THE INCARCERATED STRANGER

 

Chapter 11

 

MANGALISO

 

He stepps out of the courthouse, the weight of the world lifted from his shoulders. His family was waiting just outside, their faces lit up with joy. 

“Freedom!” his stepmother exclaimed, pulling him into a tight hug that felt like home. His half-siblings joined in, wrapping their arms around him as laughter and relief filled the air. 

“Good to see you, son!” his father said, fist bumping him with a grin and giving his shoulder a hearty pat. 

As they basked in the moment, Mangaliso’s eyes caught sight of Miss Qwane walking out of the courtroom, her posture confident yet approachable. He excused himself from his family, feeling a mix of gratitude and admiration as he made his way toward her.

“Miss Qwane!” he calls  out, excitement bubbling in his voice. She turned at the sound of his voice, her expression brightening.

“Mangaliso!” she replies , a smile breaking across her face.

He chuckled lightly. “I’m no longer Mr. Mazibuko, huh?” He raises  an eyebrow playfully.

She giggled, the sound light and refreshing. “How do you feel now that you’re free from prison?”

He took a deep breath, a genuine smile spreading across his face. “I’m happy, Miss Qwane. And even if I hadn’t been granted my freedom today, I would’ve found a way to buy my way out,” he said with a wink.

She laughed softly. “Well, thanks to the judge for giving you freedom.”

“And thanks to you for standing up for me,” he replied earnestly. “If it weren’t for you, I’d still be dealing with another bribed lawyer.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “You’re right about that. But hey, it doesn’t matter anymore! You can finally be with your parents now,” she said, glancing over at his family standing a few paces away.

“Yeah! That’s my stepmother and my half-siblings,” he said proudly. “Though some didn’t come today. And that’s my father.” He pointed them out one by one as she looked on.

“Thank you so much, Riley,” he said sincerely. “I really am grateful.”

“You’re welcome! Besides, as a lawyer, it’s my duty to fight for my clients,” she replied with a smile.

“But this client was different,” he teased. “You had to be threatened because of me.”

They both laughed at the absurdity of it all. 

“For that, you owe me, Mr. Mazibuko,” she said playfully.

“Name your price, ma’am,” he responded with mock seriousness.

“Any price you want to send is okay,” she said with a wink that sent butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

In that moment of levity amidst the chaos of emotions surrounding him, Mangaliso felt an unspoken connection spark between them—a bond forged through this case preparations that went beyond simple gratitude.

 Mangaliso's smile was bright, his eyes sparkling with a mix of happiness and sadness. 

"It was really nice to know you, Riley," he says, his voice soft yet full of warmth.

Riley returned the smile, her cheeks slightly flushed. 

"It was nice to know you too, Mangaliso," she replies, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mangaliso took a step back, his brow furrowing slightly. "So this is it?" he asks, searching her eyes for an answer.

She nodded slowly, a hint of resignation in her voice.

 "Yeah, I guess," she says with a shrug, trying to mask the weight of the moment.

He opens his arms wide, inviting her into a hug. Riley hesitated for just a moment before stepping forward, wrapping her arms around him. The embrace felt long and heavy, filled with unspoken words and emotions that lingered in the air between them. They held each other tightly as if trying to absorb every last bit of warmth and comfort before parting ways.

As they pulled away, Mangaliso gently placed a kiss on her forehead. Riley's eyes widened in surprise, her heart racing at the unexpected gesture. She looked up at him, searching his face for more answers.

"Bye, Miss Qwane," he says softly, a bittersweet smile lingering on his lips as he turned to walk back to his family waiting nearby.

Riley watched him go, her heart heavy yet full at the same time.

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RILEY

I turn and head to my car, confusion swirling in my mind. I don’t know what is happening to me. Why is my heart heavy? Why do I suddenly feel sad and emotional? I blink away the threatening tears as I unlock my car and slide inside. This moment feels so different; I’ve never felt this way after parting ways with clients after court. 

I let the tears fall freely now, the weight of the day crashing down on me as I bring the engine to life. I reverse and drive toward the gate, but just as I’m about to pull out, a car suddenly swerves in front of me. Everything happens too fast. My heart races as I catch sight of a gun pointed through my rearview mirror. The deafening sound of a gunshot pierces the air, and my mirror shatters into a million pieces.

In an instant, Sage and his guys appear, returning fire at the car that speeds away. Panic surges through me as the door of my car swings open, and strong hands pull me out into the chaos. My eyelids flutter, growing heavier by the second.

“Shit, she’s been shot! Let’s take her to the hospital!” I hear those urgent words echo around me, but everything else fades to black as darkness envelops my vision.

At the hospital .....…

He gently places her on top of the hospital bed and rushes off to find Doctor Blade, a friend he trusts. He knows he has to get her here; those bastards won’t dare follow him to finish off Miss Qwane in a hospital. He spots Blade making his way out of a ward.

“Blade, I need your help!” he calls out, urgency lacing his voice. Blade looks at him, 

“So that’s how you’re going to greet me?” Blade replies, crossing his arms.

“There’s no time for that, dude! I need your help now!” He grabs Blade’s arm and pulls him toward the ward where Riley lies.

“Please help this woman first, then we can talk after,” he insists. Blade nods and strides over to the bed, focusing on the bullet wound in Riley’s shoulder.

Outside, Mangaliso paces up and down, anxiety gnawing at him. He catches sight of his father, Donga, approaching with Sage.

“How is your lawyer , son?” Donga asks, concern etched on his face.

“The doctor is still attending to her; she’s still unconscious,” Mangaliso replies, trying to keep his voice steady. Donga nods grimly.

“Her life is still in danger. Those people won’t stop coming for her after helping you get freedom from prison,” Sage adds, his tone serious.

“You’re right,” Mangaliso says, glancing through the glass at Blade working diligently on the unconscious Riley. 

“She will have to go back to the safe house. Going back to her place is not safe anymore,” Sage states firmly.

“Riley is stubborn; she will not agree to that,” Mangaliso thinks aloud, already considering how he will persuade her to return and stay at the safe house.

Blade walks out of the ward, and Mangaliso jumps to his feet, eager for news. 

“She’s fine. The bullet is out, and it didn’t go any further in her shoulder,” Blade assures him, a relieved smile breaking across his face.

“Thank you, Blade Man,” Mangaliso replies, genuine gratitude in his voice.

“Anytime, man. So when did you get out?” Blade asks, leaning against the wall.

“Today,” Mangaliso answers, a hint of pride creeping into his tone.

“So tell me, what’s the plan now that you’re out and back, my man?” Blade probes, curiosity piqued.

“Well, the plan is to get to those bastards who wanted me to rot in jail and make them pay,” Mangaliso declares, fire igniting in his eyes. Blade nods in agreement.

“I cannot wait to torture someone! My hands have been itching for three years, man!” Blade exclaims with a mischievous grin. 

Mangaliso chuckles at the thought. “Then get ready because I am back and thirsty for blood.” Their laughter echoes in the hallway, a moment of camaraderie amidst the chaos surrounding them…

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