Forks And Knives – Episode 22

FORKS AND KNIVES
Episode 22
A story by Kennedy C Katongo
(unedited)
∆ ANOTHER LOVE STORY – P.2 ∆
For Mambwe, it was a job well done as he phoned his young brother to tip him on how things had unfolded at the mall. Despite him knowing more about her already, Mambwe was being patient with her and believed that with time, she would open up to him and confide in him about things in her life – mostly were the baby was concerned.
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When Mambwe arrived home later that day, he found his sister, April. She had come to visit after causing a lot of drama at the boarding house with her ex-boyfriend who kept coming around. Not that they met, just that he had become noticeable by all the ladies who stayed there which was irritating and annoying.
“What’s with the happy face?” She asked Mambwe. He had just walked into the study room after changing his clothes.
“Yo! You almost gave me a heart attack. What are you doing here?” He asked her. One hand was on his chest, he could feel his heartbeat hit the roof.
“Huh, last I checked I still live here. Enough of the weird questions. What happened with you?” April asked with a smile, “Come on bro. Spill the beans.” She added excitedly.
“Chill. I met up with this lady, we had a small talk. She was amazing. We synched I tell you.” He said as he took a seat.
April was silent. In her mind – she played back every single word that Mambwe had said. After that, she snapped out of it; “Wait, did you just say you met a girl?” She asked him, from the sound of her voice and the look on her face it was obvious she was astonished.
“Don’t give me that look. Ain’t I human?” Mambwe posed a question as he began to look for a book he had hidden in one of the drawers.
“Well, that’s the same question my friends have been asking me.” She giggled.
As the two of them were talking, the third member of the team walked in. “What have I missed?” Malumbo asked. In his hands was a box of pizza.
“Which one are you… The delivery man or the gossiper?” Mambwe asked him.
“Ha-ha. Very funny. So what happened, did you see her?” Malumbo asked.
“What!” April exclaimed, “So Malumbo you knew about this and couldn’t even update me… Not even a text sure…” She nagged.
“Eish, sorry I forgot. Besides the matter was classified. I’ve heard your boyfriend has been visiting a lot of late – trying to prove his love huh.” Malumbo said with a wicked look on his face.
“So it’s that ka ski-ny girl that told you. I knew she had a thing for you. Before we go any further, when did you get her number?” April asked Malumbo.
Instead of answering her, he avoided the question by asking Mambwe what he was looking for.
“I had hidden a book down here but I can’t find it.” Mambwe responded.
“What book? The one with a black cover of two people looking at each other?” April asked.
“Yes. Yes. That same one, were is it?”
“I lent it to my friend. She really wanted to read it.” She told him.
“I see, and how did your friend know that I had that book?” Mambwe asked her.
“Well, shes just like you. She loves reading books and I told her that Kennedy C Katongo was also one of your favourite writers.” April smiled.
“You talking about ‘Perfect Stranger’ right? Come on bro, that wasn’t hiding. It’s like you placed the book in the wrong drawer. Am sure mum is the one that put it back on the shelf.” Malumbo added.
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Tandiwe’s day hadn’t ended well. Jeff and herself went through a heating argument that led them to say a lot of hurtful things to each other. Jeff was just one of her concerns, her baby daddy was also on a mission of finding out whom the guy she had left Debonairs with was… From time to time he kept calling her asking were she was and whom she was with.
At home, Peter wanted the attention, he kept jumping around and throwing himself on her laps happily. After all, it had been a long day without mum.
“You seem destructed. Is everything okay?” He mum asked as she joined them in the living room. Tandiwe’s sister was seated on the carpet as she watched Twist Of Fate.
“I don’t know. I just had a big argument with Jeff.” She responded.
“What were you two arguing about?” Her mum asked. She was always the prying type.
“I was with his phone when a girl he has saved as Brown Skin Girl texted him saying she wanted to meet up with him. I then checked were the conversation had started from and I didn’t like it. I confronted him about it and we differed. Later in the day, Mambwe came to see me at work and when Jeff saw that – he threw a tantrum at me as well.” Tandiwe said in her low depressed voice as she explained to her mother.
All all the things that she had said, her mum just dropped on one line, “Who is Mambwe?” She asked.
“His a guy I bumped into at the bank some month ago. He followed me in an attempt to talk to me, it didn’t work and then I met him at the hospital were we had gone to visit Jeff’s friend. He bought me a drink and that’s that.” She said, but her mother could notice how her face glowed the moment she began talking about Mambwe.
“Is that everything?” She asked.
“Well, not everything. I met him at Society Business Mall, he was drunk. I don’t know if he was drunk or pretending to be drunk – I mean his clothes smelt great.” She said while covering her face. Her younger sister turned around just to get a glimpse of the one who had been shot with the arrow of love.
The house hit up with questions about Mambwe and why she kept messing with Jeff if she knew that they were just friends and nothing more.
“You better make up your mind. It feels good to be wanted by many men, but it’s important that you find someone who appreciates you. Others guys start to run away.” Her mother told her as she left the living room.
“Don’t look at me like that… I haven’t said anything.” Her little sister said as she laughed.
“Shut up.” Tandiwe said as she rolled her tongue out. Peter was still busy jumping up and down. Looking at the situation, she thought telling her mum about baby daddy was a bad idea. After all, she was already mad about her daughter playing bestie with a man who liked her.
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“What else did you talk about?” Malumbo asked his brother.
“That was all. She was working and her lunch break was over. So she had to go.”
“What, you really need to improve on your skill of holding conversations.” The young brother nagged.
“I think I did pretty well. I managed to have her laughing as we spoke.” Mambwe said. April had gone out to make a phone call, Mambwe had demanded that the book be returned. The wh0le this was a way of April hooking up her brother with one of her friends who seemed to be obsessed with him.
But with the look of things, her plans weren’t going to work.
“I told you not to do it.” Malumbo whispered.
“Don’t even start. You knew his seeing someone and you didn’t even bother to say something.” April said as she showed Malumbo a fist.
“It just happened so fast. One minute she’s turning him down and the next minute they talking. You know how these things are.” Malumbo said.
The pizza was warmed and the three of them began eating as they both faced there phones tagging each other in funny videos and memes.
“My friend really wanted to meet you. Maybe you can drive her home…” April suggested.
“You know I can’t go out with your friends. They might like me… But I just don’t think it’s my thing. I can’t have you talking about me with your friends.” Mambwe jumped in as he enjoyed his slice of pizza.
“What, what makes you think we will be talking about you?” April asked with a grin.
“If you talk about me with Malumbo. What makes you think you won’t talk about me with your own friend? First it’s which on exactly?” Mambwe asked thoughtfully.
“The only one who seems at ease with you. You know. The one that talks to you when she’s hear most of the time.” April hinted.
“The one Malumbo says has chocolate skin? That one likes me?” Mambwe asked as he began to laugh. He laughed because from his point of view he considered her to be young for dating. Malumbo just looked at him and shook his head.
To be continued.