The green-eyed monster

Short Story Shepherd Zvorufura
MY fingers were trembling like a reed in a torrential river that I could hardly keep the cell phone from falling. The anger and frustration was so consummate that I could see my face suffusing. I quickly blinked to curb the flow of tears which were beginning to sting my eyes.
How could Freddy do this to me? After so many years of a blissful marriage. There is no way he could be unfaithful to me. But could Mary be wrong? Her phone call had caught me unawares. I hadn’t heard from her for a while. It was surprising considering she was known as “Ziana” — gossip among our circle of friends.

“Guess what Siphiwe,” she had started without even saying hello. “I can’t even believe my eyes who I have just seen entertaining a lady at the popular outside coffee cafe.” My ears pricked in anticipation for a juicy piece of the latest from Ziana. “Of course I can’t guess but it must be from the top drawer since I haven’t heard from you for quite some time,” I prompted her.

“Are you seated or are you standing because this is gonna be a shocker,” she went on. “Incidentally I am standing but do go on I can’t wait to hear,” I said impatiently. “Just a few minutes ago I saw Freddy with a small-house,” she said.

“Freddy who,” I asked trying to think who this Freddy could be. “Your husband of course, you idiot,” she quipped. “You can’t be serious Mary,” of course I couldn’t believe my Freddy could do such a thing. “They say seeing is believing, if you have got time, dash to Haefeli’s right now and you will catch him red-handed,” Mary blurted out.

The cell phone went dead. Whether Mary had cut-off or had run out of time is a matter of conjecture. I slowly sat down as my legs had turned to jelly. I told myself that I had to think reasonably. Mary was a gossip alright. But could she concoct a story out of the blue. After being married for 30 years I had never had the opportune to suspect Freddy of infidelity.

Except one incident which turned to be a fluke.
Freddy had asked me to take one of his suits to the dry cleaners. On searching the pockets of the suit I came across a packet of condoms. I nearly went through the roof with rage. My anger was even more compounded when I phoned him and he replied by saying: “Those are the tools of my trade.” Tools of his trade! My foot! I could have wrung his neck if he was nearby. What audacity! How can a husband pride himself in his flirtatious habits?

“What do you mean tools of your trade?” I had fumed. “Look my dear, I am a social worker, and I go about lecturing the society about the Aids pandemic. I just forgot to take those things out of the suit. They to me are just what spanners are to a mechanic,” he had said with his cool mocking voice.

I had made myself a fool then. Should I this time take the plunge and go and confront my ever faithful husband over some flippant gossip. I nearly phoned a friend who works near this eating place to check for me. But no Mary may have spread the word already. So I decided to take the bull by the horns.

I asked my boss for an afternoon off feigning a headache. I must have looked horrible because he quickly agreed by saying “Sure, sure you don’t look very well, but make sure you pass through seeing a doctor.” I drove slowly into town not too sure whether I would not pass through a red robot. My mind was so muddled up, I couldn’t think straight. At the same time I wasn’t too sure how I would confront the lovebirds. This eating place is very popular and is usually thronging with people seated at the tables scattered on the veranda. Besides Freddy was a respectable member of the society. I couldn’t possibly make a scene in public.

However the green-eyed monster – jealousy overlooks any sense of reasoning. There is no smoke without fire, they say. I managed to get a centre parking opposite the eating place. I slowly got out and stood surveying the lunch crowd on the veranda. It didn’t take me long to spot Freddy. From the way he was laughing he was having a jolly good time. He was seated against the shop window and the woman had her back to the road.

Throwing caution to the wind I literally ran across the street because I was inflamed with anger. With arms akimbo I stood behind the woman as I balefully glared at Freddy. Sensing my presence Freddy lifted his head. His mouth went agape in surprise and what I perceived to be shock. “Caught you bastard,” I said to myself triumphantly.

Wondering what had surprised Freddy, the woman turned her face to look at me. It was MaiTinashe, Freddy’s sister.

How I wished the ground would open up and swallow me.

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