by Dhasi Mwale
“Did you?”
“Hell no. I did later, though. Many months later.”
Katenekwa reached out to hold his hand. “Thanks for sharing this with me.”
Wezi beamed and called over a waitress. “Now, let’s get some beers into you and see if we can’t get you on stage.”
“In your dreams.”
It was a night out of a dream. She threw caution to the wind and joined Wezi on stage. They sang to a drunken crowd. They danced. She let herself stay in that moment. The crowd thinned faster than she’d thought possible, and by one, they were two of the few still around.
The DJ quieted the music and played classic R&B to the few drunken couples still hanging around.
Talking to Wezi was so akin to breathing. He didn’t belittle or judge her ambitions and experiences. Instead, he was everything she’d ever hoped for and nothing like she’d imagined. There was a depth to him she could have never dreamed flirtatious Wezi possessed. And for tonight, everything made sense.
In between tender kisses that went no further, Katenekwa and Wezi shared their lives and dared each other to stay awake until sunrise.
“Who won?” Wezi had stirred a few seconds after she awoke but kept his eyes closed, his arm wrapped around her.
“Nature did. We, on the other hand, failed completely, and I’m not entirely sure who fell asleep first.”
He chortled. “Then why did I get the prize?”
“What prize?”
He opened his eyes and gazed deep into her soul. “You.”
Katenekwa’s chest became too small to contain the joy growing inside. “You should write love songs.”
“Who says I don’t?”
Katenekwa rolled out of his arms, sat up and stretched. They’d finally fallen asleep on the sofa in the early hours of the morning. The garden was deserted except for the workers who were hard at work cleaning up the evidence of last night’s reverie—time to get back to reality then.
“We’re lucky it was a warm night. Imagine the headline if they’d found us frozen.”
“As if.” He, too, moved himself to an upright position. "Doesn’t it feel good to be spontaneous sometimes?"
He brushed a loose braid away from her eyes.
“Once in a while. Don’t make it a habit.” She leaned in for a peck on his lips, and he pulled her in for a kiss that made her want to somersault. She lay her head on his chest, wishing for nothing more than to stay there and forget the world. But she wasn’t built that way.
“I need to use the bathroom.” She pulled away and slipped the phone out of her jeans.
“Someone’s attached to her phone,” Wezi commented.
“Don’t be an ass. I’ll meet you at the car,” she announced and strode off.
She’d agreed to turn off her phone with reluctance, but she had to admit it had paid off. She’d enjoyed the night. Perhaps she’d turn it off more often. Barely a second after rebooting, it began to ping desperately. So much for turning her phone off more often. She stared at the ‘CALL ME’ texts popping up and the missed calls from Lillian. She was still debating whether to call Lillian back immediately or after using the bathroom when the phone rang.
“I’ve been trying to reach you all night,” were Lillian’s first words.
“Good morning to you as well. What’s going on?”
“Our headliner doesn’t want to do the show.” The desperation in Lillian’s voice was almost palpable.
Katenekwa had never seen or heard Lillian panic. She was the most put-together person Katenekwa had ever met. But here she was, seemingly exhaling for the first time in hours.
“Felicia?”
“She’s being quite the diva. Katenekwa, without Felicia, there is no show.”
And without the show, Katenekwa was ruined. But Media GQ would bounce back. They had deep pockets and many artists. She, on the other hand… “Can’t we have a different singer headline?”
“Are you nuts?! We’ve been advertising this for months. We can’t change a headliner. We need her back. We must find a way to get her back. I need you to work a miracle.”
“What do you mean I need to work a miracle? I organize. I don’t handle the talent.”
“And I don’t panic. But here we are.” Lillian inhaled loudly. “Look, she won’t talk to me, and frankly, you have the most to lose. You’ll figure it out.”
Katenekwa rubbed her temples to abate the oncoming headache, which wasn’t a symptom of the hangover she’d thought would be her only problem today. “Does Mike know?”
“God, no. I haven’t told him yet. She refuses to even hear of Mike. I don’t want him panicking just yet.”
