CRAZY PASSION
EPISODE 8
” Do you remember who you are? Or anything that happened when you were in that state ?” The priest asked him.
” Yes father, my name is Benjamin Kamanga, am working as the CEO of BK motor and equipment suppliers, my family company in Kabwe. My family is in Lusaka I visit them every weekend. I went there last weekend. ” He explained clearly.
” Family?” I asked my heart panicking.
” Yes, l have a wife with a one year old son in Lusaka” he responded and I felt my knees go weak.
Father, held my hand assuredly. ” it’s Okey” he whispered.
” Yeah” I pushed a smile.
” Do you know what year this is?” The priest asked him.
” Yes, this is Sunday 14th of March 2012″ he answered confidently. We both looked at each other and the priest shook his head.
” The enemy had put you in bondage for over 2 years Benjamin, today is Saturday 31st of January 2015″
” What?” Benjamin now realising my story was true asked.
” Am sorry son, but this woman here is saying the truth, you were cast with a mental illness for 2 years and if not for her good deeds which were way out of normal, you could have still been mad.”
I saw Benjamin bow his head. The priest went on counselling him and for more than 2 hours we were locked in the room.
He encouraged me to take heart and let Benjamin decide his next step as everything that happened wasn’t his fault, of course he told me that in confidence after I let Benjamin in my car.
We were quiet as I drove us back home, he kept his eyes on the road and I kept on stealing glances at him which he seemed not to notice.
” This is my house, you and I have stayed together here for almost 2 months now” I told him as he looked around the sitting room.
“This is where you were sleeping” I led him to the spare bedroom and he entered looking around taking in every detail like he was trying to remember.
He sighed sitting on the bed. ” So why did you bring me here? I mean I don’t understand, like you said I wasn’t myself and that was quite a risk. Why did you do it? You and me never knew each other before? ” he asked his calm voice steady.
I cleared my throat not knowing what to tell him. I felt ashamed of myself for the first time. ” Honestly Benjamin I don’t know” I shrugged honestly.
” I saw you at the funeral all quiet looking like this” I said opening my phone and showing him the photos I got of him before I bathed him.
He shook his head not believing he was seeing his image in the man in the pics.
” And I felt drawn to you” I told him the truth.
I showed him the clothes and covers he used to wear and he sat down again this time shedding tears.
” I have lost 2 years plus of my life I don’t even know where to start from. I really don’t know how I will ever repay you for your kindness and even if I have no idea why you picked me. Am so grateful” he added looking at me, but this time I couldn’t see my crazy Benjamin anymore. He looked like a stranger all over again but my heart still felt the same for him.
His stare had has lost that passion I used to see in them, the innocence and gentleness. He looked at me like I was some kind of freak and it hurt so much.
After talking with him for a while he stood up asking if he could go to his house which he told me was in Foxdale.
I felt my eyes get wet at the thought of him leaving me all alone. ” Of course, I will drive you there” l offered gaining courage and swallowing hard to make the tears go back.
” You have done enough, if you don’t mind, let me go alone” he suggested.
” No, am sorry I might sound possessive, but it is almost 22 hours in the night. If you can’t spend another minute in this house, allow me to take you so that I can make sure you are safe” I told him.
Driving him to his home was the most painful drive ever. I had hopped he stayed in with me that night and may be try to get to know me and staff like that, but he insisted he had to go find his family.
I hooted twice at the gate and a teenage boy came to open the gate. ” uncle Ben!” He shouted upon seeing Benjamin.
He went out hugging the boy I could see they were close. We were ushered inside and a tall and slim woman came to see us standing shocked after seeing Benjamimn.
” Honey! ” He shouted walking towards her and hugging her as she stood without hugging him back. I could bet she didn’t look excited nor pleased to see him, instead I could sense some disappointment in her face.
” Where have you been?” She asked looking at me.
” lt’s a long story honey. Where is our boy? ” He asked .
” Excuse me I must leave now” I stood up not liking the awkwardness I was feeling.
” Am sorry” he sighed turning towards me.
” Honey meet Jennifer She’s the woman who saved my life” he turned his wife towards me.
She looked at me from head to toe and I felt a big lamp on my throat.
I couldn’t stay anymore so I said my goodbyes and Benjamin told me he would see me later. I don’t remember if I responded, l just drove away my face wet with tears.
I closed the door to my house and shut my eyes allowing the tears to flow out freely.
” What was I thinking?” I sniffed.
I knew I had to understand the fact that he had to get back to his old life but that didn’t stop it from hurting so much. Sinking in my couch l cried myself to sleep.
______
*The next day*
*Benjamin…. POV*
I saw her face drop when I asked to leave. But I had to, I couldn’t get used to the fact that l was insane for over 2 years. Seeing myself in long shaggy hair and beards was so unbelievable.
After Jen explained everything, l was astonished at how a stranger would pick me up in the state I was before. She was a good looking woman for sure and from the neat house she told me was hers, I could tell she was a working class. Her motives for allowing herself go to the extreme of making sure I was Okey, wasn’t making sense. I knew she had a huge heart for sure.
Her eyes looked passionate whenever she looked at me which I noticed all the time as she told me what happened, kept glancing at me.
” What happened to me?” I asked my wife Clara as we lay down in our bed the night after I went home. I had told her all about the prayers and how I was delivered the day Jennifer took me home.
For some reason I couldn’t help feel she wasn’t happy to see me. She seemed tense and I thought maybe my condition had affected her too. She told me our son was with my mother, after trying to ask her why, she shrugged telling me we would talk about it later.
” I don’t know, why are you asking me Ben?” She responded unconcerned.
” Okey, honey honestly you are acting off, Jennifer is a total stranger to me but she was so excited seeing me okey. But I can’t help think you are not pleased with my presence” I sat up looking at her as she played some games on her smartphone.
I noticed she looked different, something about her had changed and I wanted to find out why.
” You were God knows where for over 2 years Ben, you expect me to jump in excitement just because you showed up your face with a beautiful woman, giving the nonsense story of Whatever!” She said with ‘whatever’ stretched out.
” I am your husband and I expert you to feel happy seeing me back. I have not gotten to see the other family members yet and I know a lot of people will be happy to see me well” I told her but she didn’t dare turn her face to look at me. It was like I was still dirty and mad in her eyes.
” Tell me honey, did you know I was sick, I mean, that mental illness?” I asked this time grabbing the phone and throwing it on the pillow.
” Yes I knew, so what?” She answered with sarcasm in he voice.
“Mmmmh Okey, so it had to take a stranger to rescue me from death, and my wife was busy doing…. games or the devil knows what” I yelled feeling emotional.
” Please Ben you just came in yesterday, I was getting used to live in peace and now am not ready to welcome some drama. So please stop yelling at me. ” She responded with a cold face.
” Wait now its all coming back” I sighed remembering some days back before everything became dark.
.
.
*Flash back….*
WATCHOUT FOR EPISODE 9
