ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND

by Gloria Obizu

  How did it go with Alex? Dave asked.

  Men, he denied it like I expected.

  He is a lair. He got paid handsomely and he knew what he did, Dave added.

  Anyway the matter is taken care of so let’s talk about some more important thing. I have your check ready! When are you coming to pick it up? Billy asked.

  I don’t think today is clear man ‘cause there is toxin on the air, continued Dave.

  I expected that! Billy said.

  What line are you on?

  Private! Billy responded.

  Good! Listen! A Judas in Red Station informed me the ‘Red men’ of Z station are coming for you any time from now. Dave continued. So you better get ready. My informant is certain it will happen before dawn today or in the early hours of morrow. Don’t say I didn’t warn you this time Billy! I heard they mean business and lots of rods will future, so do whatever you can to bit them like always.

  Thanks pall! I’ve been working on that a long time, so don’t worry! I’m gonna hit them so hard. If Billy must go to hell, he is not gonna wind up in that pot alone! I need me as many men as I can get for sure and I know I gonna nail them!

  Good! I’m so glad to hear that! Dave continued to lend his support.

  As soon as he got out of the phone Billy turned to shouted, Girls! Time to get up ‘cause I want everyone in the living room.

  Come- on now! I’m sleeping and don’t wanna be in the living room right now, okay? Isabel responded.

  I’ve told you time and time again that you do things exactly the way I want it done. You never give me attitude again! Is that understood? Listen! I say what you do and you don’t question me about it! Do we agree? Billy does not take shit from anyone, understand?

  Ok! I don’t really get what’s the problem? Isabel said.

  I’m just trying to make myself clear to you!

  Ok! Ok! I understand! What is it you want me to do? She inquired

  You go and wait in the living room like everyone else and I’ll be there in a moment. Billy said and left to wake up other inmates and eventually everybody ended up in the living room.

  Isabel was surprised at the number of people she was sharing the house with. At the last count there were eight girls and ten men, all living at Billy’s place.

  Tim! I want you to make sure that everyone is out here. Billy instructed another of his men.

  Tim went in search of the rooms and in a while returned with ‘no one is out there anymore.

  Billy took his time to get a bottle of Whisky from the bar, poured him a whole lot and took the first sip before he began. Guys, can anyone guess why we are all out here right now instead of doing some fun stuff? Yeah! Nobody knows! Ok! I got some news for us as usual. There is gonna be another Police raid to me house any time from now. No panic! No panic guys! I guess is about this Alex thing and whatever it is they are looking for, he chuckled. They wanna slam us with position of some illegal stuff too! Oh yeah! They’ve been searching! You all know how they always hope that one day Billy is gonna get busted but they’ve been on it for years now and yet to find what they are looking for and still they don’t wanna give it up. Are they really looking? I don’t have answer to that for you guys. But then I don’t know what those guys think I am and don’t even understand why they keep crashing into my place whenever they chose. But I say to them like always, guys, watch your steps ‘cause soon, and I mean very soon, someone is gonna get what’s coming for him. Anyway, one of their Judases sold out again like always. You all know what to do ‘right? So I’ll count on every one of us to do the right thing at the right time and by that stay out of trouble and I mean it! Okay, since no one is saying anything I take that to mean that every one of us knows where to be and nobody is to be seen around during the whole of the Police operation and no one leaves the building until those guys come and go. But if we don’t see them by noon tomorrow you guys can feel free to go wherever you chose. That will be all for now! He concluded after a long pause.

  Everyone else left but Isabel remained with Billy in the living room. I’m not sure I wanna stay, she said after a while.

  What?

  I wanna go home! She said with emphasis.

  Is this your first time here with the raid thing to my household? Billy snapped.

  Yes!

  Okay! Listen! Loretta, as long as this situation we face right now is on ground, nobody leaves Billy’s building. So to answer your question, you can’t go now.

  But I don’t wanna go home tomorrow so I think is better I leave right away.

  Nor do I know what time those guys gonna get here and certainly don’t appreciate the fact that you gonna abandon me in the middle of a crisis, Billy stressed.

  Billy come-on! You know better than think I wanna abandon you and all that, it’s just that I can’t stay today. I hope you understand!

  We agreed minutes ago you’re never gonna bore me with nasty attitude and stuff, eh? I thought we agreed on that already Loretta?

  I just wanna go home, that’s all, she insist.

  You are free to take any decision you like ‘cause you are a grown woman, okay? But for now, nobody leaves my house until after the Police operation, do you understand?

  I can’t stay? I got to go! I don’t wanna be here today at this time and nobody is gonna hold me anywhere against my will. I must leave right away!

  Alright! He snapped again. I’ll allow you go but that’s on my ticket! Don’t come back until you get your acts together, is that understood?

  Okay! I’m leaving anyways! She said, went took her bag and walked out of the house.

