Edina was setting the scatter pillows back on the sofas after changing the covers when Easineya and Nasilele walked in. She was surprised to see the girl who she had last seen at the botched engagement party over two months back. Nasilele walked behind her friend. She looked like she had the whole world placed on her shoulders.

''Nasi ,hey. Come in. Honey, you should have told me you were bringing a guest over for dinner .''

''I hope it's not an inconvenience,'' she said worrying the straps of her bag.

'' What? No, come in, feel at home .''

'' Mum, is Lemba in?''

''He is in his room .''

''If it is okay with you,'' Nasilele spoke up. .''I would like to talk to him .''

''Oh. Is there a problem?'' Edina asked looking from one girl to the other.

Nasilele looked at her friend who nodded in encouragement.

''I want us to try and work things out," Nasilele said to her.

''Oh." Was all Edina could manage to say .She looked at her daughter with raised eyebrows.

''I love him,Mrs. Zimba .I am not ready to let him go- I never will be .''

To say Edina was taken aback was an understatement. Two months had passed and she had thought the girl had moved on just like her son had. Clearly, she hadn't.

''Isn't it great news mum?'' asked Easineya who seemed to be bursting at the seams with joy .She gave her friends hand a squeeze .''Finally. I don't know what got into both of them .Go on and talk to him,'' she urged her. " While you are up there, I will open this champagne. By the time you both come down, the champagne will be chilled and ready to celebrate the good news."

Edina watched her son's ex go up the stairs with worry. Easi on the other hand took out the champagne bottle from the bag she had come with and put it in the ice bucket to cool.

'' Easi, I don't think this is such a good idea .''

''Oh, mum, please. Lemba is still in love with her .''

'' And you know this how?''

Easineya told her mother about her brilliant plan on how she had set him up with a blind date and what the date had said. Edina shook her head at her.

'' What? It was a brilliant plan .Now we know he was just confused. He probably is beating himself up for letting such a great girl like Nasi go .''

'' Easi, yes your brother is in love but that woman is not Nasilele.''

The happy smile on her face curved in as she stared at her mother in panic and shock.

***

'' Please say something,'' Nasilele said anxiously as she stood in front of Lemba who sat on the oversized plaid vista lounge chair, his legs stretched out on the Ottoman with the laptop on his laps.

Lemba placed the papers he held in his hands on the table, took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead.

''Nasilele,'' he began. Nasi closed her eyes at the tone of regret in his voice, "I am sorry, but I am in love with someone else.''

'' Who?''she whispered even though she already knew the answer to that.

'' Her name is Teli .''

''Is she someone that I know?''

''No. We just met .''

''But you can't love her already. ''

''I do,'' he told her simply and honestly," I hope you can respect my decision .''

His reply was a huge blow to her heart. She blindly reached for the cream-white, upholstered storage bench that was at the end of the bed, and sat down.

''We should have never broken up Lemba. I still love you. Please take me back .''

Lemba swung his legs off the ottoman .''Nasi.''

''I can be the other woman, just take me back.''

Lemba went to sit by her side on the bench. He got her hand and looked up at her apologetically. ''Don't do this. We broke up because our relationship wasn't working. It would be ridiculous to go back.''

''But we can work things out.''

''Nasi..."

''I know you fell out of love with me years ago but you still stayed cause you cared enough and didn't want to hurt me. Stay with me Lemba. I have enough love for the two of us.''

Lemba withdrew his hands from hers.''I am sorry.'' He stood up and moved away from her.

***

In the early hours of Sunday when the town of Marshlands had gone to sleep, a tinted car pulled up on Atlantic Road. Along with the road women of all ages, from as young as twelve, stood dressed in skimpy and scandalous outfits that would give any one's grandmother from the village a heart attack.

The women and girls occasionally flashed their merchandize to the cars that sped by and approached those who sort their services.

Clere sat next to Detective Monde as the window of the car rolled down.

''That's the girl,'' Monde said to Clere and pointed to the girl who stood apart from the rest. She was dressed in spiked heels, red fishnets and a pair of leather hot pants with a black peacoat that hardly covered her bums .She was short, dark and wore heavy makeup. She chewed and blew on a bubble gum as she smoked a cigarette.

''How old is she?''

''Young enough .Fourteen.''

