…
[LARONA]
It’s a Saturday morning and I am looking forward to a bottle of wine and making myself a simple meal while at it. I’m done brushing my teeth and freshening up in my own bathroom. It feels good. The space isn’t cramped and it’s well ventilated. Kurhula had a bed, a coffee table and a couch delivered without speaking to me first. I just texted him ‘Thanks’ because arguing with him is pointless. The place does look better but it doesn’t scream my space. I’ll personalize it bit by bit.
I’ve already opened all my windows. It’s the first thing I do because morning breeze just hits different man. It gives me the same effect as ice cold water after a long walk in the scorching sun. I want to stay in bed and rest but my body always says no. I cannot sleep past 7 AM and this is all Makgabe’s fault. I have research to do for Kurhula. He has a case he needs to attend to at Pretoria on Monday. I started working on it last night and I’m almost done. When I unlock my phone, I find a message from him. It’s just five digits and nothing else. Probably a pocket dial or something. I try not to think too much about it. I haven’t been able to get him out of my head since yesterday.
I get a call from security and they tell me I have a delivery I need to fetch at the gate. My Takealot order for stationery is only going to arrive on Wednesday. I don’t remember ordering anything else from anywhere. I’m sure of this because I’m in my frugal era. I cannot afford to waste money. I only buy what is necessary for my survival.
‘Ma’am, can you hear me?’ the security guard asks. I was still trying to remember.
‘Sorry. I’m on my way. Please give me two minutes’
I grab my gown so I can cover up and slide into my slippers. My pyjama shorts live a little too much up to their name. I reinforce the front knot on my doek because I feel like it might fall off.
I know this car. The drivers from the royal house travels in a black Lexus. It can’t be a coincidence. What is Kurhula up to now? He exits the car and comes to me.
‘Good morning princess. I hope I did not catch you at bad time. I’ve been sent here to give you this’
He hands me a bank card. I receive it but I’m confused.
‘Did he say why?’
‘He just said I should wait for you and take you anywhere you’d like to shop’
‘Please give me one second’
‘At your service’
This guy is so formal even in the way he talks. The drivers at home wear whatever they want to wear. I take out my phone so I can call this man.
‘Hi Pearl’ he answers, too cheerful for my liking. And why is he calling me by my middle name?
‘What’s going on?’
‘With what? The weather?’
‘You know exactly what I’m talking about’
‘Take the card, go get bedding and whatever else you might need’
‘You need to stop this’
It’s getting out of hand now.
‘It’s a loan. Stop being prideful. It won’t help you with anything’
I breathe out.
‘How much?’
‘The budget is the amount you need. Only you know how much you’ll be able to pay back’
Is he trying to trick me or is he being genuinely sincere?
‘Come on. Take the damn card. Your kitchenware goes in singles. You have one plate, one bowl, one spoon, one—’
‘Oh shut up!’ I explode in laughter. ‘And I have two. I have two spoons. Don’t disrespect me like that’
I drop the call and tell Tony I’ll be back. Kurhula offered when I never asked. I’m not one to waste opportunities.
I decide on an orange knee-length summer dress and brown slides. I don’t want to waste the driver’s time and it’s not like I’m going anywhere fancy. The mall is just around the corner. I don’t even know the size of this bed but it looks like a queen. I find the dimensions and take a picture. I almost walked out of this house with my raggedy headwrap. I’ve owned it since I was fourteen and I’m not willing to let go of it. It’s the perfect square.
I throw the card into my side bag, along with some wipes and a lip-gloss. I think I look decent.
‘I’m sorry to keep you waiting’ I apologize after getting into the backseat of the car.
‘It is really not a problem ma’am’ he says with a smile.
‘So, how long have you been working for the royal house?’ I ask. I hate awkward silences.
‘It’s been eleven years now’
‘That’s nice. You seem like you’re enjoying your job’
He laughs lightly. ‘I cannot complain’
We chat until we get to the mall and I step out of the car. He promises to wait and I assure him that I can take a taxi. He won’t hear it. I let it go, say my thanks and leave. I see the sign for a Mr Price Home up there so it must be inside. I bought the bedding for my single bed at PEP the last time.
I’m going to get the curtains for the living room from a Chinese shop because these prices are mad. Is it because they’re block-outs?
My phone has been vibrating in my bag and I was under the impression that I was hallucinating. Kurhula. What does he want? He can’t be calling to complain because I haven’t even made a single purchase yet. I call him back.
‘Pearl’
‘Larona works just fine, please. What do you want?’
He laughs.
‘For someone who’s desperate, you’re quite disrespectful’ he says and I remember these words because they’re mine. Is he being for real right now? ‘Where are you in this mall, Mrs Kurhula?’
What is he doing here? I won’t max out his card. I feel like our relationship won’t end well. We do not respect each other. He’s worse because he has the upper hand. I need him, not the other way round. This gives him enough leverage to keep pressing my buttons. I see him about to walk past.
I sigh, looking for the strength to speak. ‘Mr Price Home’
He walks in reverse and peeps inside.
‘That dress suits you’ he says through the phone. I cut the call because it’s now pointless. He’s already here.
‘What are you doing here, Kurhula?’
