THEME: KNOCK YOURSELF OUT
TITLE: Love and Betrayal
Written by Phumi
*STAR*
Even though it has been going on for a while, I felt uneasy and I knew something bad was going to happen.
“I shouldn’t have come,” I said to myself as I stood at the door reluctant to ring the doorbell. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. Mojalefa, also known as MJ, opened and he immediately stepped outside while pulling me away from the door.
“What are you doing here? I thought we agreed that you’d make an excuse,” he said while scratching his head nervously.
“I couldn’t figure out an excuse,” I answered while walking towards the door.
I entered the house and he followed while murmuring to himself.
“Star, how lovely to have you here tonight,” said his wife Kamogelo as she embraced me in her arms.
I panicked as my nose smelt the exact same perfume MJ had bought for me while he was in Japan. I swallowed a chunk of my saliva that suddenly accumulated my recently dried mouth.
“Thank you for having me, friend. It’s been a while since I came here,” I said to her while faking a smile.
My heart was pounding harder than before, threatening to pop out of my chest.
“Oh honey don’t just stand there, check on our finest wine so long,” she said to MJ, caressing his back.
“Of course, sweetheart,” he responded while doubtfully nodding as he went into the distillery.
Oh yes, they had their own small heaven in the house where almost all of the finest alcohol you needed was there.
“Come, friend. I cooked your favorite and I hope you’ll love it.”
She put her hand on my back escorting me to my seat. I felt my body run cold in shivers like I was walking to my death seat.
“You look lovely by the way. That dress fits perfectly like it was custom made for you,” she commented.
How the hell did she know? Of course it was custom made for me and all thanks to her hubby.
“Oh don’t be silly. I just happened to be lucky while shopping,” I replied, pouring a glass of sparkling water.
MJ returned with the wine and now we were all seated. Awkward, yes.
I didn’t know how to start the conversation even though Kamo and I had been friends for 5 years.
“Before we eat, I’d love to give thanks. Let’s hold hands.”
Oh snap! No way I’m holding her husband’s hand while knowing we’ve been doing the deed in her home. I hesitated but MJ just grabbed my damn hand without thinking twice and we closed our eyes.
“Thank you Lord for this wonderful day. Thank you for the food we’re about to receive and thank you Father for the blessings. You said you shall bring my enemies to the dining table and I thank You for the protection. Amen.”
I knew right there and then that something was up. It was either she was suspecting or she knew the truth. We dished up and started eating while holding what I would say was a normal conversation. After that she cleared the table and came back with desert.
“I found the recipe online so if it’s bad feel free to hit me with the criticism,” she said.
“Oh no, it looks lovely and I’m sure it tastes just as it looks.”
It was lovely so I took the second spoon and the third. Before I knew it, the bowl was empty.
“But you guys look good together,” said Kamo.
“What’s that supposed to mean, honey?” asked MJ, turning to look at me.
“I mean she’d make a wonderful sister wife,” she added.
I tried to respond but my tongue was as if it was hit by a stroke. I panicked.
“Oh, don’t you worry sweetheart, the poison will work slowly but surely,” she laughed hysterically.
“You poisoned her?”
MJ stood up from his seat but before he could do anything, she pointed a gun at him.
“Sit,” she shouted.
Her facial expression changing for the worst. Her beautiful eyes quickly turned red and teary and I could see evil more than anger in her.
“You two are going to tell me your love story from the top. Oh, I forgot you can’t speak, sweety. Don’t worry, your boyfriend will tell us and all you have to do is listen,” she insisted.
“Baby, it doesn’t have to be like this,” pleaded MJ.
She started crying while tightening the grip on the gun and she obviously didn’t know how to use it. Her breathing intensified by the second and it hurt me that there was nothing I could do to help myself.
“I trusted you both. How long have I been housing a snake?” she shouted with a shaky voice.
“Baby, we can fix this. I promise,” pleaded MJ with a shivering voice.
His palms pressed together as he begged. The strong man I fell in love with suddenly became vulnerable to the sight of the loaded gun. His knees were trembling I could swear he was about to kneel to her.
“You’re going to get paralysed and he’s going to watch you die. Then I’m gonna put a bullet on his head and then…and then…”
She burst into tears while taking a few steps back.