Clere guiltily looked away from the girl as the window was rolled up. Her conscious gnawed at her but she knew she couldn't go back, the girl was perfect for the job. It had taken two months for them to set everything in place .She shoved her guilt at the back of her mind.

The driver pulled away from the curb and onto the road. The further they got from Atlantic Road and its hub of nightly activities, the lesser guilt she felt .She trusted Monde and hoped that he would make sure no harm would come to the girl during the operation.

***

Arms akimbo, Pumulo stood at the head of the dining table frowning at his wife.

''You knew what you were getting into Nsemiwe, don't play victim," he said dryly. He reached for the jar of juice and poured himself a glass and sipped from the glass,''If you dare hurt Teli, i n any way, you will be sorry.''

''I will not be pushed aside for some nobody.''

He rubbed at the bridge of his nose as he felt an onslaught of an incoming headache.

This had become a routine now. To fight none stop about Teliwe. She was out there minding her own business and yet here was his wife, the one who had come between them acting all paranoid. Nsemiwe picked up a fight about her whenever and wherever she wanted. At the moment her chosen place for their marital drama was the breakfast table. The others had made themselves scarce no sooner had the drama began leaving him with just his mother.

Pumulo looked at his mother who looked liked she had aged in just a few days since they had moved in. He looked away refusing to feel sorry for her she was responsible for this mess and they would suffer through it together.

''That nobody as you want to call her, is the woman I was dating and in love with, till you came along with your stupid schemes,'' he calmly told her as he gulped his juice down. He picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.'' I am not joking about here.''

He put the napkin back on the table and headed out.

''Whatever !''she yelled at his retreating back.''He is going to see her right?''

Sibeso sighed .''Paranoia will get you nowhere .''

''I will not let him make a fool of me.''

''I doubt you would,''she commented dryly. ''Nsemiwe, I know Teli. She is a decent girl .She would never stoop low as to get another woman's husband. Pumulo only went there to exonerate himself- he owed her that much at least.''

''Oh, I see what is going on here now. You are encouraging this thing right?''

''Don't be such a drama queen.''

''Am I?''

''Yes!'' Sibeso yelled exasperated .She rubbed her forehead and silently prayed for patience. ''Nsemiwe, it would have been best if you had just stayed in South Africa. I could have figured out something to tell Teli. All this drama and pain would have been avoided.''

Nsemiwe scoffed at her.

Sibeso continued,''You know, Teli meant the world to him''

''I am his wife.''

''You coaxed him into this marriage.''

''I didn't see either of you protesting,'' she smirked.

Sibeso looked at the young girl before her for a long time. The girl was right. They had willing accepted her money. ''Pumulo is loyal and he will stay faithful to you because that is how I raised him. Teli was someone special to him, you just can't expect him to turn off his feelings for her cause he's with you. I f you push him too far, you might just lose him .''

''You can't both afford to lose me.''

''Your money against my son's peace of mind -oh I guess I can,''she said and left the table .Nsemiwe grabbed the bread knife and jammed it into the butter.

***

''It's a joke right?'' Easineya said to Lemba as they stood in his bedroom. She was already dressed for his birthday party while he stood before her still in his sleep in tee shirt and pyjama slacks. ''You can't be really serious about this-Teli woman!"She spat the same as if it left a sour taste in her mouth.

After Nasi had left broken-hearted and in tears, she had confronted her brother who told her he had already met someone else. She had been appalled and they had exchanged some angry words. It had taken their parents to put the row to an end. The night had passed, morning had come and the horrid reality was still there.

''I am''

''No. But what about you and Nasi?"

''Sis. There is no Nasi and I. We are done."

''She loves you.''

''But I don't''

''No. You can't mean that. You and Nasi have history. You can't just throw it away .''

''Easi, I know you and Nancy are best friends but I would be grateful if you stayed out of this.''

''How can you throw all that you two have for some stranger?''

''Teli is the woman I have chosen and I am going to do all I can to find her.''

''Chasing after a wild dream when you have a good thing going on with a good woman.''

''I was actually hoping the two of you would get along.''

"Get along with who? You are joking right? And where would that leave Nasi? She and I have been friends since forever. She is more of a sister than a friend. How can you expect me to befriend that- Teli woman at the expense of my friend?''

''All my life, I have never asked anything of you-this is all I ask.''

''You have lost it. Lemba, go back to Nasi please.''

Lemba shook his head at her.She glared at him before matching out of his room.