Cold At Dusk

Chapter Sixteen

A knock on the door woke Kamsi up. She opened her eyes and stared at the window waiting for another knock. As soon as she pulled up the duvet to cover herself properly, another knock came. She turned the table clock to check time before she swung her legs off the bed and into her flip-flops. It was still noon. She was not expecting anyone . Mark seldom returned home at noon and he loved to use the bell.

She walked down in her blue checkered pyjamas. She got to the front door and peeped through the small window beside the door. It was useless if the guest was short but the guest was tall, very tall. It was her brother in-law, Joseph . She pulled off her hair net  and tried tying her braids with a single braid. She thought of what he would think of her, if he would understand those lies she planned to tell.

"Dede. Good afternoon " she said as soon as she opened the door.

"Kamsi" he replied, "How are you doing? "

"I'm fine, sir. Please come inside "

"I'm not staying for long . I came to know how you are doing. Your line has been switched off "

"Yes, my phone is having problems " she replied, smiling more than she needed to.

He looked at her for a while before he asked, "Can I come inside? "

"Umm, yeah. Sure"

He sat in the parlor while she ran and hurriedly cleared the dining table which she had not done since after breakfast. She had been tired and all she wanted then was to sleep.

" I'm not really a fan of repairing phones but I have someone who can look into it. If it's a repairable fault, he'll fix it. If not, we would buy you another phone " Joseph said.

Kamsi placed her hands on the cushion backing the dining as she thought of what to reply. It was still a surprise to her.. Joseph  had always talked to her from a distance like a sister in-law but her business had never been his business.

"It's nothing too big. I think it's just that it fell on the ground " she propelled her mouth to say.

"Can I see the phone? "

"No, I have been.. It is with my husband " she stammered, her lips broad in a smile to support her statement.

Joseph saw beneath the facade, he did not want to push the curtains of her pretense. He smiled, nodding his head then he stood. His eyes moved round the room then back to Kamsi.

"I got you a job. You did not care to let me know you would not be going there" he said.

With her silence, he continued, "It was your boss that called me to let me know you did not report to work "

He seemed angry. Kamsi had never seen him angry. All lies she had planned, fled her mouth.

"I'm sorry " she said.

"It's fine. I only came to see that you are alright."

" I'm sorry. I should have called you " she replied, her head bent and fingers intertwined.

He nodded then started walking to the door. Kamsi followed, wishing his legs were shorter then his pace would be slower. It would give her time to decide if she should let him know all or not.

'No, it's my home.' she thought, 'No third-parties.'

"I told you if you need anything, you let me know " he said before he stepped outside to the stairs outside the front door.

She nodded then stood at the front door and watched him walk to his car which was parked outside the garage .

"Kamsi, call Michelle. She has been worried " he shouted