CHAPTER 53
NALEDI MOLETSANE

Finally, the meeting is adjourned, It has been
going on and on. I know I’m supposed to be
excited seeing that this is the first day of my
new journey as a business owner and CEO, but
I want to check up on my boyfriend. He
wasn’t okay when we spoke on the phone last
night, his son said somethings that really hurt
his feelings. It hurt my heart to hear how sad
he was and because of that I wished I had
stayed a little longer in Durban.
I get to my office, it doesn’t feel like mine yet.
Jimmy’s things are still in here, I’m going to
pack them up by the end of the day and give
them to Thuli when we meet up. I know she
won’t want them either, but I thought their
kids would appreciate them.
I pull out a chair and settle down before I
grab my phone in the handbag and dial
Shlobo. He answers at third ring.
“Mrs Mavimbela,” I raise an eyebrow.
“Isn’t that too soon?” I ask and he chuckles.
“Not when you know what you want,” he says
and I’m left melting into my seat.
God, how did we get here so quickly?
“How are you feeling this morning?” he heaves
a heavy sigh.
“My heart is still in shambles babe, but I’m
happy to hear your voice sthandwa sami,” I
close my eyes. This Zulu man has me, he
doesn’t need to do anything more to make me
fall for him.
“Everything is going to be okay,” I try to
reassure him.
“I hope so baby. How are you? I miss you
Naledi,” I love how he pronounces my name.
“I’m okay babe, I just have to go through some
files to get up to speed with the subsidiaries.
It’s going to be a long day first day,” I say and
he gasps.
“Oh God, I’m such a bad boyfriend. I didn’t
make any plans to send you flowers for good
luck,” he shouldn’t beat himself up for that.
“Its okay, you have a lot on your mind,” I say
and he takes a deep breath.
“I will make it up to you,” I trust that he will.
“Are you at work?”
“No, sthandwa sami. I’m not going in today. I
won’t be able to concentrate, my head is
spinning,” my poor baby.
I would feel the same if Basetsana turned on
me and said hurtful things to me when I do
nothing but love and keep her safe.
“I’m sorry I am so far,” long distance
relationships are hard, I just hope and pray
that we make it work no matter what.
“I could use your cuddles right now but I
understand,” he says in a low voice, “Please
tell me I’m going to see you soon,” there’s
some desperation in his voice.
“I promise babe, I miss you too,” I have Bassie
this Friday to Saturday. She told me that her
dad is taking her out on Sunday, he didn’t call
to tell me. We haven’t really been talking
since I moved out of his house. There’s no bad
blood or anything like that. I gave him space
to be good with his girlfriend and now I’m
preoccupied with my new relationship too. I’ll
invite him out for drinks soon so I can tell
him about my relationship. I know my thing
with Shlobo is fairly new but I swear I’m
feeling things that won’t allow me not to
share our relationship with those in my life.
“Please send me a picture. I wanna see my
woman in a corporate outfit,” I bite my lower
lip. I love it when he claims me.
He’s lucky, I took a mirror picture this
morning and it looks really good.
“I’ll send it through as soon as we end the
call,” I have another one in langirie and I think
he would appreciate it. I mean he needs
something to look at when he misses these
big thighs.
“Sthandwa sami, your sister-in-law is calling
for me. Please call me again when you’re free.
I don’t want to call and disturb you while
working,” I just want to talk to him all day
everyday, especially after the amazing
weekend we had.
“Okay, have a good day then,”
“You too beautiful.” he says and I hang up the
phone and I go on whatsapp to forward the
two pictures. I notice a text from Vhutshilo,
it came through when I was in the meeting.
He is asking what time I’ll be home because
he wants to come see me. I quickly fire him a
response and power off my screen before
grabbing a file to get some work done.
.
.
.
Okay, this turned out really well. Manana
would be so proud of me for trying. I didn’t
cook anything special, it’s just spaghetti and
mince. I went to some Instagram chefs page
to see how mince is prepared and I’m so happy
it came out great. I need to send the girl a
shout out shame, she helped out a sister. I’m
going to follow more of her recipes and ask
Manana to teach me how to cook other
things. I heard that Zulu men love women
who knows their way around the kitchen. I
never cared to learn before, I always said a
man must decide if they want a life partner
or a chef. But now things have changed, I
wanna please this man so bad.