“You’re panicking.”
“Well, someone has to.”
Katenekwa refused to let despair overwhelm her even though all she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry. “Ok. I’ll figure something out. I’ll call you back when I do.”
Her mind was still reeling when she joined Wezi at the car. She slipped into the passenger's side and let him take the driver’s seat despite her desperate urge to keep her hands busy. She’d never dealt with artist bookings, and she had no idea how to handle the Felicia crisis. She hated it when she didn’t have a plan. She got all fidgety and panicky, and keeping her hands busy would help.
Unthinking, she slipped her hand down Wezi’s pants.
“Holy shit.” He gasped and let go of the wheel.
Encouraged by his response, she continued stroking him, fully aware that her own body was reacting. She yanked her hand out of his pants. Nope, she wasn’t the kind of girl who’d have parking lot sex.
Wezi gave her a look that was a mix between hunger and shock but a pleasant kind of shock. “Wow. You’re not what I expected.”
Katenekwa scratched her hair. “Sorry. I get weird when I’m stressed.”
“Maybe you should be stressed more often,” he whispered and kissed her lightly. “What’s got you wound up?”
He put the car in reverse.
“Felicia is refusing to perform.”
Katenekwa waited for a gasp or any sign of surprise from Wezi. “She must be having one of her episodes. God, that woman is a piece of work.”
Katenekwa kept her eyes on the road, unsure what emotions looking at him would incite within her. “Oh. How do you know her?”
“We used to date.”
Chapter 8
It wasn’t that he’d dated someone; she’d be foolish to think he’d been celibate. It was that he’d dated her. Felicia was the femme fatale of the Zambian music industry. A songbird with the face and body of a supermodel. She was the woman little girls aspired to be when they grew up. And he’d been with her?
Katenekwa stared at him while he ate cereal. She’d tried hard not to think about Wezi and Felicia’s past romance on the drive home. How could she not have known about it? They had been close, right? How much did she really know about the man she’d almost given herself to twice now? “So, you dated Felicia. When was this?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “We’ve kind of been on and off for a while. God, that woman is a pain!”
Katenekwa swirled the cornflakes in her bowl and ignored her brain’s attempt to call his statement into scrutiny. They were on and off? Not in the past tense, she noted. Would he say Katenekwa was a pain in a couple of years? And why was that the thing that was bothering her? Katenekwa blinked and forced her brain back to the topic of Felicia’s work ethic. “So, she does this? Quits gigs at the last minute?”
“All the time. But her label can’t let her go because she’s their biggest name. It’s all about business.”
Business. Yep, that motivated one to do the most insane things. For instance, the request brewing in her brain that she’d make because she had to think of her business first, no matter her personal misgivings. “So, would you say you’re on talking terms?”
“Nope.”
“But she’d give you an audience….”
“No! Let me stop you there
. No. I’m not seeing that psycho. The last time we broke up, she threw a frying pan at my head! I got stitches. She is bat shit crazy.”
Katenekwa raised her hands in surrender. “I get it. You don’t get along.”
Wezi lowered his voice to match hers and added in a plaintive tone. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”
Another side of Wezi she’d never seen. She was learning all kinds of things about him. But to be honest, she wasn’t exactly thrilled by this side of him.
“Will you at least take me to her house later?”
“That I can do.”
“Thanks.”
Katenekwa lost her appetite and then spent most of her shower staring at the water hitting the shower floor. Felicia?
Felicia could have any man she desired, and she’d chosen Wezi. Broke, unknown Wezi. Imagine when his situation changed. Katenekwa would spend a great deal of her time fending off women. Would she be able to handle that kind of drama?
Don’t get ahead of yourself, Kitty. It was just a kiss.
She came out of her bedroom to find a sullen-faced Wezi on her sofa. He’d gotten ready before breakfast and looked smashing in beige chinos and a white shirt.
“What’s up with you?”
“You know how you asked me to take your calls while you showered?”
“Yeah. Did something happen? Is Dad okay?” Her pulse quickened.
