Lusaka, Zambia. Central hospital.
In the early evening after the setting of the orange sky, the facility is blessed with the unusual rare stillness. Besides the soft thuds of footsteps of the night-shift staff, the beeping of the medical machines the only sound in the otherwise quiet hospital.
Patient's Room.
The equal setting of the room's temprature, the gentle beeping of the medical monitor beside the bed as it precisely monitors her vital signs, and the soothing yet intense heaviness it represents, is a resemblance to her unconscious form as it laid on the hospital bed in a fair dimly lit room.
Beside the opposite side of the bed, a senior aged man sits in a small chair, his head resting on the hospital bed of his bedridden wife, his hand comfortly holding hers in a reasuring gesture as he sleeps.
As if by a miracle, Lydia starts to stir, slowly, her eyelids heavy as she tries to adjust to the brightness in the room. Though not that bright. She turns her head to the side, slowly taking in this unrecognised yet familiar room. Has she been here before? She has. If so- when, and where? Her eyes widen slightly as she comes to full awareness and realizes her state, and finally, where she is.
Noticing her husband on the other side, she gives his hand a weakly squeeze, making him to stire and sit up, his expression a combination of- surprised, happiness, and love eched on his face.
Lydia has finally awaken after two days of been is coma- Unconscious.
~
*Three Days Earlier*
Chambishi Town, Kamunkoyo Bus-Stop.
A young handsome looking man between 21 and 22 with black curly hair, dressed in a long blue sleeve checked shirt over a white t-shirt, black pants, and white sneakers, a casual yet fine wearing, sits on a worn out rusty bench under a broad shade tree, a bagpack sits leaned against his right leg as he focusedly scrolls down through his old model Blueberry phone. Any eldery man and a young lady with her baby strapped in front in his carrier, a handbag in hand and her unbrella leaned against the bench, sits next to him as she coos and plays with the child.
The moving and passing of vehicles on the road few feets away from them, a constant reminder of how fast the world is moving and changing.
The bus finally arrives and pulls over, and quickly as few passengers disembark, a young conducter board the three. After settling in at the back near a window, he pulls out his phone, press a few buttons, hit the call button, then place it to his ear.
After a few rings, the call is finally being answered.
"Hey. You off?" A gentle and warm female voice asks through the other end.
"Hey. Yeah, just started off." He replies, his voice smooth and calm.
"Wonderful! You've got a long way to go before reaching here. So... Keep the line connected, okay?" She asked, her excitement obvious.
"Yeah, sure thing. See you then." He said, then cuts the call.
As everybody settles in, the bus is on the road again.
Turning to the lady, the conducter asks, his expression friendly. "Ms, your stop?"
Uh, Kitwe." She replies.
"Cool," he turn and continue. "Bro, in the back?"
"Same. Actually, that's where I'm dropping off before my next bus." He said, his voice light.
"Right. So where are you heading, bruh?" The conducter asks.
"Lusaka." He replies.
"LSK, the Capital! Nice. Safe journey, bro." he said, turning to the eldery man. "And you, Sir. Where are you headed? Kitwe as well?"
Yes." He confirms.
"Right," he said as he turns. "Kitwe. No drop-offs." he tells the driver, the takes his seat near the entrance.
The ride to Kitwe was filled with worry and anxiety, no matter how hard he tried to focuse on the journey ahead, his mind kept drifting back to the three people he just left behind the farm- his grandparents, his younger sister, were the only beings his life was worth sacrificing for, the only people worth fighting and taking risks for, the only souls his heart felt at peace and at home with.
As he sat there in silent staring out the window, looking, watching as the trees passes by in a blur, his heart was encouraging and fighting for him to stay strong, giving him the confidance he needed to persue his purpose in the big city, Lusaka.
~
Chelstone Neighborhood, Lusaka.
Metals Mentendant Company
[CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!]
The bustle, the shouting words of encouragements, and the clanking sounds of metals being unloaded within the company walls, a testament of the mens' hardwork as they hustly brings the lively afternoon to a break after an intense morning of unloading six trucks of scrap metals.
On the flatbed trailer.
"Alright, Chriss, you and me. Help me with this heavy duty." Jeff says.
Moving on both sides, they lift the last used up vehicle engine and toss it on the rest of the unloaded pile of scraps beside the truck.
"Phew, damn!" Jeff exclaim, stretching and pats his shoulders in a massage way. "Now I regret not taking the boss's advice."
