With Pain Comes Love 3

Both 42

***"...Boy, you'll be the death of me You make me feel like I'm seventeen. You're my James Dean..... But that don't mean a thing cause I'm addicted to the rush. Cause I'd rather die young than live my life without you I'd rather not live at all than my life without you Cause I'd rather die young than live my life without you I'd rather not live at all than life my life without you..."***

-Yaya
I was sitting in our daughter's empty room just thinking about my husband. I've already lost Yasmin; I can't afford to lose my husband too. Just as I was sitting like that praying for Melo's safe return my phone beeped indicating a message from a hidden number. I opened the message and it was a video or Melo all beat up you could barely tell who he was. At that moment I wished I could pull him to my arms and tell him everything will be ok and that we were going to get through this. I couldn't understand because Banele told me she had inserted a tracker on Melo but they never found him and it's been three whole days now. In the end of the video Zuko's face appeared and he spoke
Him: Now Yaya I tried everything to get you to leave him. Even threatened your life to live him but you always stay. You see John thinks it would be best if we let you take your own life but that's not what I want. I love you Mafaku and I have always loved you but you chose him over me. over us. You stood by him even after everything. I thought with Mila out of the way you wouldn't find reason to stay but the Yandiswa I love has always been stubborn so I will give you a choice to make. You can either be with me willingly or he dies. You have 2 hours. Now I don't expect you to inform anyone of this or else he will die. Yaya you were so close to leaving him. I don't get why you stayed with him. I love you.
With that the video ended and a countdown started. I knew Zuko was a psycho but to go this far? That was drastic even for him. How was I going to get away from the Besses without them asking any questions? His whole family was here and there was literally no way out. Everyone was searching high and low. A while later a text came through with coordinates and then my phone rang startling me.
//Me: hello
Him: now listen very carefully, this is not a joke. I can easily kill your husband the same way I killed Andrew and no one will find his body. If you love your husband like you think you do then you will meet me at those coordinates tonight at 23H00 and not a minute late. I'm sure by then your in-laws will be sleeping so you'll be able to sneak out. If you come, then your husband is free to go home. John will safely return him home
Me: how will I know that he's been returned safely home?
He chuckled
Him: our plane leaves at 23H00 don't be late sweet cheeks//
I was about to respond when he cut the call on me. I just cried looking up. Every part of my body wanted to doubt God's existence but my heart told me not to give up on God as he has not given up on me just yet. My heart was telling me to trust in God because he didn't just die for my sins for me to go through so much. I prayed for good news or a miracle or something. I was disturbed by a knock on the door.
Me: come in
My mother who looked in distress and even had teabags under her eyes walked in. This woman loved her son more than anything and its such moments we were reminded of the people that are there for us no matter what
Her: how are you?
She said putting her hand on my knee as she sat next to me with her knees up like me.
Me: I don't know really. I just keep thinking he'll walk in that door any minute now
Her: I know baby. Melo will do anything to come back to you that much I know
Me: Mrs. Bess
Her: yes, baby
Me: did you and Mr. Bess ever face such things in your marriage?
Her: God each gives us challenges we can each manage. Whatever you are currently going through right now, God knows that it's not too big for you to handle and that this will only make you stronger
Me: sometimes I feel like God gives me more credit than I deserve. I'm only 24 and I've already lost my first child and now my husband is missing. If I didn't know better, I would swear God didn't want me to be fully happy
Her: God wants nothing but happiness for us. Don't doubt his intentions now Yaya. It will all be well in the end
Me: I really hope so. I love you Mah
Her: I love you too baby
We sat in silence until we were disturbed by Asemahle.
Her: we think we may have found something
Mom: ok we'll be right down
She walked out and Mrs. Bess got up offering me a hand
Me: just a few minutes Mah and I will be there
She nodded and left me alone. It's not that I wasn't excited but this has been going on for the past three days now and I don't wanna lie its draining. Every time we think we reaching somewhere we just reach a dead end and that is just draining for me. Maybe I should just take Zuko up on what he said. At least I'll know that my husband is safe and back home but knowing the man I married he would never rest until he had me back home which is why I was seriously considering what Zuko had said. I know Melo and he would never just give me up without a fight. I gathered the strength and courage and went downstairs and all eyes turned to me. There was even Mrs. Bess's brother Aluncedo with his IT wiz friend helping find Melo.
Mr. Bess: Koti
Me: dad. Anything?
Alu: this guy is good. He knows what he's doing
I looked at the time and I had an hour and a half to get to those coordinates
Ase: Yaya what's on your mind?
Me: guys thank you for everything. And I mean EVERYTHING you all have done for me thus far. You can stop looking for Melo because he'll be returned home at 11pm.
Ama: Yandiswa what do you mean?
Me: Asemahle please tell my husband I love him more than anything in this world and I would rather die than let him die. This explains everything.
I said handing her a letter written Melo's name on the envelope. It was the only choice I had to save him.
Dae: Yandiswa what are you talking about?
Me: I have to go and please. Please don't follow me or else something terrible will happen to Melo and I'd never forgive myself if something happened to him.
I took my cars keys and ran to my car and punched in the coordinates and drove off to the place. It was a warehouse near the airport. I got there at 22:55pm and parked my car then got off with my phone and keys and went in the abandoned warehouse. Zuko walked up to me
Him: I see you listened
Me: I need to know that Melo is home
Him: I said at 11 and you are early
Me: Zuko I don't have time for games.
