CHAPTER 60
NALEDI MOLETSANE

I’m sitting on top of the bed, starring at my
phone with a broken heart. I haven’t heard
anything from Shlobo. I landed in
Johannesburg yesterday evening and when I
disabled the flight mode from my phone there
were no missed calls or texts from him. In
that moment it could only mean that he had
not arrived at his house and realized that I’m
gone. Or his mother managed to talk him into
staying with the Nonku lady and he was
scared of calling and telling me.
I now regret leaving his house, I acted
irrationally, like an immature little girl. I love
Shlobo and yes he started our relationship in
a fucked up way, but I should have given him
the benefit of the doubt. It was very wrong of
me to take a decision based on what he did
and adding my previous experience with
Jimmy.
The two are similar but truths behind them
are very different. His sins were the only
thing I should have judged him on. I know I
sound stupid and maybe a little desperate but
I love him and I want to see the positive side
to this whole thing.
I couldn’t sleep last night, I kept tossing and
turning, checking my phone to see if he hasn’t
reached out. A lot was running through my
mind, but one that had my heart wrenching
was the thought of him in the hospital after
getting into an accident while rushing back to
his house for me. I’m scared to call his
number and find out that I’m right, also
scared because he might tell me that it’s over
and he chooses Nonku.
I should call Thuli, maybe she can come over
and tell me what to do. She’s the only friend I
have that knows my relationship with Shlobo.
Yes, I called her a friend, it wasn’t a mistake. I
take my phone and it rings immediately, the
caller ID has relief flooding through my whole
body. It’s him, it’s Shlobo. I take a deep
breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Hello,” my voice comes out in a whisper.
“Vula, Naledi,” he orders and I narrow my eyes.
“Huh?” I’m confused, what does he mean when
he says “open”.
“The Uber just dropped me off outside your
gate, please open for me,” the butterflies in
my stomach go absolutely insane. He is here?
But how?
“You gave me your address when I wanted to
deliver the gift,” he answers my unspoken
question.
Yes, he got a personal shopper to deliver a
Luis Vuitton handbag, flowers and champagne
as a gift to congratulate me for starting at
Khambule holdings a week ago. I completely
forgot that he has my residential address.
“Uhm, I…I’m…” I stutter.
“Please babe,” he says softly and I jump off the
bed.
“Okay,” I hung up and literally run downstairs
to open for him. I’m a mixture of happiness
and nerves. I walk to the front door after
opening the gate and wait for him there. He
appears almost immediately but stops in his
tracks after his eyes land on me. He looks
shocked, I glance at myself and quickly step
back inside. How the hell did I forget that I’m
naked. I run to the lounge and grab the flees
blanket that is always on the couch ready to
cover me when I watch TV.
“You left my house and when I get to yours to
find out why, you’re trying to seduce me,” he
says behind me and I close my eyes. That
wasn’t my intention, I completely forgot that
I was in my birthday suit. I don’t sleep in
pyjamas.
“It wasn’t on purpose. And you’re one to talk
about seduction. Aren’t you the same person
that used sex as a weapon yesterday after
your girlfriend showed up?” I ask with an
attitude and he closes his eyes as if in pain.
“Nonku is not my girlfriend, you are and I love
you so much,” my heart skips a beat. I love
you too babe, more than I should.
I say to myself.
“Why did you leave? Have you any idea the
kind of hell the last few hours have been for
me? Baby I know I lied but please don’t leave
me,” the sincerity in his voice has tears
burning my eyes.
“Shlobo, I have been through this. I can’t, I
won’t survive another heartbreak. Especially
yours because I’ve fallen so deeply in love
with you. I wish I could show you just how
much so you can understand why I’m so
frightened,” he gasps and takes a step
forward.
“I feel the same, Naledi. I keep wondering how
I got here in such a short space of time, but I
don’t want to change anything with us. I love
you, my angel. I have so much to say about
my feelings for you and a person who hasn’t
felt half of what I feel for you will say I’m
being cheesy,” he takes a deep breath, “I take
accountability for what happened and I won’t
justify anything. I just need you to know and
believe that it’s only you that I love and need
Naledi. I’m 48 years old and I probably have a
few years left to my name, baby I want to
spend my remaining days with you. I want it
all with you, the good, the bad and the ugly,”
he adds and I allow my tears to fall. Why do I
love him so much?
