Episode 3
I slowly trotted inside but my knight in a shining armour was no longer on sight. I coudn't understand how he could just vanish into thin air within such a short period of time.
I kept frantically skimming all over the hall but he was nowhere to be found. I had a slight feeling of sadness but I knew I had a good reason to be happy instead. The wave of temptation had just been swept away by Fred's call and for this, I was thankful.
About 5 hours later, I found myself on my comfy matrimonial bed. I couldn't fathom how I got there but I was glad I didn't pass out in the gutter or wakeup on the bed of a stranger. Aniekeme and Maryanne always got my back. They were the best girls anyone could ever befriend. I frisked my right hand down below and realized that my tight bum short had not been tampered with and I heaved my first sigh of relieve.
Next, I slowly and skeptically rubbed my thighs over each other. Behold, there was no soreness. I heaved a second sign of relieve. 'All was Well,' I thought. But then I remembered; My Phone! My 93k Phone!! My limbs refused to cooperate but I forced myself up and sauntered towards my handbag which was quietely resting on my dressing table. It took a while before I could feel the flat, sleek device. I heaved a third and final sigh of relieve after which I proceeded to unlock the screen.
As I went thorugh the device, I forced myself to play a smooth tape of what really happened for the rest of the night on my head but my brain with impunity, refused to cooperate. The memory came in flashes rather and I was not quite comfortable with this. I remembered a certain full glass of Moet which I emptied into my throat in just one gulp. I had reasons to believe that, it was my last.
The first thing I checked was my messages.
'Debit Alert: 500 000.
Description: POSPayment/Destination Club.
I was mad! What did I buy to warrant a bill of half a million? Could it be that the waiters took advantage of me because I was drunk? Did my friends have a hand in that?
Numerous questions crowded my mind. Money was not the problem but the mere feeling that they must have taken advantage of me drove me wild. I was tempted to drive back there and shout the hell out of them, but I realized that I might make a terrible headline in the news and ruin Fred's reputation. It was better to hide on the wings of darkness and a large facecap as is characteristic of nightfall to shield my identity. How could I go back in the day to lay bare my face; to tell the world that it's Mrs Pearl Fred that tore the dance hall the previous night. How?
A thought crossed my mind at that instant. What if everyone had discovered my identity the previous night? What if I messed up so bad that I got to find my story in the National daily? I quickly discarded such thoughts because I knew that such event could make my darling husband commit suicide. That was not what I wished for, at all!
Maryanne and Aniekeme came back later in the day to explain how I nearly messed myself up and how they saved me. When I asked how we managed to accrue such exorbitant bills, they coudn't offer any reasonable explanation but I decided to let it slide. They were my friends and I was glad they were always with me to save me from harm. I only hoped that it was them that actually ate the money and not the miserable waiters. They even drove me home and for this I was eternally grateful. What a sweet sweetness of a friendship!
Since my husband had travelled offshore about 1 week earlier, I'd been eating out. He was supposed to come back in less than 6 days and I knew it was time to cook. I hated cooking but I had to do it; for Fred. For my marriage!