He laughs. Breathy, provocative laughter. ‘Don’t sound so defeated. Are you not happy to see me?’
He looks different. Laid back. It must be the outfit. He’s wearing a white round neck, blue denim shorts folded just under the knees and matching Palladium boots. Even his attitude matches his fit. He’s not the monster from the office and I hope I’m not speaking too soon. I continue looking around, paying no attention to him. I get to a corner and decide that these curtains are not priced right. When I turn, I bump into him. Does he have to be so close? He doesn’t move.
‘Where are you going?’
‘To look for curtains’
‘What’s wrong with these ones?’
‘The prices are mad. Move…’
He doesn’t budge.
‘Do you like them?’
‘I do but—’
‘Then take them’
‘I get to decide how much I pay back, remember?’
‘Pay what back?’ he shrugs. I fail to stop the smile before he sees it.
‘Don’t do this’
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about’
I drop my shoulders. He is so exhausting! I manage to escape him and I see him smile. He follows me out.
‘Eyy man!’ he greets a guy I don’t know. They are super happy to see one another.
‘How’s uncle?’ Kurhula asks.
‘He’s getting better. He can walk now, and thank you once more for your help that day man’
‘I got you. You know this’
‘Excuse my terrible manners. My name is Benzy’ he extends his hand to me.
‘Larona. His mente—’
‘Wife’ Kurhula cuts in and I give him a deadly stare. This is no longer funny.
‘Oh the other one? Ey you and stainless steel. Since high school I’ve always known you—’
‘Ungani toloveli. Please behave’ Kurhula laughs.
‘But it’s a compliment sesi don’t take it the wrong way. Where’s the other one?’ Benzy asks.
‘She’s at home’
‘Greet her for me. I saw her at the complex the other day but she didn’t hear me calling for her’
‘That makes me happy. Don’t be screaming for my wife in public you fool’
Benzy lets out an ugly laughter. I can just tell that these two are good friends.
‘Noh but you have a type. Look at—’
‘That’s it. It was not nice seeing you. Famba Benzy’
His friend continues to laugh as Kurhula pushes him away.
‘Stop telling people I am your wife’
‘Remember the first day you came to my office? You claimed this title unprovoked. Now I’m giving it to you willingly, you no longer want it?’ There are people sitting on benches behind us and he doesn’t seem to mind them. I take one step away from him.
‘This is not going to work’
‘How do you know that?’
‘I just do. I was raised in a polygamous setting’
‘Same here’ he argues.
‘Still’
‘You are telling the captain of this ship that the ship is headed in the wrong direction? I’ve never led anything to a collapse, Larona. I was born to lead, not follow. I won’t take instructions from you’
I laugh. He’s delusional if he thinks he’s going to boss me around. This mentorship and marriage are very much disjoint.
‘When are you leaving? Ke ikhutse wena for two days nyana. O tsamaa leng, Kurhula?’
‘You shouldn’t be asking that question because I’m taking you with’
‘I’m going nowhere. Advocate Letswalo needs me’
‘Ask him to mentor you while at it then’
‘You’re not being fair’
‘How am I not being fair by asking my mentee to come with me to attend a case?’
I’m scared because he’s making it clear by the minute what his intentions are. Men don’t take kindly to being rejected. They are not nice people when the word ‘No’ is being thrown into the conversation. I’ve been there and it worked out very terribly for me.
He continues walking and we go outside the mall and stand near the water fountain.
‘You look anxious. I was just joking. Of course you have a choice. I won’t dump you as a mentee just because you won’t come with. You can choose not to’ he sounds sincere in his speech. I don’t know how to respond.
‘Larona?’ he calls.
‘I would never force you to do anything you don’t want to do. Please believe me. It was a bad joke, okay?’
I nod.
‘I hate that I make you feel this way, even in cases where I’m saying nothing at all’
‘What way?’
‘You’re scared of me. Yeah sure we can share laughs sometimes but I can always see the fear in your eyes’
‘I told you why, and I wouldn’t exactly use the word fear. Just… stop telling people I’m your wife and we’ll get along’ I say with a smile. I want out of that fear conversation. He huffs.
‘What are you?’
I am intentional about looking him square in the eye this time.
‘I am not wife material, Kurhula’
‘You are telling me what you’re not when I asked you the opposite, advocate’
I am nowhere near the woman you introduce to your parents. I am the one who gets to mingle with your demons instead’
He steps closer.
‘Why do I like the sound of that?’
There’s no winning here. And why is he coming in strong all of a sudden?
‘I repeat, I’ll never fall for you Kurhula. Let this go’
‘Trust me, you will, and I’ll be right here to catch you in time’
I don’t know why that just gave me instant butterflies. He needs to leave because he’s right. I’m already falling but I’ll make sure I never land.
‘Pearl, I don’t know about you but I’m done fighting the inevitable. I’ll give you all the time you need to realize where you belong. You can’t run from me, the same way I cannot run away from you too. The further we go in different directions, they shorter the path leading us back to each other. You’ll call me if you change your mind about PTA. I’m leaving at nine tomorrow’ he says and leaves me there to digest all the heavy things he’s just unexpectedly dumped on me. I am no longer in the mood to go in and out of shops. I want to be alone.
CHAPTER 6
Start from the beginning
