Anita’s Voice: Behind the Headlines

Chapter 17: Unexpected Call

Anita jumped up from her bed with a sense of hope in her. She had thought that the call was from Kate, but on seeing who it was, disappointment washed her face.

Pissed, she sat on the bed as she massaged her face a bit, took a fresh breath and picked up the phone call.

“Hello!” Thomas voice could be heard from the other end.

“Hi Thomas!” she said, her voice sounding sad.

“Hey what is wrong with your voice. I expect you to be jumping. Everything is going as planned my little sweetheart. Now get up. I am at your door.” he said to her and hung up the phone.

Anita froze.

At my door? She thought.

Standing up, she headed to her door. On getting to her door, she stopped as she thought about how happy she would be knowing that her girlfriend was with her. She did not even know how she was fairing. If she has eaten? If she was happy or whether she was asleep.

It was so unfortunate.

Something then came into Anita’s mind. Happy, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

“Uh! I am so sorry I opened the door late. I was um…”

“Nevermind Anita. You don’t have to explain. Let’s go have our dinner. I am sure you have not eaten this night. Come on let’s leave here.”

“No Thomas, I really don’t want to plus I am not well dressed. Look at me. I am on Pyjamas.”

“Okay have yourself dressed on a cool simple gown. I just want to take you out. Please Anita.”

Anita didn’t want to be that girl a guy would be begging for just a simple date. Helpless, she walked into her room, put on a white dress and walked out.

“You look stunning.” Thomas praised her as he admired her figure with an expression that spelt WOW

“Thank you!” anita blushed and followed him out. Together, they stopped and entered a restaurant that was not too far from where Anita was living in.

“Sit down.” Thomas said to Anita as he brought out a chair for her like a gentleman.

“Thank you!” Anita said and sat down. She was already feeling numb where she was.

Soon, a male waiter appeared with the menu and handed it to anita, but she didn’t see it, because she was so absent minded.

Thomas noticed it and grabbed the menu from the waiter. He picked some expensive foods he knew Anita would love and handed it back to the waiter before focusing on Anita.

“What are you not telling me Anita?” he asked her and he shook her hand.

Stunned, Anita looked up, only for her to realise that she was making Thomas feel ignored.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“What is the matter?” Thomas asked again.

Trying her best not to cry, Anita opened up to him.

“My friend.”

“Your friend?”

“Yes Thomas. My best friend.”

“What happened to your best friend?”

“Kate! I can’t find her. It has been a long time I saw her last. Kate would never. stay a day without hearing my voice. She visits me during the weekends. But these days, she just went mute. I refuse to believe that something us wrong with my friend. Thomas can you please help me? You are a police man and my man. Please help me! I want to be sure that Kate is fine.” she said as she held her belly to control her pain.

She found herself crying these period. It can’t be that all was well. At least, she didn’t feel that.

Thomas felt like standing up to leave instantly, but he had to control himself. Like what the what did this lady think he was to interrupt his dinner in such a manner.

He really wanted to shun her, but he couldn’t. He was on a mission to use her and it was really working for him so he couldn’t mess things up. It was so hard to find someone who could be so manipulated in an innocent way.

He cracked his head as he thought of what to say to her at that point.

There was no way he was ready to leave his dream for a mere citizen all in the name of love that was not in existence.

“is that why you are crying? Come on it’s not worth it. She didn’t call you because she didn’t think it was important to do so. You don’t have to feel so bad over someone who may not even give a fuck about you. Forget her for now. When she remembers you, I am sure she would come back. And yes, this is a safe city, what could possibly go wrong with an adult?” he managed to say as he started at her.

Anita froze at his words.

Not give a fuck about me?

What was Thomas trying to say? She couldn’t process it.

Maybe it was a bad idea to even bring it up in his presence.

Gathering her emotions and putting it in check, Anita wiped the tears that were already visible on her face as she focused on the foods that were already served on the table.

Thomas looked at her as he smiled.

Little fool! He said within himself.

Anita struggled with eating that evening as she tried her best to ensure that she finished whatever it was that was served because she didn’t want Thomas to be sad.

Soon, they were done, so Thomas drove her back to her home.

By the time Anita finally went to sleep, it was already 11pm.

That night, in Anita’s dream, Anita spotted Kate vomiting blood in her own sitting room.

Kate wasn’t talking and no matter how many times Anita screamed her name in that dream, Kate was only spitting blood. Anita ran like a mad woman inside her own house as she tried to get some cleaning equipment to clean the blood stains that was all over the floor. But when she returned with the equipment, she couldn’t find Kate nor the blood stains.