  Driving into their large compound now, Isabel saw a couple of cars and wondered what was going on, and because she didn’t want her presence felt, she took to the back door. Voices in the living room caught her attention the moment she got into the house so she chose a pip. Instantly she made out the faces of Ache and his wife and sneered at them. It has been a very long time she saw both last and that was at her wedding some eleven years ago but she could still recognize them. She also noticed Wallis and two men she never seen before, all sitting down and charting and she got really agitated by all that. I gotta go get me some juice ‘cause I’m suffocating right now. My throat is all dried up and stuff, she continues soliloquizing, walking towards the refrigerator.

  The kitchen was occupied, she sensed as she got closer and it occurred to her that she saw Wallis in the living room, so she thought; who is in my kitchen? Again, taking to a vantage position to assess the situation, she saw her. Soprana, too busy to notice Isabel’s presence continued with her chores. After a long scrutiny and unable to recognize who the lady is and not knowing what to make of the whole thing, Isabel quietly tip toed into the bed room’ locked the door behind her and soon fell sleep.

  Eventually, Soprana got through with dinner and served Wallis and the rest of the guests. Every one sat to eat a delicious meal of spaghetti with some canned fish and source. Wallis ate like the hungry man he was because being a three meal a day kind of guy he always starts his day early with a breakfast but as at about 6pm today, he is having what can be best described as brunch.

  As they dined, they chattered about the fund raising event of the previous day with all eyes focused on Wallis. Soprano sat right opposite him and as both eyes met, he felt something inside him which he could not explain immediately but he knew that some kind of joy he has not experienced in a long time returned to refresh his spirit. In that moment, Wallis found peace, even if it was temporal, so he relaxed in the presence of these guys he considers that family he wants to hold on to forever. This could be that truth the holy book wants all men to seek, he continued to reason because the serenity in that small gathering helped him confirm he has found his own kind of crowd. After food, every one lent a helping hand with the dishes and in a short while the guests took their
leave.

  Now alone again, Wallis retired to the Study and hit the internet once more for a while before he went for another of his passion. He was writing a tract titled ‘The Young Girl Deserves Special Attention’. He already researched much on the subject and now started putting his ideas in black and white. He worked hard on it like always until at about 12 am when he thought he should retire for the day. Tomorrow will be a Monday and he always prepared ahead of time. Stock taking in his store was due so he needed one of the fills on the subject which he kept in a closet he shared with Isabel and went for it. Searching for the file lead him to a pink envelope and he picked it up. It seemed quit odd that such a thing was lying in there and for who knows how long, he though before he opened and found a pad inside. It was a note from a guy Billy Mfelele addressed to his wife, he read and left it exactly where he found it.

  The visit by his friends did so much to ease his mind and not for once since they left did he worry about his wife until this letter issue came up. Thinking she was still not home, he prepared for another lonely night and headed for the bed room with a bible in his hand needed for a short worship before lights out. He walked ahead with nothing in mind but his petitions to God until he stood at the door and tried to get in but found it looked. And he had to knock hard several times before she opened.

  Why did you have to lock the door? Wallis asked the moment she got in.

  You know why Wallis! I don’t feel safe here anymore, understand? Not with some lady using my kitchen and running all over the places in my house without a care in the world, okay? I could be sleeping in here and some woman comes to attack me or something and what am I going to do? Isabel responded.

  What are you talking about Isabel?

  Oh come-on Wallis! You know exactly what I’m talking about, okay? You should have waited for me to leave before bringing one of your mistresses in here and have her use my kitchen like I’m dead or something, she continued.

  What we should be talking about is who you’ve been seeing, okay? Who is Billy and what do you have with him? I saw his note to you in the closet, okay? So, all this time you’ve been lying to me about Penney and how you have been spending your time with her, eh? I know you don’t wanna talk about this but how could you Isabel? Babe I never imagined you’ll do this to me! What will people think if they find out that a wife of someone like me is running around with some guy behind my back? This is pure nonsense Isabel. I think you’ve gone completely insane!

  Yes! I’m damned out of my mind and that’s why you need to let me go, okay? Now listen, I’m gonna file for divorce and I’m gonna do it as soon as the day breaks ‘cause I know you’ll agree with me we are done and can’t go on pretending everything is cool, okay? We both know this is over so it’s better we go our separate ways.

  Why not go ahead and do that? Wallis continued. I don’t even know who you are anymore! I don’t know where you go or what you do. You don’t know where I go or what I do either. These go to prove we are done like you said so you can go ahead and leave even now and return to Billy’s, okay? After all that’s what you want! With the way I’m feeling right now I don’t think I can continue with this, honestly. I don’t even see what will change anything anymore ‘cause I already adjusted my mind to what I know must come, Wallis said as he took his clothes and made to step out of the door.

  Okay then! I’ll talk to my attorney tomorrow. I hope you have enough money in your account ‘cause if you think I’m gonna leave with nothing, you must be kidding yourself, Isabel said.

  What attorney and what money are you talking about Isabel? Wallis asked and stepped back into the room.

  Are you saying you don’t know what’s up! Baby the alimony thing is what I’m talking about, okay? When a guy that can afford to build orphanages all over the places divorces his wife, he pays her some money, yeah! Ever heard something about Charity begins at home, ah?

