Due to the original story being lengthy, I have divided it into three new improved parts.

Nasty Breakup – Part One

It's been several months since Josephine and Mark spoke for the last time. They had separated under uncomfortable circumstances after domestic treason. She packed her bags and lined them up in the garage behind the stacked garden implements as he looked on.

Mark did not stop Josephine, but she said goodbye and slipped away.

"Mark, I'll call you when I have sorted myself out". She whispered while burning tears washed away her mascara.

A Uber parked on the dusty cement sidewalk, waiting to take her to the train terminal downtown.

Deep down, Mark knew that Josephine had gone forever. She was his best friend, lover and confidante.

They'd fallen madly in love in their last academic year at Makerere University. Mark had got a B.A. in Information Technology and Josephine had a B.A. in Education. They had met at Jessica's birthday party in Muyenga, an upscale residential area for the middle class and big government cats.

Jessie, as Josephine often called her, was her roommate at Mary Stuart Hall.

Mark and Jessie attended school together in St. Mark Secondary School, Namagooma. That's how they knew each other.
Josephine was late to the party and found all the seats taken. As she pondered her move, a tall, dark, bald gentleman stood up and offered her his seat.

Mark always chose to remain anonymous, and this party was too crowded for him. After offering his seat, he slipped through the back door into the rose and herb garden and sat on a blue painted steel chair on the terrace and called for a cold Nile special beer.

While drinking the frothy beer, Josephine approached him and offered him a snack box of fried chicken and Irish potatoes, salads and goat meat.

Shyly, Mark took a look at her face and immediately loved her deep complexion and large oval brown eyes. Her body had a curved shape and long hairy legs. As she talked, her deep voice tickled him even more.

"Why are you here alone?" You'll miss the birthday girl slicing her cake," she said quietly.

"I don't like crowded places," I replied.

Mark knew from her appearance and confidence that she came from the southwest of Uganda.

After their introductions, they discussed academic life and took a few bottles of beer and left after exchanging contacts.

Two weeks later, they went to their first rendezvous at Entebbe Beach. After that second encounter, they were inseparable, and their love flourished.

Just seven months after graduation, they tied the knot in All-Saints Church, Nakasero.

Mark sat on his darkened porch and wondered what had happened. Certainly, there were problems along the way. Relationships sometimes suffer and fizzle out.

A light breeze from the grey-steel lake came down in the dark evening, bringing with it large swarms of lake flies that were constantly buzzing, blocking some street lights.

Some bottle-brush trees lined up the driveway, and they swayed as a light wind blew over them, their crimson flowers beautiful as ever. They are locally referred to as "Nyambala Zitonnya". These tropical trees are also covid-19 and cough suppressants and produce fragrant scents at night.

As Mark dreamed, Primo jumped on his lap and purred softly, and then jumped down. He stared at his feline, now curled in her fuzzy bed. Timon, the plush boar doll was nearby. Primo loved to play with that dolly. He was reminded of good memories.

To be continued…on Thursday.

#NastyBreakup