Power couple breaks up

S’bu woke up with a bad headache but the pain in his heart was much worse. He had planned his whole future around Thandi. All this time he thought they were on the same page. How could he be so wrong? Even now, he could not imagine being with anyone else but her. He wondered if Thandi had future plans that didn’t include him. If she had someone else she would rather be with. All this thinking made his headache worse. He took painkillers and slept until midday. He got to work in the afternoon in a foul mood and wondered why his subordinates were staring and whispering behind his back. He had his answer when he got to his office and saw the newspaper article. The headline was ‘Power couple breaks up’ , under those words was a photo of him and Thandi. He cursed out loud and smashed a glass that was on his desk against the wall, breaking it into tiny pieces. He drank too much last night and ended up posting details about his breakup on social media, now it was breaking news on most newspapers. His assistant who also read the newspaper pretended not to hear the glass breaking and stayed away from his boss’s office. S’bu could not concentrate at work, he made so many mistakes on a document he was working on that he decided to give up and go back home.

In the evening he was joined by Menzi, Tsepo, Duma, Omesh and Clarence who all came to keep him company and make sure that he was okay. They were all shocked when they read his posts last night and couldn’t imagine how he was feeling. S’bu had never hidden his intention to marry Thandi ever since the two of them met.

“It’s not that I feel entitled to have Thandi in any way because I have no right to be, but I wish she was honest with me about her feelings from the beginning” S’bu told his friends. These were his close friends and the only ones he trusted enough to tell his every thought.

“If she did, what would you have done differently?” Duma asked. Duma was the most honest of all his friends and never afraid to speak his mind.

“He probably would not have invested so much on her” Clarence suggested.

“I don’t believe that, S’bu needs to honestly answer this because that’s his way forward” Duma said.

S’bu understood what Duma was saying but he was too hurt at that moment to look at that angle. “Why don’t we forget about Thandi for a moment, it’s rare these days for me to have all of you in one roof. Can we just go partying tonight?” he suggested.

An hour later the six of them showed up at Blue Moon, the famous exclusive party venue. Their arrival attracted a lot of attention, guest took photos and once they were shared on the social media, the venue was packed. The securities had to turn away a lot of unimpressed guest as owners feared passing the maximum legal number allowed inside. Soon everyone at Blue Moon found out about the famous DOCS. Duma, Omesh, Clarence and S’bu were given the name in university because no party was the same without them. The place went crazy when they took over the music, the microphone and the dance floor. Even the owners had never seen anything like it before. Everyone was going crazy shouting ‘the DOCS are in the house’. This went on until early hours of the morning. Tsepo and Menzi who were the only ones sober, had to literally pull the DOCS away and drive them home.

That whole week the social media was buzzing, everyone was talking about the rich eligible bachelors that have taken over the city. Multitudes of young people showed up everywhere the DOCS appeared and women came out in their best outfits.

On the other side, Thandi was having the worst time. She had not slept in six days, her eyes were swollen and her voice was hoarse from crying. Her Mother called when she found out about their breakup. She had expected her Mother to take Sbu’s side but it was much worse than that. She thought Thandi was becoming too westernised and forgetting her traditions and culture. According to her Mother, S’bu was allowed to have as many girlfriends as he wanted before marriage and once he decided to marry, he could take as many wives as he could afford because polygamy was part of their culture. Thandi eventually gave up explaining herself to her Mother and just listened to her scolding until their call ended. After that, her Aunts called, sharing the same sentiments as her Mother. Her cousin Bonga also called and told her that there were a lot of bad abusive man around and S’bu was very good to her and treated her like a princess. Thandi eventually stopped answering her calls. One night, her phone vibrated the whole night until morning. She received multiple videos of S’bu and his friends at the Blue Moon and all over town. She could not help but notice how much fun S’bu was having with different women in different entertainment places. Thandi felt physically and emotionally drained and did not go to work the whole week. The second warning letter from JC human resources department tipped her over and she was more convinced than before that things were really over between her and S’bu.

S’bu and his friends were sitting on the sofa. They had all taken a week off work to be with S’bu but it was time to go back.

“Duma, I think I’m ready to answer your question now” S’bu said.

“Let’s hear it” Duma responded.

“You wanted to know if had I known earlier that Thandi had no intention of marrying me, would I have done things differently? The honest answer is NO. I can’t think of anything I would have done differently. I have met prettier, sexier and less stubborn women in my life but none of them come even close to how she makes me feel. Years ago, she had no intention of being my girlfriend. I didn’t accept that and she became mine. Now, she has no intention of being my wife but you all know that she already is. In fact she has been for over two years now and I have no intention of ever letting her go. Yes it hurts to know that she was prepared to walk away from me like that but nothing has ever been easy with Thandi. I hope this answers your questions” S’bu said.

“I thought as much” Duma said. He has known S’bu for twenty years and in that time he could not recall anytime when he gave up on something he wanted.

“The next time we meet, we will be preparing for your wedding then” Omesh said picking up his bag.

“Let me go prepare my best man speech” Clarence said picking up his bag.

“Wow, wow,wow! Let’s be clear with one thing. You can all be whatever you want at his wedding but the best man part is taken” Menzi said objecting.

“What makes you think you can be a better best man than me?” Clarence asked standing in front of Menzi.

S’bu, Duma and Omesh decided to take a sit and watch Menzi and Clarence argue about who should be the best man.

“I’m better looking, ladies will be less hurt if they see that there is still hope for them” Menzi said.

“By whose standards?” Clarence asked folding his arms. “At the Blue Moon, girls were all over me while you were just there like a bodyguard.”

“You were drunk you idiot, I had to make sure no one spiked your drinks” Menzi said shaking his head.

“Oh, that makes a lot of sense now. That’s why you and Tsepo kept taking away the drinks my fans were giving me” Clarence said nodding his head.

“Dah!” Menzi exclaimed opening his eyes wider.

S’bu, Duma and Omesh were laughing so much enjoying the show between their two equally stubborn friends.

“Thanks for that but it still doesn’t mean you are more suited to be the best man” Clarence said not willing to back down.

“I’m Sbu’s brother, I know him like forever and I know Thandi and her family better than any of you” Menzi said.

“Okay, I can’t beat that. I will be a deputy best man then”Clarence conceded.

“There’s no such a thing! On second thought, you can be that” Menzi said not willing to argue with Clarence anymore.