# ~Truths_of_the_heart
Final chapter.~ ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Naomi studied Mwamba as he held a piece of meat to his mouth. Mwamba had arrived home from work minutes earlier, having stayed longer at the office preparing for a board meeting scheduled in a few days. Peter and Milda were alre-ady in be-d.
“What?” Mwamba asked.
“Huh?”
“Why are you staring at me like that?” Mwamba dug into the beans with a piece of nshima.
“Ah, an envelope c@m£ for you this afternoon.”
“Ok. What’s in it?”
Naomi tried to re-ad into his expression and saw that Mwamba didn’t seem to know what she was talking about. “Its a wedding invitation.” She said finally.
“Oh, ok. Whose wedding? I don’t think I’ve heard of anyone getting married of late.”
“Its Tamara’s.”
Mwamba st©pped eating and looked up at Naomi. “Are you serious?”
Naomi handed him the card, which he re-ad using his clean hand. Naomi could see the shock on his face as he skimmed throu-gh the card. Or was it disappointment?
“Its this Saturday.” Mwamba looked up from the card. “Who brou-ght it?”
“I don’t know. I had gone to town the time it was delivered. Milda is the one who gave it to me.”
“Ok.” Mwamba went back to his meal.
“So?”
“What?”
“Are you going to the wedding or not?”
Mwamba shrugged it off and continued to eat. Naomi pushed back her chair furiously and stood up cl!çk!ng her ton-gue.
“What have I done now?” He asked raising his brows.
“You still have feelings for her don’t you?”
“You are overreacting again.” Mwamba stood up as well, picked up his plate and went to the kitchen. When he returned to the dining room Naomi was gone. Mwamba washed the plates he had used then took out a beer from the fridge. In the be-droom Naomi covered her head with the blanket.
“You will just suffocate un-der there. I’m not going to the wedding. I’m sure the invitation c@m£ from the mother out of courtesy.”
Naomi put her head out to look at Mwamba. “You still have feelings for her right?”
“What feelings? I swear to you there is nothing I feel for her. I love you. And we are here building on what we almost lost two years go. I haven’t seen or spoken to Tamara in over a year, you know that!” Mwamba knelt down beside her and k!$$£d herl-ips. “No sulking plea-se.”
Naomi smiled, feeling more at peace. “Ok.”
“Good girl.” He k!$$£d her again. “Besides I’ll be working on that Saturday remember? I have a board meeting from Thursday up till Sunday.” Mwamba pu-ll-ed her chin up. “So no more sulking ok?”
Naomi smiled shyly, “ok.”
“Good. Now let me take a quic-k bath then I come show you just how much I love you. Don’t you dare fall asleep!”
“Hmm is that showing of love for me or for you?” She tea-sed.
“For us!” He beamed as he disappeared into the bathroom.
**************************
Saturday arrived with Mwamba anxious and abs£ntminded. He had left home at 6, nee-ding to review some content that would be pres£nted during the board meeting as he did every morning since Thursday when the meeting started. Alone in the office, Mwamba found himself fidgeting. He couldn’t concentrate on anything, having to re-ad a s£ntence more than once. Mwamba opened the bo-ttomdrawer of his office desk and took out the wedding invitation. Naomi had discarded the card after he had insisted that he would not be going. Milda had picked it from the trash and started pla-ying with it when Mwamba saw it and took it from her. The card was kept in his office with Mwamba studying it from time to time all week.
Looking at the card for the umpteenth time, the disappointment seemed to hit him more each time. Mwamba felt a pang of jealousy. Who was the man Tamara was getting married to? Did she even love him? Did the man love her enough? Did he know her? Would she be happy with him? Mwamba cursed un-der his breath as he put the card on the table. He leaned back into his office chair, closing his eyes and trying to push out all thoughts of Tamara and her soon to be husband.
‘Just as well I have to work’, Mwamba said to kahimself as he f0rç£d himself back to work.
At 10 am an email was s£nt from the company headquarters in Nigeria that the meeting would start at 14hours instead of the scheduled 10:30, due to technical connectivity problems that unexpectedly affected the office. Mwamba immediately picked up the wedding card. The marriage blessing was at 10:30 Sandy’s Creation gardens. He picked up his car keys without a second thought.
Mwamba drove into Sandy’s Creation 40 qminutes after leaving the office. He was hoping to arrive before the bride. The car park was full. It took him another 5 minutes to find a sp©t. An usher directed him to the right marquee as there were two weddings occurring at once. Mwamba sat in the back, trying not to get noticed. His eyes scoured the front wanting to get a glimpse of the groom.
“May we all rise for the bride.” The Reverend said at the podium.
