broken and bruised episode 19&20

BROKEN AND BRUISED

Episodes 19

Ron still has not understood why his father is bent on sending him abroad, he knows he messed up but his father's action is uncalled for, now he has no
choice but to leave though he only wants do do one thing before he leaves and that's talking to Melanie and explaining that he didn't really abandon her
at the alter because he doesn't love her or because she's carrying another man's pregnancy which she never called for but to tell her that he could not
go through with the wedding because she was carrying the blood of a,rapist, he will never stand touching her if that thought still remains in his head
......his next stop is in Perry's room where she's preparing to go to bed

"What do you want again" she asks making it looks so obvious that she wasn't really interested in talking to her brother

"Can we talk lil Sis"

"No...it's been a long day and I need some rest"

"I know but please Sis, don't turn your back on me....at least not you" she finally swifts her attention on her brother

"If I tell you right now that I was not hurt and still I am not hurt with what you did, trust me Ronald I will be lying to to you and myself"

"I know.... and for that I'm really truly sorry"

"You see, I'm still getting used to the fact that you have never really changed, still the same Ronald you were back then" her words hurt him so much

"Dad wants me to go"

"Go where"

"I don't know, he just wants me to get ready in two days time I will be leaving"

"Isn't that what you wanted, then that's a good thing"

"You know it isn't, you are only saying this because you're hurt"

"Doesn't matter...."

"But....before I leave, I need a favour from you.... I need to speak with Mel and please you help me"

"You wish to speak with who?... Melanie?..... get serious"

"Please you help me or else you tell me where she is"

"I will tell you where she is unless you tell me why you developed cold feet all of a sudden"

"OK, I won't lie to you because you're Perry my sister.....I didn't leave her because of the fact that she was raped or she's pregnant... but the fact that
she's carrying the blood of that bastard we don't even know is what I could not take" Perry continues to stare at he brother unbelievably

"You surprise me by the day Ronald, what a cheap excuse"

"Yes it's cheap but you can't blame me" she furiously gets up

"You know what, I'm so glad you left her because she doesn't deserve a hypocrite who is no where near being a saint"

"Don't run that in my face"

"Sure.....u can't waste me energy on you"

"Please tell me where she's and understand why I'm trying to do this, I want to leave this burden behind so I can start a new life"

"Well, since you care to know.... you can tune on the TV in your room and watch the free drama you created, you shall see the back of a savour oh how I
wish they covered his face so we would all see,!!.... you will see a hero, a saviour who stood tall against the world as Melanie was going through hell,
to defend her like she was his sister, no body knew who he was because no body paid him any attention but the moment they started covering, he was already
heading out of there"

"What are you saying.... a stranger defended Mel... my Mel"

"Point of correction, you don't have a Mel, you lost that right few hours ago and yes, he took her away and up to date no body knows where he took her to
and ehoi he is"....... Ron is not looking good..........

Monica is seated in her living room just reading some papers as the news bulletins run, since she received an assurance call from her son, she's not really
worried about him not coming home tonight, she didn't bother to ask him why he wasn't coming home until when sees someone who looks like her son fighting
the news people

" Lisa...Lisa " she calls out the maid who runs out immediately

"Is that not my son?.... what did Tobi put on" Lisa is too shocked to even react

"I could swear with my mother's life that he's the one boss" Monica gets up and starts to pace up and down, she had never paid attention to watch the news
from the beginning but now this whole thing is getting out if hand, she's not liking this latest behavior of Tobi

"First it was coming home drunk and wasted but fighting In public like a common unemployed youth is the last stroll, I will not allow him to sink my company
down with him" she can now tell why he's not coming home, she wonders where he could be, she calls the gateman who says Tobi is not there...she calls a
few of his friends but no one has seen Tobi or even heard from him..........

After saying their good nights and heading in to their respective rooms, Tobi finally gets to rest after being up and down almost through out....he lies
on his back just starring at the ceiling, he's so stuck between the rocks because he's not really functioning well in the head

"I can't be like this forever, I know Melanie is just trying to look strong when in reality she's Broken up....it's not healthy because in most cases people
who are like her end up taking their own life and people will get to wonder why they did it when they were looking fine and fully recovered...... what
if I tell her the truth, will she ever forgive me because I can't seem to forgive myself" he processes this and lies still but suddenly, something tells
him go to the window and he does though reluctantly, he thought he saw something move when he looks down at the corner of the house, the security light
in that corner is off and since he was just indoors, he didn't know it wasn't working.... he focuses his attention and that's it, it's a woman

