Nothing is as quick as a mother's heed to her baby's cry. When the warder notified Gugu of Melo's distraught tone over the phone, she immediately commanded that she be given the phone. The warder slipped it into her pocket and she left for the toilets. When she got there, she dialled Melo's number. She knew it off by heart.
"Ma?"
"Hi baby. Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine now. How are you?", Melo knew he couldn't afford to entertain the tingling sensation around his eyes that was seducing his lacrimal glands. Gugu couldn't hear him quite properly amidst all the noise behind him.
"Are you sure? Vanessa says you didn't sound okay when you called..."
"I was just... arg I might as well tell you. Busi is gone. I can't talk right now I'm at school. I love you bye", he rambled and cut the call. He went back to the bench to continue his lunch with his bunch of friends. Gugu had no idea where to start processing everything he said. Was Busi gone as in relocated or was she gone gone? She stared at the phone as if it owed her answers.
...
Enhle came back home, humming her way in with her shoes, bag and a bottle of champagne in hand. She found Nokwanda wiping the cupboards in the kitchen. The whole place smelt of potpourri detergent.
"Sawubona wa Noks", she greeted the kneeling and busy help courteously. Nokwanda raised her face with a smile.
"Waze wajabule bo"(Someone is in a good mood). Enhle chuckled.
"Everything is falling into place. That's all I can say", she said and twirled around the open space in the kitchen, reaching for the thinnest champagne glass.
"Mmm", a speechless yet curious Nokwanda cheered and continued wiping the surfaces. The young queen made her way upstairs. She got there and took off the equipment to her disguise. She grabbed the bottle of micellar water to clean herself up.
After she was done, she poured herself a glass and called Bareng, her bestfriend. The call went unanswered. She took a sip on her sparkling beverage, contemplating whether or not she should call Sphe to put the last nail on the coffin housing her failing matrimony. Manqoba walked in.
"And what are we celebrating dear wife?", he asked before prompting her to get up so he could kiss her. She did and hung her hands over his shoulders, careful not to spill. He placed his hands on her waist.
"Nothing really. I'm just grateful. For my life. For you. Our kids. Health. Wealth. Konke nje", she said before placing a peck on his lips.
"Mmkay. How's Bareng?", his hands travelled to her bxtt after he asked.
"She's good. Still a shopaholic as usual"
"As if you're any better", he mocked and they both laughed.
"I'm glad you enjoyed your day. You should go out more thembalami it's seemingly good for you", he added.
"You know what that means right?", she asked with a smile that stretched to spark up her eyes. He puckered his lips and shook his head patiently.
"It means...", she played with the collar of his shirt,"I'll be maxing out your accounts", she stated and he dropped his face in a silent laugh.
"As long as you're happy. Look, I have a meeting with the council elders. It shouldn't take that long", he informed and kissed her forehead. She closed her eyes to float in her husband's affection.
"Don't drink too much okay?", he said before grabbing his jacket from the bed before leaving the room.
After the door clicked to confirm its shutting, she quickly grabbed her phone and dialled Sphe's number. She rolled her eyes as the phone rang and put it on speaker when she felt she was taking too long to answer.
"Hello?"-Sphesihle. Enhle cleared her throat to sweep the way for her deceptive voice to strut its way out her voice cords.
"Hey", she said softly. "I just called to thank you for today. Somehow I feel a whole lot better after talking to you"
"It was a pleasure", Sihle coldly said.
"Can you imagine? He was so insecure about where I've been all afternoon", she began sobbing.
"He does that every time?"
"Every single time I go out. He's so... controlling. Possessive"
Sphe held on to her silence.
"I think I might take you up on that POWA offer", she stated in an attempt to sound as convincing as she possibly could.
"I lied about that. I just wanted to see how you'd react", Sihle said and the panic bells rang again in Enhle's head.
"What?"
"Look I have to go. I have work to do", she said.
"You manipulative bxtch", Enhle hissed lowly before cutting the call. She dropped the phone on the stood up, pacing the room with her hands on her waist, trying to figure out what Sihle might be playing at.
