Name: Man of God
Author: Miracle A.N

28

28
THE EARLY MORNING
THE AIRPORT
Bishop taps his feet with anxiety while he scans the place. Someone unexpectedly taps his shoulder, he quickly fixes his cap back to his head before turning to attend to the person. He sighs in relief seeing a familiar face. It is the Stewardess.
Lady: the issue is fixed, please come this way please.
Bishop: thank you.
He follows the lady unsuspecting anything. She leads her to some room and offers him coffee before turning to leave for her desk.
Lady: have some of this... sorry about earlier.
Bishop: no worries.
A knock followed by entry startles him but he keeps calm as he sees the people entering the room are nothing like those who would be on the lookout for him.
Bishop: gentlemen...
Man 1: Bishop Mohlala, the man we’ve been hunting down. Damn, you’re quick...
He chokes in his coffee and spits it back with all his eyes out looking at the man. He looks at the door but one of them is already blocking the way while the other seems to be in a mood to hold a civilised conversation with him. He scans the room before reaching for his bag and opening it.
Bishop: see? These are gold bars... I’m sure you’ve never seen these before. With just one of these you’d live the rest of your life comfortably. A lifetime of luxury and not having to work for a single day.
Man 2: your point is?
Bishop: I know they pay you peanuts for such hard work. You risk your lives everyday dealing with criminal only to get remains as a salary. Let me change your lives.
Man 1: so, you want us to help you?
Bishop: you’re quick witted, I like you. You let me go, and I’ll split this equally between the 3 of us.
Man 2: you’re so desperate I can smell desperation oozing from you all the way here. Stop wasting our time and put your hands out. We have a long day ahead.
Man 1: hurry...
Bishop: you’ll regret this!
Man 1: not before you regret what you did.
Man 2: bishop my ***...
Man 1: should I read you your rights or you’re good.
Man 2: he’s good, he’s gonna need that gold to pay for a lawyer though.
Man 1: I’m enjoying this too much... I might as well tell his what his rights are...
He goes off and reads him the Miranda rights as he cuffs him while the other cop collects the bag from the floor an opens the door.
Man 2: damn, this is heavy!!
They leave the building and are attacked by press and TV as soon as they set foot outside. Camera click and lights shine while civilians show their anger throwing all sorts of things at the man. They hustle their way through the angry crowd and make it safe to the parking lot with help of airport security and some other cops they brought along.
Man 1: damn that was hard. You’re indeed a man of influence, aren’t you?
Man 2: how did they even know? Its literally a little past 4h00 am in the morning.
Man 1: what can we say, the press never sleeps.
The driver of the car brings the engine to life and drives out of the airport transporting them back to the police station.
LATER THE SAME DAY
THE HOSPITAL
Boipelo lies on her back as tears trickle down each side from her over sensitive watery eyes. She sniffs in silence suppressing the need to scream louder although that’s what she wishes for. She has her hand on top of Reitu’s who seems to be long gone and deep in sleep. She caresses her hand and cries to herself blaming herself for very thing that has happened. She can’t stop thinking about Itumeleng as the TV plays in the background with the hottest and latest news on Bishop Mohlala’s arrest this early morning.
Boipelo: I should’ve been a better mother to you but instead I sent you to that hellhole too. I am so sorry baby.
Her hand moves from Reitu’s and lands on her head, stroking her and partying in lightly as if singing her a lullaby. She continues doing so for a couple of minutes until Reitu shuffles uncomfortably seeming to have woken up. She rubs her eyes and raises her head stretching and yawning. She looks at Boipelo and her now puffy eyes get all teary again. She throes herself at her and cries on her chest while Boipelo rubs her back softly.
Boipelo: I am so sorry baby, forgive me my child. I had no idea. Its alright now, it is all going to be okay.
Reitu stays in her arms as she calms down. She backs up and looks at her mother who has gone a little pail, thin and frail within just a few hours here.
Boipelo: I know and I’m sorry.
Reitu: why didn’t you tell me?
Boipelo: I’m sorry baby, I just couldn’t. I saw how hurt you were when I tried to bring it up as an example. I couldn’t bring myself to talk to you about it any further. That’s not an excuse I know, but I wish you’d accept it as one.
Reitu: I don’t. But I understand you. We had just lost aus’ Itu and I’m sure you did all you did to spare my fragile feelings.
Boipelo: yeah...
Reitu: so, did she know?
Boipelo: your sister? She did.
Reitu: okay...
Boipelo: Reitu... I—
Reitu: don’t sweat it Ma. It is okay... let’s just focus on you now and making sure you get better. We don’t have that much time together, do we?
Boipelo: uhm...
Reitu: its okay... I’m fine. I’ll be fine.
Boipelo looks at her daughter feeling a little sad but also a little happy to see how she’s trying to accept the situation. Playing delusional and deviating is not going to help anyway. Even though her heart aches at the though of leaving her young baby girl behind, she trusts she’s going to make something out of her life. She’s a string girl, she has always been and that puts her at ease a little bit. She vows on her sitting to protect her daughter at all costs and spend as much time as she can with her while she can. She knows she doesn’t have much time left and the little she has she’s going to dedicate it all to Reitu.