Mwamba turned his attention to the back on the marquee. His eyes locked onto Tamara’s the instant she appeared onto the red carpet in the middle isle. Tamara bore de-ep into his eyes, like they were the only two people on earth. Almost immediately, Tamara turned her gaze from him to the man that stood awaiting her in the front. Her smile broadened as she slowly made her way to him esc-rted by her mother, Mrs Banda. The time went by in a blur, hearing Tamara make her vows to Mwango who wore a crisp brown suit. Mwamba disliked him I instantly! Mwango spoke in a Zimbabwean accent that irritated Mwamba even more. Not that he had any problem with Zimbabweans or their accent. It sounded terrible on Mwango that’s all.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife! Mr Ntebe, you may k!ssyour wife.”
With that announcement, Mwamba exited the venue. Despite himself he glanced back at Tamara for the last time and wished her happiness even if it was with another man.
*****************
Tamara blu-shed after the k!ssas she looked back to the the crowd. People were standing and cheering as Mwango took her hand in his. Her eyes went straight to the back where Mwamba had been sitting. He was gone. Was it really him, or had she imagined him there? Mwango led her out of the marquee as their family and friends continued to cheer them on.
Mwango and Tamara where ushered to one of the many ground gardens for a ph0toshoot. After the ph0toshoot Tamara and Mwango were taken to the honeymoon suite to rest before the afternoon reception that was expected to start at 15hrs.
“Finally you are all mine.” Mwango pu-ll-ed Tamara into pas-sionate k!ssonce they were left alone.
“Hey.. you have to wait until after the reception to get n@ûghty.” Tamara laughed.
Mwango made a face which made Tamara bur-st into laughter. “You are so silly.”
“I love you.” He k!$$£d her again.
“Me too.” Tamara responded, k!ss!nghim back.
“Let’s get out of these clothes and take a nice long bath. Hey, no hanky panky I promise.” Mwango raised his hands in the air.
“Help me with my Zi-pper plea-se.” Tamara turned her back as Mwango pu-ll-ed down her Zi-pper.
“You look gorgeous.” Mwango’s eyes lit up mesmerized by how beautiful she looked in the white dress.
Tamara blu-shed. “Thank you. You look dashing yourself.”
“You think so?” Mwango twirled around to show off his suit.
“The most handsome man I know.” Tamara cheered him on. “Now, take of that h0t suit sir and let’s get bathing.”
“Yes ma’am.” Mwango saluted and proceeded to undress then went into the bathroom.
Tamara took of her wedding dress as well, placing it onto a hanger and packed into the wardrobe. She started taking off her un-der sl!pwhen her phone flashed indicating a message received.
‘You looked beautiful. Congratulations!’
Tamara knew the message c@m£ from Mwamba. Despite deleting his number over a year ago, she knew it by heart.
‘Thank you.’ She wrote back.
‘Do you love him?’
‘YES!’
‘That’s good. I miss you!’
‘Mwamba that’s not fair.’
‘I know. I’m sorry but it’s true. I miss you.’ Mwamba wrote.
‘You choose her! After everything she did to you. I moved on. So why this on my wedding day?’
‘I don’t know. It hurt seeing you promise to give yourself to him. But you made the right choice. I hope he loves you the way you deserve to be loved. The way I couldn’t.’
Tamara did not respond but just stared at her phone.
‘I wish you a happy marriage. I love you.’
Tamara’s eyes watered at his last message. She deleted the thre-ad just as Mwango popped his head out of the bathroom. “My darling wife, your husband is lonely in this big tub without you.”
“Darling husband, wifey is on the way.” Tamara wiped the tears from her eyes and made her way to join Mwango in the tub.
Tamara made a mental note to block Mwamba’s number on her phone. Mwango loved her, brou-ght her out of her misery. He took care of her in many different ways. He made her smile constantly. She was happy with him. And knew de-ep within her heart that she had made the right choice in her accepting his marriage proposal.
**************
Mwamba an-alyzed the messages he had received from Tamara. She was right of course. It was unfair for him to spring on his feelings for her on her wedding day. It was unfair to still be married to Naomi but tell Tamara he loved her. The truth was unfair. But the truth was that he had fallen in love with her. He had chos£n Naomi because of their past love and their children. Seeing Tamara getting married made him question as to whether he had made the right decision working out his issues with Naomi.
Both Mwamba and Naomi knew that their relationsh!pwas never the same after their separation. Naomi had quit her job as promised, opting to upgrade her academics and starting a grocery delivery business within Lusaka. But the spark they once shared was no longer pres£nt. Their marriage was a work in progress trying to mend what had been broken.
With a sigh, he put his phone away, trying to push Tamara from his mind. He nee-ded to concentrate on the meeting that was about to begin, then go home to his wife and children. There was no going back on his decision.
The END