Manqoba arrived at the spot where he'd left the 'illegal' couple, still pretty much tied up. They were talking but Enhle pulled out of the conversation when she saw her husband approach. He took out a pocket knife and approached Muhluri.
"Manqoba please don't!", Enhle begged when it appeared like he had ill intentions. Manqoba ignored her and went to cut the rope behind the tree in silence. Muhluri rubbed his wrists when he was set free.
"I don't ever want to see your face again even if it's on missing person poster siyezwana?", he pointed the knife at him as he hissed in his face. Muhluri stared back unfazed. He was about to reply when Enhle begged him not to fuel the fire. Muhluri turned his face to look at her and scoffed a short moment later.
"Why am I not surprised?", he asked in ridicule and she looked away. He picked up his phone from the ground and left. His car was still parked where he had left it.
"I'm sorry", Enhle apologized as Manqoba sawed through the rope behind her tree to set her free. She rubbed her wrists and the rest of her arms, itching where the rope had found home. Her lips were ashy and dry like hard ground void of water. She found balance on the bark when she was supposed to be walking. Manqoba stopped and went back to pick her up.
"Are you going to finish me off?", she laughed, weakly. He never replied. After placing her in the passenger seat and getting on his side...
"What changed your mind?"
"About?"
"Ending me"
"I wasn't going to", he replied and started the car.
"You left me out to--"
"If I wanted you dead Sabelo wouldn't have been here", he continued driving.
"And the grave?"
"Your stupid boyfriend got lucky"
"So you were planning to bury him and still tie me up", she asked and he did not reply.
"And the petrol?"
"Yekel' ukungibuza iynto eyningi Enhle I am tired"
She just stared as he drove home.
...
"Baby?", Betso shook Muzi out of his afternoon nap.
"Baby?!", she shook him further.
"Hm?", he finally woke up and raised his face. She was hugging his waist behind him. His nap was so deep and good he even had pressed stripes on his face.
"I'm hungry", she pouted. He instantly knew she was having one of her crybaby days. He dropped his face flat on the pillow he slept hugging by his arms.
"Ha ah Khumalo wake up", she continued nagging.
"What do you want to eat?", he asked with zero enthusiasm. His body wanted to go back to sleep.
"Sss that oily chicken from Zama's chicken", she began salivating.
"Baby you seriously want me to wake up from here and drive all the way to the township, now?", he complained.
"Yes"
"I should have never introduced you to that place", he continued to complain. He desperately wanted to go back to sleep.
"You should have never put a baby in me in the first place. These cravings are all your fault!", she stormed off the bed and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
"I didn't mean it like that!", he yelled when he heard her sobbing, sobbing from the top of the toilet seat. He stood up to go knock.
"Baby?", he pacifyingly called out from outside the locked door. She never replied.
"Sthandwasami?"
Still no reply.
"Ungidinelwe kant mommy? Ngiyaxolisa"(Are you mad at me? I'm sorry", he continued talking to himself. He apologized even when he felt like she was being hormonal and overreacting.
"Ngizoya ngiyoyithenga ichicken yakho. Ngicela uphume ke?"(I'll go buy the chicken. Please come out?"
He stood and waited. She unlocked the door and came out.
"Askiies aker?", he imitated how she always tries to coerce him into things sometimes. She laughed and he wiped her tears with a smile.
"You promised to go get my chicken"
"I will go get it just now", his hxrny self whispered as he kissed on her neck, caressing her bxtt.
"Tsamaa nnou baby man"(Go now)
"One round k'phela baby? Just one?"
She could feel his erection against her in his jeans.
"Ha ah baby man. You promised",
They were conversing as he made her walk in reverse to the bed while kissing on her neck.
"Ngithe ngizoya makoti wami ngicela just...", he stopped talking and kissed her on the lips and dry-humping on her. She wasn't reciprocating. He noticed.
"Ma weyngan zami?"
"Hm?"
"Ngicela ukuvakashisa inyoka emgodin wayo?"(Allow the snake a visit to its hole?)
"I'm not in the mood"
He dropped his head on her shoulder as she laid on her back looking away. He had no choice but to relinquish his quest. He got up and pulled his t-shirt off the single couch next to the bed and slipped it on then grabbed his car keys. His disappointed self kissed her on the cheek and left to go get her food.
