Ultimate Sacrifice - Episode 24

 

Kim

“Please come back to me.” Kim whispered as he held Becka’s hand

He gazed upon her almost lifeless face. If not for the gentle rising and falling on her bosom one would easily mistake her as dead. He was so afraid of losing her. He couldn’t handle another loss of a woman his heart much endeared. Things between them had been so complicated . They never got the chance to experience each other‘s love. It was such a shock Antonina had known all this while. That must have been really painful for her. He felt much guilt for putting her through so much pain.

A week had passed since Becka’s surgery and she hadn’t woken up. Kim kissed her frail hands and left the room with tear filled eyes. He headed out for his car. He started the ignition but turned it off and let his head rest on the steering wheel.

“Rebekah please come back to me.” He whispered again to himself. “I can’t lose you too.”

Over three years ago

Kim smiled at the girl beside her. They were both trying to improve the atmosphere between them. It felt awkward. Tony had not told Becka that Kim was part of their afternoon date. Neither had she told his boyfriend, Kim.

“I wasn’t expecting this.” Kim said.

“Neither did i

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. Where is she anyway?”

“Oh there she comes.” Kim said pointing at Tony who was smiling in her yellow summer dress.  On her hands she held three cone shaped ice-cream.

“I brought ice-cream!” She said in a cheerful tone while settling in between Becka and Kim.

Becka and Kim took theirs’ and ate in silence not sure what to say.

“Guys come on, why are you all acting strange. It’s not like i set you up on a blind date.” Tony had said throwing her hands helplessly up on the air.

“A little heads up would have been much appreciated.” Becka said in a hush tone not wanting Kim to hear.

“The shy you wouldn’t have come.” Becka retorted back.

“What are you all shushing about?” Kim asked.

“Nothing.” They both responded.

Kim never expected that she could fall in love with Becka but as the days went by he couldn’t deny the feeling growing in his bosom. He always dismissed it but his actions always proved over and over how deep he was in love with Becka. With Antonina he hadn’t experienced the butterflies or the falling. She was a beautiful girl. The one everyone wanted. They were so close and tight. He had seen no reason for them to withhold from dating. 

The second time meeting Becka he had tagged his friend Ian along and that’s how Becka and Ian started. It was hard watching them. On double dates he would watch Becka like someone watching his favourite Tv-show. Sometimes Ian would fail to show up because he was nursing hangovers. It pained him to see the look of disappointment on Becka’s face as she tried to cover up the fact that she was angry. Sometimes Ian would respond rudely to Becka’s effort to participate in conversations. In truth Ian was such a bad boyfriend and he always took advantage of Becka’s shy nature. Sometimes it felt like he was being forced to love Becka.

One time he had tried talking Ian on the same.

“Hey buddy you know the way you treating Becka is not right.” Kim had began.

“How you mean?” Ian asked keeping his cool.

“You know, from the missed dates to the rudeness and just overall treatment.”

“I respect you my guy but you don’t see me telling you how to go on your business with Antonina,”

“Look Kim am looking out for her as a …”

“As what Kim? 

 With this Ian pushed Kim and soon they were tumbling on one another wrestling each other with no one to put a stop to the foolishness. When they got tired Ian stood up and straightened his t-shirt then left.

This must have been how Ian had figured out Kim was in love with Becka. It didn’t come between their friendship. Ian had apologized for the fight and they continued like nothing ever happened till a month before Antonina died. He couldn’t keep it inside anymore. He had asked to meet Becka at the park and after a great phone battle she came.

She was wearing a pair of oversize jeans pant and a fitting white top. 

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

A weird moment silence followed.

“This is so weird.” Kim said.

“Yeah.”

“Becka, i need to tell you something.”

Becka looked into his eyes. Her gaze was intense. It felt like she could see his soul.

Kim grabbed his hands and placed on where the heart is supposed to be.

“Can you hear that Becka?”

She nodded.

“It beats for you.”

Becka started crying then Ian added.

“I love you Rebekah Sewe.”

********

He lifted his head that had been leaning on the steering wheel all this while. Starting the car he left the parking lot. The exhaustion of running around the whole day taking over his body. Within thirty minutes he was home. Traffic hadn’t been really that bad.  Cindy their help heard him come in and was there waiting for him. They were so lucky to have her. She had come into the family shortly after her mum‘s death and had given them the help they much needed. Giovanni needed a female care-giver and she was really good with him. He always thanked the agency that had recommended her to their dad.

“Welcome home Kim, i made some cookies for Giovanni if you hungry.”

“I will freshen up then come down for a bite, it’s been a really long day.”

“How is Becka doing at the hospital?” Cindy inquired.

Kim did not respond immediately partly because he didn’t think their maid really cared of what was going on in his life.

“I wish i could say everything was okay but every single day of the past week i walk into that hospital and gaze upon her frail body lying there my hope withers.” He paused and sniffled.

“She is not making any progress Cindy. I wish she was. Thanks for asking.”

Cindy touched his shoulder.

“In situations like this you can’t lose hope, we all are praying for her.” Cindy said.

“Really?”

“Yes really, ever since Tony got murdered you have been a totally different person and understandably so. We all wish the situation would be different.”

“Thank you so much.” Kim said smiling and feeling a bit relieved. He studied her closely. He didn’t understand why she was so kind. He also noticed she was quite young. He wondered what her story was. He was really grateful he had her. He remembered how she had helped her drive after going to attack Becka at the prison. She was the only one who was willing to escort her to Tony’s funeral all the while tending to Giovanni.

“You go freshen up, will be preparing dinner. Oh and Ian was here looking for you something about being summoned to the station.”

“I will give him a call.” Kim said mounting the stairs.

He went into his room and found everything neatly arranged and put back into its place. Just that morning he had vented and threw everything out of place. He had been thinking about Becka and Tony. The pain and the agony of watching the woman he loved suffer in silence was too much. He still hadn’t figured out who killed Tony. Setting on the couch in his bedroom he removed his shoes and carefully set them beside his hamper.

Letting out a huge sigh while his eyes scanned the room. Everything was neatly arranged back in its place. His album laid in its usual spot. He rose from the couch and grabbed it then settled back on the couch. He opened it at the exact spot he wanted. The photo taken at his mum’s grave site. They had chosen not to follow family tradition and buried their mum on a cemetery just within the city. He looked at the photo. All his friends and their families had attended. It was like they were the extended part of Kim’s family. He smiled at the thought. They were never going to have that anymore. Even if Rebekah woke up from her comma and proven innocent they had lost a vital part of who they were before that.

He looked at his brother who had been eight years old at that time. What he had missed, Kim had gotten eighteen years with their mother while he only had eight. 

“Am sorry buddy.” He said while touching Giovanni’s image on the photo.

 He was about to open the next page on the album when his eye caught something. He didn’t remember seeing that before.

Read " Imagine Mountains " by the same author ( DORSILA ANYANGO )

. There was an image hiding behind the trees but seemed to be keenly looking at them as they went on with funeral service. He pulled the picture towards his face and slightly squinted trying to see if he could make out who it was. No luck. He placed the album on his lap and tried recalling the events of that particular day. He remembered something. As they were leaving the cemetery. Antonina had been holding his hand he turned around and saw the figure emerging from behind the tree he was hiding. He tried recalling the face but it stayed blurry on his mind.

“Damn it.” He said in frustration.

Why was he even struggling to remember, it wasn’t like it was important anyway. He was just some weirdo who liked watching people at the cemetery. Closing the album he sat it aside and placed himself comfortably on his couch and soon drifted into sleep. He was exhausted.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE,

TODA,

DORSILA.

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