Eva Mazza - Sex, Lies & Stellenbosch

She saw him wince as a corner of a photo nicked his face, and it gave her pleasure. Sitting back down into Lee’s chair, she watched as he picked up each photograph from the floor, studying them one at a time as he did so.

“The fucking bastard!” he murmured with every implicating picture. “He had me followed. All his life he wanted to pin something on me and he couldn’t, until now.” Frankie glared at him. “Sadly, my friend is dead, but now I’ve got these pictures it’s just your word, Frankie. The word of a two-timing whore. If it gets out that you and I were fucking, you may as well say goodbye to everyone who respects you.” Frankie’s eyes widened. “And you know better than I do that you will be doing your late husband’s reputation a huge disservice. The last thing he would’ve wanted is a scandal.”

“Get out!” Frankie screamed. Then, remembering that Faith was waiting in the wings, she whispered, “Just get out!”

John walked away, evidence in hand, then swiftly turned. “Remember, you are the devastated widow and I’m the best friend. So far, your performance has been sterling, and I will have a chance to shine at my friend’s funeral,” John’s tone hardened. “Where I will be pallbearer and I will be given an opportunity to speak. Believe it or not, I am truly devastated, and I will not be made to feel that I have no right to be.”

At that moment, Shelley and her friends entered the room bearing dishes of food and concerned facial expressions.

“I’m just leaving,” he said to them.

She heard Shelley whisper, “How’s she doing?” Not giving him a chance to answer, she quizzed, “Did you manage to get hold of Jen?”

John answered aloud, “No. We haven’t been able to reach her as yet.”

“I see.”

“No, you don’t see,” John retorted as he lifted the tinfoil from the dish she was carrying. He grabbed a frikadel before he walked towards his car. “Focus on what matters, ladies,” he said, his mouth full of fried mincemeat. “Lee is dead. That’s why you’re here remember?”

Before rushing off to Frankie, John had called Brigit to relay the tragic news. She was inconsolable. She didn’t care if her father might think her reaction over the top . My godfather is dead! It felt so surreal. Death’s unpredictability had become a reality to Brigit and it frightened her. She had spoken to him only yesterday. He was alive only yesterday!

Yesterday’s morning paper’s headline had read, PROF SUSPENDED FOR ALLEGED SEX WITH STUDENTS. Shaking, she had opened the paper, searching for the article that read: “The dean of faculty has taken firm action against Professor Pierre Renoux, English department head and professor, for allegedly fraternising with students from the university. According to the statement, many have felt aggrieved by his alleged misconduct and are happy that action has finally been taken against him.”

Without thinking, she had dialled Lee’s number.

He answered immediately. “Brigit?”

“Have you seen the headlines of the papers?” her voice could not contain the rush she felt.

“No, I haven’t had a chance.”

“Well, do yourself a favour and read it. Seems like the horny professor has been suspended! Finally, he’s got his comeuppance.”

She remembered the silence that followed. Lee hadn’t asked her how or why. And then it had dawned on her. “If I didn’t know different, I would think that you had something to do with Pierre’s suspension, Mister Holms.”

Lee laughed. “As much as I’d love to take responsibility for this, I’m afraid I had nothing to do with it. Wish I was that kind of guy.”

“Well, whatever. I’m glad!” Brigit said vehemently. “That should make finding his next appointment very, very difficult.”

“You are a vengeful woman, Miss Pearce,” he teased. “I’m pleased this bit of bad news has made your day and you feel vindicated.”

“I do feel vindicated.”

She would never speak to Lee again. She would never see him again.

John interrupted her thoughts.

“Brigit are you listening to me? I’m going to check up on Frankie. You need to get hold of Pete. Tell him he needs to come to the farm immediately. It’s not up for negotiation. We have to be around as a family to show our support and love. Remember there’s Clive as well.”

Then he said, “Mom’s not answering my calls or my messages.”

“I spoke to her yesterday. She said she was at home.”

“Yes, she was, but she left early this morning without telling me, and she hasn’t come back. I’ve tried calling but her phone is off.”

“You can’t exactly blame her, can you, Dad? She’s angry.”

“I know she’s angry with me but in the grand scheme of things, this is far more important. I have lost my best friend, Brig. My best friend. How do you think I’m feeling?”

Brigit felt a pang of guilt. She had forgotten that Lee and he had grown up together◦– that they were practically brothers.

“Anyway, Frankie’s been asking for her and it looks bad, me not knowing where she is and her not answering my calls. You know what everyone’s like. They’re already talking.”

“Well, just tell them that she’s still at the spa,” Brigit advised.

She tried her mother’s number immediately after. It went straight to voicemail. She left both a voice message as well as a text message for Jen to contact her urgently.

Now all that Brigit had to do was convince Pete to come back.

“I don’t see why I have to. It’s not like Frankie needs my shoulder to cry on. I’ll be at the funeral.”

“You will come home. Do you hear me? That’s what families do; they support each other. Dad has lost his best friend.”

She heard Pete snort.

“Don’t underestimate Dad’s loss, Pete. Anyway, the reality is that you’re needed, so swallow your pride and do the right thing.”

Brigit packed a small bag for her stay at the farm. Despite her father’s shenanigans with Patty, he needed her, and she needed to be around other people who were grieving. Although nobody knew the extent of their friendship, she could at least openly mourn Lee’s death with those she loved. Up until now, the only person she had shared her losses and problems with was her psychologist, and recently Lee, who was now lost to her too.

It was past eleven o’clock when Jen walked in to Claudia’s apartment feeling extremely satisfied. She had taken herself and her life’s experience to a whole new level and she was pleased rather than guilty or embarrassed at the outcome. Her audacity had been out of character. She knew it was a once-off, but after all that she had been through, she felt that she had nothing to lose. John’s indiscretions had made her feel stupid and embarrassed, and interminably un-sexy. The evening had empowered and emboldened her, and now she felt ready to take on anything.

Jen sat at the foot of the bed and turned on her cellphone. John had messaged her several times as had Frankie and Pete. Brigit had tried calling her too. Probably worried where she was. She had nothing to say to John, or Frankie for that matter, but she ought to let Brig know that she was okay. She could rely on her to relay the news that she was fine. She sent her a voice note. “I’m staying at a friend’s place in the city. My appointment finished late and I didn’t want to drive back home in the rain. I have another appointment in the morning, so it seemed pointless, driving back tomorrow. Please tell everyone I’m fine.”

Her phone rang as soon as the message was delivered. “Mom, have you not retrieved any of your messages? Daddy and I have been trying desperately to reach you.”