Wednesday morning came a long and found Lucia sleeping. She lay motionless, her mouth slact, she slept and dreamt about Manuel. She saw him coming close to her, he was dropping his coat on the floor and reaching for her with arms that felt strong and determined.
His lips that skimmed her face and finally settled on her mouth seemed warm and alive.
'Manuel,' she whispered and slid her arms around his neck.
'I love you... I love you... I love you.' Manuel said over and over again between desperate, starving kisses.
But how could she possibly believe anything was real when she was only dreaming.
*****
It was a little after a quarter past eight in the morning when the loud music from Jay's room woke her up.
Jay was Lucia's cousin. Lucia is one of the few people who knew the misery and horrible childhood Jay has had. Very few people knew that Jay was the product of the slums of Lusaka.
As soon as Jay had been able to walk, he had roved the streets of Lusaka with a band of other filthy, ragged children, preying on tourists, surrounding them, with dirty hands outstretched, while chanting the only English word he knew: 'Money-Money-Money.'
Jay lived with his father, a short stocky Zambian, with flat black eyes of a gangster, who had never done a days work in his life.
If Jay failed to bring home less than $50 a day, his father would seized hold of him, raise his ragged clothes and savegely whip his naked flesh with his belt.
This existence continued until he was thirteen years old. Then one night, on returning home with less than the required amount, his mind and body cringing at the thought of the thrashing he could receive, he found Lucias mom, Kate determined to take him away and provide him with a better future and that's how he ended up staying with Lucia and her parents.
Frustrated and angry, Lucia went and burst open into Jay's room like a run away cyclone, for disturbing her beauty sleep.
"What kind of poor fish are you?" she snapped at Jay, "can't you see am trying to sleep?"
Jay sat up, wide-eyed with surprise, "Ooh, good morning your highness, you know what nobody care, so just take a chill pill, go back to your room and start day dreaming about Manuel." Jay said and laughed sarcastically.
"lucky for you I happen to be in a good mood today, if not so I would have made you pay." she said curtly and walked away.
Around ten after a good cold bath and sliding into her best outfit, she heard a tap on the door. 'now who could that be?' she thought as she went to open the door.
"Oh its you, what's up?" she said to her mom who was standing at the doorway.
"Breakfast is ready darling, I've been calling out for you, don't you wanna eat?" Kate asked her concerned.
"I don't think am hungry so I will pass." Lucia said picking up a brash from the dressing table.
"Am not taking no for an answer young lady, as long as you leave under my roof you are to obey my orders."
"F.Y.I am not a little girl anymore mom, am old enough to decide what's good for me." she said brashing through her black thick long hair, "you had your chance of controlling me when I was young but not anymore, so please keep that in mind."
"I won't tolerate such kind of behavior from you Lucia, what has gotten into you, you never used to be like this, so spoiled and screwed up." Kate said keeping her temper in check.
"You know what mom, you are definitely right, I wasn't like this and you know why? Because people change we tend to grow up and enjoy the real life."
~'Wow Lucia you are nailing it girl, come on tell her more-tell her that you aren't that little naive child she used to control.' said the voice in her head.
"Mom you are getting old worrying about others, try worrying about yourself for a change." she said dropping the brash and easing Kate to the door. "come on, we don't want the food to get cold, now do we?"
Lucia casually eased Kate to the door and steadily went downstairs to have breakfast.