“He’s fine. He called. Said he’ll call back.”
“That doesn’t seem too bad, although he may have wondered why we’re together this early. Did he scold you over the phone? No, I think Dad likes you.”
“Josiah called.”
Katenekwa froze. Her mind blanked. She’d forgotten all about her could-be boyfriend—again.
Wezi held her gaze. “He said he enjoyed your date last night. He’s hoping you’ll be available for another one soon. I guess he assumed I was an assistant, or he’d never have told me that.” Wezi paused for a nervous laugh. As if he’d discovered that he was the dumbest guy on earth. “You told me you were working late last night.”
“No. You said I was working late. I didn’t say anything.”
“Fair enough. But why? Why would you do this to me?”
Katenekwa’s heart clenched, and then fury came from nowhere. “I didn’t do anything to you, Wezi. Josiah and I go out sometimes. It’s nothing serious, and frankly, I don’t know if it will lead anywhere.”
“What about us then?”
Katenekwa held his pained gaze and knew then that she couldn’t, she mustn’t, let him break her heart. “Us? There is no us. I’m not even sure I’ll see you after the festival. You disappeared for two years, Wezi. I lost my brother, and I lost you. And then you reappear, and you expect me to what? Think you’re here to stay?”
All the things she’d bitten back spewed from her bruised heart. He watched her with glistening eyes but said nothing. “You’re a flirt. You’ll always be. And I’m not stupid, okay? I’m your flavour of the moment. I know guys like you, Wezi. I saw Kawana break hearts. I saw him hurt so many girls. I’m not going to be one of those girls.”
“Kitty, I’m not K. I’m not like your brother. Why is that so hard for you to see? I wasn’t flirting with you. I care about you. And I know I ghosted you, and that was unforgivable, and honestly, I didn’t expect you to still be single. And I was happy you still were. But you didn’t have to lie to me, Kitty. Don’t I deserve your honesty?”
She broke inside at the pain in his eyes. “You do. And if I’m honest, you terrify me, Wezi. You’re fickle. Unpredictable. You go where the wind blows, and I’m not like that. And when you realize I’m not fun, you’ll leave. I can’t take that chance. I thought I could, but I’m not ready for that.”
“All I want from you is a little faith, Kitty. What must I do to prove myself to you?”
***
Prove himself, he’d said.
Even if he ran the gauntlet, conquered an army, and achieved world peace, he’d still be Wezi, the guy she was never meant to be with. He’d still be destined for fame and legions of fans. He said he cared for her now, and it might be true. But things change. Fame and money changed people, and she wasn’t going to stand in the dust that his chariot of fame left in its wake.
They drove in silence.
She’d had many an awkward drive before, but never with Wezi. It was her fault. She’d let him cross the line of friendship, and now they were stuck.
She wished she had a sibling to call and talk to about the pain she felt.
She could call her father. He wouldn’t pat her shoulder, but he’d be there for her like he always had been. Besides, the old man knew about the feelings she had for Wezi. But could he console her without pushing her to take that chance with Wezi?
She didn’t want to hear that right now. And her cousins weren’t going to be helpful. They’d unanimously agreed the Mwaba twins were bonkers. It was the lack of motherly love and the curse of a busy father, they’d declared. If only Dr Mwaba had remarried, those wayward twins would have been normal.
Katenekwa stared out the window the whole way, pretending to be taking note of the route in case she needed to get to Felicia’s house by herself at some point. She dreaded the business meeting she was about to have with Wezi’s ex.
Each second that drew them closer to Felicia’s abode pushed Wezi and Katenekwa further apart. They arrived at the star’s residence with their relationship in tatters.
Wezi drove into the yard and parked next to a silver BMW X6. “I’ll wait here.”
“I won’t take long.” Katenekwa unclasped her seat belt but avoided eye contact.
“No rush.”
His kindness stabbed her. She needed him to rave in rage. Anything to justify her breaking his heart and choosing Josiah over him. She needed him to be the reckless Wezi she feared. Couldn’t he be that for her? Be irrational for once?
