Lenny and I were from doing the final touches of preparations for our wedding that was to be held the following day. I eagerly waited for this day as it was the day that my Dad and mum would hold my hand and walk me down the aisle like their little princess that I was. It's also the day that the love of my life would stand before men and women promising to love and to cherish in sickness and in health until death did us part.
We walked out of the salon and headed for Lenny's car which was parked a little far off because we didn't get a parking spot nearer and about the salon; he had opted to wait for me however long it took because he wanted us to spend our last moments as a single couple together before he dropped me home. We walked hand in hand after he complimented on how beautiful my hair looked then we talked about our expectations for the wedding and one thing I was sure about was that I wanted to be his wife, I wanted him all to myself. I loved him and everything else that would come with the wedding was just a plus.
When we got to the parking lot, there was a motor bike parked right in front of our Jeep and we looked around but we couldn't see anyone. We stood there wondering why someone would park a bike right in front of our car yet therr was enough parking space but even before we could figure out how to move it, the owner availed herself from behind our car and to my surprise my husband to be knew who she was.
Lenny: Cindy?
Cindy: Hi darling, you missed me?
She asked catwalking her way towards the front of the car but she knew better not to come closer enough.
Lenny looked at me not sure what my response to that would be but I maintained my silence waiting to hear where the conversation was really headed.
Lenny: What are you doing here?
He asked in a low but firm tone pushing me behind him as if he was trying to protect me from her.
Cindy: That is no way to welcome back your girlfriend babe. I have been following you around. I make it my business to know what you have been up to and who you are with. So this is the bitch that replaced me huh?
Lenny: mind your language Cindy, the woman you are calling a bitch is about to be my wife.
Cindy: well, she will only be your wife if I allow her or rather if I allow the wedding to happen.
Me: what?
I asked hoping i had not heard her well the first time..
Lenny: Babe, let me handle her..
Cindy: handle me huh, its not like you could handle me when we were together, what makes you think you can do that now?..
Lenny: please move this thing out of my way; we have somewhere we need to be Cindy and i don't appreciate you coming at me like this..we have been done for a while and things are different now.
Lenny started walking towards the car but Cindy blocked his way, she then drew her gun from behind her jeans and held it in her hand and when Lenny saw the gun he took a few steps back and pushed me behind him as I held his hand tightly. I could take anything that was coming from her mouth but I feared the gun in her hand because I was not even sure if she knew how to use that thing and again, I didn't want to die, I wanted to cooperate and maybe, just maybe she would let us go.
Cindy dated Lenny a while back and dumped him after she got a white man who spoilt her silly. He paid her bills, bought her expensive gifts, took her to the most expensive hotels and restaurants and After a few months of dating, she married him and they flew out of the country. That was what Lenny told me when we started dating because i found him so broken and it took him alot of time to get where we had gotten. Seeing her today was shocking leave alone the fact that her threats to stop the wedding was not a good sign.
Cindy: you know, pushing her behind you won't stop me from killing both of you right?
She asked tapping the gun to her hip but Lenny still shielded me from her.
Lenny: what do you want?
Cindy: step aside and let me blow her brains off then maybe you and I can have a chat and that way, you will find out what I want.
Lenny: that is not going to happen.
Cindy: then you leave me with no choice but to kill both of you.
Lenny: Do whatever you want but to get to her, you will have to go through me first.
Cindy stared at him then let out a loud laughter.
Cindy: I see, you finally became a man huh, See when I was with you, you were a pathetic sad boy who couldn't stop crying on any attempt I made to leave you. I actually didn't think you would survive the heartbreak... I'm very impressed.
She walked up to him and traced the shape of his lips with her index finger staring into his eyes before Lenny held her hand and pushed it away and tightly clinched to my hand as an assurance that everything was still okay. I didn't want to be part of whatever was going on and its not because i was a coward but because i didn't want to interfere in their not so pleasing confrontation.
Cindy: By the way, you were a pathetic kisser; did you finally learn how to do it?
She asked moving away from us and leaning on the car again..
Me: yeah I taught him how to be a perfect kisser. Do you want a demonstration?
I finally asked trying to defend the love of my life and to confirm to Cindy that I actually had a voice..
Cindy: shut up, you should know by now how irrelevant you are to me and you don't speak unless you are spoken to. If I have to ask you to get off Lenny's back it will be with a bullet in your body.
On hearing that, I got off Lenny's back and stood beside him. She paced up and down then took out a cigarette, lit it and then started smoking letting out the smoke in our faces. Someone was really wrong with this Cindy woman and at this point, she was beginning to work my nerves.
