The Family Reunion: KAZMIR
The house became as quiet as I wanted it to be, and I didn’t bother to make a fuss ’bout my wife not spendin’ time with me.
She ne’er spent time with me in the first place, after all.
Why should I be bothered?
It was only ’cause she spent too much time with the woman from an art auction and it was becomin’ very annoyin’.
Not just annoyin’, but suspicious also.
“You had a good day?”
Someone cut short my thoughts and I looked up from the couch where I sat.
“Do I serve your meal now or wait until the next hour when you’ve taken a bath?” Nyssa took a seat next to me on the couch, relaxin’ her back and lookin’ at the screen of the television.
I also relaxed on the couch.
“I had a good day, yes,” I uttered and turned to look at her, forced to ask also. “What ’bout your friend? Doesn’t she know the road to our home any longer? Haven’t seen her in a while and I’m becomin’ worried she is sick or something happened.”
“Oh-” the woman laughed, standin’ on her feet.
“Give me a moment, Kazmir. I made a dessert I’ll love for you to taste.” She added and walked away, returnin’ back to the livin’ room with two glasses and there was me who became scared to sip from it for a moment.
I looked at her when I eventually did, shock on my face.
“Did you say you made this treat, baby?” I asked and the woman placed her glass on the table she had put in between us.
“This is sweeter and nicer than I would ever think!” I uttered, takin’ the glass in my hand and sippin’ from it once more.
“Is it that nice?”
“Yes!” I gave a nod and placed it on the table once more.
“You’re improvin’, even though you don’t want to admit it. I know you couldn’t make tea when you newly returned from the hospital and somehow, I am convinced you’re goin’ back to who you used to be.”
Right.
“Have you been havin’ dreams, baby?”
“Dreams?”
She also placed her glass and looked at me.
“I haven’t been havin’ dreams, no.” She shook her head, standin’ on her feet while I relaxed my back on the couch – contemplatin’ whether or not it was important for me to take a bath at this time of the day, considerin’ how tired I have become.
“I believe you,” I got on my feet and walked to the stairs, turnin’ around again.
“I’m still havin’ my treat, so don’t take my glass or even dispose of it.” I continued to walk after givin’ my command, catchin’ up with the door of a room we share and finally, walkin’ into it before the bathroom so that I could take my bath.
While in the bathroom, my thoughts drifted to my family for no reason.
I relaxed, lettin’ go of my bathin’ tools and lookin’ into the mirror so that I could see my reflection and have a moment of thought to myself. After these thoughts, I resumed my bath and was done soon, walkin’ out of the bathroom to hear my beepin’ phone.
“Any problem, Darius?”
Throughout this week, Darius had done nothin’ but reach out to me too much.
Why is that?
Is there somethin’ he wanted to tell me and I didn’t know yet? I looked at the screen of my phone, placin’ it again in my ear and askin’. “What is the matter, Darius? Why call me at this time of the night?”
“Boss, it’s nothin’ serious.” he sounded from the other end.
“I only needed to be certain that you got the report I sent to you via email. I sent it ’bout an hour ago and I’m callin’ ’cause you didn’t say anythin’ ’bout it.” He explained further to me who took my laptop to look into it, givin’ a nod of approval at the same time.
“You did a good job, boy. I’ll see you at work the next time I’m there,” were my last words to ‘im before the call ended. I was ready for my dinner and now, headed to the dinin’ area for my meal that was served a while ago, which left me wonderin’ where my wife was at.
Firstly, I walked to the entrance door to see if Mrs. Ariadne had come to the house and the both of them were on the veranda for another ‘session’, as usual, but none of them was there.
Where could they be, then?
I walked back into the house and settled at the diner to eat. By the time I was done, a door in the house opened and when I looked, it was the woman I lived with, walkin’ out of the art studio space.
What was she doin’ in it?
“Is everythin’ okay?” I was forced to ask, especially with the look she had right on her face. “Why do you look like you have just made a discovery?”
She smiled, walkin’ to the table.
“I don’t have to make a discovery before makin’ it to the art studio, do I? Or is there somethin’ you’re not tellin’ me, Kazmir?” She took a seat and then a spoonful of the meal I was eatin’. “Tell me somethin’ I should know, my husband.” Another chuckle ran out of her mouth and I shook my head, wonderin’ how I should explain what I meant to the woman.
“I see,” I said with a smile. “I was wonderin’ why you’re in that space for so long since I came down from the room. I only needed to be certain you’re fine and there are no issues at all.”
She heaved a sigh and gave a nod.
“I am alright, my husband.” She said, standin’ on her feet and leadin’ her way to the kitchen.
The next time she came back, she was with a tray of food for herself. I was done with my meal at this point, ready to make it back to the room so that I could sleep and be ready for the next day’s activities and whatever it was that would come with it.
“Have a good night, baby-” I walked away.
“I guess I’ll see you in the mornin’ – and that’s if you don’t have a budding guest as usual.” I added, reachin’ the door of the room we share the next moment, walkin’ into it, and fallin’ on the bed.
The next mornin’ didn’t take long to come and when it did, Nyssa was not on the bed next to me.
I sat up at that instant, listenin’ carefully and there were no sounds comin’ from the bathroom in the name of her takin’ a bath.
Where could she be?
I walked to the door of the room, believin’ that she was in the art studio as usual and studyin’ one of the frames.
“Nyssa?”
I called when I caught up with the door of the studio but there was nothin’ like an answer or rather, signs that someone was in it.
It was locked and it looked like she was not in it so I walked away, catchin’ up with the livin’ room again, and the entrance door opened.
A visitor.
Who else if not Mrs. Ariadne?
A grimace was supposed to appear on my countenance, but it changed the next moment when I saw who it was, shock on my face this time around.
“What are you doin’ here, Ophelia?” I asked my sister who smiled, walkin’ closer and takin’ me in her embrace.
“Why didn’t you call to let me know you were comin’?” I looked at Nyssa who settled on one of the couches.
“The house bell rang and I thought it was Ariadne. But it wasn’t her, but your sister rather,” she explained to me and looked at Ophelia who was out of my embrace.
“I have company, finally.”