Forks and Knives – Episode 7

FORKS AND KNIVES – Episode 7
A story by Kennedy C Katongo
BAD DECISIONS – 2
“If you talk every second of the day and text each other almost every minute. It’s very much possible to fall in love within a week.” He explained. ‘Busy sounding smart but he couldn’t even put on a c-ndom that was in his pocket.’ Malumbo shook his head in disbelief.
“So what do you plan on doing now… I’ve advised that you tell you girl the truth. She will get mad, hit you and maybe insult you if that’s possible. At the end of it all she will move on. That’s my point.” Malumbo said.
“I get where you are coming from. But man this is hærd for me. I will tell her but not right now. Maybe later on…” He suggested.
Malumbo could tell how lost his friend was and making a decision which landed him into a place of having to choose between the two ladies wasn’t easy at all.
“We’ve spoken a lot about my problems. Talk to me, how’s that young lady you introduced me to last time we met.” Roderick asked his friend.
“Which one? The African chocolate?” Malumbo giggled.
“What! You still give girls nicknames – that’s just so wrong man. Yes that same one.” He pressed on.
“We don’t talk. I blocked her and stuff.”
“Did something happen or you went digging again and found out she’s married?…” Roderick said jokingly. This was his way of getting back to Malumbo for his sassy comments.
“Not even that. Everything was smooth man. Like you saw us last time, we met for movies, chills and the like. Then one morning I just got a text from her saying she was getting back with her ex-boyfriend. I went crazy, I called her but she couldn’t respond at all.” Malumbo explained, a long sad face came upon him like a mask.
“I don’t get it. She goes out with you, asks you for money and what not. Bro you even paid her rentals and then she tells you she’s gotten back with her ex! Damn. That’s a bullet to the heart.” Exclaimed Roderick.
“These girls ain’t loyal. And everything was moving just fine and then out of the blues, she was like am back with my ex. We were talking and trying to work things out – so I gave him a chance… I would appreciate if we can be just friends.” Malumbo continued explaining to his friend.
“Has she ever seen a male friend who pays rentals for a female friend?. Besides what makes her think you want to be her friend? That’s her way of still wanting to have access to your money.” Roderick said strongly.
“I told her off bro. I don’t have time to make friends. I already have a lot of friends, I don’t need more of them.” Malumbo said with a sad face.
For him, it wasn’t much of a big deal that the young lady had used him. What offended him was the fact that she had to go back to her crazy abusive ex-boyfriend .At least that’s what she told him.
“Am sure you will find someone.” Roderick smiled.
“I don’t want to find someone else. I just wanted her. That girl gave me sleepless nights and then she ditched me for her ex. Girls don’t know what they want at times.” Malumbo said as he began cleaning his hands. He had just finished his last slice of pizza.
∆°°°°°∆°°°°°∆°°°°°∆
“Tandiwe!” Her mum called out. She had just gotten back home from a long day at work.
“Just a moment mum…” She responded.
Tandiwe was the second born from a family of three. Her dad passed on when she was 15years which left her mum to be the man of the house. Their first born was married and now lived in the Copperbelt. This left Tandiwe and her younger sister at home.
When the news of Tandiwe getting pregnant came out, her mother was broken. She always wanted all her daughters to wed properly in church. Tandiwe had to travel to her sister’s place because her mum didn’t want her anymore. In her exact words, “I raised you better than this.” She would shout.
However, a few months later she came down and Tandiwe returned to stay with her. Her ex-boyfriend – denied being the father of the child at all costs. This on turn made Tandiwe’s mother to go to the court and have a paper signed that restricted him from seeing or meeting the baby till the age of 10.
Even though they did that, Tandiwe’s ex-boyfriend never showed up to see the child not even once. A year after the baby was born, news spread around that he had gotten married somewhere in Kafue.
“Mum what time did Peter sleep?” She asked as she walked into the Kitchen.
“He slept around 19 hours. Your sister kept making him run around… They were playing tag.” She responded.
“That’s interesting. Am sorry am late I had to do something in town and when I got to the station there were no buses so we had to line up.” She explained.
Peter spent most of his time with Tandiwe’s sister who loved telling people he was her child. She had just finished her secondary education and was now seating for GCE to write Maths and Science. She adored Peter alot, their mum wasn’t always home because she had a job.
With Tandiwe’s monthly payment, she was able to help out at home and also pay her sister for baby sitting Peter.
“How’s that handsome friend of yours?” Her mum asked referring to Jeff.
“Mum – you need to stop asking about Jeff. His just a friend.” She giggled.
“You say his just a friend. I’ve been single for a long time but I still know how it looks like when a guy has a crush on a girl. Have you seen the way he looks at you?” She asked her daughter.
“Mum!” She exclaimed, “That’s way to much information.” She laughed.
“Am just telling you the truth. His a good boy I like him. Besides his always there for you, Peter likes him – the two of them are a team.” She said as she highlighted.
“Jeff is a good guy. But his not my type of a man. Besides I know his behavior.” Tandiwe said. In her hand was a knife and a bunch of vegetables that she was about to start cooking.
“You know there is nothing wrong with dating right? Just because you have a baby doesn’t mean your life is trapped. You still young.” Her mother said.
“I know all that mum. Am just not ready for a relationsh¡p. I want to focus on my baby boy. If I find someone I like, I will let you know. But you really need to stop asking me about it every day…” She smiled.
“Am just worried baby. I wouldn’t want you to become a l-sbian because of male-phobia.” She said as she walked to the living room.
Tandiwe and her family stayed in Ng’ombe area of Lusaka. This meant she was always on a bus heading to work on a daily basis.
Her mum who almost killed her after she got pregnant was now worried for her, it had been three years since Peter was born and not even once had she heard her daughter talk about dating.
Her mum told her how important it was for her son to grow up having a father figure in his life.
Since Jeff was the only guy she was mostly found with whom the family knew, her mum began asking questions to see if there was something more than friendsh¡p between the two of them.
“Mum! I think there is some guy stalking me.” Tandiwe shouted from the kitchen.
“You don’t have to shout. You are going to wake up the baby.” Her mum whispered, “what makes you think his stalking you?” She asked.
“Well, he followed me up at the bank and asked for my name. I didn’t tell him, I actually called him a pervert.” She laughed.
“And that makes you think his following you?” Her mum asked.
“Well not that. Today when I returned to work from town, Just when I moved out of the dresser… I saw him enter the shop. He it was like he has seen me while I walking in. So I waited for him to leave.” Tandiwe explained.
“You are a weird girl. Your friends are running for men and you are running away from men.” Her mum said jokingly.
“Mum! Come on – what if his a killer or something worse. I don’t want to be used for rituals.” She laughed.
To be continued.