Naledi-His love By Dadu Busani-Dube , Chapter 2

―Naledi!!‖
He‘s shaking me.
What? Why????
Urgh!
―What‘s going on? Why is your phone off? What is wrong with
you?‖ Oh no, reality.
―Tsietsi, when did you get here?‖ I ask.
He looks worried.
―Now. I used the spare key you gave me. What‘s going on Naledi?‖
To be honest, I don‘t know. I just know I feel like crap and I‘m an emotional
wreck.
It‘s still dark outside?
I went straight to bed when I arrived last night. I thought about switching
my phone on but in the end I decided not to. Tsietsi is still standing over me.
―I had to come back early, long story,‖ I say getting up to go to the bathroom.
―And you? Kakamaas? The parents?‖
I didn‘t check on him all weekend.
―I came back last night, long story, plus I was worried about you, I even had to
call your evil sister,‖ he says.
Really Tsietsi?
―Wanna have a smoke?‖ I ask him.
He does.
I bought another pack during my trip yesterday. I almost smoked it all before
I got home.
There‘s a bucket in my balcony that unintentionally turned into an ashtray.
―We haven‘t spoken since you left for the airport on Friday,‖ he says.
He‘s right. I hadn‘t noticed. I was too occupied with…..
My stomach turns a little when I think about how I left Joburg.
I‘m sure I‘m doing the right thing but there‘s that little part of me that feels
like I was unfair by not telling him I was leaving, just so he would not waste
his time coming to pick me up.
I‘m scared to switch my phone on. I just want to pretend like nothing
happened, for now.
―I drove to Joburg with him,‖
He looks at me.
He‘s confused.
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―R350, I drove to Joburg with him,‖ I say.
―What??‖
―Long story short, he came to work on Friday just after you left, had this lunch
thing set-up. I told him I was flying to Joburg, turned out we were on the
same flight but it was cancelled and I ended up giving him a lift. The next day,
yesterday, I found out he is a famous millionaire,‖ It sounds unreal to me too.
―A famous millionaire?‖ he asks.
―Yes his name is Chawe Zulu, apparently everybody knows him except me,‖
He raises his eyebrows.
―Qhawe Zulu?‖ he asks.
Huh?
―Yes, do you know him?‖
―Yes that family owns taxis and buses and trucks and all other things. I just
know what I‘ve read about them but they all look alike, tall with big eyes,‖ he
says.
He knows them alright.
―So, he‘s one of them, I found this out at my sister‘s friend‘s baby-shower
after he just rocked up unannounced and every woman there was gobsmacked,‖ I don‘t think he fully believes me. He must think I‘m exaggerating.
―Tell me about Kakamaas,‖ I say.
He frowns
―There‘s not much to tell except that I don‘t think it‘s going to work,‖
What now? I thought he knew what he was doing, that‘s what he said to me.
―It wasn‘t what I expected, she is not who I thought she was…‖ Huh?
―Anyway, I need to get some sleep, Ndivhu asked me to stand in for him at his
surgery today,‖ he says and leaves.
He always sleeps in the spare bedroom when he‘s here.
Ndivhu is our other friend, his friend. I had a brief fling with him when I
arrived in Kimberley. Tsietsi doesn‘t know. He‘s married now. It‘s 5am.
I‘m still not switching my phone on.
But I miss him.
He didn‘t seem like a rich snob. Well, he‘s not exactly normal but he seemed
like a down-to-earth kind of person.
To think I thought he was a fake BEE wannabe.
—————-
Where‘s Tsietsi?
Can‘t he hear that?
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―Who is it?‖
No answer.
But the door is still banging.
What if it‘s…
Let me risk it.
Where‘s Tsietsi?
I open it, slowly. I see his eyes first.
I should have known.
I open the burglar-gate, slowly.
He walks in, a few steps and stands still just before he reaches the lounge.
I‘m standing leaning on the wall.
He‘s looking at me, hands behind his back.
―You can sit,‖ I say
He stands still, looking at me. I can‘t maintain eye-contact so I look down.
I tie my robe to cover myself.
―Naledi, what happened?‖ he asks.
I don‘t know. I don‘t have an answer.
Why am I feeling guilty?
―Did I do something wrong?‖ he asks.
I raise my eyes.
He looks hurt.
―Why didn‘t you tell me?‖ I ask.
―Why didn‘t I tell you what?‖
―Who you are. Why didn‘t you tell me who you are?‖ I ask.
Why is he standing there looking at me with a blank face when he should
be answering my question.
―Who am I?‖ he responds, with a question
nogal. What does he mean? He knows what I‘m
asking! I look away.
―Naledi, I‘m Qhawe, that‘s who I am, nothing else,‖ he says.
Really?
―No, you are Chawe Zulu, a rich millionaire……..‖
―Yes I have money, so what? What does that have to do with
anything?‖ He must stop playing dumb now.
―You were supposed to tell me who you are Chawe,‖ I
say I‘m a bit emotional right now, I don‘t know why. He
walks until he‘s standing in-front of me.
―Naledi, I‘m Qhawe, this is me, I‘m here and I want you. That‘s all I can tell you.
Yes I do have money and yes my family is well known for whatever reason
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but I don‘t see why that‘s an issue. I‘ve never been anyone but myself to you,‖
he says.
I‘ve never seen him this serious.
He‘s standing too close. I‘m looking at my feet.
―Okay, I apologise for being rich. Can you give me a chance now?‖ he
says. This man!
I smile, I try to suppress it and look away but he‘s following my eyes with his.
―I don‘t want to complicate my life more than it already is,‖ I say.
He frowns.
―That‘s your reason for leaving me hanging? That?‖
He doesn‘t understand.
―I had to go,‖ I say
―Why? Why did you have to go?‖ he asks.
He‘s still soft-spoken but it‘s a bit intimidating.
I keep quiet.
―I‘m not leaving until we sort this out. Do you feel nothing for me? Because I
feel something for you. That‘s why I‘m here,‖ he says. He can‘t do this to me.
―How did you get here so….‖
―I drove,‖ he says dismissively.
He moves closer. I‘m still leaning against the wall. He comes closer and
closer…..
I can hear him breathing…..
―Whatever those girls at that baby party thing said about me……they don‘t
know me, whatever they know they read in the media,‖ he
says. ―It‘s not about what they said Chawe, it‘s about….‖ ―It‘s
about what?‖ he asks.
Oh, Tsietsi. He‘s walking down the stairs slowly.
Qhawe notices that I‘m looking behind, and turns around.
When he turns to look at me again the look on his face is……
He drops his eyes. He never does that.
He steps back a little.
―Who is this?‖ he asks.
Tsietsi is now standing in the kitchen, watching us.
―It‘s about him? You had to come back to him? That‘s why you left?‖
He thinks…..? Noooooo
―Naledi, are you okay?‖-Tsietsi
I can‘t deal with this!!
―She‘s fine,‖-Qhawe
―I‘m not talking to you!,‖-Tsietsi
He turns to look at him. I don‘t like the look on his face.
He walks…..