"We're only two in this house... could it be that askari (gateman) brings in women here, but then why would Askari's woman cross over to this side of the
house" he continues to think, maybe askari is sleeping by now and didn't see someone sneak in.....something tells him to come down but he decides to see
what this mysterious person is all about....the woman scouts down and puts down something, she also has a jerrican in her hand, she pours the content in
the jerrican on what she put down, she lit fire and sets it ablaze, as the fire continues to increase, he can see who is is clearly

"Melanie.... how did you get there" it appears like she's going to let her own dress she's putting on to catch the fire as she sinks down with yet something
that he can't see properly in he hand, Tobi doesn't remember how but he only slips his feet in the available slippers at the foot of his double bed and
runs out of there bare chested in the cold whether calling out to her, he finds when she's just starring at the fire and this time without crying, her
wedding gown burns into flames

"Melanie" he calls her and that's when he sees her holding Long kitchen knife

"Stay away from me....don't get any close" she threatens pointing the knife at her herself like she's about to do something crazy

"Please, put it down Melanie.... put it down and let's talk" he takes another step towards her but she's getting wild, she's having flashbacks, he's not
putting on any shirt and it only appears to her like he's going to do the same thing to her, like he only wants her body too

"Please don't hurt me....don't touch me I swear today I'm going to stub myself or slit my throat if you don't get a way from me"

"I just want to help you please put it down" he begs and she begins to tremble in fear, her body shaking and she's loosing balance yet she still has some
strength the defend herself and threaten Tobi "

"It's me Tobi Melanie please"

"It was you....it is you, you just want to hurt me again but I won't let you" she's shaking and Tobi finally gets to her and Mel who was about to faint
in the fire faints in his strong arms with the long knife falling freely, their voice must have attracted the askari because he comes running

"Boss what happened"

"What happened is you have been sleeping you idiot, this woman almost took her life when you the askari was there only sleeping"

"Sorry boss....I just fell asleep"

"Get off my sight" he tries to get Mel back to the house, she's really light and he carries her without any problem.....he remembers the morning he woke
up to find her almost lifeless next to him, that day one could conclude she was dead and that's exactly what he thought until when he checked her pulse......
now he carries her to her bed and puts her down, he's beginning to tremble too....and he checks her pulse and he's relived she's Alive, stands not knowing
what to do next,....he looks for his phone which he gets from his room, he dials the number of Mac his best friend and personal doctor asking him to come
asap, Mac says he's on his way but Tobi should check for her airways, and leave room for breathing......he fidgets with what she's putting on but the sight
he met on her upper left breast is something he can never forget in his life....it's his own long nail leaving a long but painful trail on her upper chest
coming to the left breast... the sight is so painful to watch.....he comes down out of curiosity to check more and there he finds it.... on her left thigh
at the entrance of her Virginia there are black spots that are still trying to heal

"Just how strong are you Melanie??.... how can you live each day starring at these permanent scars and bruises??"...... No way can he take all this in...he
breaks up at the foot of the bed and weeps loudly........

Episode 20

Tobi continues to shade tears at the foot of Melanie's bed until when he thought he heard a car drive in, he walks to the window and sees flash light of the
car, he knows Mac has arrived so he comes out to welcome him

"What happened" Mac greets him with a hug

"I have a case.... come with me" they enter Mel's room and she hasn't really woken up or move

"You did well to create air way for her" Mac gets to work and checks her breathing, air circulation, he checks her pulse and says she's OK

"We should put her on drip for now....has she been stressed lately"

"I don't know just do what ever is necessary" he puts her on drip

"Can we talk"

"Yeah sure...follow me to my room, it's safer there" they both walk over to Tobi's room so as to talk

"Who's she....the last time I checked you still had no woman in your life" Tobi gets up and paces

"She's someone I barely know"

"What do you mean someone you barely know, how did she end up here, you don't even live here"

"OK Mac, you're my friend and I'm going to tell you this but no one must know about it"

"You can trust me..... she's your woman right?"

"She's not....she's someone's bride"

"Jesus.... what??"

"Wait Mac before you conclude let me talk and finish, if you heard about a wedding where a minister's son left the bride at the alter then you know what
I'm talking"

"Yeah I heard about it...."

"I'm the reason why he did what he did"

"Wait? are you telling me you were having affair with a woman engaged to be married and her husband to be found out and dumped her at the alter on the day
of their wedding?....Tobi since when have you become this unruly?.....where did you get the strength to date a woman who clearly belonged to someone else"

" You're judging me harshly without listening to my story"

"No what's there to listen more Tobi" he gets up and walks over to touch Tobi's face

"Are you nuts?.... are you really OK Tobias"

"It would have been better if I was not alright but I'm very alright"

"Then tell me what this confusion is all about, you're keeping a woman who almost got married in your house and you're telling me you're alright... did
you kidnap her"

"No....I only rescued her but like I said the reason why she was dumped is because of me.....it all started on the day I celebrated my birthday" Tobi begins
his ordeal and by the time he finishes, Mac can barley contain his surprised face

