"Tell me am a genius,'' Easineya said as soon as Nasilele who she had called over, shut the door to her office behind her.

''You are a genius?Why?''

''I think I have just figured out how you are going to get Lemba back.''

''I am all ears.''

''Get pregnant.''

''Brilliant plan.''

''You don't sound enthusiastic about it. I thought you would jump at the idea.''

''It has been two months plus since we broke up and another three before since he touched me,'' she said.''I don't see how great a plan that is.''

''That is because you didn't let me finish,'' she said opening her drawer, she took out two medical vial and placed it on the table.

''What's that?''

'' A philtre."

Nasilele gasped as she her friend's implications set in.

''I am a genius right?''

''Easi, he is your brother, we can't do that to him.''

''Do you or do you not want him back?''

''Of course, you know I love him and I want him back in my life.''

''So, it's settled.''

''It just seems extreme," she said, gnawing her bottom lip.

Easineya brushed her concern away with her hand.''You worry too much. Our goal is to get you and Lemba together forever and this is the best way. Now, how about that lunch cause am starving,'' she said grabbing her bag and leading the way out after shoving the vial in her bag.

***

At Teli's garden, thugs ran amok smashing the flowerpots to the concrete ground and destroying the plants; they pulled, stomped, and kicked at them. Others wielded sticks and metal rods which they used to smash the larger plants.

Teli's men stood huddled together in a corner nursing their wounds, fear marring their faces. They had tried to put up a fight against the dozen-plus men who had attacked them. Pitted against the thugs who thrived off the adrenaline, her workers had been no match and got swatted away like insects.

Teliwe on the other hand, too powerless to do anything, she could only resign herself to the hopeless situation before her and let the thugs do this their waste.

Turning away from the ugly scene, she tore the sleeves off her shirt and dabbed the blood off the wound on one of her men who had sustained a deep gash on his forehead during the brawl with the thugs.

In just under twenty minutes, there was nothing to show for the once prosperous garden, except for the wounds on her workers and the tears she frantically tried to blink away.

Sometime later, Chonta Chona and Edina, stepped over a thousand clay and concrete shards in the paved pathways. They found her a little later seated on the bench, the only thing that seemed to have survived the attack. She had dismissed the men for the day.

''Teli, are you okay? What happened?''Chonta asked taking a seat by her side.

''I have no idea aunt Chona, they just came from nowhere and vandalized the place.''

''This smells like the handwork of that Nsemiwe,'' Edina fumed.

''You have to call the police and report her.''

''With what evidence?'' she asked on a sigh and run a hand through her afro hair. She couldn't even summon tears to shed.

''At least they will launch an investigation,'' Chonta said.

Teli scoffed at the idea."They will come, ask a bunch of stupid questions any moron can ask after which they will just go file the paper till it turns yellow from age.''

''Poor thing. You don't have faith in anything do you?''Edina said rubbing her back.

''I will call them nevertheless,'' Chonta said taking out her phone to call the police.

''Teliwe, after this, there is no way you can continue staying here. You can stay with my family and I until the police have caught the thugs. Who knows what that sick woman might do next?''

''Thank you for the offer, but I will be okay,'' she said standing up and went into her chalet which hadn't been spared from the vandalism.

Two days later, on a Saturday, Easineya opened the door for Teliwe.

''Hi.Teli right?''

''Yes. You must be Easineya. I am here to see Mrs.Zimba.''

''Oh you just missed her but she was expecting you. Come in,'' she said opening the door wider.

''If it's okay with you, I will just wait for her in the garden.'

''Sure no problem,'' she said and asked her if she could offer her something to drink to which Teli shook her head and assured her she was okay. Easineya went back into the house where Nasilele sat worrying her hands.

''Who was that?''

''The landscaper. So are you ready?''

''Are you sure it's okay? Isn't it dangerous? What if he has a reaction."

''If it is which it isn't, he won't die if that's your worry,'' she told her.''I am not overdosing him or anything like that, so just chillax ok?" Easineya said laughing.

''If you say so,'' she mumbled."Where is he anyway?''

''In the study. Go to him already,'' she said pushing her out of the room. When Nasi left, she went to the kitchen, began to mix the fruit cocktails, and added the pills. She prayed all would work in their favour. She had picked on this day because Nasilele was ovulating. They only had one chance, they definitely could not pull the same trick twice.

***

''Hey,'' Nasilele said poking her head into the study where Lemba was working on the laptop.

''Nasi?"

''You are not working from the office today?''

''No, not today. Easi must be in her room.''

She cast him a sad smile.''It has come to that huh? You can't even hide your displeasure on seeing me.''

''Nasilele, listen, you are a great girl. I should know. I spent all my teenage years and the past five years of my Xbox adult life with you. It's just that we are no longer together and this desperate act you are putting on, is a turn-off.''

''I am just desperate fool in love.''

Lemba said nothing as the door opened and Easineya walked in carrying the tray with the drinks.

''Hey, you two. Did you get back together already?''

Lemba cast her a sharp look.

''Geez relax. Take a joke, will you? Here I mixed you your favourite punch.''

He got the drink, thanked her, closed the laptop, and left the room.

'''I best suggest you start undressing,'' Easi teased her friend.

''Very funny Easi,'' she said going to stand by the window.''The garden is coming up well. Your mother has exquisite taste.''

Easineya joined her and they both admired the beautiful view before them.

''She does, doesn't she? She has this gardener that is doing all this for her. She is good. My parents have taken a liking to her and I think they are a step from adopting her,'' she said chuckling thinking of how every five sentences that came from either of her parent's mouths had the name Teliwe in it.

''Really?''

Easineya nodded and turned to head to the desk just as Teliwe came within Nasilele’s view. Easineya turned alarmed when she heard her friend gasp in shock and the glass she had held in her hands dropped to the floor.

''Nasi, what's wrong?''

''Easi, no, it can't be,'' she said stepping away from the window.

''What is it?''

''It's her. That is your brothers Teli,'' she whispered dramatically looking over her shoulder, least Lemba heard them.

''That Teli? Are you sure?''

''You can't let them meet Easy. He can't even know that she is the one,'' she pleaded with her.

***

Easineya hurried urged her friend to head up to her brother's room positive that the drugs had already taken their effect on him and assured her she would take care of the Teli issue.

She went out and found Teli seated on a bench. She told her, her mother had just called and told her she wouldn't be able to make it, and had asked that Teli return another day. Teli left soon after.

In his room, true to her assumptions, the drugs were already taking their effect on Lemba no sooner had he finished the large glass of punch his sister had given him. He was disoriented and found himself fondling his private parts wanting to satisfy his sexual urge. When the door opened and Nasi walked in, unbuttoning her trench dress, revealing her next to nothing underwear, his sexual urge heightened a new high, he pulled her to him and kissed her as if his life depended on it. Nasilele responded wantonly matching his sexual urge.

Lemba led her to the bed and made wild love to her.