Lenny: what has gotten into you?
Cindy: I just missed you baby. That's all.
Lenny: well, as you can see there is no place for you in my life anymore.
Holding my hand again.
Cindy: oh yeah? I know you don't mean that baby, come on.
She came closer and attempted to throw her arms around his neck but he pushed her back. She got so upset that she cocked her gun and shot Lenny in the leg and he got down on one knee.
Cindy: what were you saying about getting through to you first?
Me: what is this really about?
Cindy: it's simple Honey, there's no way I will allow you to take my man away from me. Play time is over so pack your toys and leave as am back to claim what belongs to me.
I helped Lenny up and he could not stand because of the pain and the bleeding from his knee..
Lenny: you are sick. You think am some kind of toy that you can collect and dump when you feel like?
Cindy: Not really a toy but I own you Lenny and you should know that by now. Do you remember when you used to cry your poor little heart out saying you can't live without me and that if I left you would die?
Lenny: yeah only that I met someone who found me worthy and treated me with some respect.unlike you who threatened to leave every second you got. I'm over you Cindy, I've moved on and you should too.
She raised her gun and pointed it at me.
Lenny limped towards her to try and get the gun from her but she whistled and a guy came from behind the car pointing a gun at Lenny.
I screamed and she said if i did that again she was going to kill Lenny as I watched so i had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
Cindy: you thought I would do this alone?
Lenny: why are you doing this?
Cindy: I love you don't you get it, I never stopped loving you. I can't let you marry this gold-digger.
Lenny: That's not your decision to make.
Cindy: okay, so how about we have a wedding without a groom?
Me: please don't hurt him. We will stop the wedding if that's what it takes to keep him safe.
Cindy: Awwwww you are so sweet. But the thing is, even if I leave him alive he still won't come back to me. Tell him your last words before I send him to his grave.
The guy still had a gun to Lenny's head and he looked so defenseless and Cindy started her count down..
Cindy: three.....two.....
Me: wait!
She withdrew the gun from my face and decided to listen.
Me: I will do anything you want, just don't hurt him please.
She pointed the gun at Lenny and shot him three times as I watched.
Me: Nooooooo!
Running towards him but she stopped me before I could get to him.
Cindy: one more step and I will kill you too.
I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at her with tears rolling down my cheeks. The guy who was pointing the gun at Lenny dropped his gun as soon as Cindy had shot Lenny. He got on the bike and started it and watched Cindy throw down her cigarette, stepped on it to put it out then stepped away from me and I ran to Lenny.
Cindy: I would have left you alive but you are a witness to the crime. She got on the bike and shot at me twice and watched me drop before fleeing the scene.
One bullet landed on my thigh as the other one hit my shoulder. I called Lenny but he wasn't responding. I pulled myself towards him and shook him. He wasn't dead, he was lying there and I saw tears roll down his eyes. He must have been in a lot of pain. I started shouting for help as I couldn't lift him and he couldn't get up on his own either. I took the car keys from his hand and crawled toward the car. I got up opened the door to the car then started hooting and flashing the headlights. My voice couldn't go so far but I was sure the hooting could attract someone's attention.
A few minutes later the watchman came running towards the parking and when he saw Lenny lying there in a pool of blood he was shocked. He shook Lenny as if he was trying to wake him but there wasn't any reaction from him.
Watchman: what has happened here, what's wrong with him?
Me: Please help me get him in the car
Watchman: Is he dead?
Me: I don't know but please help me take him to the hospital.
On seeing the desperate look on my face, he grabbed Lenny and pulled him towards the car. I opened the door and he helped him get in. Lenny's condition was so bad but i could tell that he was still breathing. I didn't know how much time he had before the worst happened but I had to find a way of getting him to the hospital.
Me: Can you please help me drive him to the hospital?
Watchman: madam, I don't know how to drive a car, I only know how to ride a bicycle.
Me: a bicycle, seriously?
He shrugged his shoulder like he didn't have anything else to tell me. I realized how impatient I was getting with him so I decided to drive Lenny to the hospital myself. I was in pain but I couldn't just watch him die. I pulled myself to the driver's seat, started the car and drove off leaving the watchman standing there staring at me blankly.
Lenny had lost a lot of blood but I was still hopeful as I could still hear him take those deep breaths. That got me panicking. I kept praying to God to hold on and not take him at least not that very moment. I needed my Lenny alive...