A LITTLE LATER IN THE EVENING
OVER THE TV
Anchor: BREAKING NEWS: It has been one eventful Sunday of all Sundays so far as the people’s favourite Bishop was apprehended on the run with charges of cold blood murder and fraud. Bishop T.J Mohlala was caught by the local police at the airport in the early hours of this morning seeming to have plans to flee to another country. Lets welcome our reporter at the scene who will tells us more about the bodies supposedly discovered at his house, Mr. Severe, take it away.
Reporter Seleke: evening, Here in front of this humongous and luxurious home which was once a property owned by a man of God, bishop Mohlala himself. The forensics and police are still busy as you can see, two bodies of whose identity can not be revealed were found inside the house with signs of the people having have died quite close to a week ago if not more. It is not clear as to what purpose the bodies were kept for or what the motive of the murder was. Here with us we have the station commander Colonel Simon Zuka to tell us more about how things have been since the arrest. COL. ZUKA?
Col.: it has not been easy, we have been working since the break of dawn. We have discovered a lot of things. We’re still trying to get through the perpetrator and find reasons for his actions but he’s still quiet. It has been a few since we lived in piece, having such heinous crimes all of a sudden scares me but as the local police, you have our word, we will get to the bottom of this, we will leave no stone unturned.
Reporter: thank you Colonel. And that’s it from me, until next time—back to the studio.
Anchor: thank you. Ladies and gentlemen that was our reporter on the crime scene with the latest events on site as we go through the day with the biggest mystery of the year so far.
Reitu gives Boipelo a minute to herself after news of her discharge reach their ears. It has been quite a heavy day for her. Her eyes are a little sore from all the crying she has been doing on top of that, she still feels guilty for not telling her mother what she has been doing with Kwanele. It was hard to miss that the bishop has been apprehended on the run, everyone was talking about it, but she on the other side—could not. She couldn’t even bare to look at Boipelo when the news suddenly went on a full blast with headlines about the bishop and his empire. One person comes to mind when she thinks of how all the hard work paid off, but she’s hesitant to even try and see if she can see him. It has been long since surgery, he sure must have gotten out by now. A nurse on the way to visit Boipelo runs into her and along passes some unexpected news to her.
Nurse: Ms. Cousin... Lady who is the other lady cousin. She’s been out of surgery for a while now. It is vising hours so you can visit here.
Reitu looks at the nurse with complex feelings. She says the most unexpected and out of pocket thing in the situation.
Reitu: can i asm for a favor? I need a favor.
Nurse: as long as it’s nothing illegal, shoot.
Reitu: you guysbhave wheelchairs here right, can just borrow one of those? Please...
The lady looks at her as if she’s trying to comprehend what she just said. Reitu notices the look and explains further.
Reitu: its for mu mother. I want to take her to see my cousin, she doesn’t know she is here too.
Nurse: well... I guess I can help then. Follow me.
Reitu follows after the nurse as she leads her to someone else who’s a better fit to help her with her request. She’s given the wheelchair and she wheels it back to Boipelo’s ward after refusing help from the hospital porter.
Reitu: look what I got us.
Bpipelo: why that though? I can walk.
Reitu: let me do this. I’ll explain later.
Boipelo: I’ll let you be, my guardian.
Reitu: yes, yes I am.
Boipelo: now let’s go sign those papers and get out of here.
Reitu: yes, before that... we have somewhere else to be.
Boipelo: hmm?
Reitu: don’t worry, it’s right here.
Reitu wheels her mother out the ward with sweaty palms. She worries how hard Boipelo will take the fact that Seipati is also admitted and hurt. She also worries how her cousin feels and how she has been since surgery. Above all she worries about Seipati’s mother, aunt Kutlwano, she did not have the courage to call her later on. Even if Seioati is okay, it’s still courtesy and the right thing to let her mother know. But how do you call another mother to tell her that her child is hurt and in hospital?
You don’t.
Reitu: we’re here.
Reitu notifies her mother as she sees a doctor accompanied by the nurse from earlier standing at the door of the room looking to have been waiting for them. They exchange greetings before getting inside the room where Seipati lies soundless asleep.
Doc: we ran a few tests after the surgery and everything is well. The swelling on the brain has gone down, the bruises will fade later and besides that there’s really nothing more except that—uh...
Reitu: what is it doc?
Doc: I don’t know how you’ll take this but as her family I want you to know before she wakes up. She might wake up a totally different person than she used to be and I don’t want you to be alarmed. Just treat her as you normally would that will help with—
Reitu: wait wait.. what?! What do you mean?
Doc: the patient suffered great shock at the times of the accident which affected her in some way. Physically she will be okay, there’s no major complexes there but mentally—you’re looking forward to spend time with a 6/7 year old girl. Her behaviors from here on will mimic those of a kid.
Boipelo: what? How?
Doc: as I have said Ma’am, the accident had a great impact on her. She sure will get better over time but I cannot tell or promise how long this condition will last. What’s important is to keep her around a more familiar environment during this time and she might just remember everything way earlier. Things vary from patient to patient, some take months, while some take years. Hang in there, it is all going to be okay. Nurse?
The doctor signals the nurse to take over and explain some more while he struts out of the room. Boipelo looks up at Reitu who looks back at her with a worried face.
Boipelo: why didn’t you say anything?
Reitu: I- I—
Words fail her and she keeps quiet. She looks down on her mother who’s focused on Seipati brushing her hand lightly and apologizing. Reitu rubs her mother’s shoulders and sighs out loud feeling the burdens on her shoulders build up.