motor bike, approached her, held her in a tight hug for some time. 

But immediately I released her, there was a huge loud bang and the motor bike guy fell flat in front of his motor bike. I turned suddenly to look what had immediately happened and what I saw lived to haunt me for a long time. The motor bike’s guy helmet was broken into pieces and bits of his brain was scattered all over where he fell. He lay there completely lifeless. He had been shot right at the back of his head, and died instantly. 

On turning to face Carol, she was holding her mouth as if about to scream and I heard another loud bang. I then saw some people running towards us and I immediately knew we were in mortal danger. I grabbed Carol’s right hand and dashed towards her house as fast as I could and by the time we reached her door, I was literally dragging her as she fell some few steps towards her door step. I could not remember whether I even locked the main gate or not but I rushed, locked her door and barricaded it with her one of her coaches. I then switched off the lights and threw her on the other coach and told her, “Lie still, remain below the window line.” She remained there motionless barely breathing out of fear.

More shootings continued and it felt like the whole estate was under attack.

>>>To be continued>>>

As narrated by Dr. Love, Kerry