Steve and Aziza stayed longer in Palmland than they had originally planned. Steve’s parents did not want to part with their old friend’s daughter and Aziza loved all the attention. Steve was so relieved when they finally left, now he could have his fiancé to himself.
In Palmville someone else was waiting eagerly for their return, that was none other than Jerome. He was waiting outside Steve’s house when they arrived.
What do you want? Aziza asked glaring at him. Jerome was the last person she wanted to see.
Come on Az, is that how you greet an old friend? Jerome joked trying to calm her down.
Aziza was still glaring at Jerome when Steve went past her to give him a brotherly hug. Hey man, I
Aziza paced up and down the bathroom waiting for her results. She looked at her watch, she needed to wait for two minutes to get her results, it had only been seconds but it felt like ages. She heard a tap at the door, Az please open. Steve shouted from the outside. Opening the door she threw herself in his arms, tears threatening to flow down. Why was she so emotional? She hated the feeling but couldn’t help herself. Az, do you not want to have my child? Steve asked his heart sinking. He thought Aziza would be thrilled by the possibility but she was crying instead. There’s nothing in this world I want more than to have your child. I just can’t stop feeling like this, she said weeping in his arms. He laughed pulling her closer, that should be confirmation enough that someone else is toying with your
Journalists from all over Asherway had rushed to Palmville to capture the moment for themselves and their viewers. Eleven years had passed since Asherway became democratic but Mike and Nick Gray remain legends in the minds of many. For years she had refused to tell her family’s story until now. Aziza walked in holding Steve by hand and sat in front of the cameras. Behind them was John, Joy, Jay, Steve’s parents and Jerome.Steve explained to everyone that there will be sensitive visuals while Aziza gives her speech and people will have a chance to ask questions after.I am Aziza Gray, known to many as Mike’s precious jewel and to few as Mike’s gasoline. My father Mike Gray, his brother Nick Gray and many activists fought against the regime. Mike and Nick’s photo was shown on the screen. I attended rallies with my father and my uncle from a ver
Steve stood at the alter waiting for his bride. If anyone told him a year ago that he would be dying to marry Advocate Psycho he would have had them assessed for a mental illness but here he was unable to imagine his life without her. He had his brothers Brian and Lione and his friend Dane by his side. Aziza’s bridesmaids Lizzy, Pam and Linda had also walked in their royal blue desiner exquisite dresses. His parents sat proudly at the front seat unable to hide their excitement. His and Aziza’s friends and acquaintances filled the rest of the seats. Jerome and Jay were walking up and down ensuring that everything was perfect. They had done most of the planning with the wedding planner as they did not want Aziza to stress herself and the baby. He could see John standing at the door probably waiting for Aziza to walk down the stairs from the bridal room. Journalists who invited themselves had cameras rolling waiting for the moment she walks down the isle. They were here bec
Why is it taking so long? Aziza asked impatiently. They had waited for five hours now but there was still no feedback from the hospital on Joy’s condition.They are probably doing everything in their power to save her Az. Please take a seat and eat something. Steve urged her. Brian had brought them food but Aziza had not eaten anything.I’m not hungry, I just want to see Aunty Joy.You have to eat Az, for the baby and for Joy. You know she would want you to eat. John said patiently.Fine, she said sitting down taking food from Steve but he insisted on feeding her despite her refusal.Few minutes later an exhausted Dr Sparks finally came out to talk to the family of the patient he spent hours operating on. Luckily for Joy, he was able to remove
Detective Peter sat across Steve with a worried expression. He was excellent at his job and strongly believed the Steve and Aziza required police escort but the department had turned down his request stating lack of evidence of the couple being in danger. He also had other concerns about his department, personnel were being reshuffled to different departments, stations and towns while evidence on arrested suspects went missing and department computers wiped out of all the evidence.Aziza hid at the corner eavesdropping on their conversation. She had excused herself to go rest in the bedroom when she noticed their hesitancy in talking in her presence. Peter who was usually joking around was all tensed up today and Steve was too protective now with the baby on the way and keeping away anything that could upset her. She had been logging on social media and dark web and knew that the racial incidents were getting worse, citizens we
