Chapter 1
AMAHLE
He remained there, kneeling on one knee, amidst a crowd of my nearest and dearest, his eyes misty with emotion as he clutched a maroon box in his trembling hand. His family stood nearby, their presence adding to the weight of the moment. The room was abuzz with excitement, voices urging me to say yes. Marriage is a monumental decision, one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You need to be certain, or risk plunging headfirst into a world of regret. Being proposed to in front of a crowd gives you little time to think. You have mere seconds to decide if this is truly what you want, all while trying not to let the panic show. Damon Bess, visibly sweating, looked at me expectantly. I smiled through tears and nodded, my heart pounding with exhilaration.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, hope flickering in his eyes.
I nodded again, my excitement undeniable. It might seem too soon, but deep down, I knew this was what I wanted.
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you,” I replied, my voice trembling with emotion.
“Really?” he exclaimed, his face breaking into a grin.
He slid the ring onto my left hand. It sparkled brilliantly, the perfect symbol of our love. The diamond wasn’t massive, but it was just right for me. I was struck by the thoughtfulness of his choice. We don’t have Cartier in South Africa, so he must have purchased it during our trip to LA last December. He rose to wrap me in his arms, and we shared a tender kiss as cheers erupted around us. Breaking away, we surveyed the room. Every detail of the house exuded elegance and charm, hinting at the life we could build together.
At just 20 years old, I had just agreed to marriage and a home. What on earth was I doing? How had I ended up here? Sure, I loved Damon Bess with all my heart, but was I truly ready for this? Despite our challenges, we had emerged stronger, determined to weather any storm together. Yes, I was young, but I was hopelessly in love with him. I wanted nothing more than to spend my life by his side, until our final breaths.
“Are you sure about this?” Damon whispered in my ear, our fingers intertwined as we stood amidst the congratulations and ululations of the crowd.
“More than I’ve ever been about anything or anyone,” I assured him, my heart overflowing with certainty.
He kissed me tenderly, eliciting applause from the gathered guests. As people began to approach us with their well wishes, Damon was swept away in the tide, leaving me to bask in the glow of their adoration. My friends, Siya and Jen, immediately cornered me, each vying for the role of maid of honour.
“You know I’m the maid of honour, right?” Siya claimed.
“You wish. That’s my job title, girly. Right, Ama?” Jen interjected.
I hesitated, scanning the room for Chomp, but she was nowhere to be seen. As the two continued their debate, Amber intervened, rescuing me from their clutches.
“May I steal her for a moment?” she asked.
“Sure, but not for long,” Siya conceded.
“Chill, she’ll be back, and she’ll choose,” Jen added.
Amber and I retreated to a quiet corner, receiving congratulations from well-wishers along the way.
“Congratulations,” Amber began.
“Thank you,” I replied, a smile tugging at my lips.
“Are you sure, though? Marriage is a big step,” she expressed her concern.
“It’s not like we’re getting married right away. I still need to graduate and become the woman I’ve always dreamed of being,” I reassured her.
“Good girl. Anyway, I’m happy for you and my brother. You make him happier than he’s ever been,” she remarked warmly.
“Well, thank you. I only hope to keep that happiness alive,” I replied earnestly.
“I trust you will. Let me get you back to those two,” she said, leading me back towards the chaos.
“And here I was, glad to be rescued from those two,” I chuckled.
“They can’t be that bad,” Amber teased.
“You don’t know them. They’re like Tom and Jerry,” I quipped.
She laughed, and we made our way back to the crowd. Amber promised to fetch Damon while I sought refuge with Bomi and Mrs B. As they enveloped me in hugs and well-wishes, Mrs B revealed a surprising tidbit about Damon’s pre-proposal preparations, leaving me both touched and amused. As the celebrations continued, Lizzy, Amber’s daughter, approached me, her adoration evident in her sweet smile. As we shared a moment together, I couldn’t help but marvel at the unexpected turns life had taken, and the bright future that lay ahead.
.
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DAMON
I spotted my two little princesses making their way toward me, so I decided to meet them halfway. I wasn’t indulging in alcohol today, except for that glass of champagne earlier, but that was it.
“Hey, my princess and my younger princess,” I greeted them warmly.