Katenekwa walked up to the main entrance of the red brick mansion, feeling numb. She barely registered the maid’s greeting and escort into the exquisitely decorated living room. She was only drawn out of her despair by the image of Felicia gliding down the spiral staircase, her smooth, light brown thighs in perfect contrast to her black shorts and top. Her hair was done in big red braids piled high on her head—a vision, as always.
“Hi. I’m Katenekwa.” She stood and stretched her arm in greeting.
Felicia gave her a handshake that was barely a graze. Her gaze swept over Katenekwa. “I’m going to guess Media GQ sent you.”
“Then you know why I’m here.”
“I’m not changing my mind.”
“May I at least know why?”
Felicia rolled her eyes and gestured for Katenekwa to sit. She crossed her perfect legs and posed as if perched for a photo. Every movement of her body was graceful, deliberate. “My manager thinks doing this show won’t improve my status. In fact, being on stage with all those wannabes might damage my reputation. It’s a business move, you understand. And since I’m not signed to Media GQ, they can’t make me do the show. My label already knows I refused.”
“May I ask why you agreed to do the show in the first place?”
“Well.” She batted her eyelashes and spoke with that sultry voice of hers. “At the time, I dated this insanely hot up-and-comer, Wezi. His friend Kawana, whom you might know by his stage name Keystone, had this dream of putting together a music festival showcasing Zambian musicians and their styles. I was head over heels for Wezi, and I said yes. But Keystone’s dead, and I haven’t seen Wezi in almost a year. I don’t see the point in performing.”
Almost a year. He’d seen Felicia, at least once, in the time he’d disappeared from Katenekwa’s life. He’d abandoned her for two years, and yet he’d seen Felicia? And he had the audacity to declare that he cared for Katenekwa? Damn the lying Wezi.
Katenekwa bit back bile but was unable to stop herself from blurting out, “If you were so in love with him, why did you hit him with a frying pan?”
&nb
sp; Felicia made an O with her perfect lips. A smile played on her face. “You know Wezi? Are you his girl or something?”
“No. He’s a friend. Keystone was my brother.”
Sympathy softened Felicia’s features. “You must be the twin.”
“I am. The festival is in Keystone’s memory. Please, can’t you reconsider? It would mean so much to me. It would have meant so much to him.”
“I’m sorry. That bastard, Wezi, is on the program, and I’m not sure I want to be on the same stage with him. Now, if he’d apologize for what he did, I might reconsider.”
Get Wezi to see Felicia.
Yesterday Katenekwa had been sure he’d do anything for her. Things were different now. “Okay. I’ll try and get him to apologize.” Katenekwa stood. “Just out of curiosity, what did he do to deserve the frying pan?”
“He called out another girl’s name in bed. I was so furious. I was stupid enough to think he wasn’t like Keystone. But you know what they say about birds of a feather.”
“Yeah. I do.” Darkness claimed Katenekwa’s heart. Here was proof that Wezi was like K. Here was justification she needed to stay away from Wezi. Wasn’t evidence of his player nature what she needed to shut this down? So why did she feel so forlorn?
“That bastard,” Felicia said, lost in reminiscence. “If I ever meet that Kitty girl, oh, what I’d do.”
“Did you say Kitty?” Katenekwa swallowed a hard ball of saliva.
“Yeah. What kind of a name is that, anyway?”
The kind of name that a guy like Wezi gave to a girl named Kat. She was his free spirit—the girl who pursued her goals with all of her being. Resolute Kitty. Unwavering, independent Kitty.
Somehow, Katenekwa got to her car and slid into the passenger seat, although she saw nothing, lost in a black hole of regret.
“I’m guessing she said no,” Wezi said.
Katenekwa nodded and flipped through her binder to avoid Wezi’s gaze. Just how long had he been in love with her? Was he still in love with her? Then why hadn’t he called her? Why hadn’t he come to see her? Nothing made sense anymore. Her head spun as her world and beliefs clashed.
“Hey, are you all right?” He placed a comforting hand on her thigh.