“I thought you were my friend, Star. I thought you cared for me but all along you were sleeping with my husband. I can’t believe how much of a backstabber you are.”
I couldn’t feel my hands anymore as I tried to wipe the tears off my face.
“I had a miscarriage the day I found out about this nonsense,” she cried.
The gun moving side to side from her unsteady grip.
“We were going to have a baby, MJ. I thought you’d be happy but I didn’t know I wasn’t woman enough for you.”
She quickly wiped the tears off her face and pointed the gun at me. I was helpless at that point, and I would rather be gunned down than suffer paralysis do death. I dropped a tear that felt cold running down my neck. I closed my eyes and then I heard a shot fired. At first, I didn’t feel any pain but I could see blood coming out from my abdomen but there was nothing I could do to help myself. Before MJ could rush to my aid, another shot was fired but this time, Kamo dropped to the ground and blood was coming out of her head. I gasped for air as I looked at my surroundings, hoping I could maybe do something. I slowly lost consciousness and I gave in.
*MJ*
My mind and emotions were all over the place as I paced back and forth the hospital waiting area. Both my women were at death’s door and it was all my fault. I couldn’t afford to lose any of them and especially not because of my actions.
“MJ, what’s going on?” asked my little sister as she ran up to me for a consolation hug.
“It’s a mess, Aya. I messed up and it’s okay to rub it in my face because you told me so.”
I looked away as I tried my utmost best not to cry in front of my sister.
“Oh, MJ, I’m so sorry.”
She held my hand and took me to the bench where we sat down.
“Will they make it?” she asked, looking into my eyes demanding the truth.
“I doubt it, sis. It’s too bad.”
I sighed and stood up again scratching my head in nervousness. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay strong for long as I saw the doctor approaching us with sadness in his face.
“Talk to us, doc. Is it too bad?” I asked.
My heart pounding harder by the second.
“I am sorry Mr Mokoena,” he replied and paused.
I knew either or both of them had died. I rushed into my wife’s ward, pushed the door open and what met my eyes was unpleasant. They had already covered her with the bed sheet and when I removed it, my heart almost stopped. She lay still on the bed and I couldn’t help but hold on tight to her. Tears just started falling on her beautiful face as I tried to wake her up.
“You can’t do this to me, K. You can’t just neglect me like this. I know I messed up but you could have given us a chance to fix it. Honey please just wake up so we can talk about this. I love you and you know it. It’s unfair that you didn’t give me a chance to explain myself to you. How am I supposed to live without you now?”
I sat flat on the floor and cried like I’ve never cried before. I remembered that the doctor didn’t tell me the whole thing so I rushed back into the waiting room.
“MJ, is it true?” asked Aya who was already crying.
I nodded, sitting down to receive any more possible bad news.
“What about the other one?” I asked, taking a deep breath.
“I don’t know, she’s not my patient.”
Somehow, I felt relieved but on the other side I was uneasy because the chances of receiving bad news again were high. I would have preferred to hear the bad news at once rather than one at a time.
“I need to see her,” I demanded as I stood up from the cold bench.
“MJ stop it. You’ve just lost your wife and all you could think about is your side chick?” she said angrily.
She was right but I still needed to see Star.
“I love them both.”
Her eyes popped out from my statement and honestly I wasn’t in any mood to be judged.
I followed the doctor as he showed me to her ward but my heart sank when I stood by the door, watching the nurse covering her whole body with the sheet. I pushed the door aggressively and I found my weak body falling on top of her lifeless body and I pulled the sheet down. Tears fell down my face when I realized how much of a mess I made and my heart was in no condition to survive that.
I started feeling hot and my vision became blurry. I felt my heart pound abnormally and a sharp pain landed on my chest.
“Sir, are you okay?”
Those were the last words I could hear before I fell to the cold floor of the hospital and gasping for air. I could partially see my sister’s face as she knelt beside me, crying. I could see her lips moving but no sound reached my ears and it was as if I was drifting away from everything. Her touch suddenly vanished from my skin and I watched everything fade away as my eyes slowly shut.
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PUBLISH’D AFRIKA Magazine Facebook Short Story Competition is funded by the National Arts Council, Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme 3
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