I open the fridge and take out one of the
bottles I put in to chill. Vhutshilo will find my
train already moving. He was supposed to
come here straight from his work place, but
he texted and said he had to get something
done for Karabo and he will come through as
soon as he is done. I hope his girlfriend can
see that he’s trying his best to make her a
priority and that I am not a threat to their
relationship. Hopefully my new relationship
status will put her mind at ease and she will
be completely comfortable with mine and
Vhutshilo’s friendship.
The intercom buzzes and I rush to check the
monitor. My baby daddy is finally here, I press
the button next to the monitor and the gate
slides open and he drives in. I take my glass of
wine and go open the door for him. He’s
climbing out when I step outside and like
always he’s looking great. He approaches me
with a straight face and I narrow my eyes.
Something pissed him off and he’s here to
clear it up, I know this one very well. I just
wonder what it is that I did to offend him.
“Hey,” his hug is cold.
“Papa Bassie,” that’s one way of softening him
up, “Come in,” I lead him inside the house,
headed to the kitchen. He needs a drink to
loosen him up.
“This place is different,” he says and I nod.
“Yeah, I replaced some things,” All pictures of
me and Jimmy are gone and everything else
that he chose for decoration when we got
this house. It’s all packed up in boxes and
placed in the garage. I’m not sure yet what
I’m going to do with them.
“When are you bringing Bassie to live here? I’m
sure she’s not comfortable living without
you,” he says and I heave a sigh.
“I wanted to see first if I’m comfortable
staying here before bringing our child,” I say
and he chuckles.
“Not because you don’t want any disturbances
when your new boyfriend comes to visit?”
bathong!
I pivot with a snapped eyebrow. How did he
know about Shlobosenkosi?
“How do…”
He quickly interjects, “How did I know? Well
you were showing him off this past weekend,”
right, my whatsapp statuses.
I just post and not care to checked who
viewed them. I only become aware that
someone has viewed when they comment.
“My boyfriend is not the reason why our
daughter hasn’t moved in with me. I don’t
even know why you would think that
Vhutshilo,” I say calmly even though I’ve
taken offense to what he has said.
He shrugs his shoulders, “So you have a
boyfriend and you didn’t think it’s fair to tell
me?” claps once!
So he came to my house to interrogate me
about my relationship?
“Shlobo and I haven’t known each other for
long. We met back in Cape Town,” I explain
and he tilts his head to the side.
“is it serious?” he asks and I nod without
hesitation.
“I’m invested in the relationship, he also is. If
things continue to go how they are going
right now then there’s a high possibility that
he might be meeting Bassie very soon,” he
gasps in shock.
“So soon Naledi? You haven’t even moved on
from Jimmy and now you’re in another
relationship. What do you even know about
this guy?” he half shouts and I gulp down my
wine.
“Well, I know that he makes me happy. I know
that he is kind and thoughtful and right now
that’s all I need to know Vhutshilo. I would
never think of introducing our daughter to
any man if I wasn’t sure about him,” he huffs
out a humorless laugh.
“This has to be some kind of joke.
You’ve known the guy for just 2 weeks, 2
Naledi and you want him to know my child? If
this doesn’t work then you would’ve
introduced our daughter to a useless Tom.
Take sometime to know him before you bring
him anywhere near Basetsana,” Hai shame.
What the hell is going on with this one?
“You really came to my house to tell me what
I can or cannot do with my life?” I’m shocked
because what is this?
“Yes, because I care about you Naledi. Also,
whatever you do with your life affects our
daughter too,”
“Bathong wena! For 9 years I’ve been
Basetsana’s mother and throughout the years
I’ve always put my daughter first. I’ve always
protected her and wanted what’s best for her.
Why would I start doing the opposite now?”
he takes a deep breath.
“I didn’t come here to fight, Naledi. I was
hoping that we could sit down and talk about
your relationship and how fast it seems to be
moving. I’m not comfortable with Bassie
meeting your boyfriend so soon, please
respect my wishes,” he just came here to piss
me off. I didn’t act like a mad woman when
he told me about his relationship. I was even
happy when he told me he wants Karabo and
Bassie to spend time together. I don’t
understand why he’s acting like this when it’s
me who feels like she has found a man who
could potentially meet my daughter. Yes, I’ve
chosen assholes and liars before but
Shlobosenkosi feels different in my heart and
my soul.
“I had a long day at work Vutshilo and I don’t
want to spend my evening fighting with you,”
I say and he hits the kitchen counter with his
fists, startling me.
“That’s another thing you thought I didn’t
deserve to know. You starting work at your
ex’s company,” oh Lord!
