Random encounters

26. Back to basics

We are done and waiting on Luke now, my little slay princess is all dressed up.
Text message.
"I'm outside" It's Luke so I  take my side bag and phone, carry Denzhe and walk out to his car.
He smiles at me as I make way to where he's standing. He kiss me and take Denzhe in his arms.
"You'll grow to be a beauty, just like your mother." He says to Denzhe
She laugh, I think she laughs at everything.
"Thanks for the compliment..." I say
"It wasn't directed to you." He answers
"Hahaha...very funny" we both laugh
"Let's go, I'll sit at the back with her." I say taking her from him.
He opens the door for me.

Of all places he took us to the milky lane. It's kinda cute I won't lie, because I love ice-cream and I'm surprised he knows. We order and then wait for our orders sitting next to each other. He has his arm around me, that my body is against his.
"This is bound to be the best first date in the history of dates" I look at me
"The way you said it, a bit sarcastic there" he smiles
I laugh.
"I'm serious, I love ice-cream, you and Denzhe. I get to have all of you here with me, it's the best thing." I say
He's staring at me as if I just said something wrong.
"What's wrong, did I say something wrong?" I ask
He wags his head.
"You said you love ice-cream, me and Denzhe..." he repeats my words
Well I know what I just said.
"You just said you love me...well in the same sentence as ice-cream but I'm not jealous..." I hit his hand, he chuckles.
"I'm trying to make you understand how much I love ice-cream..." I say defensively
He's still laughing at me.
"You're crazy, but I love crazy" I smile
He stops laughing. "And I love you Wanga."
I blush. "Me too"
That's all it took to send electric signals all over my body, I rest my head on his chest. Some moments in life don't need words.

Every day with Luke felt like an adventure,  I felt young again. From lying on bed talking till morning about our future, how we'd laugh at our times apart. I found a reason to smile again. He loved listening to me, so when I have no stories for him he'll give me a book to read. I laughed the whole time at first but he fell asleep listening to me.

He's phone beeps as I read for him, he groan and answer it.
"Is everything okay?" He asks
His face falls then he hang up the phone.
"What's wrong?" I ask
He looks at me sadly then swallow.
"Khumo was telling me that Thiko overdosed, he's in bad shape...I think I should go there..." he says
I place the book on the bed and embrace him. I don't hate Thiko, he's the father of my child and I feel bad that this happened to him.
"I'll come with you, after all it's the least I can do..." I say
"Are you sure, everyone will be there..." he answers
"Yes, I can handle it." I assure him
That is a lie but it's been two months and I've hid from them enough,  it's time I face them again. Candy and Thabile went awol on me, I don't blame them. As for Khumo and grant, I think they didn't want to pick sides.

Everyone stared at us as we make way to them, not friendly smiles but stares. I greet everyone but the guys reply.
"You have no shame showing up here..." candy says
I have no reason to answer or cause a scene.
"There's no need for that Candy" Grant says
"He's stable for now, only God knows what would've happened if I didn't find him sooner." His girlfriend in scrubs
I think I've said it that she's beautiful. She looks at me sadly then at Denzhe.
"Thank you for coming Wanga, it means a lot." She says
Either she's a good actress or it's the adrenaline rush. She walks away.
There's silence for a while until Grant breaks silence.
"Can we talk Wanga?" He gets up
I nod and follow him to the cafeteria. He gets sitted and I do too.
"I'm sorry for what happened between you and Thiko..." he says
"It's okay..." I wasn't expecting an apology
"It's not, we all were not there for you. Deep down I knew you'll end up with Luke. I hated that, I won't lie but I was selfish. We were there when Thiko cheated on you multiple times, we all smiled like everything was okay while you broke down in silence." He stops
"The reason why Luke told you how he felt about you, it was because deep down he was tired of playing along with Thiko's games. Still we were against him. Candy and Thabile are Thiko's family, I don't blame them for being on his side. I guess what I'm trying to say it that, we were Thiko's friends more than Luke's friends. I did it without even realizing it until it was too late, I'm sorry Wanga..." Grant explains
I don't think I must add to what he just said.
"I forgive you Grant" I say
He smiles at me.
"Let's head back before Luke gets jealous..." he says
I laugh.

Thiko survived, he went to rehab again. He busted in tears when he saw me at the hospital, we didn't get to talk because he was too emotional. Vee ran after me and embrace me. "I'm sorry for hurting you, breaking your marriage. I apologize on Thiko's behalf, the pain he caused you. I'm sorry." She lets me go and walk back to Thiko's ward.
I'm grateful to her for her apology, deep down I hated her for being the reason why my marriage ended. I was wrong, it was never going to last, infact it ended a long time before she was introduced. So I have no reason to hate her anymore, I want to be free from my past and that requires me to forgive everyone who've wrong me but most importantly myself.
"Thinking about me?" Luke standing at the door
He's coming from work, I've been living here for 4 months.
"I'm thinking about ice-cream unfortunately" I say
He laughs.
"Can we get one please..." I plead
He walks to me at carry me all the way to the garden.
"This is so romantic" I chuckle
He sits on the bench, I'm now on top him.
"Do you blame me, I read a lot of books" he says playfully
"It's beautiful out here" I say
"It's just like you" he adds
I laugh "really, I'm being compared to a landscape design." I say
"You put me on the same sentence as ice-cream..." he answers
I can't help but laugh. "Fine let me not complain, I love you Luke" I kiss him.

Unedited