THE INCARCERATED STRANGER

 

Chapter 38

 

PARI

 

 She pushes him away after she finally stops crying for a while. She doesn’t know why she let him in, but she did. It’s not like he was going to leave anyway; she knows Nipho all too well. This is exactly what he did when he was still courting her. She had rejected him countless times until he started showing up at her doorstep, even sleeping there just to win her heart. Eventually, she had given in, allowing him into her life. He loved her and treated her like the princess he always claimed she was. 

But now, everything feels shattered. Why did he betray her like this? A whole marriage to another woman? The pain cuts deep because she loves Nipho so much.

“I’m sorry, Pari,” he says, breaking into her thoughts.

She shakes her head, refusing to accept his apology.

 “You’re not sorry, Nipho. You’re only saying that because I found out,” she replies, her voice cracking.

“I mean it, Sthandwa Sami, ngiyacolisa,” he insists earnestly.

“I know I should have been honest from the first time I started courting you,” he continues, his eyes filled with regret. “But I was scared you wouldn’t want to get involved with me because I have a fiancée and kids.”

“Trust me, I wanted to tell you so badly—every single day, every time we were together. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The thought of you leaving me always stopped me from coming clean,” he confesses.

She looks at him, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions and unsure of what to say in response. The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air between them, and for a moment, all she can do is search his face for the truth amidst the hurt.

“I love you. I really do. God knows how much I love you. I don’t want to lose you, my Pari,” he says, his voice thick with emotion.

“Just like you don’t want to lose me, I don’t want to share you, Nipho,” she replies, her tone firm yet pained. He sighs, looking deeply into her eyes as a heavy silence envelops them.

“I’ve always loved the idea of having two wives,” he admits, breaking the stillness. She raises an eyebrow, surprised.

“Since high school, I used to have two girlfriends at the same time,” he continues, his gaze drifting into the past.

 “Until they both found out and ended up fighting over me.” 

He pauses for a moment, recalling the chaos of those days.

 “It was wild, but at the time, I thought it was fun—having both of them in my life. I never considered how it would hurt them or how it would affect me in the long run.”

Pari listens intently, trying to process what he’s saying. The revelation stings; it feels like a glimpse into his mindset that she never wanted to see.

He takes a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to continue. “I thought I could handle it, but it only led to heartbreak. I lost both of them in the end. They couldn’t trust me, and I couldn’t be honest with either of them.”

Pari’s heart races as she absorbs his words. “So, you think that’s how love works? Just juggling people until someone gets hurt?” 

“No, that’s not what I mean,” he replies quickly, shaking his head. “I’ve tried to change since then. I thought… I thought maybe I could make it work differently this time,but i couldn't trust me . , Pari.”

“you couldn't?or you just want me to accept something I can’t. Love shouldn’t be about sharing or dividing; it should be about commitment and honesty.”

He looks at her, pain etched across his face.

 “You’re right. I’ve been selfish, thinking I could have both worlds without considering the consequences. But my feelings for you are real—I don’t want to lose you.”

“Then you need to decide what you truly want,” she says softly but firmly.

 “Because right now, it feels like you’re trying to have your cake and eat it too.”

Nipho sighs, the weight of her words sinking in. “I know. And I’m sorry for putting you in this position.” His voice breaks slightly as he continues, “I never meant for things to get so complicated.”

Pari wipes away a lingering tear and takes a deep breath. 

“If you want a future with me, Nipho, you need to make a choice. It has to be me or her—no more half-measures.”

He watches her intently, his heart racing as he realizes the gravity of what she’s asking. 

 He takes a deep breath, his expression shifting as he struggles with his thoughts. “Pari, I can’t just choose,” he finally admits, his voice heavy. “I love you both—Zekhethelo and you. It’s not something I can easily walk away from.”

Her heart sinks at his words. “What do you mean you can’t choose? You’re asking me to share you? That’s not love, Nipho!”

“I know it sounds crazy,” he replies, desperation creeping into his tone. “But I want things to work for all three of us. I believe we can find a way to make it happen.”

“Are you serious?” Pari’s voice wavers between disbelief and anger. “You want us to be in some kind of… arrangement? That’s not how love works! It’s not fair to either of us!”

“I’m not trying to be unfair,” he insists, his eyes pleading with her to understand. “I care about you both deeply. Zekhethelo is part of my life, and I don’t want to lose her either. But what we have is special too, Pari.”

She shakes her head, feeling a mix of frustration and heartbreak. “You can’t just expect us to accept this! Love isn’t a game where you can have multiple players without consequences.”

Nipho runs a hand through his hair, clearly torn. “I know it sounds complicated, but I believe there’s a way we can all be happy together. We just need to communicate and set boundaries.”

