Sarah spread her body across the floor of the TV room as Kari watched cartoons. Bongani was going to pick her up in an hour, and Tricia was still chatting on the patio with a friend. She had opened the door on them twice already, asking random things in an attempt to get Trish to cut her conversation short. Tricia eventually came in and threw her arms in the air.

'You have my attention now woman!' Tricia gently kicked Sarah's legs before sitting down on the couch next to her.

'Finally!' Sarah turned to her and grinned. 'Are you now done giving your words of wisdom?'

'Choka! Hey, Kari bear, wanna go get some ice cream?'

Kari didn't respond.

'Good, it means she's not listening......any who! You said you wanted to ask me something.'

'Yes, I've been beating myself about this through Christmas.... Do you know why mum went delusional, thinking that dad is gonna leave her?'

Tricia sprang to her feet. 'Whoa! Let's go, outside shall we?'

Tricia and Sarah took the same seats Tricia and the friend had sat on earlier.

'I don't want you going out there saying Tricia told me this.'

'No, I wouldn't.'

'Yeah, that's what you said last time. You know, y'all will have to start paying me for the intel I give you, mmh!'

Sarah rolled her eyes.

'Are your mum and dad not back together again?'

'Mum sleeps in the guest wing.'

'But at least they're in the same compound.'

'Are you going to tell me something or not?'

'It's not my place Sarah. Every marriage goes through rough patches.'

'Rough patches that involve ash in shoes, and pawpaw leaf juice in tea?'

'Sarah, what do you want?'

'I don't get why you're backing them up! Especially mum! You should've heard all the nasty things she's said about you!'

'Which is why I never heard them, and even so, I forgive her.'

'I don't like what this new church you're going to is turning you into. It's made you soft.'

'If you knew the kind of battles the devil is engaging in right now, you would be praying for your mum and dad to stick together!'

'Those two were never good together.'

'Eh eh! Just listen to yourself... you have issues!' Tricia exclaimed.

'My issues are not as complex as your friend's though!'

'I told you not to eavesdrop on my convos.'

Bongani arrived to pick Sarah up and together returned to the university campus. Bongani walked her to the flats and they sat on their favourite spot.

'You know, I don't get why you hate your mother,' Bongani continued with the conversation they were having in the car.

'For the fifth time Bongani, I don't hate her! She's had it coming that's all. All the years of mistreating us, or rather me... is finally coming to haunt her.'

'I don't like the sound of this Sarah though. Yhoo! Perhaps you've switched bodies with a robot or something!'

'Bongani, be serious!'

'I am serious though. It sounds to me like seeing your mother suffer is giving you this weird excitement or something. And honestly, I'm concerned. If this is how you treat your mum, I'm scared for mine.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Well, you hear all these stories of women not getting along with their mother in law's. I used to think it could be the mothers, but now I feel the wives got issues too though.'

'If you feel I'm not the right wife material for you, you can walk away right now ok! You don't know what I've been through.'

'Sarah, we've all had misunderstandings with our parents here and there, I get that.'

'If you were to meet Mrs. Hilda Tebulo, you'd think she is the most beautiful woman in the world ok? She's got her light skin going on, hasn't aged a single day! She's perfect. And then you meet her first born daughter. In comes the dark, short, figure-less girl. How in the world is she her daughter? Took after the dad, for sure! Poor her, coz she missed out on those genes. Poor her, coz she can't get in tune with Mrs. Hilda's seamless energy. Poor daughter, was raised better than that but she still can't keep up!'

'Sarah! You need to stop blaming each and every little thing on your parents! Your dad is a CEO or something, of course he's going to be busy! Your mum has to keep up with his busy schedules. My dad this other day was saying he's one of the big people out there, shaping things in this country.'

'You're just saying that cause you're the last born. Of course, you've had all the attention!'

'I've had all the attention?'

'Yes, no wonder your dad runs around buying exams for you, gave you a car out of nowhere!'

'Damn it! Sarah! I told you that in confidence!' Bongani got up from his seat. 'Are you going to blurt out our first experience if we ever going to have one? Gosh! You're such a baby!'

'I'm such a baby? What are you still doing with this baby then, walk away! Now!' Sarah was also on her feet.

