It was just like any other Saturday evening in Boipelong township. The tavern was roaring, amapiano music blaring. Inside was a thick cloud of cigarette smoke. Mathabo was sitting with a group of two girls and two boys, drinking ciders. She was drunk, and Peter’s eyes were constantly on them.

“Oh my God! Look who just entered, chomi,” one of the girls slurred, as a tall, dark and slender girl entered the tavern, sauntering towards the counter.

Mathabo glared with a dropped chin, not believing her eyes. So that girl was determined to break her relationship? Why was she obsessed with her man? Anger nested in her chest as Kedibone leaned over the counter, whispering something in Lebogang’s ear. Peter was in the storeroom counting stock.

Mathabo wondered if she should teach Kedibone a lesson before Peter reappeared. The girl was constantly stealing side-eye looks at her, then Lebogang burst into laughter, glancing at their table. She immediately knew Kedibone was gossiping about her.

“I think they are talking about you,” one of the girls said. “Mxm! This girl has no shame. Just look at her!”

Mathabo was about to stand up when Peter reappeared, took in the scene, and glued his eyes on her, shaking his head. She gulped her drink down her throat.

As always, the sight of Kedibone had brought back bad memories of her father. She remembered the night he left their home for good, taking only his car and his wallet – it was pay day. Her parents argued that evening as usual, about money, until her father grabbed his car keys and left without even saying goodbye. Since then, he had never set foot at the home.

Her mother went to the social workers and they helped her with the maintenance case. She could still remember what her mother said when she returned from the court: “He was cold to me. He never even looked at me once.”

He begged the magistrate to release him and offered to pay R3000 every month. He didn’t want anything else to do with them, so he said, insisting that he deserved a better life. Kedibone’s mother was giving him the love that he needed and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

The memories drove Mathabo crazy. She marched behind the counter, threw her arms over Peter’s shoulders and kissed him, sticking her tongue inside his mouth.

People started whistling and clapping. She stole a look at her enemy and saw anger shining in her big eyes. That inspired Mathabo to be even more outrageous and she climbed up on her muscular boyfriend, her legs crossed around Peter’s waist. Ignoring his weak protests, she took off her top, swung it around then threw it at Kedibone’s face. The alcohol had numbed her inhibitions; the cheering fuelled her recklessness. She licked his cheeks slowly, her eyes glaring at her enemy, until finally Kedibone turned and left, whining about how disgusting it was.

Mathabo felt good: she had won. It was as if she had won a beauty contest! She strode back to her table where her cheering friends gave her high fives. One of them rushed to pick up the top that Kedibone had thrown on the floor.

Once Peter was off duty they partied hard until three, when the couples headed to Mathabo’s house, only waking at 10 the next morning. Then it was back to the tavern to spoil the girls and help them get rid of their hangovers. They left at 10 in the evening, just because it was Sunday. Otherwise, they would have grooved the whole night.

It was a weekend to remember! Mathabo could not believe the time she spent with her boyfriend. Surely, he would not have a moment to entertain Kedibone that week. He would be too tired to even caress her if they met!

That was Mathabo’s plan; to give Peter ‘a double dose of love’: spending time with and sleeping with him as much as he liked, regardless of how tired she felt.

Perhaps that’s what her mother should have done too, after finding out that her father was cheating? Increased her love dose, instead of arguing and nagging him, Mathabo thought, wishing things could be different between her parents.

Tell us: Do you think Peter believes he’s getting lots of love, or lots of sex? Or both? Will her plan work?