Eva Mazza - Sex, Lies & Stellenbosch

“I’m not sure I’ve still got her to lose,” Lee had confessed.

It was John who had asked, “What do you mean?”

“Frankie’s been having an affair. But it’s over now.” The disclosure had stopped their banter.

A considerably sober Larry had carefully probed, “How do you know?”

“I made sure it ended,” was all he had been prepared to divulge.

“Lee, are you listening to me?” Lee looked at Brig. “I said okay. You’ve added a different perspective. But now, what do I say to Mom?”

“Nothing. Don’t tell her a thing. Maybe she doesn’t know. But if she does, I’m sure she’d want to keep this from you.”

“And Dad?”

Lee grabbed his keys from the coffee table and got up to go. “I don’t know. Give yourself a bit of time, Brigit. Remember what I said: we’re all human.”

He saw himself out again, climbed into his beloved Ferrari and pulled off after generously tipping the beggar who had offered to look after his car.

Lee drove home deep in thought. He had left a calmer Brigit, but his mind was racing. Patty was something!

It took someone like Patty to seduce his friend. Ag, come to think of it, John always had a fascination for her.

He put his foot down on the accelerator, allowing the car to move at the speed it was engineered to. He would stop at John first. He smiled . Pay him a visit.

Brig’s phone rang. It was Pete. She reluctantly answered, wondering whether he had heard the shocking news.

“What’s up?” he said. Brig didn’t answer. “Brig? You there?”

“Yes.” She didn’t feel like speaking to him.

“Dad WhatsApped me. Lunch is cancelled.”

She heard her brother yawn. He was always so oblivious to the dramas unfolding around him.

“Mom’s apparently fucked off to a spa or something. I love Mom, you know I do, but it’s Dad’s birthday. A bit hectic of her.”

Brigit decided she was sick of being the only child who seemed to be in the loop when it came to their parents.

“I have something terrible to tell you.”

“This sounds interesting.” He sounded anything but interested. “Bae, can you leave me alone for two minutes?” Brigit knew exactly who he was speaking to. She was horrified.

“Pete!” she scolded. “I thought you broke up with her.” She wouldn’t even utter Amanda’s name. “She’s divorced with children. She can only want one thing!”

Pete mocked, “And so do I. So we well suited.”

“Please, Pete, it’s really not funny.”

“Okay! Okay! I hear you. Now tell me: what drama did you invite into your life this time?” Brigit knew he had no intention of breaking off his relationship, but she had more important things to focus on than Pete’s bad relationship choices.

“Patty and Daddy were together last night, at the party!”

Brig jumped as she heard her brother’s hand slam down on something hard. “I knew it!” he exploded. “Fuck, Brigit, why you telling me this? What am I supposed to do with this information?”

“I don’t know!” Brigit screamed back at him. “What am I supposed to do? It’s devastating to find out that Dad cheated on Mom. Who would’ve thought?”

Pete’s rancour came through loud and clear, “Really? You and Dad have formed such an alliance that you haven’t even bothered to take your head out of his ass to see that he’s not the angel you think he is!”

Brigit found herself pouring a gin and tonic. She didn’t give a damn that it was virtually breakfast time. This could be regarded as a special circumstance. It was not lost on her that Lee had left her alone and miserable for the second time. What was lost on her was that she blamed Patty entirely for her father’s indiscretion. As far as she was concerned, Patty was the reason her dad had betrayed her mother, and his children in the process.

“What are you implying? Daddy’s not sleeping around! This is Patty’s fault. Patty’s a slut. Everyone says so. I bet she’s been trying to get into his pants ever since she started working for Daddy. I bet she gets into everybody’s pants. Maybe that’s why she does so well in sales?”

“You hypocrite!” Pete’s voice boomed. It seldom did. “Ms feminist with your constant blah-blah about women having the right to flaunt who they are. Two people are involved here, and you nail one to the cross◦– the one who happens to be a woman!” There was a brief pause. “You a self-righteous cow! Why don’t you fess up about your lover at uni?”

“Pete! What are you talking about?” She didn’t expect the conversation to pan out this way.

“The notorious, ‘lecherous lecturer’. Is this how you scored your cums, Brigit? Don’t you talk about fucking for gain.”

She heard Pete’s fridge door open. He was downing something. Whatever it was, he always drank straight out the bottle. An annoying habit.

“Are you implying that I got my cum laude because of Pierre?”

“Is that his name? Well, that’s what most people think. Patty not too different to you, hey, Brig?” He slammed the fridge door shut.

“How dare you,” was all she could say.

“And how dare you, too. Now that your bubble has burst about Daddy, maybe you can focus your energy on Ma, ’cause she sure as hell is gonna need it. And I just want to say that whatever you do, don’t tell her. She doesn’t need to know, especially from you.”

Brigit sighed. “I’m sure she knows. Frankie knows and if Frankie knows then Ma knows.”

“Well, just keep your mouth shut.”

She hated taking instructions from her younger brother. “Of course I’m not going to say anything to her!” Then she did what her mom and Pete accused her of constantly doing: she brought the conversation back to herself. “I can’t believe you knew about Pierre.”

“Listen, Brigit, forget about it. We’ve all done things we not proud of. Just don’t go tongue wagging if you don’t want people to turn on you”

He ended the call claiming he needed to “take a piss”. He really could be awfully crude, but he was kind. A lot kinder than she was, she had to concede.

“Lee,” John said as he answered the door. He was the last person John wanted to see.

Lee pushed passed him. “I hear you got caught good and solid. That puts us in a bit of a pickle, don’t you think?”

“How’d you hear?” John asked defensively. He ignored Lee’s last remark.

“Fuck, John, we’re best friends. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. But if you must know, I heard from Brigit, thanks to my wife who apparently let rip with you.”

John froze. “Why did Brigit tell you?”

Lee sat down on the sofa in the TV room. “I don’t know; maybe because I’m her godfather? All I do know is she’s very upset.”

John walked to the bar to pour himself a scotch. “You want one?” he asked.

Lee nodded. “I spoke to Frankie now-now. I asked what business she had kakking you out. Anyway, I apologise on her behalf. Bloody cheek actually, especially since she’s no angel.” He scratched his head with his Ferrari key. “She said Jen had phoned her this morning, crying. Ag, you know, I suppose they’re friends. Jen would do the same.”

John didn’t say anything. He handed Lee his scotch. He remained standing.

“She says she’s going to Delaire; she’s gonna join Jen tonight so she’s not alone.”

John listened. Lee continued. “Jen’s broken, John.”

“Do you think I don’t know she’s broken? I fucking hurt her, Lee. She’s a good woman and I hurt her.” He pulled on his hair. “But quite frankly, this has got nothing to do with you or your wife.” He gulped down his scotch.