WHAT!!!

She does not know whether to laugh or cry when she hears him say, ''I love you. May you please be my girlfriend?" so she jails her feelings inside her which results in a tear escaping her eyes and landing on the ground. She can't offer any other answer except, "YES I WILL.''

Getrude's cheeks turn pink with happiness and amazement. She sits there on that rock and suddenly feels his warm soft hands hugging her. And in her mind she asks, ''Why did you not say this all this while?'' They look at each other and an amazed face turns into a smile and so does that frightened face of his. Then the first chapter of their love story begins.

Getrude had yearned for him. For a long time she wished he could ask her out. Now, her wish had been granted. But one thing she did not know till now was that he loved her very much more than she did.

At work and at church she observed him with love but never noticed that he too was watching at a distance. But one thing she is not sure of is what he did on weekends. She rarely saw him and that kept her mind wondering.

One thing helped her not to act too weird towards him. One think helped her to increase the love he had for her. This was self-control.

All this while he was battling with fear. A fear that restricted him from approaching her and at the same time was afraid that she would become another man's woman. Now, the fear had gone and so he approached her.

''I think we should take more drinks.'' Getrude says.

''Yah. Yah. True. Let me go get them.'' Tapiwa says.

After they finish those, Getrude again says, ''Let's get more drinks.'' but this time with one eye closed.

But Tapiwa says, ''No. No. No. Too much of it will ask us to make the latrine our friend whom we frequently visit.''

They dance and dance and dance till their feet complain.

Before sunset they go home and no frowns appear on their faces. They are just smiles all the way.

There they are sitting on those chairs sometimes amazed, scared and at other times feelings of love flowing through their bodies. When that time comes she always leans on him and he always hugs her. After it's over they look at each other sometimes give sighs of relief and at other times they just smile. They stand up and the two lovers make their way home.

Dust rises as they walk on the ground.

She asks him one afternoon, ''Will you be there this weekend?''

He looks at her and simply says, '' No. l won't be there. I'm sorry love. I will be busy.''

She says, '' Why can't you tell me where you will be during weekends? We don't even get to meet during weekends. Why?''

He says, ''I will be busy. I can't tell you. It's private and confidential.''

And he kisses her on the cheek.

These were their moments at parties, movies and when they took walks together. But they were never, I say never, together on weekends.

They date for about seven months. Sometimes they fight and quarrel and at other times they act like they never fight in their lives.

There they are loving each other in the garden. They share their thoughts and get to know each other better.

''I know we quarrel and we fight.'' he said and went quiet. He swallows saliva heavily. He looks up into the sky and down on to the ground. He kneels down as he reaches into his pocket and bring out a box.

Tapiwa says, ''I have made a decision for my life. I want you to be my wife. So, will you marry me?''

He says this with all the boldness he has gathered.

Getrude wonders and she says, ''Is this real? Do the plants hear that? Why are they so silent? Why are they not shocked as l am? Oh, they are waiting for my answer. What should l say YES or NO? I love him so much that l can't say no. He has made his decision l haven't. Whatever.''

And she says out loud with emphasis, ''YES I WILL.''

Then the second chapter of their love story begins.

The priest says, ''Getrude do you take Tapiwa as your husband?''

She says, ''YES.''

The priest says, ''Tapiwa do you take Getrude as your wife?''

He says, ''YES.''

The priest says, ''You may ki...''

Before he even finishes his sentence they were already on it- kissing till the crowd claps their hands.

They find themselves at that moment where everyone wishes to be one day. It was their honeymoon.

There they are in that room, in that hotel. As the evening draws near Getrude gets nervous and scared.

''Mama. Mama.'' she calls her that is Getrude's daughter who is called Tadia.

''Mama. Mama.'' he calls her and that is the second born, Tatenda the son to Tapiwa and Getrude.

Tadia and Tatenda race to their mother. They wanted to tell her that aunty Lucia had arrived.

It is now Saturday and Getrude, Tapiwa, Tadia, Tatenda and aunty Lucia are sitting in the dining room chatting together.

Tapiwa, as usual, wants to go out to where his wife is not supposed to know.

Where he is not comfortable going with anyone.

He stands up and just says, ''See you soon. I am going out.''

Getrude asks, ''To where my darling?''

Tapiwa says roughly, '' How many times do l have to tell you never to ask me that? Huh? Huh?''

And he marchs out of the house angrily frightening everyone so that no one asks him anything.

One Saturday, Getrude decides to follow her husband. She follows him carefully.

She sees him enter into a certain house. She waits patiently till Tapiwa comes out.

He has changed his clothes and he is wearing a very good looking , proffesionally made, blue suit.

There Getrude is looking and wondering.

She gets anxious and keeps on following.

She sees him enter into a certain place which is surrounded by a wall.

As she does not expect anything bad she decides to wait outside.

She waits and waits till she decides to get inside.

She gets inside and sees her husband in front of the crowd.

And she hears the priest say, ''Tapiwa do you take Laura as your wife?''

And she hears her very own husband say, ''Yes I do.''

A tear drops from her eye as she hears the priest say, ''You may kiss.''

She stands there not knowing what to do or what to say.

She stands there till the wedding is over.

She wonders what she had not given him that he would cheat and hurt her so much.

She gasps for air and she falls down on that very same spot.

She has fainted!!!