“Your fiancé missed you,” Lizzy remarked.
“What? Says who?” Ama questioned, a playful grin dancing on her lips.
“Your actions,” Lizzy retorted with a knowing look.
“You’re too smart for your own good. How’d you know I’m called a fiancé?” Ama teased.
“I just know, okay,” Lizzy replied nonchalantly, her attitude suddenly sassy. I couldn’t help but laugh. It seemed like Boobie had rubbed off on her.
“Wow... uh, okay then,” Ama responded, bemused.
“You made her like this, so now you’ve got to deal,” Lizzy declared before darting off to bother Damien. He wasn’t usually fond of kids, but he always made an exception for his niece, who took immense pleasure in getting on his last nerve. I pulled Ama close and planted a kiss on her lips. She broke away, her eyes shimmering with gratitude.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“For?” I inquired, curious.
“For this. Today and everything else,” she replied, her voice filled with sincerity.
“Yeah, well, you’re my girl, and I’ll stop at nothing to prove to you just how much I love you, Miss Ngesi,” I vowed earnestly.
“And I love you even more, Mr. Bess,” she responded, her words echoing the depth of her affection.
The rest of the night passed smoothly. Our families gathered for a celebratory dinner, a tradition my parents upheld whenever one of their children got engaged. It was reminiscent of when Amber had gotten engaged, and Dad had treated her, Stu, and Stu’s parents to lunch as a gesture of appreciation and an opportunity to foster a stronger bond. This time, Dad had chosen UShaka The Moyo, much to Ama’s chagrin, as she wasn’t particularly fond of the food there. Nevertheless, we engaged in lively conversation, punctuated by gentle reminders from our parents about the importance of honesty in marriage—a message that hit close to home for me.
As the night drew to a close, we bid farewell to our families and made our way home. I couldn’t shake the weight of what I needed to discuss with Ama, but I knew it couldn’t wait.
“You’ve been awfully quiet. What’s eating you?” Ama asked, concern etching her features.
“We’ll talk about it when we get home,” I replied cryptically.
“Okay, you’re scaring me,” she admitted.
“Mh... So, where are we buying you food?” I deflected.
“You’ll whip up something,” she suggested.
“Nah, it’s too late to cook now. Pick a place,” I insisted.
“Circus Beach Café, if you don’t mind the drive,” she requested.
“Anything for you,” I replied with a smile, though her faint smile didn’t escape my notice.
“Okay, what’s wrong?” she pressed, sensing something amiss.
“You invited everyone except Aya,” she pointed out.
“I did invite Aya,” I confirmed.
“Are you sure?” she questioned doubtfully.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I asserted.
“Then why didn’t she show up?” she wondered aloud.
“You’ll have to take that up with her,” I suggested.
“Maybe you should just take me to the flat, in case she’s not feeling okay,” she proposed, her worry evident.
“Seriously, Amahle?” I asked, surprised by her concern.
“I’m worried about my friend. She hasn’t been herself lately, and I kind of feel like I’m to blame,” she confessed.
“Did you try calling her?” I inquired.
“Her phone is off,” she revealed.
“Try Sage, then. She’s at the flat,” I suggested.
“Fine. My phones are off. Please lend me yours,” she requested.
“Sure,” I acquiesced, handing her my phone. After a brief call with Sage, she reassured me that Chomp was fine.
“So, you see, you have nothing to worry about,” I reassured her.
“I guess not,” she conceded with a sigh of relief.
“What will you be eating?” I asked, eager to divert her attention.
“The usual,” she replied with a smile.
I left her in the car with the key and went to fetch her usual order. After 15 minutes, I returned, and we made our way home, listening to Chris Brown on the way while she enjoyed her meal. As we arrived at the flat, I parked the car, and we headed upstairs, ready to unwind after an eventful evening.
.
.
AMAHLE
As we entered the flat, the first thing I did was kick off my shoes by the door. But, true to his nature, he scooped them up and carried them to the room, his tie loosening and his shirt buttons coming undone as he went. I followed closely behind, attempting to unzip my dress but failing miserably in the process.
“Let me,” he offered, reaching out to help.
“Thank you,” I replied gratefully as he assisted me with the zipper.
