His friends were always at his ears. They would say things about his fiancé, “That lady loves you madly, yes. It’s not because you’re handsome and she herself, isn’t really loving or faithful to you. She doesn’t have a pure heart, but she knows you’re the big fish. She only loves you because she knows you’re wealthy and is afraid of losing you to another woman. She doesn’t mind being called by your surname either.”

He believed that his friends were jealous of him. Khumbo was a very lovely lady and he knew that her heart was pure. She had brown skin, short hair, a dimpled face, an attractive body and an alluring smile. She shared her thoughts with Tsogolo and apologised whenever she thought she may have overreacted. It would be weak of him to think badly of her.

Khumbo’s friends were on a mission however; they were sent by Pondamatiki to break her and Tsogolo up. Pondamatiki was a rich businessman who, on countless occasions, had approached Khumbo with advances but she rejected him every time. She knew he was a good businessman but refused to be fooled by his wealth into believing that he was a good man. She didn’t love Pondamatiki; her heart was with Tsogolo and knew that getting involved with him would be a big mistake. She always believed that material love was for savages and real love for serious and civilized women.

One day Khumbo sat alone in her room while listening to music, she received a WhatsApp message from Tsogolo.

Hey baby, can you come over to my place please. I miss you like a thirsty man misses a drop of water.

She hesitated before replying with: See you in two hours sweetie. I love you.

Tsogolo knew what it felt like being lonely in the world of love; it hurt very much. He felt like that after he sent Khumbo his message and it hurt more to be feeling so when he was in love. At the beginning he had been strong and surrendered his heart, but now he felt conflicted. He would often question Khumbo’s love for him.

“Does she really love me? Does she really know me? If she truly loves me, why is that?”

He put on a movie to keep his negative thoughts questioning Khumbo’s love at bay.

A while later there was a knock at his door. Khumbo hugged and kissed him the moment he opened it. They went and sat on the sofa in front of the TV. Now that Khumbo was there, Tsogolo wasn’t interested in watching the movie anymore. He ran his hand over her hair and complemented her on how beautiful she looked.

He then gently pushed her back on the couch and positioned himself on top of her. She looked up at him as his hands caressed her face before moving down to her bosom where she stopped him. Tsogolo was taken aback but Khumbo told him that she had been to the doctor and wasn’t feeling that well.

He smiled gently and said, “I didn’t mean for it to go beyond that.”

She smiled and sat upright again. Tsogolo thought about what his friends had said about Khumbo in the silence that followed while they watched the movie. When the movie came to an end, Khumbo took Tsogolo’s hands in hers.

“Do you know how much I love you?” she asked. He smiled nervously and nodded his head in response. He opened his mouth to say something but the words just wouldn’t come out. Khumbo knew that something was bothering him but when she asked him about it, he said that it was nothing.

“Can I ask you something?” He finally said a few moments later. Khumbo assured him that he could ask her anything he wanted. “Do you really love me?” He asked.

The question came as a shock to Khumbo, “Why would you ask me that?” she said.

Tsogolo gave an unsubstantiated explanation of why he wanted to know, trying to avoid confrontation and the awkwardness his question had caused. Khumbo was angry at Tsogolo for doubting her love but told him that she understood his feeling that way.

“Baby, what do you see when you look at me?” Tsogolo asked.

Khumbo hesitated for a moment, trying to come up with the correct response. Failing to come up with a concrete explanation, she said, “You are my best friend and my love for you is what makes me complete.”

“Why do you love me?” Tsogolo asked before she could get her thoughts straight. “Is that your answer?” He asked sounding disappointed.

“I love you because I like you. You complete my heart and I feel at home in your arms. When I am with you, my mind and heart are at peace and I feel no regret,” she said softly.

Tsogolo was still not satisfied with Khumbo’s answer. “What do you mean?” He asked.

“Don’t be stupid. Haven’t I answered your question?” Khumbo was becoming irritated at Tsogolo’s insistent questioning of her affections for him.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m really asking you,” he said before pausing. “I know you, Khumbo; I’ve known you for a long time now.”

“You claim to know me but yet, you question my love for you. You could have asked me all these questions before you proposed. We celebrated so joyously and now I come to think that I may have made a mistake in saying yes to you.”

It pained her that he didn’t believe that she loved him and she couldn’t believe how he could think that she didn’t love him. He had been so loving and trusting in the beginning, now, he was insecure and nagging, she thought.

“Have you found someone else? If you did, just tell me,” she said more frustrated than heartbroken.

“Khumbo, I’m sorry. I may have asked you in the wrong way. But I just wanted to make sure that you didn’t agree to marry me just for my money,” Tsogolo said.

She laughed bitterly then said, “You believe me to be a whore?”

“No, but…” he faltered ashamed and embarrassed.

“Rubbish, you don’t have a clue as to how much I love and care for you. I could have chosen to be with Pondamatiki; he’s rich and drives an expensive car, but I chose you because I love you,” she said furiously. “Have I ever asked money from you? Am I currently not working for my own money?” She asked still upset with him.

She waited for him to respond but he didn’t say anything. She got up, took her purse off the coffee table and made her way towards the door. Tsogolo so badly wanted to apologise to her and ask her to forgive him, but the words just wouldn’t come out of his mouth. He stretched out his hand towards her, but it was too late. She opened the door and closed it violently behind her without looking back or saying goodbye.

***

Tell us what you think: Tell us what you think: Is it right or fair for Tsogolo to ask Khumbo why she loves him? Could this have caused them to be over?