3 Tinka My Fiancée

Tinka locked herself up in Raymond's room. She could not fathom the possibility of sleeping in the guests' room. The house was big in itself, having the total of five rooms apart from the gym and the laundry room. She had always admired Raymond's taste and ability to choose the best. She had quarreled with Ray again, although it was no longer a new thing. Her friends had schooled her well on how to ensure her man does not escape. It had taken her three years of putting up the innocent and sweet face to get the ring on her finger. Her friends had told her that men need a little strong hand. If they feel their woman is very sweet and accepting, they would feel free to indulge themselves with other women outside. Having another woman take her place was definitely something Tinka would never accept.

She and Ray had argued extensively on the issue of their wedding, that evening. Ray had stormed out after close to two hours of heated arguments. She could not see any point in delaying his formal meeting with her parents; he was just prolonging the issue unnecessarily. Why shouldn't they kick off their wedding plans when she was formally his fiancée? She knew he expected her to be out of the house and back to her own apartment but he had a surprise coming. Whatever time he comes back, she would make sure they pick up their argument from where they dropped it off until she comes out victorious. Trust Tinka to make a house a living hell, she thought, pleased with herself.

Raymond's cloth clung to his body as he jumped out of his car, rushing to the back seat. Bella saw his anxiety and went to him, trying to see if he needed her help for anything. She squealed at the sight before her. Never in her life had she seen a human being so dirty. Wait; is she dead? Her eyes popped as she stood frozen behind Raymond.

Raymond checked the pulse of the girl and heaved a relieved sigh. He glanced back and saw Bella standing transfixed behind him. "Don't just stand there gawking, go and open the door", he spat out, louder than he had intended. His anxiety was getting the better of him. She obeyed instantly, vanishing from sight. Ray lifted the girl effortlessly from the car, his gaze fixed on her muddy face, not even bothering to close the door of the car. "What is this thing you are carrying, Ray?" He heard. Raymond stared at Tinka for some seconds, not really knowing what to say instantly. She was standing arms akimbo, looking at him like he had just developed two heads. He tried to boycott her, but she stood. It had completely escaped his mind that she was home. When he told her to leave before he arrived, he had known that she would never do such a thing. What a woman!

"Tinka, it is in your best interest to leave my front before I lose my patience", he said, already losing his cool.

"I, Tinka Kobuguni, am not leaving this place. You can bring down heaven, I don't care. Now I asked you a question. What is this piece of trash you are holding?" She sniffed her nose in a sigh of disgust.

Ray was beside himself with fury. "Leave my front, Tinka" he roared.

She stood defiantly. Before she knew what was happening, Raymond used his leg to push her out of the way, making her fall to the ground forcefully. Ray marched inside, his feet pounding on the floor furiously. The girl was unconscious but still alive. He could not fathom how she could still be alive after all this drama; he could not even guess how long she had been staying in that sack, wounded and all, out on the cold and muddy road. Bella, who had been watching the drama, ran ahead and opened the door of one of the rooms.

Ray placed the girl on the bed very carefully. Having a mind of her own, Bella ran to get a bucket of warm water and a face towel from the bathroom. Ray stared at the girl, feeling pity for her. He didn't know the slightest bit about what to do and it annoyed the hell out of him. She was very small, and from her body size, he imagined her to be either seventeen or eighteen years old at most. He wondered what might have happened to her. From the cut at the side of her belly, he knew it had to be a knife cut. He swallowed hard. Who could stab someone so small? Anger and frustration overtook his senses.

Bella arrived with a bucket of warm water and a cloth. She knelt down to begin wiping out the mud on the girl's body but Ray stopped her. He collected the cloth from her, dipped it in the water and squeezed it dry. He wiped the face of the girl, removing part of the caked mud on her face.

"Sir, you are shaking" Bella commented.

Unlike all the other house helps he had come across, Bella was someone who said and did things without the fear of being sacked. She said whatever she wanted to, whether you liked it or not; as long as it was the truth. That notwithstanding, she held Raymond in high esteem, and considering her sharp mouth, Ray still marveled at how she was able to manage that. Ray had come to see Bella as a friend and a junior sister.

"I am fine Bella, go and wait by the gate, Doctor Timothy is coming."

Bella snorted and made no move to leave her position. "I am still your boss, Bella; do as I say."

"Sir, if you don't go and remove your cloths, you will die first before this girl dies." She lamented. "Please leave me to take her care or do you want another woman's body to see?"

Ray stared at her for some seconds, feeling exasperated. There were many times he felt tempted to sack Bella but he hadn't been able to bring himself to doing it. She was always there to talk to when Tinka started her crazy tantrums. Knowing that an argument with Bella would be futile, he stood up. "Be very careful, I think the wound is not too deep but she has lost a lot of blood. She must be really strong to still be alive now. And try to speak correct English; that is why I sent you to school."

Bella laughed. "I was expecting that."

Ray shook his head and left the room. Bella lightened his mood the way even Tinka couldn't. Tinka flashed back to his mind as he rushed back to his room. He still could not imagine that he had tossed her the way he did. It is not in his nature to hurt a lady. He felt bad that he had pushed her, even though she had provoked him. He did not have the courage to talk to her; he was ashamed of his action, even though he did not hit her. He entered the room and when he noticed with silent delight and relief that Tinka wasn't there, he shed his wet clothes within the twinkle of an eye. Donning on a random cloth, he hurried to the gate to open the gate for the doctor who had been blaring his horn. He passed by Tinka in the sitting room, who sat foaming in anger but did not even glance at her twice. A life is at stake. He could deal with her later.

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