"Tobi.....tell me what you're saying is all false"

"I wish I could.... I'm so stuck not knowing what to do, just today after what happened, she was OK.... I thought she was fine.......she even ate well but
just when I thought she was sleeping, she surprised me she was trying to take her own life after setting her wedding gown on fire....I ran down to help
her and that's when she became violent, I realised she has a kitchen knife and she continuously said she would stub herself or slit her throat if I ever
got near her or touch her that's when she fainted"

"That's a clear sign of trauma and she needs a psychological help....counselling and some therapy would do it.... but does she know who you're"

"No she doesn't..... I would love to tell her that I'm the one responsible for her predicament but I don't know how she will take the news, I've been following
her everywhere and some how it became part of my daily activities, a part of me just wants me to follow her everywhere she goes and get to know what she's
always doing"

"Tobi...I don't believe you're a bad or a horrible person but telling her you're the reason for all her pain at this point is not something I would encourage
you to do....what that girl needs right now is to get over this and I'm sure neither she nor her mother can afford it....do the right thing, I can recommend
a good councillor who can help her , that baby she's carrying will always remind her of her horrible experience and secondly it's even a miracle a rape
victim would trust a man much less a stranger after her ordeal"

"Thank you for not judging me....I had not told anyone and it was killing me....the only ones who knew were those bastard friends"

"Sharing is knowledge, I'm glad you told me and your secret is safe with me....just do as I have told you and the day you tell her that you're the one,
she will be broken but she shall rise up again at least she shall have a reason to believe your Story".......they hug on that........

TWO DAYS LATER

Tobi drives Melanie to a supermarket a to pick some few things, Mac had told Mel to not stay dehydrated and drink a lot and also eat enough, Mel says he
has done a lot for her already but Tobi doesn't even want to hear it

" I'm taking you back home and I promise to be visiting you almost everyday but you need to keep up with the doctor's instruction, the drugs you're taking
are very strong..... they finish their shopping and head towards the direction of her home in a bumpy dusty road that leads straight to her home.....he
pretends not to know where she stays as she directs him seated besides him

They arrive at the road leading to the small but always neatly kept house and Mel stops him and wants to get out

"You can stop here...I'm already home and I can continue on my own"

"Is there something you didn't tell me Melanie? she shakes her head and says no

" Apart from still not telling you what happened, every other thing I told you is all true"

"Then let me take you home and present you to your worried mother...is it OK"

"Fine... let's go"

Tobi drives his expensive car in the compound where he can clearly see four women seated listening attentively to a woman seated in the middle.....two of
the women are Ofelia's sisters who had cut ties with her when things were tough on her side but they only surfaced to attend the very lavish wedding of
their niece when they heard she was marrying a billionaire's only son....they have no idea how Mel looks like because they have never met her and Mel doesn't
also have any idea who the two women are.....the other two women are the market vendors she normally buys her things from......the five women all look
at the car with hope in their eyes.....

Tobi packs the car and steps down to open the door for Mel..... she comes down and runs into the waiting arms of her mother who has tears of joy in her
eyes so unbelievable

"My Angel.... my baby Fina, is this really you...are you really fine"

"Yes mother it's me your Fina and I'm very fine" she spots the cannular and takes her arm

"Have you been hospitalised... what's with the cannular"

"Don't worry....just clean your tears because I don't want to start crying again....I'm tired of doing it..... this cannular is just nothing, I was only
put on bed rest and I'm very fine now"

"Come ......come with me" her mother leads her to where the others are but she stops her mother to ask her a question

"Mother....did Ron come look for me?.... did he call at all" her mother's heart breaks in to pieces because she was also in shock herself when Ron could
not come in all these days

"I'm sure he's going to come... just don't think about it" she nods

"Come greet your aunties ...Anita and Jessica" Mel doesn't even understand aunties from where but she greets them anyways, she shares brief hugs with the
other two from the market as they tell her how grateful they are now that she's safe and back home.... Tobi starts to get out what they had bought and
it's at this point Mel realises she has not introduced him to her mother..... Mel comes to his side pulling her mother along

"Mother forgive me for not introducing him earlier.... he's called Tobias... the man who has been helping me all these days from that day, without him I
would have taken my own life" Ofelia wants to kneel in front of Tobi as a sigh of respect.... it's a common practice in east Africa.... Tobi catches her
midway

"It's OK madam....you don't need to do this"

"Thank you for saving my daughter's life and helping her when I couldn't that day"

"I will continue to do that as long as necessary" she wants to offer him a seat but he declines saying he will sit the next time he visits, they talk briefly
and Tobi greets the other women... he gives Mel a goodbye hug and leaves to go face his tigress mother.......

To be continued