“Yoh! I’m not doing this with you. I grab the
bottle of wine on the kitchen counter and
head towards the lounge.
SHLOBOSENKOSI MAVIMBELA
“What’s happening Shlobo?” Nonku asks with a
shaking voice and I take a deep breath. I have
been sitting on the bed with my face buried in
my hands. I wish I didn’t have to do this but it
needs to be done. Nonku deserves to know
the truth. She deserves to find someone who
will set her on fire the way Naledi does me. I
want her to feel her heart swelling with
happiness and a love that snatches you away
without giving notice.
“Nonkululeko, I will understand if you hate me
and never want to set your eyes on me again.
I want you to know that I didn’t plan any of
this. Things just happened and I found myself
on my knees feeling things I never thought I’d
feel again,” I pause and look at her, tears are
glistening in her eyes, “God is my witness, I
never meant to hurt you. I’m coming clean
because I don’t want to live with the guilt or
continue stringing you along when I know
very well what my intentions are,” she blinks
and her tears fall. I deserve the asshole of the
year award.
“You’re scaring me,” she clasps her hands.
“Remember when we were in Cape Town and
you woke up and I wasn’t in bed?” I ask and
she nods.
“I lied to you about where I had been,” It
comes out in a whisper.
“What are you saying Shlobo?”
“I went out to get a drink because I couldn’t
sleep, that’s the truth. Thing is, I met two
ladies in the elevator and they invited me for
drinks in their room. I went up with them and
one passed out and I was left with the other.
One thing led to the other and we found
ourselves making love on her bed,” I say and
she gasps in shock.
“Oh Jesu!” she cries and my heart hurts.
I don’t find any pleasure from hurting people.
It sickens me and I’m honestly disgusted with
myself right now.
“Everything just happened so fast Nonku, it
was like an out of body experience,” I say and
she lowers herself on the edge of the bed next
to me.
“I’m really sorry,” I say and watch as tears
stream down her face. Shlobo what have you
done to this woman.
We sit in uncomfortable silence for a few
minutes that feels like decades.
“Are you sorry, Shlobo?” she asks and I nod
vigorously.
“More than you will ever know,” that’s the
honest truth. Yes, I’m happy that my path
crossed with Naledi but I feel bad that I had
to hurt Nonku in the process.
“It was a moment of weakness, I can
understand that. It’s going to be hard for me
to trust you again but I will get there
eventually. We are adults and what we share
is beautiful to just let go because of a
mistake,”
“MaSibisi, Naledi and I didn’t end in Cape
Town. I was with her this weekend, she came
down here from Johannesburg,” she gets up
from the bed, shaking her head.
“Are you fuckin kidding me right now? You
cheated on me twice with the same woman?
How could you Shlobo?” now she’s furious.
“I honestly did not mean for any of this to
happen, but I can’t really say I regret it,” I add
and that makes her mad. She starts pacing up
and down, clapping her hands and laughing
like a psycho. I’m so glad that her kids aren’t
here to witness any of this.
“Shlobo if you want this relationship to work
out then you must end whatever it is that
you started with that Naledi girl,” she says
and I close my eyes. That’s impossible.
“I can’t, Nonku. I am sorry,” she stops and
narrows her eyes at me.
“What is that supposed to mean?” she asks
through gritted teeth.
“I am in-love with Naledi,” I admit and a
second later something breaks on my
forehead. She threw a vase at me and I have a
headache immediately. I stand so I can move
away from her before she does something
worse.
“Oh my God. Shlobo you are bleeding,” she says
panicking, trying to touch me. I quickly step
back. I understand that she’s mad but how
could she get physical with me like this.
“Let me get the first aid kit,” she says, rushing
to the door.
“No, I’ll take care of it when I get home,” she
stops and pivots to face me.
“Shlobo, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just got
so angry hearing you say you love her,” she
says, rubbing her hands together.
“I need to leave, Nonku,” I say and move to
the door, she holds my arm when I walk past
her.
“Baby, please. Let’s sit down and have a
conversation,” I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“The environment is now hostile, Nonku. I
don’t want to risk saying anything that will
tick you off. Let’s just call it a night and talk
some other time,” I say and she gives me
pleading eyes.
“Please, Shlobo.” I remove her hand from my
arm and walk out of her bedroom. I’m willing
to meet up again and answer questions she
might have, she deserves that but it can’t be
today because emotions are already high.