Sequence 30..
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Mattie guessed who was here as soon as she heard the knock at the door. Sure enough it was her mother and Christina standing at the door.
Her mother had called her earlier that morning informing her that she and Christina were on there to Lusaka and would be spending the night in her house they had come to Check out Christina’s wedding venue.
‘Come inside,’ she smiled stepping aside to let them in.
They walked in and threw themselves on the sofa.
She closed the door behind her and joined them in the living room.
‘Let me take your bags to the bedroom,’ she said
Her mother managed a smile and handed her the bag. She headed to the spare room and put their bags on the table before going back to the living room, it was a Friday and she had given herself a day off.
‘What can I offer you?’ she asked
‘Just water,’ her mother responded
‘And you?’
‘Do you have wine?’ Christina asked
‘Yes.’
‘Then that will do,’ she smiled
She disappeared into the kitchen where she opened the fridge and took out a bottle of wine and got a glass out of the cabinet and poured a large glass, she reached into another glass and poured some water into it.
She placed the glasses on the tray and walked back into the living room then she put the tray on the table.
‘Thank you.’
‘You are welcome.’
‘So how are the wedding preparations coming about?’ She asked Christina.
‘So far so good,’ she said taking a sip of her wine.
‘That’s nice.’
‘So mum says you have a man in your life,’ she said ‘Yes,’ she lied
‘Congratulations,’ she narrowed her eyes at her to see if she was catching her in a mocking tone.
‘Thank you,’ she said
Her mother cleared her throat,’ So this man where is he from?’ ‘Around.’
‘I would like to meet him tonight, let’s say dinner.’
‘Tonight?’ Mattie felt her legs go weak, why would she put her on the spotlight like this.
‘Yes or is he too busy to meet up with me?’She asked with a teasing smile.
‘No,’ she shook her head.
‘Mother is hoping he can quickly marry you before my wedding,’ Christina burst out laughing.
‘Well I don’t think he would have an issue with meeting me well unless he doesn’t exist.’
‘Mum…,’ she tried to respond but was cut off by her mother’s laughter. ‘What?’
‘I hope this man isn’t just a figment of your imagination.’
Mattie’s face fell as her mother kept talking, how was she supposed to tell her mother there was no man in life well except Chard and the two were just friends. ‘So?’
She swallowed hard and responded, ‘I will call him and find out if he can make it.’ ‘Finally.’
‘Should I get you guys anything to eat,’ she asked trying to change the topic.
‘Nop don’t bother yourself we should be heading out soon, Jericho is picking us up
in the next twenty minutes or so.’
‘Okay.’
‘And least I forget, the ladies in your sister’s committee will be meeting from here
you will be in charge of that committee.’
‘And you are only telling me now?’
‘Do you have a problem with hosting the committee?’ she asked ‘No mother but I should have been told earlier.’
‘Mattie, it’s not Christina’s fault that you haven’t found a husband, the least you can do is be supportive your time might come too.’
‘Why must it always come down to this?’ Mattie snapped at her mother ‘What?’
‘What makes you think I am jealous of her?’
‘Mattie, Christina is a baby compared to you look at how much she has achieved and yet you are still stuck in the same place.’ Mattie shook her head, ‘I am not stuck.’
‘Single at thirty four, you will be thirty five in a few months time, the clock is ticking can’t you hear it?’
‘Mum please, you didn’t come here just to harass me.’
‘Oh now because we are in your house I am not allowed to air out my views?’
Mattie was about to respond when a knock sounded at the door.
‘That must be Jericho,’ Christina stood up and walked towards the door. She came back a few minutes later,’ Mother,’ let’s get going
‘‘We are going to be out almost the whole day but we will be in time for dinner to meet your man,’ her mother said before she stood up.
Mattie made no reply she walked them to the door and closed it after they were gone.
Mattie picked up her phone and nervously dialed Chard’s number. The phone rang and he picked up almost immediately.
‘My woman,’ he said on the other end of the line ‘Hey.’
‘Are you enjoying your day off?’
‘Yes.’
‘I envy you, my day has been hectic.’
‘So I was wondering if you can help me with something.’ ‘Okay?’
She swallowed and took a deep breath, ‘I was wondering if you could pretend to be
my boyfriend just for this night.’
‘Oh.’
‘I know this is really weird but I told mum I was seeing someone and she wants me to ‘him’ for dinner.’
Chard laughed, ‘Where is your mum?’
‘She is spending the night here.’
‘Okay.’
‘Okay what?’
‘I’ll do it.’
‘You will?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Thank you,’ she said excitedly
‘But it’s gonna cost you.’
‘What will it cost me?’
‘You will see,’ he laughed
‘So dinner is at 8 pm and be smartly dressed.’ ‘Whatever.’
‘I owe you one.’
‘Anytime.’
She cut the call and placed her phone back on the couch, this was supposed to be her day to rest but instead her mother had to pop up and mess it up for her. *****
Zita slipped past the living room and made her way to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, she took out a packet of meat and chopped it then she mixed it with an array of spices afterwards she put it on a pan, placed it in the oven and set it on high. Zita then opened the cabinet and pulled out a plastic of rice. She washed a cup of rice before settling it to boil on the stove.
She poured herself a glass of wine as she waited; hoping Thomas wouldn’t come home before she was done.
When she was finally done with her cooking, she started setting the table.
‘Zita I’m home.
Right on time, she thought as she rushed out to meet him.
‘How was your day?’ she asked
‘I had a great day, I went to check out the new house and I love it.’
‘Oh.’
‘Yes.’
‘Dinner is ready.’
‘Okay,’ she led him to the table, he sat down and waited for her to finish setting the table, afterwards she dished up for him.
Thomas was unusually quiet as he ate his food. His mind was focused on Mattie, he hoped the plan to get her was going to work, she was the love of his life she was the only woman who made him whole. He wanted to marry her as soon as he could, he wanted a big wedding. He wanted to watch her walk down the aisle in her ball gown white dress; he wanted flowers and a cake.
‘You are quiet and you’ve hardly touched your food,’ she said ‘I just have a lot on my mind,’ he said ‘About?’
‘Mattie,’ his face beamed with excitement just at the mention of her name.
She frowned, ‘When will you realize that Mattie doesn’t love you one bit,’ she said He shot her an evil eye.
‘Mattie is in love with Chard, she talks about him all the time, she talks about how good of a kisser he is and no one will ever match up to him, she talks about her future with him……,’
‘Zita!’ he slammed the table as he promptly stood up.
‘Truth hurts right?’
‘What the f**k is wrong with you?’ His face grew red with rage
‘Mattie will never love you and you know it,’ she said
Thomas shouted at her but his words fell on deaf ears, Zita didn’t care how angry Thomas was but she was going to bring an end to this obsession he had with Mattie, Thomas belonged to her, she wasn’t going allow Mattie to have him no matter what.
‘Shut up,’ he yelled, he had never felt so much rage since the last incidence, his eyes were flashing dangerously.
‘Mattie…,’
Thomas raised his hand and crushed it across her face.
‘Slap me all you want,’ she challenged him.
He raised his hand again in a bid to slap her she tried to grab his arm but instead made contact with his elbow. She landed on the ground with a thud.
He looked at her infuriated before he kicked her.
‘I am going to punish you for talking to me like that,’ he spat in her face. He carried her in his arms and took her to his room. *****
TBC
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The Clock is Ticking
Ella❣