'Do you know what I thought when I saw you? I thought damn, she's pretty, and not just pretty, but hot! Your dark skin, your frame, is what drew me to you! I never thought I could be attracted to any girl the way I was to you! But you have issues! And I can't deal with those issues!' Bongani breathed heavily and walked away. Sarah slowly made her way back to her room. She dialled Bongani's number a few times with no response.

The next day, as Sarah got ready for class, her roommate, Nomsa approached her with a hand-written note.

'I thought I should share this with you,' she said with a smile and placed the note on Sarah's bed. Sarah picked it up and placed it in her bag. She tried Bongani's number in between classes and texted him with no responses. She then made the decision to go to his dorm after lunch, located on the other side of campus. She asked for his room and made the way up the stairs. She could feel the sweat trickling in her sneakers. She had never been to Bongani's dorm before, and neither had he been to hers. Tricia had told her it was safer that way, for the both of them. She lightly tapped on the door-4B, which was opened by a topless guy, Bongani's fellow basketball player.

'Bongstar, the Nubian Queen is here!' The guy announced. The chatter from the room died down. The guy made way for her to enter. The room was filled with smoke and bottles were piled across the floor. Bongani was seated at the edge of one bed, topless as well. Sarah scanned the room to see two other guys and a girl. Khadija, or KayKay, as she was called, happened to be a skilled basketball player and Sarah had heard that she had hit on Bongani a couple of times.

'Can I come in?' Sarah asked.

'But you're already in!' One of the guys replied and the boys laughed.

Sarah kept her eyes on Bongani.

'Bongstar, come on! The queen is visibly uncomfortable here!' KayKay chipped in and lit a cigarette.

Bongani quickly put on a t-shirt and took Sarah outside.

'I'm sorry, for everything.' Sarah blurted out, as soon as Bongani shut the door.

'Sarah, are you sorry for how you feel about your parents, or cause you want someone one your side?'

'You're the only one who understands.'

'I'm the only one who listens,' said Bongani and smiled.

'Did you go to class today?' Sarah asked with concern written over her face. Bongani touched the palm of her cheek.

'I don't know why but I missed you Nubian Queen.'

'Nubian Queen?'

'That's what I call you.'

'Never to my face,' Sarah interjected.

'But everyone knows that's who you are to me. You're my Nubian Queen.'

'Are you high on something?' Sarah raised her eyebrow.

'Does it matter?' He touched the tip of her chin and kissed her

***

Becky took Themba out for dinner on his 23rd birthday. Having shopped for his outfit the previous day, Themba couldn't wait to try on his new clothes, and ask for her opinion.

'So, I went to church today,' said Becky as they waited for dessert.

'Hhhmn, that's interesting.'

'Tricia made me do it. It was alright I guess.'

'Is this the Tricia you told about us?' Asked Themba

'You know, for a boy who grew up in Mzimba, I would've never thought you'd be this eloquent. Yes, the Tricia I told about us.'

'Well, people make the mistake of judging a book by its cover. I wasn't born rich, and I wasn't raised poor either.'

'If only you had been born a little earlier'

'Or if you had been born a little later.'

'What? Have you tried dating these Cartoon Network divas? Besides, you wouldn't have noticed me. Anyway, Tricia asked me to define this that we have going on here. I don't see you as a boy toy Themba. It may have started that way, but not anymore. I wanna see you succeed, become the best civil engineer Malawi has ever had. I may not get to eat the fruit of my labour.'

'The fruit of your labour? Who's out here studying and attending class?'

'Who's out here teaching you how to be a gentleman? Who taught you table etiquette, grooming the works?'

'Did you bring me here to embarrass me?' Themba asked.

'I want you to remember me, when you're with your future girlfriend, that I cared for you. We all know you're going to date a younger girl sooner or later; I'd be surprised if you're not dating already.'

'I think we should go.' Themba said and rose to his feet

'Vin is getting married,' Becky blurted out, beckoning him to sit down again. He obliged.

'I've made a lot of mistakes in this life Themba, but you're not of one of them. Regardless of what others may think, you may actually be the best thing that happened. I want you to come with me to the send-off.'

'Why?'

'So that he can see that I've moved on, and I'm with someone better.'

'I'm your someone better?'

'Yes, look at you. Dark and mysterious. Sexy. Just the things I like in a man.' She smiled at him. 'I can take you places Themba. I can make you the kind of guy girls would die to have.'

'And what are you getting in return?' Themba asked before taking a sip from his glass.

'Happiness.' Becky replied.