BAROTSE PLAINS HOTEL

At the sound of the light knock on the door,Nacilele Nyambe turned away from the window where she had been standing and staring out for the past forty-five minutes.All afternoon she had done nothing but pace,peep at the screen of her phone and check the car park below.

But her phone never rang.Nor did he come by in his sleek black Celica to tell her that he had changed his mind,that he still loved her and the engagement was still on.

She had hoped as the days drew closer to the set date for their engagement party that the nightmare would be over.

When days turned into weeks and there was still no word from him;both fear and hope had overwhelmed her.

She needed him to change his mind because she couldn't live without him.Her body and mind had refused to do anything other than hope and wait while the cynical voice at the back of her mind had had a good laugh at her expense.

On the fifth knock,she answered in a strong voice that was a contrast to how she was feeling inside.The door opened and Lemba Zimba walked in.He stood tall and confident at the entrance,making her heart swell.

"Hey."

"Hey,are you okay?You don't look so good."

"I…am fine.Don't mind me."

"If you are not up to it,they will understand."

"And what will it solve?Nothing.It's better we get it over with,"she said quietly going to get her purse.

He nodded saying nothing.She came round the desk and stood in front of him.He was as handsome as he was mysterious and that was what she loved about him.

"You look well,"she said barely hiding the traces of bitterness in her voice.It hurt her that he seemed to have moved on just fine while she was barely holding on.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be.It is what it is.Shall we?"

Nodding,she threw him a tight smile and walked out first.With her back to him,a lone tear fell down her face.

***

Forty-five-year-old Ian Anderson disrobed his stout and hairy body from the hotel bathrobe,flipped back the sheets and duvet and made himself comfortable on the honeymoon suites king size bed.He reached for his glass of whiskey malt on the bedside table and pat the vacant side of the bed and looked up at his companion.

"Are you going to join me or what?"he asked in his lazy and heavy British accent,"I don't know about you but I haven't got the night."

Clere Benedict stood at the edge of the bed looking down.She tried but failed to pull the skimpy white nightgown around her.Tears stung behind her eyes.She wanted to run away and put an end to the nightmare but doing so meant abandoning her mission.

"Maybe,we need a little motivation?"Ian taunted his young companion.

He reached for the top drawer on the bedside table and pulled out a black folder with gold inscriptions.She followed his every movement under her blonde bangs.

Benedict holdings.

"Is this motivation enough?"

The moment of truth.

To stay or to go.

Surely,her parents would understand if she didn't go through with this.For eighteen years they had brought her up to be God-fearing and value her body.Everything that she would throw away tonight.

"If you are not ready.I can live without all this,"he said his eyes roaming her virginal body in lust,he began to fondle himself,a wicked smile on his face,"But the question is can you?"

She looked up at him sharply.Her green-eyes blazing with fire.

Ian put the folder behind her pillow,"I will just leave this here.I am sure it is the motivation you need to do your part."

Clere reached for the crucifix around her neck and squeezed it tight,tears rolling down her flawless face.

She wanted to run away and shove his blackmail where the sun did not shine,but a part of her knew the guilt would kill her each time she saw her depressed and wheelchair-bound father.

And the bastard knew that.

"Look,"Ian spoke in her ear.Clere shivered both from disgust and fear.Lost in her sorrows,she had not heard him cross the room to her.Ian ran his large hands across her arm,his voice hot on her skin.She took a step back and he followed suit till he had her backed to the wall,"Think of it as doing a greater good for your family.Your body-is what's going to save your family,"he said as his mouth assaulted hers and tore the gown into two.

***

Teliwe Sindaza walked with a skip to her step down the hotel's corridors.In love and the world for her to conquer,the teenager smiled widely as she neared her destination.She stopped in front of the mirror,two doors down to her number.

The clothes on her slender figure-fit her just fine,she assured herself.She wore a skinny jean and a white t-shirt;the name of her company printed on the back,in bold and black.She had been on the way home from work when Pumulo had texted her that he was back in the country.

She had been working three blocks down and had decided to come to see him instead of wait for him to visit her as his text had promised.

A quick splash of water on her face and a run-through of fingers through her shaggy Afro hair was good enough for her.

She had not seen Pumulo for over four months now.Her excitement could hardly be contained.

Shifting positions of her purse,she rushed towards the room.The door was slightly open,carrying soft jazz music to her.

She pushed the door and stepped in.The room was dark,save for a ray of light that seeped through the closed door of the bedroom.She reached for the switch with no problem.

She had been here many times to see Pumulo.

The light brought the room to life.A woman's dress hang carelessly over the lounge sofa as if done in a couples heated moment where they couldn't undress fast enough.

Two champagne flutes sat side by side on the coffee table,one smeared with lipstick besides it,a mans watch.

Teliwe stood transfixed her mind refusing to process what she was seeing just as a woman's sultry laughter carried to her from the bedroom.

"Oh yesyes ohyes,"she moaned out and sighed,"Pumulo you are just the best."

"PuPumulo?"Teliwe called out timidly.This couldn't be happening.She slowly walked to the door when all she wanted was to run away and forget the whole episode.She could just pretend it never happened.But her feet,out of their own accord pushed her towards the bedroom of the suite

Slowly she turned the knob.

In that instant,her world came crashing down.Her Pumulo sat naked massaging the back of an equally naked woman who continued to moan.

Teliwe gasped in shock alerting them to her presence.Pumulo looked up.Shock and disgust on his face.He pulled his hands away from the woman's back as if he had just touched hot coal.

"Teliwemy love,it's not what it looks like,"he said shaking his head.He grabbed a sheet to cover himself.

The woman looked from Teliwe to Pumulo amused.

"Pumulo?What's going on here?"

"Pumulo,"the woman spoke up irritated,"Tell your little friend to leave before I call security on her;she is trespassing."

"Not now Nsemiwe,"he growled at her as he walked to Teliwe,"Teliwe,let's talk calmly.Let's talk in the lounge."

A teary Teliwe charged at him hitting him with her purse,"Bastard!You lying pig!!!How could you do this to me?"

"I'm sorry Teli.I'm sorry,"

"Hey!Enough.Take your filthy paws off my husband,"Nsemiwe yelled.

Pumulo turned and glared at Nsemiwe who cast him an'I dare you look'before she shrugged her shoulders.

Teliwe slowly shook her head in,her eyes silently pleading with the woman to take back the words that would forever change her life

.