Saving my marriage part 3A

SAVING MY MARRIAGE Stories by Lovely Rutendo Nzira PART 3A Zuva harirege kubuda nekunyura nekuti hausi kufara, kana nekuti you are i...

SAVING MY MARRIAGE

Stories by Lovely Rutendo Nzira

PART 3A

Zuva harirege kubuda nekunyura nekuti hausi kufara, kana nekuti you are indecisive about certain things in your life. Mazuva aitomhanya chaizvo, I never shared with anyone my encounter with Dan’s bitch. Vana vedu were a joy and a beauty to behold. Rudo rwese rwatakatadza kupanana takarwuisa pavana vedu, vana mbuya vavo vese were even complaining kuti we are spoiling them. Fadzai got a car from daddy vake because she had passed O’ Level, Juniour was driving at 14yrs, aienda nepi iye aimboswera nemahwindi, ndakange ndotokafungira kuti kamunhu aka hakazive mahure ababa here. Nevertheless it was during the holidays that Dan would come home every day and even sleep till sunrise so our kids never noticed our marital downfall. The sleeping in separate rooms is actually deemed healthy, ask Google hahaha, and the kids would happily share rooms with us too. That was my marriage.

At the restaurant, work was great. I had a good loyal team vaiziva zvavaiita. You know Mwari vakarongeka, kikikikiki, vakaona kuti kumba kwangu kwaive nemhirizhonga vakati let me cover for you kuBusiness, it was smooth sailing at my workplace, vanhu kunge marobots, well timetabled and to the point. Taiita nyaya nevashandi vangu tichiseka, ndaivaziva vese private life yavo, (asi yemurume wangu ndaisaziva) ndaive auntie vavo pachokwadi, ndichivapa advice dzaivabatsira in their relationships, though zvangu ndaitadza kugadzirisa. We were a happy family at Stedan Restaurant.
It was in June pakatanga kuuya mumwe murume muRestaurant for breakfast, lunch and supper, rarely did I get someone anorova 3 meals in a restaurant. Baba ivavo vaiuya vogara at the corner table, voita order yavo. Handina kuita hanya navo (had I known he would change my life for good) nekuti ndaive always behind the scenes in my white chef’s uniform. Till one day he asked to meet the owner of the restaurant ndopandakadaidzwa nacashier.
“Madam umm, I need a favor can I have packed supper every day, prepaid, except weekends ndouya zvangu kuzodya pano.”
It was not a problem, the customer wanted a home cooked meal, and I could provide one, ndakati iri bho, ndini ndaibika and pack it, and that happened for 3 weeks. I prepared invoice yavo for the month, zvikaita, ndaivaona zvangu ndiri kuseri vachiuya vachienda. I can say he was one of the few regular customers I had since I started.
One weekend ndakange ndakatsamwa, ndakasvika pamba Dan akapaka mota at the gate mune kamusikana again! Takasangana ave kutobuda mumba hameno zvaange auya kuzotora, I did not even have the energy to ask or fight, not kuti ndaimutya or feared violence, but mweya wangu wange waneta kurwira murume. I watched them drive away moyo uchipisa nehasha. I failed to go to the restaurant mangwana acho yaive Saturday, ndakaenda kuLake Chivero to recharge, I was alone and I needed to be alone, listening to soul music, it was soothing. I knew l did not love Dan anymore but I needed to save my marriage. Nyika yese, our families, vana vedu vaifanira kuona kuti am Mrs Stella Mukono, mukadzi waDan Mukono. Ndakange ndisingazomuregera disrespecting me like that with these small small college girls.
So at Lake Chivero I had my me-time on how to save this fucked up marriage. Then I heard a knock pawindow remota, there was a fine gent, in his early forties, I opened ndikabuda;
“Mai Mukono, maswera sei, ko hamusi kubasa nhasi….?” Ah munhu ari kundizivaka uyu,
“Ndinonzi Chitiyo Tinotenda, customer yenyu kuRestaurant… call me Tino.” akazodaro aona confusion yaive pameso pangu. Hoo ah, I apologized nekutadza kumuziva kwandakaita.
“Handimbonyanya kuziva macustomers angu, you know, I am always behind the scenes”, ndakadaro tikaseka tese. Ndakange ndakapfeka oversize track suit nemaslippers. Even paakanditarisa from top to bottom handina kuita basa nazvo, ndaida kuti ataure zvaaida aende andisiye ndega.
“I love this place ndinombonzwa mhepo, ….” Tino akadaro ndikabvumirana naye. Taimboita nguva takanyarara tichishaya nyaya. Tainge ambuya nemukwasha. Asi we had made it clear kuti tidaidzane nemazita ekutanga.
Akatanga kundiudza nezvevana vake, he had twin girls vaive kuRhodes University.
“Ko amai vavo varipi?” I asked.
“She is a Nigerian, vakadzokera, we had cultural differences so takasiyana.”
“Oh, ok” ndakadaro ndikashaya kuti ndoenderera mberi ndichiti chii. Takambonyarara futi achibva azoti;
“Can I say you are now my friend, ndimbobvunzawo some personal things?” I just smiled ndakamutarisa, iye akatora kuti ndaireva kuti yes, yet I was boiling in anger kuti anoda kundiudza kuti I look like a man.
“Why are you always serious, hauseke seke and the way you work muRestaurant, hauite sewe muridzi wenzvimbo, you work like a slave.”
I smiled again ndikaramba ndakanyarara. I sighed and said, “Ndakuenda kumba kwangu”. Handina kumirira kuti apindure ndakapinda mumota mangu ndokuenda. Ndakasvikogeza, a long hot bath, ndaakutorara ndopandakazobata phone yangu pange pane whatsapp message yaiti “it was nice knowing more about you, you are an amazing woman. Tino”. Akawana kupi cell number yangu, this was very private yaive for close friends and relatives. I checked his profile foto aive in blue ari kutennis court, it was a nice foto yaakatorwa ari in action. I find myself blushing looking at that foto, ndakazviseka ndokurara zvangu.
