IS THIS LOVE – Episode 58

IS THIS LOVE – Episode 58

A story by Kennedy C Katongo

 

LOVE THAT NEVER LEAVES

LATER THAT DAY…

“I don’t get this…” Mwenda said.

“What has happened this time around?” I asked him.

I had been on phone with him for half an hour. We had a lot to talk about, and a lot of catching up to do. Also, as a person whom I saw date multiple girls at the same time, I felt his opinion and advise would be valid.

“Can you believe she’s now posting ‘Am my own person. Love yourself first.’ on her status.” He said in a depressed manner. It seemed like he had been watching his girlfriend’s status for a while.

“What’s wrong with that? Ladies do that every time.” I weighed in.

“You are kidding me, listen, when a lady begins to post such it’s a way of airing and making it public that she’s now single.” Mwenda told me.

“Maybe she’s just goofing around.” I said

“I didn’t say it was over. I just told her that we need a break. It’s not like I was ending things.” Mwenda complained.

“Huh! I thought the whole idea behind that was to give you more freedom to hunt down your prey… Sounds like someone is regretting.” I giggled.

“It ain’t funny!” “Do you think I should call her?” He asked me. His voice was low, a sense of worry could be detected as he spoke.

I had never found myself in a position were quoting ‘you only know the value of something once you lose it’ was necessary. From the sound of Mwenda’s voice and how he spoke, he surely didn’t want another man to be with his girlfriend.

Personally, that didn’t come as a surprise to me. In fact, I was surprised how long it took him to realize that she meant a lot to him.

“Just call her. She might talk about getting married but that doesn’t mean you should push her off.” I told him.

“Why didn’t you tell me that before? You just watched as I made reckless decisions.” He fired back at me.

“You know what they say…”

“What do they say?” He jumped on my words before I could even finish saying them.

“They say experience is the best teacher.” I laughed.

@@ @@ MATIMBA @@ @@

“What was so important that I had to come over here?” Lister asked. She had just walked in, the last papers, I had to deal with I had sorted. But that wasn’t why I wanted her over… Just when all walls were erect, they slowly began to crumble down.

I never imagined that things between Ben, Chileshe and I would turn sour so fast.

“O-k-a-y now you worrying me. You look like you have been looking into the eyes of the devil.” Lister said as she sat down.

“It’s worse than that. I feel like I’ve been kissed by hell. I think Ben is on to me… He knows something…” I told her.

“On to you? Like his caught up on your little love affair? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. But how sure are you?” She asked me.

“Why wouldn’t you be surprised?” I asked her.

“Well, you’ve never brought Chileshe over because his not comfortable with us… Ben, on the other hand, is friends with almost all your friends now. It’s just normal that someone might just leak some information. However, what makes you certain that he knows something?”

“Lately, when he calls, my phone is always busy. It’s like he can sense when am talking to Chileshe. Even when am with Chileshe he calls and wants to talk…” I told her.

“Well, his definitely on to you.” ” What about Chileshe? What’s his reaction? I mean, he must have noticed the phone calls, and all that.” She said thoughtfully.

“Chileshe doesn’t say anything. His just chilled about everything, and that’s not like him… Am going crazy, ain’t I?”

“Just calm down. I told you this whole thing was a bad idea. Now here we are.” Lister was usually tight about relationships when she spoke her mind.

But I wasn’t up for the ‘i told you so’ kind of drama.

@@ @@ CHILESHE @@ @@

After my chat with Mwenda has come to an end, I resumed making my papers. It was the first time I had actually practiced as a teacher _ the joy I got when I found out that most of the questions I had submitted were picked was priceless. Being at a moment in time where I was surrounded by great minds, it was inevitable for me to try and prove my worth to the school.

The own had already traveled to Japan. And his son would drop by once in a while to just see how things were going.

“Chileshe!” He waved at me. It was around lunch, and I was heading to the cafeteria to get something to eat.

“Hi” I responded. I had never addressed him as someone superior to me. Instead, I looked at him as a friend, and he didn’t seem to have a problem with that.

“How’s work going? I can see you’ve adjusted pretty well. It usually takes time for our new stuff to get used to this environment.” He said as he walked with me.

“Work is good.” I smiled.

“How’s Matimba doing? She’s been offline lately.” He commented.

At that moment, Little did I know that I would get the bomb of my life detonated, as we walked to the cafeteria, he looked at me and then asked, “do you have any idea how things are going with her boyfriend? Last we spoke, she said, he was having a bad time with his project.” He asked me.

I had no idea the intention of his question, as far as I could tell I had no bone to pick with the boss’s son. On the other hand, he might have wanted to get something from me. But that wasn’t the most significant part of his question, rather it was him defining a man that wasn’t me… Henceforth, the question that got stuck on my mind was, ‘Does she have another man?’

“Am not sure. I haven’t spoken to Matimba in some time. You can try reaching her on her cell. Am certain it will go through.” I smiled at him before I proceeded to get my food.

.

.

.

I knew something was up with Matimba, however, I never thought she would be dating someone else. Yet again, there was no way I could hold it against her when my relationship with her was something top secret.

The fact that I couldn’t see eye to eye with her circle limited my chance of actually getting to know her at a personal level. Not only that, it meant no one knew whom I was to her _ if anything; I might have been just a good friend.

I decided to keep that piece of information to myself and not act on it for the time being. Besides, she wasn’t the only one in a relationship with another person.

CHILESHE: ‘I miss you. Can I see you later after work?’

MATIMBA: ‘I would love that hun. Unfortunately I can’t make it, am tied up today. Can we make it on the weekend?’

CHILESHE: ‘Sure thing. Weekend it is.’

CHILESHE: ‘Hey Lydia… Are we on today?’

LYDIA: ‘I will have to confirm. This dude has been pestering me about seeing him. We’re going to watch Frozen right?’

CHILESHE: ‘Why do you get to pick?’

LYDIA: ‘Because it’s ladies first. And I happen to be one.’

 

To be continued…