Finding happiness (previously known as Billionaire playboy's secret past)

Chapter 34: Big Bad Jason

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I wake up and I am so tired. I don't think I managed even five minutes of sleep. My eyes are bloodshot and gritty. My mood is dark and I am emotional. Yesterday was a big and emotionally draining day for me. As soon as my thoughts wander to yesterday, I think of my best friend and my mood has blackened even further.

My friend is suffering because of me. If she hadn't tried to protect me, maybe Jason would have let her go. I jump out of bed making sure not to wake the sleeping Aiden. Mum is already preparing a cup of tea for me outside. When she sees me she pulls me to the side so we can sit on the upturned water buckets. She looks worried and I know she really wants to know what happened yesterday. I didn't tell her much yesterday for fear of worrying her even more.

"How are you holding up darling?" she asks, handing me a cup of tea.

"I'm ok mum, at least I think I am. I know I will be better once Jason and his friends are caught and imprisoned." I respond truthfully. Mum just nods and waits for me to continue when I'm ready.

I scoot closer to her so I can whisper and not let the whole world know what has happened or what the plans are. I tell mum the whole story and her responses are gasps and 'oh no's'. Once I finish telling her she pulls me into a hug and holds me for a few seconds without a word.

"Go see Nora and get ready to go to work. I will take Aiden to see Nora a little bit later and see what she needs. I'll then do a bit of shopping and we will come to your work for an afternoon feed. We will head to church for the women's meeting. We won't come home until we know it's safe. When are the police coming here again and what is the plan?" She whispers to me. She doesn't want her words to be carried by the wind. They may land on the wrong ears.

"So the plan is, in a few minutes," I say looking at my watch, "two plain clothed police officers will come by and take turns waiting for Jason to come and show his face here. One will be inside our tent and the other will wait in an unmarked car outside. The rest are searching for the other two guys that the administration believe are behind the recent disappearances of children from here. They don't really have a good description of what they look like but if they are travelling with Jason they will be easier to spot. It helps that they have a very good description of him because all the people from our village know him. I seriously didn't think Jason would turn out to be a traitor. How did he manage to be accepted into the Nguku side when he is a Tinga just like us? I think him and his family have a lot to answer for what has been happening in our village." I pause for a little while so that mum can stoke the fire.

"Everyone is hoping to capture the three of them before the end of the day so we know that we are safe and that the children are safe." I continue.

"He was such a normal kid when he was growing up. He was cute and very respectful. What happened to him?" Mum ponders. "Anyway we better get ready so we don't jeopardise the plan that has been put in place. I'll get Junior ready, you go and see Nora before you go. Tell her I'm thinking and praying for her. I'll be there soon." She says walking back inside the tent.

I take my cup with me and went to see my one and only friend in this world. When I get in, she doesn't even look up to see who it is. She doesn't even react when I call her name and the excitement that normally dance in her eyes when she sees me is absent. Only dead eyes look at me, no smile and no words, just a blank expression. This is not my friend. This is an unfeeling stranger that has taken over my friend's body. Her face is swollen from the beating she received yesterday. She hasn't even tried to hide it. The Nora I know gets stressed over a pimple on her chin and she'd have tried to conceal it with makeup. Not this one. This person doesn't even seem to notice.