Takuzwa stared at the car pull away and drive off with her mouth gaping open.
How childish, Takuzwa thought to herself as she turned the napkin over, reading what was on it;
The deal was I’d call you when I figured it out. Painting represents everything I am but I’m not sure if it can be something I do. Maybe we can talk regardless 10355
The message read, as she stared at the empty road storing the napkin inside her robe.
***
“Mpundu! Kapya! Come see. This guy is something else” Takuzwa shouted ushering her cousins out of the TV room towards their bedroom where they found Takuzwa staring at a painting of herself on the wall.
“Did Tom draw that?” Kapya spoke joining Takuzwa’s side
“Is this a proposal? Kapya take pictures of this. Boys need to up their levels” Mpundu clapped her hands in excitement.
“Send it to me, better yet, send it in the group. Let us cause a storm” Mpundu instructed her sister after a bit of thinking.
As Takuzwa was processing what had just happened her phone vibrated, message from the group. Kapya had posted the image with the caption;
Tom is serious about ‘kuz let’s all post this picture on our socials all the girls should know Tom is off limits.
Takuzwa stared at her screen mortified, “what have you done?” Takuzwa asked the twins running out of the room as she digested her predicament.
***
“Wake up Kuz! You’re famous! Ahhhhhh!” Kapya shouted jumping on Takuzwa’s bed waking her from slumber.
“You could have just waited for her to wake” Mpundu told Kapya throwing a pillow in her face as she covered her head with her blanket.
“Wake up my Instagram feed is going crazy. I posted a picture of the painting and a Kuz side by side. People think Tom is in love. Ahhhhh! I’m a genius” Kapya screamed some more, throwing the pillow back at Mpundu.
“Lots of guys are asking who you are, and all of Tom’s girls are liking the post. That must be an interesting chat” Kapya laughed waking. Takuzwa and Mpundu who rushed to look at Kaypas phone.
***
“Kuz, help with dinner stop making those faces at the screen otherwise we wont eat” Mpundu yelled throwing a kitchen towel in Takuzwa’s face.
“Is this about a boy?” Mom Fridah chimed in from the stove as she stirred the sauce going into the lasagna all the ladies where helping prepare.
“This boy I met at the graduation dinner did something and now the twins have gone and made a fuss all over the internet” Takuzwa replied casually getting up to help with the preparations.
“Painting? Is it any good?” Mom Fridah perked up from the sauce she was preparing.
“Ma its really good, remember Tom? He painted those pictures you bought at the school fair last year to support local talent, you called it” Mpundu reminded Mom Fridah.
Mom Fridah who was the twins mother and everyone called Ma Fridah including the twins. Walked away from the stove signalling Takuzwa to bring the painting.
“Talent like this, should not be free” Mom Fridah exclaimed as she saw the painting in Takuzwa’s hand, instructing her to place in on the wall next to the twins photo in the living room. With the curtains closed they were forced to turn the lamp on, illuminating the painting even more as it hang directly above the painting.
***
“How much did he charge you?” Mom Fridah asked for the tenth time that week
“Ma, Kuz got it for free because Tom likes her we’ve told you this already” Mpundu exhaled her response
“The internet went viral over that image Tom is really getting himself a buzz” Kapya chimed to herself more than anybody else in the room
“Mom Fridah, what would you do about such a boy?” Takuzwa asked studying the picture intently
“I would buy the picture from him and ask that he still contact me like an actual man” Mom Fridah laughed
“I suspect however, that you might like him and wont want to bruise his ego” Mom Fridah spoke more deliberately cleaning her glasses with every word uttered.
“It was his way of telling me what he wants to do with his life. But it doesn’t matter” Takuzwa replied
“Why not?” Mom Fridah and the twins asked in unison.
“Because he doesn’t think its possible to become an artist in Zambia” Takuzwa answered shaking her head in disbelief.
“Uh, well then I would definitely buy the picture if I was you” Mom Fridah beamed joyously while she stared at the painting.
“I don’t think you understand” Takuzwa began but was cut half way by Mom Fridah
“No, you don’t understand. How do you show you value something creative? You pay for it. Buy it, show him you believe in him” Mom Fridah gesturing her hands passionately
“Wow that’s deep” Kapya said holding up her phone recording the whole entire scene unfold
“I don’t have the money to buy such a painting” Takuzwa said looking at Mom Fridah desperately for help
“Wait for your uncle to come. Tell him a young artist painted this and give him a price” Mom Fridah said with a wink walking back to the kitchen to stir her sauce.
***
Tom’s phone vibrated as a message from Takuzwa popped up on his screen;
“You’re an artist đź–Ľ I have managed to sell the painting for you. Tell me when we can meet, and finally finish our chat”
“P.s you have a real talent”
Tom read and reread the messages hoping to make sense of what he was seeing.