The following morning all Asherway news networks and social media were buzzing with the news of Steve finally agreeing to stand for elections. Behind doors different political parties were uniting to prevent loosing their jobs and status. Steve did not belong to any political party and had been very critical of all of them. If he won, he will definitely choose different ministers and heads of departments and none of them had any chance of being appointed. Since they will not be able to stop people from voting for him, their only chance was to hit him with everything they had until he is so preoccupied, discouraged and decides to pull out of elections. Without wasting time plans were discussed, decision made and implementation started immediately.At midday the famous Marlone farm that provided solace to activist was wiped out, burned to the ground. A drone flew from nowhere, dropped a fire bomb and vanished on thin air. Luckily
The following weeks Steve was the name on every house hold in Asherway. He was covered extensively by the media, frustrating politicians even more. It was now clear to them that the attacks they executed on the people close to him did not do much to deter him. They were desperately trying anything to get Aziza and baby Unity but it was proving hard as there was nothing helpful on records they could use to find her. They had Steve’s home on constant surveillance for two months but he never showed up and no one new where Aziza stayed, even her former and current colleagues had never been to her house.The police department had completely disintegrated with the upright police officers and detectives including Peter expelled for different fabricated reasons. There was still no clarity on who was calling the shots as the minister remained on special leave for undetermined period. Luckily for Steve, while the whole thing was fr
Steve sat on the couch in Aziza’s ward his eyes red from crying, his whole body shaking. She hadn’t woken up since they found her in the factory three hours ago but the attending doctor expected her wake up as soon at the sedation she was given by her abductors weighed off. A part of him wished she could stay unconscious longer, hours or even day then maybe he would be ready to talk to her. Nothing in this world ever prepared him for this.Seeing her turn on the bed he stood up quickly and rushed to her bedside and held her hand.Opening her eyes, their eyes met. Steve, she called his name weakly.I’m here babe, he responded squeezing her hand and watched her drifting back to sleep only to open her eyes again few minutes later.Our baby, she win
Four years later Aziza watched the youth flooding in her house to celebrate her firstborn’s twenty first birthday. She could not help noticing the diversity and how happy and in harmony they all were in their different skins. Standing at the balcony, she watched everyone and took in the scenery. Her own twenty first birthday was marked with bruises, scars and hatred for the other race that wiped out her family and hunting her down. How everything was so different now. If anyone told her that one day she would host youths of different races, know each one of them personally and truly love and care about them like her own children, she would have had that person assessed for a mental illness. She smiled when she saw John, Joy and Steve’s parents basking in the sun and chatting happily. All four of them were so old now, they were the best parents she was granted after loosing her biological ones. They will all hold a very dear place in her heart. She laughed when she saw a group of tee
Twelve years later, Steve and Aziza finally got a chance to retire from politics and parliament. Even though Steve was no longer the president of Asherway, his ideals and the processes he worked very hard to develop were still in place and kept the country going. He did not achieve a non racial world as he had hoped but he spoke so loudly and widely against racism and got the rest of the world to listen, to acknowledge and work towards non racial societies. There were still isolated racial incidences around the world, some even in Asherway but there were more people speaking out against it than those condoning or making excuses for it. Happy and content that he gave the country and the world his best, Steve could finally be a full time husband and father. As if compensating for the time he spent away from them, the spoiled his children rotten but Lucy Unity Marlone was the most doted of all the children. Even though seventeen years later, Steve still could not forget how his little
In Asherway Presidential office, Steve pulled his wife to his arms and looked down at her “Aziza Gray Marlone, what did you do to President Clive?”he asked charmingly.Aziza looked away, avoiding his infatuating emerald eyes “Nothing,”she said softly.“Are you keeping secrets from me now?” he asked, sulking knowing she could not keep anything from him.“He came to hold you ransom with his secret nuclear weapon, I hijacked it” Aziza blurted out. She just could not keep secrets from Steve even when she tried.“What?” Steve asked, shocked. “No wonder Clive was so terrified,” he added.“He had no interest in non racial world Steve,&rdq