“Boundaries?” she scoffs, crossing her arms tightly against her chest. “How can you set boundaries in a relationship that’s supposed to be built on trust and love? This feels like you’re trying to have the best of both worlds without considering how it affects us!”

“I don’t want to hurt either of you,” he says desperately. “I thought if we could all sit down together and talk about it—”

“Talk about what?” she interrupts, her voice rising with emotion. “How we’re going to share your heart like it’s some kind of trophy? That’s not what love is supposed to feel like!”

Nipho looks down, shame washing over him as he realizes how misguided his thoughts are. “I just thought… Maybe if we all understood each other better, we could make it work.”

Pari softens slightly at the sight of his distress but remains firm in her stance. “Nipho, love isn’t about sharing or negotiating feelings. It’s about choosing one person and being fully committed to them.”

He looks back up at her, anguish evident in his eyes. 

“But I don’t want to lose either of you! I love you both too much for that.”

“Then maybe you need to reconsider what love really means,” she replies quietly, feeling the weight of the moment settle around them.

Silence hangs heavily between them as they both grapple with the reality of their situation—the pain of unfulfilled desires clashing with the complexity of human emotions. In that moment, they both realize that love is never simple, especially when hearts are intertwined in ways that challenge everything they thought they knew.

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MANGALISO 

 

“How is she?” he asks Ayakha, who has just hung up the phone after a call with her best friend. She lets out a sigh as she takes a seat next to him.

“She says she’s fine. We didn’t talk much,” she replies, leaning her head against his shoulder, seeking comfort.

“I feel bad about all this, you know. I shouldn’t have invited her to the wedding,” she admits, her voice tinged with regret. He shakes his head gently.

“You have nothing to feel bad about, Cupcake. You didn’t know my brother was Nhlakanipho,” he reassures her, watching as she sighs again, the weight of the situation evident on her face.

“Besides,” he continues, “if she hadn’t gone, how were you going to tell her that the wedding you went to was her fiancé’s wedding to another woman?” He raises an eyebrow playfully as she shrugs in response.

“See? So stop feeling bad. At least she found out herself. Now she has to decide if she wants out or if she’s okay with being in a polygamous marriage,” he says, chuckling lightly.

“Are you also a polygamous man?” Ayakha asks curiously, looking up at him with wide eyes. He bursts into laughter.

“Me? No, no, my love! When I love, I love one woman. I wouldn’t be able to handle two women fighting and wanting to kill each other!” He laughs at the ridiculousness of the thought, and Ayakha can’t help but smile at his infectious joy.

“Exactly! It sounds like a recipe for chaos,” she agrees, feeling a bit lighter despite the heaviness of their earlier conversation.

He wraps an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “Exactly! One woman is more than enough for me.” They share a moment of laughter together, Continuing watching the movie on TV.

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His phone rings, shattering the peaceful moment they were sharing. He reaches into his pocket and glances at the caller ID. “Step mother,” he says with a smile before answering and putting it to his ear.

“Hey, Son, how are you?” she greets him.

“I’m fine, Mom. How are you?” he replies, noticing the strain in her voice.

“I’m not okay, Son. I tried calling you yesterday, but your phone was off,” she says, her tone heavy with concern.

“Oh, my phone has been switched off since yesterday. I only turned it on around 6 PM today. What’s wrong?” he asks, sensing something is off.

“Your father is sick, Mangaliso,” she says, her voice breaking.

“What’s wrong with Dad? He’s not the type to get sick,” he responds, alarm creeping into his voice.

“I don’t know. It’s been a month now, and I thought he would get better, but nothing is improving. Even the doctors don’t see anything,” his stepmother admits, her voice cracking as she breaks into sobs.

“Mom, all this time Dad has been sick, and you’re telling me today?” he asks, trying hard to keep his frustration in check.

“I thought he would be better, Son. I’m so sorry,” she replies, her words laced with guilt.

He takes a deep breath in and out, trying to steady himself. “I will drive there tomorrow morning,” he says firmly, determination replacing the panic in his chest. 

“Thank you,” she whispers through her tears, and he can feel the weight of her worry pressing down on him.

 He hangs up the phone, and Ayakha looks at him, concern etched on her face.

 “What is wrong?” she asks gently.

He lets out a heavy sigh. 

“My father is not well. He has been sick for a month now. Can you imagine? I’m only being told today?” His frustration is palpable.

“Calm down, love,” she says softly, reaching out to comfort him.

“Did she say what’s wrong with him?” she continues.

He shakes his head.

 “No, they don’t know. Even the doctors can’t find what’s wrong with him.” 

They sit in silence, the weight of his words hanging heavily between them. Ayakha pulls him into her lap, wrapping her arms around him as if trying to shield him from the pain. She runs her fingers through his head, offering warmth and solace in the midst of uncertainty.

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