TASTELESS

CHAPTER ELEVEN

"She is my ex-girlfriend," Andrew says. Kayla looks at Andrew in disbelief.

"Your ex-girlfriend? Since when?" She asks.

"We dated back in high school. Is she married?" Andrew asks.

"Wait, you said that you people are Joe's client, right? I thought you knew him in detail. Mercy is married to Joe." Kayla says. Andrew folds his face in surprise.

"Whaaaaat? So you knew him? No wonder.." Andrew says teasingly.

"No wonder what?" Kayla asks.

"He said you want to kill him. Didn't you?" Andrew asks.

"It is not like that. You cannot understand." Kayla replies.

"I cannot understand what?" Andrew asks. He is now concerned.

"I've been living with them, something is not adding up. Joe seems to be out of his mind." She replies in a low tone.

"Really!" Andrew asks.

"Yes. Just keep it low, don't tell anyone. I need to vacate today." Kayla says

"Why vacate?" Andrew asks again. His curiosity is on the rise.

"I will tell you when everything settles down," Kayla says. As they talk, Lucia comes to close the offices since it is time to go home.

"Time is gone I need to go home, close the offices and bring the keys downstairs. I will be waiting there." Lucia says and walks away.

"You seem to have issues girl, but I wish you all the best, see you tomorrow," Andrew says.

"No, I said I needed your assistance, I need to vacate but I don't have money," Kayla responds.

"Really? But Kayla you are only 3 weeks old here!" Andrew answers.

"Yeah I know, but I can't even go back to their house, you need to understand me, please. I don't know where I'm going to sleep tonight." Kayla replies.

"How much money do you need right now?" Andrew asks.

"I need like 10k," Kayla replies.

"Okay, give me one minute, you can close the office and wait for me at the reception," Andrew says and walks out. Kayla is relieved. She shuts down the computer, picks her bag then closes the office and walks downstairs. A few minutes later, Andrew joins Kayla and Lucia in the reception.

"Go and find a good house. I'm sure there are good bedsitters in Zimmerman." He says and gives Kayla some money as they walk out.

"Is this ten thousand?" Kayla asks after counting. Andrew gave him 15k cash.

"No, don't worry about that. Just go and find yourself a house. See you tomorrow." Andrew replies and proceeds to his car.

"Wait for me!" Lucia shouts as she closes the offices' main door. Andrew gives her lifts, sometimes.

Kayla walks out of the gate and decides to walk until a matatu catches up with her. Today no one is coming for her. Every day she is used to seeing Vincent, but today it is different. She has not yet figured out the reason why Joe said that she wanted to kill him. But according to the story that Mercy gave the previous day, Joe has gotten himself into some complicated stuff.

******

"So now you are not talking?" Mercy asks for the third time. Joe's eyes are glued to the laptop trying to type. Mercy has asked him if Kayla can still occupy one of his mother's rental houses.

"I already told you. I don't want to see her anywhere." He finally responds.

Mercy looks at Vincent as he plays with his car toy. Today the child seems happy.

'I have to protect my son.' Mercy tells herself.

"What about that story of your and your mzungu client?" She asks. Joe slowly turns around and looks at Mercy.

"I already said we cannot reverse what has already been done. I told you the options that we have, what else do you need?" Joe says calmly, but with a firm voice.

"So you are giving out our son?" Mercy asks.

"We can have other children in the future, it is not a big deal," Joe says and continues typing. From the look of things, Joe is serious. This is not a game. Mercy goes to the bedroom and leaves Joe busy with his work. She opens a drawer and picks out a certificate. It is their marriage certificate. Every time she looks at the paper, she remembers the very day of their wedding. She remembers how Joe recited the marriage vows.

'..for better, for worse..' she whispers. But here is a situation. Joe was given options, either to divorce his wife or give their son. His 'client' was kind enough and gave him an extra option of letting a relative from his wife's side stay with them for 3months. But that option has backfired. They are remaining with two options. Mercy returns the certificate and goes back to the living room. She finds little Vincent struggling to switch on the TV.

"Haven't you seen him trying to reach for the socket?" She asks Joe, who in turn looks at Vincent with pity eyes.

"I'm hungry, where is supper?" He responds.

"Seriously?" Mercy replies.

****

"What about the water?" Kayla asks. She is talking to the caretaker of a house she found in Zimmerman.

"Water is available always." He answers and opens a tap in the sink. She has found a spacious bedsitter, but now she has to buy a mattress and some little things before it gets dark.

'Mommy will now be happy.' she tells herself while going out, after paying the deposit and rent. But Kayla still does not understand why Andrew gave her 15k.

She went and bought a mattress, cooking gas and some sufurias. She would buy other household items as time goes by. Later that night, she decided to call Mercy and enquire about how she was going to pick her belongs.

MERCY; You got a house already?

KAYLA; Yes, will you bring my clothes please if he doesn't want to see me. I will appreciate it.

MERCY; No problem, I have a request though.

KAYLA; Which one?

MERCY; Can you accommodate another person?

KAYLA; Who is that?

MERCY; You already know who it is. I'm not going to stay here, I have to protect Vincent.