At the Asherway National Assembly, Aziza sat next to Steve and his Vice President with President Clive and his wife across them. At this point both Steve and his Vice President were so angry, they were ready to tear President Clive apart but Aziza had other plans. Her hand remained on Steve’s knee, keeping him seated. President Clive had asked her a question she was very glad to answer “I’m glad you asked me that, President Clive because I have asked myself that very question many times before” she said “You see it’s not about war alone, it can be anything. A racial incident for instance, which side would Steve take? which one would I take? and where would that leave our children?” she added.“That’s what I’m talking about. I am right, am I not?” President Clive beamed.“It depends on what stage of my
The Asherway airport was buzzing with activity, national and international journalists were there to capture the moment two very different Presidents with completely different ideologies meet. Everyone was curious to know how President Clive, a known racist would be received in Asherway, a country known to be very intolerant to racists with a President calling for a non racial world. At exactly 11 o’clock, President Clive’s presidential plane arrived at Asherway. He disembarked with his expected all white staff, something journalists did not forget to point out. Steve and Aziza were captured approaching the group.“President Clive, welcome to Asherway” Steve said shaking Clive’s hand before moving to shake his wife. Aziza followed behind Steve and offered her hand but it remained in the air, none of them willing to shake her hand. The journalists went crazy capturing the moment. Steve shook his hea
In the Marlone house, Aziza stood at the door watching her children play outside with a thankful heart and gratitude. Lorraine, Mike and Nick turned out to be a handful from the day they came out of the hospital and now three years later, they had too much energy for her to keep up with. Each day she noticed how each one of them was different, their unique ways of doing things and how they all thrived at creating chaos around the house. Lorraine was the tinniest of the triplets but pulled all the strings. She influenced her brothers on which games they played, got to choose the toys first and always got her way, especially with Steve. It did not help that she had Aziza’s eyes, Lorraine had her father around her little finger, Steve just could not reprimand Lucy no matter what she did. Mike and Nick on the other side were behaving like typical twins, even when following Lorraine they did it together. Mike was the least talkative but Aziza found to be the most stubborn while Nic
Christmas eve marked Four days of Aziza in the intensive care unit. She had not improved but had not deteriorated either. Steve remained by his wife’s side more hopeful than before that Aziza will pull through. Speaking to a lot of people restored his hopes. Not hearing bad news from the doctors was also reassuring except he did not know that they counselled his family behind his back. Everyday he moved from his wife to his children with lots of energy and cheerful heart until a call from his deputy President shuttered every hope he had. His deputy happened to be in Steve’s office when John and Steve’s father called the secretary asking him to forward them the policies and protocols should the First Lady or the president be no more. Out of concern the deputy had called Steve to check on Aziza’s condition, unintentionally revealing Steve’s worse nightmare. He did not need to ask John or his father what they were up to, he knew exactly what they were tryi
In the hospital neonatal unit, Dr Smith finished checking the triplets out. “Congratulations Mr President, your babies are healthy and ready to go home” she beamed. She loved seeing healthy babies.“Thanks Doc, is it fine if they stay here longer. Their mother is..” Steve explained but could not complete his sentence. Just speaking about Aziza made him emotional.“Certainly, Sir” Dr Smith responded sympathetic. “The First Lady is a warrior with the whole country vouching for her, she will make it” she added. She aught not give hope she had no control over but could not help herself. Steve and Aziza’s story was well known, like Shake Spear’s Romeo and Juliet. She could only hope that their end is not as tragic, especially with now four children to raise.&ldqu
Nine months later, Aziza groaned in pain as contractions ripped through her, each wave more severe than the one before. Steve helplessly rubbed her back while the midwife’s and Dr Hail got ready for the unexpected delivery. She should have known better but everything had gone smoothly the whole nine months, they had put their guts down, took a chance to visit Steve’s parents out of town but then her water broke two hours away from their hospital. She was meant to have a cesarean section because of her previous one and the multiple babies she was carrying. Her operation was booked for the following week but it seemed the little ones decided to come earlier. Now fully dilated, no room for any pain medication, the hospital team had no choice but deliver the babies the natural route.“I can’t hold on anymore” Aziza screamed, already dreanched in sweat as her pelvic bones shifted to make way for the new