SCARRED

1. NEVER SAY NEVER.

LWAZI

"Ekse! Soldier boy!"

"Ubanga umsindo." [You're making noise]

"And then? What's with the sour mood?"

"Lutho, I'm just tired. Do you want a beer?" I ask Bangizwe, already reaching in the cooler box next to my feet.

"Sure." he says catching the bottle that I throw at him.

"uthi udliwa yini?" [What bothering you?]

"Just work stuff. Nothing I can't handle." I shrug it off, I'm not in the mood to talk about my collapsing career and knowing that Bangizwe won't just let it go, I quickly stir the conversation elsewhere.

"How was the trip to Mpumalanga?" I ask,  he went there with our big brother, Nkosiyabo. According to Bangizwe, he went there to offer moral support to our brother who thoroughly managed to hurt and piss off his wife but we all know the truth, Bangizwe tagged along because he didn't want to miss the opportunity to see and spend time with his woman, who had gone on this holiday with my sister in law.

"Hey! ubhuti wakho [Your brother], I've never seen him so stressed. Listen, if uKhanyisa had turned him back he would have cried, nasi" He says crossing his index and middle finger and I bust out laughing.

"uNkosiyabo, cry? Hayi suka wena, Ukhuluma umbhedo [You're speaking nonsense]

"Ehh, Ngithi awumbonanga, [You didn't see him] ubuClever, gone! Haa women will be the end of us, yeses!"

"Speak for yourself." I gulp down my bottle and it joins its friends on the floor.

"Angithi vele you don't have time for that, you're always busy ducking bombs. But tshela mina [tell me], there must be that one colleague, that one drunken night in the bathrooms or in the car... Or the bushes at this point"

"Ungijwayela kabi, bushes? Me? Do I look like a bushes kind of man?"

"Ohh so it's the bathrooms and car?"

"Shut up."

"Haa, I knew it! Soldiers and their stories. Was it serious though or just njeee. "

"It wasn't anything, Just a couple of times. " I don't even know why I'm entertaining him but then again, I've missed goofing around with my brothers, I've even missed his annoying questions and besides,
Between Amelia and I, no one walked away with a broken heart, there was nothing to be broken about.

"Sure, Mr. Hit and run." he laughs while shaking his head.

"It wasn't a hit and run, just an agreement between two adults."

"A means to a deserted ends."

"Mxm, I forget how you can be. What about you, Mr. Two wives, thee Mdlalose polygamist. Any signs of who number two might be?"

"I'm not even looking, plus it's said I will meet her on the day I marry uNandi."

"Hey! but the underground gang has no chill. On your wedding day then boom, second wife revealed. Will you even tell Nandi when you see this other woman?"

"Not immediately, I won't do anything to ruin our day. I want this to be a happy memory for her, so if it does happen, and that's a big if, I will tell her when we return from our honeymoon. "

"You're in a tight spot. "

"I am bafo, I am. " he mumbles, this thing is clearly eating at him and now that he's set the date for his wedding, it's all just become too real.