C5 Five:

Easineya Mwango stood by the entrance of the lounge flipping through the mail. She looked up at the sound of stilettos on the tiled floor.

Constance Mwango, a short and petite woman but with all the curves in the right places, walked towards her dressed in a copper ruched side bodycon dress over black ankle boots. Easineya gave the young girl a scrutinizing look.

"Isn't it too early for you to be dressed up?"

"Morning to you too mother in law," she replied sarcastically.

Easineya scoffed," Mother in law? I at times forget my son is married."

"Well, he is. Anyway, I'm attending a fundraising a brunch at the hotel. Are you coming?"

"And fan the fumes of the gossip mill? No thanks. I will sit this one out," she told her with a chuckle.

Constance cast her mother -in -law a tight smile. She knew she was doing it on purpose.

"It would mean a lot to me if you came," she said. The Lilly pond was a charitable organisation that promoted family values founded by Constance and sponsored by Njolomba Industries. The foundation helped out underprivileged families in any way that they could through financial support, educational scholarships and created job opportunities.

"That's not going to happen," she said flatly and looked up, "Is it true?"

"What is?"

"Abel mentioned something to me."

"Your son and I talk about a lot of things. How am I supposed to know what he talked to you about if you are being vague with your information," she replied irritated. She knew exactly what Abel had said to her. But she wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.

"He mentioned, in passing, that you are thinking of adopting."

Constance heaved, she didn't need this today.

"I might have hinted about it."

Easineya chuckled, "And what are you for?"

"What?"

A sharp pain pierced her heart. Constance couldn't believe that she could say that to her. She more than anyone else knew how desperate she wanted to be a mother. Seven years she had tried. Five miscarriages and three stillbirths were all she had to show for her marriage to Abel. A marriage that she was sure was none existent.

"That is why he married you no? It sure wasn't to be part of the decorative furniture." The proud woman said told her," Though if that was the case, the decor seems to be outshining you in that department."

"You are being mean."

"Am I now? How? Tell me. You say you are his wife but what have you to show for that? If you tried your best you wouldn't be thinking of adopting strays."

Well maybe if your son spent more time loving me instead of chasing every skirt out there, i wouldn't be this desperate, she thought to herself.

"This is between Abel and I mother. As husband and wife," she said instead.

"Wife?" she chuckled," Please. Am sure there are three other you's out there claiming the same. You better get that stupid idea out of your head. I am not going to allow you to spoil my family lineage with filth that you pick up from the streets. It is appalling enough that I have to deal with you for the rest of my life."

Constance glared at her.

"I have my limits mum," she warned her. Theirs was a marriage of convenience.

Constance had always liked Abel but she had been invisible to him. He had had eyes only for Sinikiwe. She had tried every trick in the book to seduce him away from her. He couldn't resist her seductive charms. He always fell for them but as soon as the euphoria of their sexual encounters was over, he would always go back to Sinikiwe leaving her high and dry.

Then everything had changed that night. He was in trouble. He needed her. All she had to do was be his alibi and he would grant her anything she wished for.

Marriage, she had told him. She demanded he marry her and forsake Sinikiwe. He had readily agreed. She had been surprised but ecstatic. She didn't care what trouble he was in as long as he was hers. Even when she had heard the rumours and accusations of the rape charges.

How time flies and changes people, Constance thought as she battled the stare down. Easineya had been the one who had begged her, on her knees to save her son. Yet seven years down the line, here they were. Easineya was arrogant and conceited as they came.

"Are you threatening me?"

"Interpret it the way you want," she said as she turned in her heels and walked away.

Easineya watched her daughter-in-law walk away barely holding herself from grabbing the vase by the door and hurling it at her retreating back.

"The audacity," she huffed in disbelief unable to believe that the stupid woman could threaten her.

*

Constance hurried through the lobby of the condominium straight to the elevator. She needed to vent. And there was only one person that could understand what she was going through.

Gwendolyn Mumba. Her saviour and accomplice. Her marriage to Abel had been successful only because of her.

Back then it had seemed so right. The perfect life. But all it had brought her was a handful of tears.

She had thought being Mrs Abel Mwango would mean she had made it in life. Had she not had a grand kitchen party and wedding that had left her friends from the ghetto envious with their jaws on the ground? She was moving up from being a nobody to the young lady of the Mwango household.

Did she not go over to her parents every other month with no less than three entourage cars to flaunt her wealth in the name of being a good daughter who never missed a visit to her parents? She always made sure there were enough branded plastic carrier bags of groceries, Game stores, Shoprite, Pep, Pick and Pay, Spar and any other pocket defining store. She had gotten her friends and family jealous no doubt but at what price? Night after night she cried herself to sleep. Day after day she died a little at the lack of love in her relationship. How she envied her sisters with their simple marriages when she saw how happy they were.

She would give up her wealth even if it was just for a day to feel the kind of love that her sisters had.

Nobody but Gwendolyn knew what she had done to get where she was. The elevator doors opened up on the seventh floor. She headed straight to Gwen's condo.

She let herself in by punching in the code into the security pad. Gwendolyn would know what to do. She always did.

When the doors opened, Constance stood stupefied at the sight that greeted her.

Gwendolyn lay on her back on the sofa, with her skirt hiked to her waist, moaning softly with her eyes closed. The buttons of her blouse were undone and the buffy and sweaty naked man on top of her who was furiously pounding into her squeezed her nipples, eliciting moans from both of them.

Constance could have silently walked away and let the two continue with their lovemaking, the only problem with the scene before her was that the man lost in sexual ecstasy happened to be her husband, Abel Mwango.