“Tell me what I can do to make you believe
me,” he murmurs, taking my hands into his.
“I want to believe you so bad but I’m scared
I’ll get hurt in the end,” he nods and there’s
silence between us for a minute or two.
“Marry me, sthandwa sami, right now. That’s
the only way I can prove to you that I see my
future with you and no one else,” he says and
I laugh. He has got to be kidding me,
marriage? We’ve only known each other for a
few weeks, less than a month.
“Come on Shlobo,” he snaps an eyebrow.
“What? Don’t you love me enough to be my
wife?” he’s wounded. Bathong!
“My heart is choosing you and ignoring every
logical thing my head is saying. Of course I
see myself with you. I feel stupid and
desperate for day dreaming about big headed
Zulu kids running around and calling me
mommy,” he throws his head back and laughs.
What a pleasant sound.
“Kahle bo!” he says with a smile and I cannot
believe how intensely I feel for him.
“If that’s the case then what are we waiting
for sthandwa sami?” he asks and I realize that
he’s not joking, he means what he’s saying.
“We haven’t known each other for long.
There’s a lot we still need to learn about each
other,” he nods in agreement.
“That’s very true but we can do that while
being husband and wife,” oh Jesus Christ.
“Shlobo, there’s a lot that goes into getting
married. The has to be lobola negotiations,
traditional ceremonies need to be held and
then the actual wedding planning. This has
been a long year and I just don’t have the
energy to take that on,” I explain.
“You’re stressing yourself over nothing. Lobola
is quick and we can hire people to plan the
traditional ceremonies and the wedding,” he
has an answer for everything.
“Let’s talk about this marriage thing in the
new year,” My subconscious slaps the back of
my head. She’s shocked that I’m even
considering what this man is proposing. My
inner goddess, however, is fitting wedding
gowns and thinking about those cute Zulu
traditional attires.
Shlobo shakes his head, “We can do all of
those things in the new year. But let’s go and
sign at home affairs. Our families don’t have
to know, at least not until I pay lobola. I want
to make you mine in every sense of the word,”
he’s insane.
“You can’t be serous,” he raises an eyebrow.
“Let’s drive to home affairs and find out,”
“It’s Sunday, they are closed. Plus, I think you
have to make an appointment to be married
there,” I explain jokingly and he heaves a sigh.
“That’s a shame because I want to marry you
right this minute,” I blame Thuli. If she wasn’t
too drunk to find the key card then I wouldn’t
have bumped into this man and fell head over
heels in love.
“No marriage for you abuti,”
“Says who?” he asks, looking around the
lounge.
“What are you looking for?” I ask and a smile
forms on his face. He goes to the coffee table
and takes the till slip, settling on the couch.
He starts tearing the paper and shaping it
into a ring. Oh my God, I laugh. Shlobo has
drama for days.
“Don’t laugh, baby. I want to make you my
wife,” This guy.
“Why are you just standing there? Make my
ring, hao kanti unjani lomfazi,” I smack my
lips and grab what’s left of the till slip. I just
make a simple paper ring while he’s being a
Makhosini Lukhele, the famous Johannesburg
diamond dealer and jewelry maker.
“All done,” he says and I grin like a fool.
A few minutes ago I was depressed on my bed
and now I’m about to get fake married.
My life is a movie.
Shlobo stands infront of me, we are just a few
inches from each other. My blood is boiling, I
want to jump on him and ride the day lights
out of him.
“You’re eye fucking me and that’s going to
make it hard for me to concentrate. Let’s get
married first and I promise to take you to
bed. After that we will cuddle and talk about
everything,” okay, that’s fair.
He clears his throat, “I Shlobosenkosi
Mavimbela, take you Naledi Aluta Moletsane
to be my wife. I promise to love and cherish
you, for richer or poor, in sickness and in
health, till death do us apart,” he says with
his twinkling eyes on me. he’s so handsome.
