BENEDICT RESIDENCE

The melodious voice of Charlotte Benedict who sang along to the Christmas carols on the radio,welcomed Clere as she walked into the dining room,stifling a yawn.Clere wore a brown polo neck and a pair of blue skinny jeans.

"Mum.Good morning."

Charlotte Benedict looked up from her task.Her eyes shone with warmth and her cheeks were rosy.She had wrapped her cropped blonde hair in a light scarf.Cleres heart filled with warmth at the sight.Despite everything they were going through,her mother always found a way to liven the mood.

"Good morning my love.Slept well?"

She nodded to her query and pulled a chair to sit.The less said about her night shenanigans,the better.

"Isn't it too hot for your outfit?"Charlotte queried.It was almost thirty degrees even though it was just half-past seven in the morning.

Clere guiltily looked at her top then cast her mother a smile as she reached for a slice of bread and nibbled on it.There was no way she would ever let her parents discover the hickeys on her body."Is it?I think am coming down with something.I feel cold."

Charlotte looked at her with worry before she could say anything,Clere assured her it was nothing serious.All the while,Clere avoided looking at her mother both out of guilt and shame.Clearing her throat,she changed the subject."Where is dad?"

Charlotte who was about to pour a cup of tea for her daughter paused and looked towards the study.Worry lines marring her smooth beautiful face.

"Mum?"

"He's been cooped up in there for a while,"she said quietly"I really wish this nightmare would be over already.I don't think your father can take any more disappointments."

The study doors opened and a wheelchair-bound man rolled out.He looked up at his family his face firmly set and unreadable.

Clere pushed her chair back and stood up.Her heart beat wildly in her chest.Though her father's impassive face gave her little room to read his emotions,she had an inkling of what he was about to say.

"What did that demon want?"Charlotte queried worriedly.

"I don't know whether to laugh,cry or jump with joy,"Bernard Benedict said looking up at both of them.He ran his hand through his thin blonde hair that resembled Clere's."Ian just gave up the company.He will give back what he stole from us."

"Bern?Does it mean we can finally have our lives back?"Charlotte asked him,hope mixed with fear,her breath held.How many times had he said that only for him to humiliate them?She dared not hope again.

Bernard nodded,"He seemed genuine this time around."

Charlotte turned to her daughter,"Oh honey,isn't this great news?"

Clere squeezed her mother's hand."It is mum."

"Finally,the Lord has answered our prayers,"Charlotte continued and went to hug her husband.

"He wants all of us to be there at the handover,"he told them.

"Sure.I will just go and change,"Clere said as she left the room.

"You should.I will go and help your father,"Charlotte said reaching for the wheelchair to push her husband."And Clere?"Charlotte called her as she headed for the stairs.

"Yes,mum?"

Charlotte looked at her with a frown."The weather is said to get hotter as the day Progress's;please wear something light."

Clere nodded and headed up all the while deep in thought.

Soon enough,Ian,today is just the beginning of your end.

***

BAROTSE PLAINS HOTEL

Teliwe stretched luxuriously on the hotel's kingsize bed.The mid-morning light that seeped through the partially closed curtains warmed her body.She sat up and stared at the space next to her.

The stranger lay naked and in deep slumber.She too would have loved to sleep in but her internal clock had other ideas.Flashes of the previous night flooded her sleep fogged mind.Teliwe smiled shyly and covered her face.

After he had hugged her as she cried over Pumulo,she had found herself kissing him.

He had been taken aback by her unabashed move.He had apologized and made to leave.But Teliwe had held his hand tight and kissed him again.

"Listen,"he had begun,breaking the kiss his head resting on her forehead."You are drunk,as much as my body wants you.I can't do this when you are not yourself."

"Yes,I am drunk,"she told him boldly,"But not enough to not know where my head is at."

She may have drunk half of the bars alcohol content with the intent to forget but that never happened.With each glass,she had downed,her mind had become clearer.Her mind was determined to torture her with the hurtful reality.

"We don't know each other.After tonight,we will probably never see each other again."

That was true.Maybe if they had met under different circumstances they could have tried to date.Unless he was married.But she dared not ask.She couldn't bear to think the only second man she had been attracted to was taken as well.To her relief,he had laughed when she had asked and assured her he wasn't.

She had not wanted to be alone.She felt empty inside,she told him,she just wanted to feel loved and needed,even if it was for just one night and with a stranger.

He had stared at her incredulously for a while to a point she had begun to feel her just found boldness begin to slip.

"No regrets?"he finally spoke up.

"No regrets,"she had answered meaning it.

Teliwe shook her head to dispel her wild acts of the previous night.She reached out to trace her fingers along his ripped torso but pulled back her hand at the last minute.

She slid out of bed,took a quick shower and dressed up all the while being as quiet as possible.

She had no idea if she could resist repeating the acts of the previous night if her handsome stranger woke up.

She had been bold thanks to the alcohol and anger and the proof of her rash decision was somewhere on the bed.But now she had no idea how she would react.Of course,she regretted nothing.Even though it was far from how she had imagined her first time would be,it had been the best night of her life if she was honest enough.

She grabbed a sticky note from the side table,scribbled on it and stuck it on his forehead.

"Yes,Teli,"she murmured and sighed as she watched over him at the edge of the bed,"No regrets."

She walked out closing the door behind her quietly.

***

Nsemiwe stood at the bar mixing a glass of cocktails when Pumulo still in the previous day's clothes walked in.

"You finally came back."

Pumulo walked past her to the bedroom.She followed him.

"Would you prefer that I didn't come back?"he sat on the bed to take off his shoes.

"Were you with her?"

"Don't you think that it was time you reduced on your alcohol intake?It is not good for the baby."

She scoffed at him gulping down the glass.

Pumulo chuckled in disbelief."You take crazy to the next level."

"Answer me.Where did you spend the night?Where you with that slut?Did you have a good time making a fool of me?Answer me!!"

He looked at her bored as she glared at him.

"I will go take a hot shower and try to get some sleep after.Do you think maybe you could tone down the crazy a little bit?Ummm"

Nsemiwe did not appreciate the mocking tone nor the amusement she saw in his eyes.To her,that translated to confirmation of her suspicions.

"You were with her weren't you?"

Pumulo shook his head at her and headed into the bathroom.Nsemiwe hurled her empty glass at the closed doors,huffing and puffing as the glass broke into dozen pieces.

***

Lemba woke up to the sharp shrill of the telephone and an animal printed sticky note obstructing his vision.It took him a while to register his surroundings.He sat up puzzled by the paper on his forehead.He pulled it as he reached for the landlines receiver.

The pleasant hotel receptionist informed him she had been instructed to wake him up at that very time by his lady friend on her way out.

He hang up and turned the paper around.

Thank you,Teli.

Lemba sighed and leaned back against the headboard.He cast a glance at where she had slept.It was cold like she had never been there,it all could have passed for a dream,however,the crimson stains on the sheets were evidence enough that last night had all been real.

"No regrets,'he murmured,reaching for her pillow.It smelled like her.

The night had been incredible.The best.No expectations of any kind but just two consenting adults using each other's bodies to escape their realities.

Lemba recalled making love to her all night till dawn.On the bed in the shower on the sofa and back to the bed.

He had later watched over her as she slept with her head on his chest.Sleeping,she looked at peace.No one could have known the torment that her heart was going through.But he knew and wished he could always protect her and never let her hurt again.

But now,she was gone.

"No regrets Lemba.No regrets,"he told himself his eyes fixed on the note she had left behind

.