"What are you saying? Wait, damn!" Chriss's face and voice surprised, as he turn to face Jeff. "Are you saying this is your fault?" He asks.
The boys stop in their tracks and whatever they were doing, curiously looking at the two on the truck as if expecting something.
"The boss kinda insisted we used the hoist for this... But I figured you ladies needed a good spunk in the back after what happened last week," he said, a grin on his face. "But damn, this was hell even for me."
Turning to the boys, Chriss shouts. "Hear that, guys?! This freak nigga unleashed hell on us intentioally! Now our backs are screaming painkillers," he pause for a moment, clears his throat, then continued, his voice low. "But you know how it is. An intense work like this means...?"
"The Biz and Chill at BAR' N GRILL!!" The boys respond, in unison.
Chriss turns back to Jeff, a light smile on his face. "That's right, you asked for it. You owe these guys."
Jeff stands there stunned, then let out an exhausted sigh. "You know, I think I'm the one who just unleashed hell on my bills."
"Yup. Now your wallet is gonna pay..." Chriss mused with a grin.
Turning to the boys, Jeff promises. "The Bar n Grill it is. Just go easy on my wallet, boys," he pleads, his voice low at the last part. "Alright, lunch time, ladies!"
The mens' excitement erupt through the company walls.
"You're the men, bro!" One praises.
"Yeah, you're the alpha!" Another adds, then all in unison. "And yeah, we promise men!"
With that, they continue with their work.
'Yeah, I don't think so, ain't no way these niggas gonna spare my bills. And there goes my bonus, should have kept my mouth shut. And... Did I just say please? A nigga weeping for his cash. I'm so lame,'
As they're supervisor, Jeff watch his workmates in content as they go about to their duties. They are not just employees at Mental Trading Company, they're his friends, his homies, his family.
'But, yeah, they deserve a relaxing time after all that, and the boss did promise us half-day off. He should be back here from his meating within an hour.'
Turning to Chriss, he asks. "So what's up, kid?"
"What's up what?" Chriss respond, slightly confused as he turn to face him.
"Kid, excitement is written all over your face. Besides, nothing about you can get away from me, and you were pretty obvious the way you were showing of all that all-mighty during the unloading. Pretty usual of you." He said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"What the crap. I ain't lazy," Chriss pause for a moment, then continued. "You're right. I am excited. See, I got a buddy coming here from Chambishi. A childhood friend of mine. It's been forever since seeing the nigga."
"A long-lost-friend, from a town between Chingola and Kitwe? Cool." Jeff said.
"Yeah. He's got business here."
"Nice. You'll fill us in once at the B n G. C'mom, lunch is ready." Jeff adds, and they both hop off the truck.
"And stop saying 'ladies, this is not a military training field. And you're ain't Lieutenant. The real ladies gonna think you're weird, worse... Gay." Chriss jokes.
"I don't care what they think. I love saying 'chocolate." Jeff mutters.
"Chocolate?! Damn!"
They both laugh as they walk toward a small well-made kitchen unity in the corner of the wall fence.
~
Capital city, Lusaka.
The early evening air, cooling, and soothing, a stark constrast to the sunny afternoon during he's ride to his destination, Lusaka, the Capital city of Zambia. The city centre station is as bustle and lively, the ongoing and arriving of taxis and buses is a content of togetherness, like how ants work in unity. And the setting of the sun as it paints the sky and the city below orange, is a reminder of the ending day' and beginning of this restless city.
As passengers start filing out of the bus, he's the last one to step out, his backpack in hand. He looked around the busy bus-station for a moment, then turn to face the setting sun in the horizon. He closed his eyes slowly as if thanking it for the day and for being there for him, inhaled in, then released it with equal motion- calming his mind, heart, and body, then opened them. He slung the bag on his right shoulder, then approached the taxi ranks. As he approached a specific cab, the driver knew this face was new in town, but he didn't want to assume anything of him, this person looked calm, friendly, yet again, something about him spoke 'authority, and his posture commading.
After some disagreements, he finally accepted for the driver to take him to Chelstone Neighborhood on booking. He didn't want to spend another minute until the driver got more passengers. He was new and a stranger in this city, and it was getting late for him.
Upon reaching a specific street, a beautiful lady in her 22, 23, with curly brown hair that falls to her shoulders, in a green and white dress that reaches below her knees, and a white and pink polka dot short sleeve shirt over it, stands beside a street sign post in a streetcorner, a smartphone held in her hands.