Shlobo slowly slides the paper ring on my
finger, it’s big so he adjusts it at the back.
I say the exact same vows as him and the
ring I made him fits like a glove. I look up at
him and we are smiling at each other.
“It’s time to kiss my bride,” he cups my face
and brings his lips to mine, kissing me
tenderly. I moan in his mouth and he uses his
one hand to drop the flee on the floor so I’m
naked before him. Whats with him and
removing my protective gear?
“This morning is our honeymoon,” he whispers
before nibbling my ear. I bite my lower lip and
take his hand, leading him to my bedroom.
Thank God I changed the bed.
“I’m excited, husband,” I say and he chuckles
behind me.
“Husband…” he tests the word, “I love the
sound of that, Mrs Mavimbela.”
KATHERINE MOLOTSI
“How are you?” I ask after a few minutes of
silence. Karabo shrugs her shoulders and takes
the bottle of champagne, drinking straight
from it.
“Whoa, slow down tigress,” whatever that’s
happening is huge. Karabo wouldn’t be acting
this way. I suspect it has something to do
with Vhutshilo and Naledi, otherwise she
wouldn’t have called, asking me to meet her
in a hotel room on a Monday. The last time
we saw each other she was done with me, she
wanted to focus on her boyfriend and make
their relationship work. I don’t like seeing her
this sad but I’m happy he messed up because
it opened a chance for me to get my girl back.
“Babe, talk to me,” I brush her arm and she
starts crying. I take her into my arms and
kiss the top of her head repeatedly.
“Shhh, whatever it is, it’s going to be okay,” I
say and she shakes her head.
“No, it won’t, Kat. Why won’t he love me?
Why is he still hung up on her?” she whimpers
and I tighten my arms around her, rubbing her
back in circles.
“Cry it out my love then tell me what
happened,” I gently coax her and she starts
taking deep breaths.
“Naledi brought Bassie earlier than what was
agreed on. She wanted to go see her boyfriend
in Durban, he’s going through something,” she
mutters after pulling away from me. It feels
really awkward to hear about my best friend
from someone else. Naledi and I haven’t met
in a long while that she’s starting to feel like
a stranger.
“Let me guess, Vhutshilo wasn’t happy about
that,” Karabo nods.
“Yeah, but I think that’s putting it lightly. He
was besides himself the whole weekend, his
daughter even asked him why he was sad and
distant. Kat, he acted like he was in mourning
. Yesterday I found him in the lounge staring
at their picture, caressing her face through
the phone screen” I feel for her but this is not
surprising to me.
“I’m sorry babe, you don’t deserve this,”
She sniffs, “What does Naledi have that I
don’t, Kat? Please tell me, maybe I will
understand,” I shake my head.
“Hey, don’t do that to yourself. You have
everything, Vhutshilo is a fool, just like I was.
He will realize when it’s too late that he lost
an amazing woman,” I say, hoping she believes
me.
“She’s your best friend, Kat. Please tell me
what makes her so special, tell me why he
can’t fully get over her even after all these
years,” I close my eyes.
“They never got the chance to fully have a
relationship. It was cut short after she fell
pregnant and her mom warned Vhutshilo to
stay away from her daughter. He was
obviously in-love with her but couldn’t have
her and that hurt him terribly. What I’m
trying to say is that, Vhutshilo feels robbed.
He never got to fully explore his love for
Naledi on a romantic level,” she’s blinking
rapidly.
“This is just my own opinion though. I wasn’t
Naledi’s friend back then, we only met in
university. I drew this conclusion from
watching them co-parent and become the
closest of friends along the years,” she wipes
her tears.
“What about Naledi? Does she love him?”
“She will always have love for him but Naledi
doesn’t hold on to anything. If things don’t
work out she moves on,” that’s the honest
truth.
“I’m just wasting my time with him. He will
drop me if Naledi gives him another chance,”
Unfortunately that’s true. Everyone knows
this, their families included.