Vhiki rese rakatevera handina kumuona, I deliberately avoided him, till on Friday lunch hour akazotuma waitress to call me. Ndakasvikogara opposite him pacorner table paaive.
“Ko madam where have you been hiding? Did I put you off that much kuLake Chivero.” I blushed but hana yangu yakarova, why was he implying kuti pane kwatinombosangana zvisiri zvebusiness nhai.
“No no no, I was just busy, and why would you look for me, kuLake takangosanganawoka it’s not like we had an appointment.”
“Ko nhasi haudewo here kumbonodya other recipes, can I take you to Junction 24.” Akandidaro. What is that supposed to mean? Me? Going out with another man who is not my husband? Akange avarairwa ndokundibata maoko angu ese, neniwo zvakandivaraidza. Ndakabvisa maoko angu slowly.
“Am married Tino, that will be improper, unless my husband comes along, and you know that will not happen.”
Akasimuka ndokuti “I just need good company, a friend like you, otherwise ndinoenda ndega hangu. You have my number, call me if you change your mind.”
Ndakasara ndichitenderera musoro. Ndakazofonera Mandy my sister ndikamuti auye kuRestaurant ndimbomuudzewo. Mandy ndonyaya dzaaida especially kuwachisa Dan hahahaha.
“Sis what’s your problem, this is Tino owner of Chirandu Service stations kani haasi tsotsi, saka going for drinks naye kungakuurayayi here? Let’s not insinuate anything, what I know is my sister you are lonely and you need someone like him as a friend, someone wesize yenyu.”
She had seconded my thoughts, I needed that push, I scrolled down my contacts...
“I take this means I have to pick you up …. ” Ndomadaviriro aakaita. Aah ka1
At 8pm ndange ndave paRestaurant, Mandy ange andibatsira to dress up. Ndakapfeka a pair of tights and a denim shirt since it was a bit chilly, we were still in winter, and my pompadour heels from France did the finish. Ndakangozora ponds chete and lip gloss after a fight naMandy achida kundiisa make up. Which I totally refused.
Tino akabuda mumota kuzonditora kuback veranda kweRestaurant, he could not hide how impressed he was by my new look. I looked different from my all time white chef’s overalls. He complimented me, I can’t remember the last time I looked in a man’s eyes and receive a genuine compliment … takapinda mumota make and he drove with a smile of satisfaction on his face.
Just between you and me, I was not comfortable with my outing at all; I was now a cheating married woman. So to cover my tracks ndakasiya mota yangu paRestaurant, at my usual parking place, kuti vanoona vagoti I am still working, tikaenda neyaTino….. zvinoda kujaira izvi. Hana yairova.
There was an awkward silence for some time then he asked about my day. Takaramba tichitaura and we became so comfortable with each other, nyaya dzakataurika as if tange tazivana for years. This is exactly what I wanted, a friend to laugh and unwind with.
Guilty was eating me up, so I decided to share a bit about my marriage.
“Am married Tino, though not happily, but ndiri mukadzi wemunhu. We have drifted apart with my husband but tichiri tese. Thank you for your friendship. I needed a friend that’s why I agreed a date with you” akamboramba akanyarara searching for a particular song on his stick then said;
“I know your husband; very well, he does not act or behave like someone who is married. But we are not going to talk about him, are we? Can we just enjoy this moment”
That saved me but ndakarwadziwa nazvo, he does not act or behave like someone who is married. Whatever that meant. I did not ask kuti anomuzivira hure ripi, and you never know with men, maybe vakamborwira rimwe hure, nxaaa. Ndakafemedzeka nehasha my tongue preparing for a lush-out at him, akabva anditangira kutaura achiti;
“Zvandakaita on my first time in Nigeria, we got in a restaurant vaitengesa nyama yeimbwa…..” I suddenly forgot that I wanted to ask him kuti andidzosere kumba kwangu or I’d simply call one of my employees azonditora.
Ndakamuyeva achitaura nyaya yake, ndakange ndakaterera zvangu but ndainakidzwa nevoice rake, it was deep and raindisvika, the way he pronounced words, the way he attracted my attention by holding my hand unconsciously, his gaze in my eyes, calculated eye contact, airatidza kuti ari pandiri tiri vaviri chete, nothing else mattered. It melted me and my womanhood just popped out. I felt his presence pese pese. By the time he finished narrating his story ndakachema nekuseka, I cannot remember the last day I laughed that much especially with Dan …. That is the greatest problem I was having, comparing Tino naDan, wishing kuti dai Tino aive Dan, wishing kuti dai Dan achiita zviri kuita Tino, my life would be less complicated hey. For this, I resented Dan even more for putting me in this difficult situation.

He parked and quickly went out to buy drinks and order a plaater of barbeque. He brought me some ciders... redds. I quickly took down one and it kind of calmed my nerves. I became more confident, I relaxed kufunga funga kukapera, I decided to enjoy the moment. We were like old friends, and taiona life zvakafanana, we laughed at the same jokes. Takapedzisira tave kuwanzirana isusu nekusekana, we would unconsciously hold hands or Tino aindibata musana, it was comfortable, it was beautiful.

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