  But I’m not divorcing you! You are doing the divorcing Isabel and may be you are supposed to be paying me some money.

  I don’t even care what you say. Since you agreed to it, it means you are a party to it so both of us are doing the divorcing, okay? I’m gonna sue for half of everything we have together. I’ve been your wife for years, don’t have any source of income ‘cause I devoted my time to serving your ass and now you want me fly into the wilderness? That’s not gonna happen Wallis. I’m gonna sue and I’m gonna get my fair share of every cent we have together.

  You’re into some wrong crowd Isabel, you know it! And is not good for you!

  How you know what is good for me! Bringing in another woman into our house to take over my kitchen while I’m still here is what is good for me, eh? Anytime I turn around you get sneaky behind my back, is that not what you’ve been doing? Then you go searching everywhere for things to justify all your illicit affairs and found a letter from Billy to Isabel, so what? Is that worse than what you’ve been doing? Even, couldn’t you have waited for me to be gone before moving whosoever that bitch in my kitchen was to leave with you? She is some sort of a Christian woman and your dream kind of girl, right? I know, because of the way you’ve been talking to me and acting strange and pretending to be a Sent while Isabel is the devil. Anyways, all these are in the past now, get what I’m saying? I’m gonna see my attorney tomorrow and get on with this divorce shit and move on.

  I don’t wanna get into anymore argument with you over what you want to do or don’t want to do, okay? But I tell you that seeing an attorney is not the wisest thing considering our circumstance right now. You know how we came to live here and I suggest we keep ourselves the way we’ve been so far, Wallis continued.

  Come-on now! It’s been so long we’ve been out here and I don’t think it matters anymore.

  Listens Isabel! In the LAPD files, our case is as fresh as it was the first day they got it listed, make no mistake about that. And knowing what kind of force we are dealing with, the case is never gonna go away till the day we are taken into custody. It is only for this reason I’m gonna cut you a deal right now and we go our separate ways. Tell me, how much money do you want from me?

  You know, the way I’m right now, I think my attorney is gonna get back to you, Isabel said in arrogance.

  You’re not gonna hire an Attorney Isabel! I won’t allow you mess up my life any further than it is already, okay? Now listen to me, I’m making a promise to you that I’ll engage one myself ‘cause I want this whole thing low keyed but you still get and keep your money.

  I don’t even know if I can trust you right now, understand? Isabel never trusts anybody, get what I am saying? I’ve managed to put up with all you’ve been saying to me because of that so called special reason we are together in this place.

  Isabel, don’t talk to me like that, okay? Not with all I’ve done for you? Come-on now!

  Okay! Okay! Let’s get down with business and stop wasting time! I want a hundred million dollars! Isabel said.

  What? Wallis screamed. I don’t have that kind of money anywhere, okay?

  What do you mean? How much does it cost to build one house in Jozi, talk more of an orphanage? Wallis you’ve built not one, but two and still planning to do more and yet you can’t spare me a hundred million dollars?

  I did not single handedly build anything, understand? Everything we did was done by raising funds from anywhere we could find it and with the right spirit you always find lots of generous men and women out here ready to help those who can’t help themselves. Besides, don’t you have any feelings left in you anymore Isabel? Are you saying it doesn’t matter that many kids are out there on the street with no body to care for them? They got no food to eat, no home to go back to at the end of the day and no cover on their body. Think for a minute what that means on cold winter nights. Are you that insensitive?

  Stop talking to me like that, okay? I ‘m sick and tired of you moralizing before me and all
that shit you do in the name of a church. How much is your big store in town making you, ah? A whole lot Wallis! And you are here acting like a bishop or something and at the same time lying to me about how you’ve got no money when I know you are loaded. Anyways, I’m gonna take my time and think it over and let you know by tomorrow how this whole shit raps up.

  I’ll start work on the divorce papers all the same.

  That’s fine! I accept that! Go ahead but I’ll be doing my own little stuff too.

  Thinking now she needed extra help on this matter, Fajita another friend called to her mind. Not that real friendship ever developed between Isabel and this particular lady but they talk every now and then on phone and see each other once in a long while but they never stroke a solid rapport. But today she stuck to her mind for reason she can’t really explain and like always, Isabel compelled herself to fish out her number and dialed.

  With surprise at the number showing up on her cell phone as usual, Fajita picked up the call. Hello!

  You know who is on your wave, or you’ve forgotten me completely?

  Don’t be ridiculous! Even though it’s been years we talked last I still know what Loretta’s voice sounds likes. Hope you’ve been ok though!

  Babe something came up for me!

  What’s that!

  I and my husband are getting divorced

  My goodness! Divorce? Why? What happened? Fajita reacted.

  I just think we are not really meant for each other, that’s all!

  No! There is nothing like we are not meant for each other in a marriage ‘cause that should have been taken care of by courtship, okay? Once married, you stay married and you seek every means to make it work. Your wedding came before mine if you remember, but I’m talking about myself and my own marriage, understand? I ‘m a ride or die sort of babe with my marriage and nothing can break my home unless in death.