THE OPEN MIND COLLECTION

Love Affairs

"Mr Brain or Brawn...?" Tari's twelve year old sister asked after answering the door and seeing her older sister's boyfriend standing there.

Clayton leaned down to her and muttered, "The other b-word..." Cynthia guessed the b-word one of her sister's many boyfriends had called Tari when he found out that she was cheating on him..., the one Clayton was going to call Tari when or if he would finally find out that she was cheating on him with other men. Cynthia was wrong. Clayton shook his head and said, ""both" is the other b-word...dummy." He then smiled at her to confirm it was only a joke the same way she did as he entered his soon-to-be-in-laws' house.

Another female came ahead of Tari into the lobby. "Fadzi...?" Clayton knew her. "Ahem...Tari, you didn't tell me you have an older sister." He looked questioningly at her.

"She's not my sister, Clay" she explained "She's my mom" she looked amused and then said, "Humph, she just had me when she was..."

"Okay enough Tari, humph" her mother cut in, looking a little embarrassed. "Good to see you again Clay..."

"And how did the two of you know each other?" She looked suspiciously at both of them.

"Uhm"

"I'ya" Clayton and Fadzai both looked at each other and struggled for words.

"Oh look Mr Both is sweating" Cynthia interjected "I'll go get a glass of water." She rushed off and found the whole situation amusing.

"Tari, why don't we tell you about 'how we met' at the dinner table?" Fadzai suggested as she and her daughter led Clayton into the dining room.

Clayton and Tari were planning to get married although they were both unfaithful to each other. The parents of both were very much against them marrying. They did not tell them why. It took a lot of persuasion for the parents to bless their marriage.

However during the wedding Clayton's father stood up and he looked very troubled. "I cannot allow this wedding to go on. Clayton you must not marry her."

"Shumba, explain to me what's going on!" his wife took a strong grip at his arm.

"Dad, why are you saying I can't marry her?" Clayton desperately wanted to know.

His father hesitated before saying, "Because...she's your sister."

Clayton staggered as if he was going to fall but he did not. Tariro just stood there covering her wide open mouth. Her mother faced down with shame. She knowingly had an affair with a man as well as his son. Her husband, Maunganidze looked expressionless beside her and so did Clayton's mother who slowly let go of her husband and took her seat. She was drained of energy but she said, "Let them get married" and everyone was shocked...twice.

"Didn't you hear what I've just said, Memo?" Shumba asked angrily. "Clayton cannot..."

"Clayton is not your son...!" Memory told him. "He's Maunganidze's son" and then she shrugged "so let them get married."