She watches as a taxi pulls beside the road, and a young man steps out, a bagpack in hand. The taxi turns and drive off. He notices a young lady standing beside a street sign post, but decided to comfirm anyway. He takes out his phone and pull up the same number he was in connection with, the same number that was guiding and directing him through his trip here, his friend's number named Chriss, and hit the call button.
Her heart skipped a beat as the phone in her hands go off. She can't believe it. She really can't believe it. It was him. It was really him. This handsome looking guy was really him.
He cuts the call, slung the bag on his shoulder and walk over to her. Her heart started pounding as he approached, and she didn't know what to do. Her legs felt like lead. She couldn't believe it that after years of not seeing him, this grown up and beautiful men that now stood before her was her and her twin brother's childhood friend.
"Catherine...?" His voice soft and gentle, and her face slightly surprised.
As her name left his lips in a gentle and light tone, her heart leap in her throat. It was pounding so fast she was sure he could hear it. She looked up at him, her words stuck in her throat as she met his gaze. At that moment, she didn't know what was wrong with her. She has never felt this way for anyone before, regardless her age. What was going on? Why the hell was she suddenly vulnerable in his presence?
She gathered her strengh, composed herself, then opened her mouth.
"D-Dave. Hey..." She stutters, her voice barely audible.
A soft and warm smile tug at Dave's lips.
This was her, his friend's twin sister. Also, his childhood friend.
"Wow. Time really flies, huh? It feels like just yesterday I was promising to come back to see you again" Dave said.
"Y-you have now," She respond. But as she looked deeper into his warm eyes for what seems like forever, she noticed pain, sadness, and sorrow staring back at her. This was because they haven't seen each other for so long. Catherine knew and understood what Dave has gone through after the incident of the fire that occured years back. But despite going through so much hell, he still stands there, still daring the world in its face.
Following his gaze to the phone in her hands, the back up at his face, she continued. "I suppose he did let you know?"
"He did" He replies.
"Sorry about him. His friend Jeff called him yesterday evening about this piecework at Mental Mentendant. Oh, that's a Metal Trading Company Jeff works at, and he usual does that when there's special work going on. So, yeah... He left it with me and told me to come pick you up instead.
"Don't worry about it." He assures her.
"Right. This was."
She leads the way in this neighborly street, but constantly making sure there's a respective distance between them. Her heart was still beating so fast. Finally, after a few meters walk, they turn at a slightly humbled aboad, its not fancy, but its home.
She takes out the keys and open the door before stepping inside.
"Come on in."
She gestures him inside, lead him to the living room, then disapear into the kitchen.
Taking a sit on an armchair, Dave can't help but let his eyes wander through the room for a moment. Its not much, but this cozy two bedroom house to Chriss and his sister.
Catherine emerges from the kitchen with a cup and a jug of cold water and set it on the table. She pours a cupful and gave it to him. As she hands him the cup, their fingers brush, and she feels a rush through her body before pulling back.
"He's usually home early from what ever. I don't know what's suddenly keeping him, but he should be home any minutes now." She said, her voice breaking from the feeling of their unexpected contact.
"Thank you. And don't worry, it's cool." He assures her, his voice warm and gentle.
"Right. Excuse me."
With that, she disapear into the kitchen again, her movement hastly. But it was clear that she was trying her best to act normal around him.
~
Bar N Grill Pub
Outside the pub, Chriss is finally exchanging goodnight goodbyes with Jeff and six other friends.
"Introduce him to us, kids. Your friend sounds just fine to us. Bu I ain't gonna lie, that's a pretty bad messed up scene for a kid to witness, you know? Especially at that age." Jeff said, his voice sympathetic.
"Yeah men, he sounds alright, he's a real bro. But damn, can you imagine it." One adds.
"And after that, hell was constantly on his ass like shit. But he's still standing on his feet like a true bull. Respect." Another mutter. Then all in unison.
"That's right. Respect!"
"Right. Now go home, nigga. He's probably waiting for you. Oh, and pass my regards to my 'Mother Nature." Jeff said.
"Right. Night y'all." Chriss replies, then turns and off on home.
It doesn't take him long to reach his area, and before long, his hand was on the doorknob of the front door. As he turns the knob and step inside- there he was, his long-lost-friend seated in an armchair staring at him after hearing the sound of the door opening.