Lion of Soweto

Chapter 34

It's Monday morning at the Wits University in Johannesburg. Dineo and friends gather in the classroom to discuss Bandele's talk-of-town bash. "Stop deceiving us!" Samantha eyes Dineo. "You're not his girlfriend and he'll soon dump you."

"He was too busy." Dineo tries to defend her man. "Didn't you see the number of guests present?"

"He didn't even say 'hi' to us. We only saw him on the screen," says another, whose mouth takes an amoebic shape.

Dineo has had to shake off her disappointment. But she teases her friends. "Don't worry babes. Time will come when I'll take you to him. He'll bless you with bundles of rands. Just wait."

Samantha widens her face in doubt, still upset she spent her pocket money on Uber taxi to get to the venue, only to be given two-hundred rands by Molefi. "We're still waiting for their cash gift anyway."

"We'll find time to go there. I promise you, girls. He'll bless you."

"Please don't disappoint." Samantha brightens up. "We can see that the man is a multi-millionaire."

The ladies discuss further but Dineo only partakes minimally. Appeasing her friends is only a ruse; Bandele's driver didn't drop her in school this morning. That's a serious concern.

Maybe they're still clearing up after a busy weekend. But it's yet unclear if her Wednesday castle visits will continue. The number of classy babes that showed up last Saturday indicates that the man won't keep her for long – as Samantha hinted earlier.

To fix her curiosities, Dineo leaves school early, showing up at the castle midday. Once through the gate, she sits on a lower-floor sofa, unconvinced about going upstairs. Bandele didn't ask for her and today isn't a Wednesday.

Pono climbs down the stairs to find a Dineo different from the last one he saw.

"Good morning, Pono." Dineo lifts to her feet. "Are you okay?"

"Hi."

"Congrats for the beautiful outing you guys had last Saturday. Did you rest well?"

"Yes, thank you."

Pono exits the door without looking back.

Dineo sits for about thirty minutes before walking up the stairs to see Bandele who's watching the birthday video clip with Molefi and Akida.

Sounds of thumping heels alert the men to the approaching lady. Molefi catches a glimpse first but quickly ducks, unsure if the boss personally invited her. Bandele jerks on seeing Dineo. "What are you doing here?"

Dineo picks up a pity look, hands by her sides and head tilting. She doesn't know what to say.

"I say what are you doing here?"

Her lips quiver. "I...I... came—"

"No, no. You can't just come here anytime you like. Who opened the gate...?" He looks around. Molefi rises to his feet.

"Look, just go." Bandele waves his hands. "I'll send for you if I need you." He turns towards the TV. "Yes, where did we stop?" He motions to Molefi who drops to the chair. "That's my Thank-You speech... I was already drunk."

"Sir, your speech was a bit harsh on the guests. I thought—"

"Shut up! If they didn't like it they should have walked away, but they listened."

Sensing her tenure is over, Dineo climbs down the stairs with a sad face. He doesn't date for long – she was told, but this is too short. All the same, she counts her blessings and regrets her losses.

These past weeks, he paid her tuition for the year and she has enough bank balance to foot her bills. Her wardrobe brims with clothes and shoes. But she'll miss the chauffeur-driven cruises around town on account of which friends and neighbours envy her.

Pono walks past Dineo with a newspaper in hand. Her sullen face explains the harsh reception she received from his boss. On getting to the lobbyroom, he flings the newspaper to Molefi before turning back.

Molefi picks it up to read. "These people can't be serious!"

"Who are the people?" Bandele queries.

"They wrote in the papers that you spent five million on the birthday party."

Bandele burst out laughing, holding his tummy. He pauses and then resumes laughing aloud, to Molefi's consternation. This man has been acting strangely since the party held.

First is the new habit of smoking tobacco pipe in the mornings. Then his newfound love for watching cable television, especially the channel E. And then this huskier than normal laughter, after which he taps his chest. The man is getting more arrogant – well, the extreme brand of it.

Shooing Dineo away in such condescending manner waves a red flag. Bandele hardly sends his women away, at least not Dineo – a four-star RPL blessee. It's only two days after the party and Mr Randy is yet to request a lady. Is he still resting from the party?

Bandele cuts into his aide's thoughts. "Did you know that Miss Soweto was in my room till yesterday morning?"

"No, boss. I didn't check the ladies around you. They were so many."

"Ho ho ho." Another husky chuckle. "She was there with other nice ones. But I didn't touch any of them. I didn't know which one I really like. In short, I don't want any of them around me anymore."

The statement sends a hush around the room but drops like an exploding bomb in the minds of his aides. The boss doesn't want ladies around him? Molefi faces Akida who looks towards Pono who turns towards Molefi. The aides exchange puzzled looks.

Bandele gets off the chair and starts pacing around the room, rubbing his hands together. "Molefi!"

"Yes, boss."

"You must focus on getting me a nice young lady for a wife. I don't want these that open their legs faster than I blink. She must be a university girl who can speak English very well. Her English must show the level of my money. Look, start by bringing me three names. I will choose the right one I want."

Molefi looks on, blinking with flared nostrils, struggling to come to terms with this wife-hunting decision of the most inconsiderate philanderer of this generation.

But the boss won't keep them guessing for long. He states the reason behind his decision. "Look, if there was a nice woman by my side on Saturday, Rudo won't open his mouth to tell me that I'm not successful."

Molefi swallows the lump clogging his throat. How does one go about looking for a decent woman for a man who only understands: "I love you, follow me home?" So he can ask for a decent woman, after abusing the other ones? How will he cope with a well-raised lady? Is Bandele truly planning to start a family?

Molefi pores through the pungent request while climbing down the stairs. Should the boss find a wife, how will he survive in this mansion? What will his new role be? Does he have to leave? Clearly, his job is on the line with this wife thing.