Him: please come with me
I was hesitant but I was also curious. I followed him and he took me to a room with a monitor. On the monitor was John, the guy I met at the hotel. How did they know each other? Nothing about this made any sense to me anymore.
Him: I believe you've met my friend John. He and Miranda had a fling but Miranda left the states and came to SA and the minute she ran into Derrick that night in the elevator she called my friend over here and ended things with him because she thought that she and Melo could rekindle what they had. John was angry when your boyfriend killed his girl and from then onwards he started planning his revenge against Melo. He wanted him to lose everything but to him that meant getting rid of you and that's how we met. You see John and I met through a mutual friend who got sloppy and let his conscious get in the way and got himself arrested and we were determined to see it through.
I kept quiet motionless. I didn't even know how to respond to this at all. I was dumbstruck. I looked at him blankly and he chuckled
Him: I can see you still confused. Damn I could just kiss you right now
I didn't respond
Him: Max was supposed to gather enough information about your daily routines but in the process he fell in love with you and with Mila. He was responsible for your naked pictures by the way. Yandi I never wanted your daughter to get hurt in the process but she did and I'm sorry
I threw a slap at him which I was not expecting and neither did he. The anger in me could not be put into words. How dare my daughter be collateral damage to his sick twisted plan. I was so angry I was even shaking. If I spoke I'm certain no words were going to come out.
Him: now that's just childish.
I didn't respond. Tears just rolled down my cheeks
Him: Had you left him after he killed Miranda then you wouldn't be in this in the first place Yandiswa. If you had learnt from the get go then you wouldn't be in this mess. Everything bad that's ever happened to you has only ever been his fault. I've been watching from the sidelines and I could have treated you better but you chose him Yandiswa. You chose him over me, over us even after I apologized or was it because of the sex huh?
He was very angry his veins were even popping.
Me: so what's you plan? Get me to marry you and then live happily ever after? Is that what you after?
He chuckled
Him: as long as Melo is alive you and I can never live happily ever after
I looked at him stunned.
Him: look
I turned to the screen and John was hitting Melo really bad. He kept punching him and then after Melo was weak enough he took out a gun and pointed it to his head
Me: Zuko please. Please don't kill him
Him: if it were up to me I'd let your husband go but now John is mad. He is really pissed about the Miranda thing
Me: Zuko I will do anything. Just please don't kill him
Him: you never really did know how to beg. So as I was still saying. John has a mind of his own, he wants to avenge the love of his life and I want to be buried beside the love of my life. Now it won't be fair on John for me to get what I want while he is cheated on what he wants.
Me: why go through all of this? Why kill Mila?
Him: Mila was never supposed to die. John meant that accident for you of which I didn't know that until I found out about Mila because they know I have a soft spot for you so they kept me out of the loop. John and I want one thing, to make Melo pay
Me: then why threaten me? why call me threatening me?
Him: because I knew that you would tell him and then he would fall right into our trap and he did
I looked around and I saw his gun on top of the table. I took it and pointed it to my head. I have watched a lot of movies and I am hoping that what I am doing right now works in my favor
Me: let Melo go and I won't pull the trigger
Him: stop being stupid Yandiswa. We both know you won't pull it
Me: you really want to try me?
I cocked it and pointed it to my head again and fear was written all over his face. Now my aunts husband taught me that you should listen to the sound of the cocking sound and if its light then there's no bullet but if its heavy then it's loaded. And this one had bullets in it
Him: Yandiswa you don't want to do that
Me: if John pulls that trigger, so will I
Him: Yandi please. I still need you. I don't see my life with anyone but you.
Me: tell John to let Melo go and I won't pull this trigger
Seemingly my plan was working. Let's just hope it doesn't backfire. I was scared for dear life, I was scared for my husband because I really needed him to come out of this alive and well. I still didn't understand why they would go through all of this trouble. He took out his phone and dialed and then I looked at the monitor and saw John answering his phone.
//Zuko: let him go man. He's already lost Yandiswa
John: .....
Zuko: he's not worth it buddy. Just let him go. You've roughed him up enough
John: ......
Zuko: I hate him too and he's already lost it all. He lost his daughter and now his wife is with me and she's never leaving
John: .....
Zuko: even if he tries he'll never find her. Just let him go man. We can get away with this without a record or whatsoever
John: ....
Zuko: you not going to go to prison. I got you//
John removed the gun from Melo and untied him
Zuko: now put the gun down Yandi please
Me: I need to know that he's been returned home safely or else none of you will have me. You did this to be with me right? So that Melo can lose me right? So that Melo doesn't have me? Make sure he's safe and I won't pull this trigger
Him: fine Yandiswa.
The things we do for the people we love shame. First time holding a gun and it's to my head. How dumb can I get? All I kept thinking of was home and my husband being back home safely.
Him: now please give me the gun Yandiswa
I turned to point it to him.
Me: give me your phone.
Him: no!
Me: don't be stupid Zuko!
Him: no Yandiswa don't you be stupid. If anything happens to me then your sweet little husband won't make it home tonight
Me: you must think I'm scared to pull this trigger
I said pointing it on his legs and pulling the trigger and it hit his leg startling me. I thought I would miss because my eyes were closed when I hit his leg. I looked at his leg and he was crying in agony and he was bleeding
Me: phone now!
He handed it to me cursing under his breath. I was playing with fire, I know. I took the phone and dialed Asemahle's number because she made it a point that I know it by head. She answered after a while and I gave her the coordinates I had gotten and she told me that they were on their way