Flames of Love

Life occurred. But it was only after promises have been made. Made when they all knew they were in love. They were breathing it. A powerful irresistible feeling that cannot be seen by the physical eyes. It cannot be seen by spiritual eyes. Yes, it’s now difficult in these days where the Spirit can be manipulated by individual beings. It’s only love that can see itself.

They had vowed to graduate from seeing each other in the bushes with insects and other bush creatures as witnesses. “I will marry you” she had started it not so long after their going out together. He knew she meant it. She had beaten him to that. Yet, he was sure he wanted to marry her too. Vows had been made with no human ear to confirm that. No paper to sign. But the vows were, too true and real to be washed away by life and it’s circumstances thrown on people’s life journeys.

The pursuit of careers separated them for a time justifiable to make one think love had been a visitor to them. She had decided to be an engineer and the engineering was done through fortune’s hand which had given her a scholarship to go to Belgium. She remained there till she finished her Masters.

He stayed around before ministry called him. The system of the church only confirmed those who have been ‘married’. He looked around and found someone he thought was beautiful enough to compensate for lost love and begin serving the Most High.  The vows were made in one of the church halls in Chiredzi. Inside himself he thought he will manage.

She was left with no choice. She chose the same path of lies. But never allowed herself to commit full time by some silly vows and paper signing.

[: The god of fertility was generous to them. His tank produced wonderful copies of him. The two boys had the wonderful beauty of their father Tinarwo. Yes, that’s what his true love told him. She always told him ‘You will make the first beautiful husband to ever warm a woman sweetie.’

On the other end Shami’s womb enriched the lineage of the husband she was not committed to. She had chosen him to make her belong in a world where marriage is a crown for the grown ups. A cage where those who have entered it are not allowed honesty even to themselves. So a few have chosen to move out of the cage. The well known vocals of those failures have been children. Scapegoats for the existence of failed unions. Hers were like her. Angels in the world. They copied after her brave traits as well. When she had chosen to tell them the basis of her going, leaving them in their family, they naughtily said we stayed at this home for so long. We will go with you.

So this is how the lovely mess occurred. The first of it’s kind in our village. The beautiful pastor and the lovely engineer had not seen each other since the day they parted when one escaped the country through the skies. But the vows have been cemented with the mouth waters at the now Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. They were not forced by some marriage officer to kiss in public. Love had dictated this act. Kiss.

18 years after they met at a home coming Christmas in the area of their love birthing. Love was still hanging over them. Fake marriages had failed to wipe away their love. Problems of their respective homes attracted them to one another.

‘I promised to marry you on that day. And I know I want to marry you today,’ he said without hesitation. With little shock she said, ‘I will marry you darling.’ They renewed the airport ritual without looking sideways on this day. Kiss again! It injected flames of love in their veins. Flames that burned them so hard, that they were courageous enough to confront their lies.