IS THIS LOVE – Episode 56

IS THIS LOVE – Episode 56

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

HUNGER GAMES – 2

“Nothing. I just feel like he’s moving really fast with everything. He keeps introducing me to his family members almost every weekend. In the end, I will stop moving around because his surveillance cameras would be mounted in every street in Lusaka.” She said furiously.

“Marriage moves. He’s just trying to secure what’s his.” I laughed.

“Stop that. It ain’t funny. Bunny.” She said as she began to laugh.

@@ @@ @@ @@

As we start there waiting for the food, both of us were on our phones scrolling away. In this instant, the no-phone rule wasn’t applicable.

“What’s wrong with you?” Lydia asked me. It was out of nowhere. I mean, I myself didn’t know that something was wrong until she asked me.

“Nothing. Why would you think something is wrong?” I asked her.

“Nothing. You just seem very thoughtful. More than usual actually. Anything happens at work?” She asked me.

“It has nothing to do with work. It’s nothing major but listen to this… How is it possible that someone’s phone can be busy every day for 2 hours around the same time?” I asked her.

“When you say someone, you mean Matimba am I right?” She threw another one back at me. I ended up nodding my head in agreement.

“There is nothing wrong with that, maybe her phone is on DND at that hour or she might be talking to someone. Don’t pay it any mind. The more you think about it the more your brain starts to think of things that ain’t even there.” Lydia told me as she rubbed my hand gently.

It never called me down or did anything. But it was a gesture I found she really loved especially when we sat opposite each other at restaurants and the like.

“What’s with that look. You think she’s cheating?” Lydia asked me.

“I don’t know what to think. What about you, what makes you think your man ain’t cheating on you?’ I asked her.

“Him!” She laughed ridiculously. “I highly doubt that. Unless if he’s cheating on me with his maid. My boyfriend is a minimalistic person. I always know what his up and where is at even without having to ask him. He does the same things every day of the week. His that predictable.” Lydia told me.

“What if Matimba thinks of me in the same way?” I asked her.

“Your girlfriend is a workaholic. I doubt she would find the time to consider cheating on you. But let’s say she is… Then it wouldn’t be a new relationship. It would be an old one at best.” She explained to me.

@@ @@ MATIMBA @@ @@

“Do you think dating two guys at the same time is a good idea?” Lister asked me.

“It’s not. But it’s worked out just fine for the last 3 months.” I smiled warmly.

“That isn’t healthy at all.” She said passively.

“Red meat isn’t good for your health. Yet it’s the most tender and juicy. It’s always the bad things that are good.” I told Lister.

Later that day I was supposed to meet up with Chileshe. However, on the last minute, he called to tell me he wasn’t going to make it.

Ben, on the other hand, was busy with finishing his attachments at the firm he was assigned. They immediately offered him a position to work for them on a contract basis.

“Don’t tell me you called me here just to picking on me?” I raised my eyebrows as I gazed at my dear beloved friend.

“Don’t look at me like that. To answer your question that’s not why I came to see you. I missed you, that’s all.” She smiled.

“Crazy! How is your husband to be?” I asked her.

“He’s doing great. His really been sweet off late. It’s unlike him to behave like that.” Lister told me.

“He’s just being nice. Some times guys are just being caring and romantic. That doesn’t mean his up to no good.” I told her.

Lister was sure that her man was being all nice because of the wedding to come later on. After all, he had just paid up the bride price in full and everything else that was needed.

However, Lister had a different story. During the time that she wasn’t certain about getting married due to the thought of her losing her freedom and ladyship, she paid her man a visit at his place.

According to her, she found long strands of blonde hair on the carpet and bed alike. Once she saw that she began turning the whole place upside down in anger and in the midst of her rampage; about 6 empty packs of condoms fail from a small box that was hidden in the closet. Not only that, but it was accompanied by a Morning After pill casing and another two tablet casing which she later learnt was a sex booster.

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.

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“So, have you confronted him on what are you doing in his room?” I asked her.

“I don’t. I seriously don’t even know where to start. The thought of knowing that my boyfriend is some sex freak just makes me lose it. What haven’t I don’t for that sucker!” Lister exclaimed.

“There is something I don’t get my friend. I mean, after all that, he has the nerves to kneel down and ask you to marry him officially and you still said yes. Why?” I asked her. In all honesty, I couldn’t get why she ignored such a big sign and went ahead. The only conclusion I could reach was that her Aunty had really gotten to her.

After all, she was the one that made Lister conform to the thought of ‘men will always cheat’ I would bet my life she had fallen for such nonsense.

When she heard my question, she just sighed a bit and began to laugh.

“I know he’s a man. And men tend to go astray and look for what they want outside _ if their own doesn’t provide them with whatever they want. I can’t give up all the years have been with him just because I found such in his house. Besides, that isn’t the first time I’ve found such in his possession. I just want to be happily married.” She said in her low time voice. It was weird seeing Lister so hopeless.

“I don’t understand why you doing this to yourself girl. I really don’t. I might be juggling with two men, but you have lost it. This isn’t how I knew you, the Lister I know can not sit down and let something as ugly as this slide!” I said strongly.

“Matimba.” She called my name out. “What’s the point, I know he won’t accept anything of it.” She told me.

Heaven and Earth as my witness. I knew I wasn’t a saint myself but the level at which my friend was at just tore me to pieces. It seemed like all she wanted more than anything was a wedding and the tag ‘married to…’ added on her Facebook account.

This want the definition of ‘fight for what’s yours’ as far as I was concerned. Lister was now acting out of fear to be alone, not only that but maybe she thought she was no longer good enough for another man to notice her.

 

To be continued…