Zanokuhle

Chapter 13

ZANOKUHLE
Chapter 13(bonus chapter)

REFILWE

I follow this man in disbelief of what he had just said. This has got to be some new joke that happens when someone is about to propose. I saw the ring and everything, I was the one who put it in his office and woke up early just to look wifely as he is about to propose. I even blew off my new friends from here when they called me for lunch and I told them I can’t as my boyfriend is going to propose today.
A year and a half of staying faithful to this man and not sharing my body with anyone else and he says this to me?
“You must be joking Bhungane”, I say as he stops.
I am right behind him.He turns and looks at me.
“I don’t want to prolong this any further Refilwe. Take it as it is and I am being nice. You can keep the flat back home”, he says.
“I don’t want it, I want you and I to live in the same house”
“We are not compatible. We hardly do anything together and we don’t enjoy each other’s company, let us not lie about that”
“We can learn that Bhungane”
“I don’t want to, now go and pack”, he walks away from me leaving me standing in the middle of this place.
My heart is racing. What now? I didn’t see this coming and it is coming on me like a layer of bricks as it is already.
He must be joking or maybe I am dreaming. I should lay down a bit and maybe later he will tell me he is joking but I know that Bhungane doesn’t joke about anything. He has never cracked a joke and I am high key hoping that he is really joking about this and it is his first joke and a way to get me distracted from the surprise proposal.

ZANOKUHLE

I went to take a bath and I finished up quickly before I got dressed in my leggings and top then I removed the sheets and put them in the bathroom basket before I pulled a new set out and slipped into bed without caring if I made the bed or not. I don’t want to leave this room, quiet frankly I don’t want to go outside today. I read the letter again and with each time I read it my heart just sinks to my stomach for a moment. The hunger not even a thing that crosses my mind at the moment.
A knock surfaces from the door and I keep my silence.
“Miss Ngubo, your breakfast has been delivered”, I keep my silence as tears prickle my eyes.
I shouldn’t be crying right? I shouldn’t be hurt but the fact that we may never be  friends again and we may never be in each other’s lives.
I feel, alone at the moment and I ruined it. My aunt was right, I am like my mother who has no regards for anyone but herself. I am just like her.
“Miss Ngubo”, I cover my head with the linen and the pillow as I softly sniff under the covers.
I want to sleep and forget about what is happening right now. the letter is now crushed right under me. My heart hurts, should it hurt this badly? I don’t want it to hurt this badly ever again.
I wish this was some sort of dream and that things are okay between us. That he is just working and he will come back and sit with me for the whole day as we laugh and eat together. I like that, that made him different. He made me enjoy being outside and actually learning to interact with people. Though I am still scared but it is getting better and better. I want him to be here and tell me that we are okay and we can still be friends despite us crossing over the friend line as he had mentioned it in his letter.
I sniff and wipe my crying eyes and my nose too. I keep my silence and the driver is also silent from in front of the door. He shouldn’t bother me but leave me alone as it is.

BHUNGANE

I  watch her as she is trying to cry but the situation is not allowing her to do so. She can’t be in touch with her emotions.
“Baby I am begging you”
“Refilwe, I want to make this clear. Let us not step on each other from here onwards. Stay in your lane and I will stay in mine”, I say.
Her bags are open and half packed. She moves around the bed and she comes to my side.
“Please baby”
“Finish packing”
“Is there someone else?”
“Yes and it is not you, don’t ask me nonsense and I am getting pissed by the minute. You make it seem like our hanging on thread relationship had the best moments.”
“We did, you just didn’t notice them.”
“Finish up, your plane leaves in 3 hours”, I say and walk away from her.
I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. Jabu left and here  I am alone with this woman. I want to go to Zano but I also don’t want to overcrowd her and overwhelm her as well.
My phone rings and I take it out and answer it.
“Whats wrong?”, it’s Zano’s driver and something in me worries but also it maybe her calling me to tell me what is on her mind.
I don’t mind, even if she shouts at me but she never shouts and she hates being shouted at.
“Boss, Miss Ngubo hasn’t been out of the room since morning and it is locked. She hasn’t had any food as you requested I get”, I am alarmed by this.
“Fuck!”,I cuss under my breath.
“I am coming”, I say.
I hope  Zano didn’t do anything to herself. Guilt wallows me as I rush out of this place.