“You know you should have come to me in the first place, right?” he remarked with a hint of teasing in his voice.
“I know, but I didn’t, so deal,” I quipped back, a playful smile dancing on my lips.
“You’re being difficult, Miss Ngesi,” he teased, a fondness evident in his tone.
“Yeah, well...” I trailed off, offering no further explanation.
I headed to the shower, and he joined me. It was a simple, innocent shower, devoid of any sexual tension, but strangely relaxing nonetheless. Afterward, I slipped into his t-shirt, opting to forgo underwear, while he donned his boxers. With my hair tied up in a ponytail, we settled into bed, but before I could fully relax, a nagging thought tugged at the edges of my mind.
“There’s something you mentioned you wanted to tell me when we got home,” I recalled, sitting up and leaning against the pillow I intended to sleep on.
“Oh, yes,” he acknowledged, taking a seat on my side of the bed and turning to face me. His expression was serious, a sharp contrast to the joyous atmosphere of earlier in the evening. It unsettled me—after all, he had just proposed to me in front of everyone, and now he appeared to be harboring a weighty secret.
“I don’t know how to tell you this,” he began, his voice strained with uncertainty.
“If it’s bad news, can’t it wait until tomorrow at least? I mean, I’m too happy for bad news,” I interjected, trying to lighten the mood with a feeble attempt at humor.
“I’ve procrastinated this long enough,” he confessed, his tone somber.
“Okay, Damon, you’re scaring me for real now,” I admitted, my concern mounting as he grew increasingly nervous.
“Hey, hey, what’s wrong? I’m sure that whatever it is, we’ll get through it,” I reassured him, reaching out to comfort him.
He looked down, his hands fidgeting nervously in his lap. After a moment of tense silence, he finally spoke.
“Amahle...” he began, his voice faltering.
“Yes?” I prompted, my heart pounding in my chest.
“...Aya and I slept together,” he confessed, the words hanging heavily in the air.
I remained silent, waiting for him to continue, my mind reeling with shock and disbelief. He went on, his voice thick with remorse and regret.
“I want to blame being drunk, but that would be a stupid move. I understand if you don’t want to be with me anymore. I’ve been trying to gather up the courage to tell you ever since you arrived in Cape Town, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Even talking to you now, I can barely remember how I came about to sleep with your best friend, and for that, I am truly, deeply sorry,” he confessed, his eyes brimming with tears.
I sat there, numb with shock, tears streaming down my cheeks and his as well. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to storm out and leave, but I couldn’t bring myself to move. Yes, he had betrayed my trust by sleeping with my best friend, which was unforgivable, but at least he had the courage to come clean about it before we delved deeper into our relationship. And his face, twisted with guilt and shame, spoke volumes about his remorse.
“I am sorry, babe. If I could undo it, I promise you I would,” he pleaded, his voice breaking with emotion.
I remained speechless, feeling as though someone were crushing my chest, making it impossible to breathe or utter a single word. The pain I felt surpassed anything I had experienced before, surpassing even the hurt caused by Sandiso’s betrayal. How could my best friend do this to me, and then lie about it? And as for Damon, while he had undoubtedly messed up, I couldn’t help but respect him for having the courage to be honest with me. As a girl who values friendship above all else, I never imagined that my best friend would betray me in such a devastating way. It felt like a betrayal of the deepest kind, unexpected and completely out of left field. I wracked my brain trying to make sense of Aya’s actions, searching for some shred of understanding or justification, but all I found was confusion and hurt.
His face buried in his hands, I had an inexplicable urge to take him into my arms and hold him tight, to reassure him that everything would be okay, even though I knew it wouldn’t. But instead, I rose from the bed and made my way to the closet, the weight of his confession too heavy for me to bear.
“Please don’t leave,” he implored, reaching out to grasp my hand.
I remained silent, my mind racing as I pulled out my clothes. He released my hand, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead before taking his car keys and leaving.
I wanted to stop him, to call out to him and tell him to stay, but my body refused to move, and my voice failed me. Why did the things I needed the most always seem to elude me when I needed them the most? Collapsing to the floor, I wept, the weight of his betrayal crushing me as I played with the beautiful ring on my left hand, wondering where I had gone wrong and how I had failed him.
