Becoming Mrs Dlamini

chapter 2

Anger sizes my body as the memories of being called a thief resurfaces. I ignore him and continue to walk.

" you do realise that this time of the night is unsafe for a girl to be roaming the streets?" He asks

"sir if you hadn't bumped into me earlier my phone would still be working and would have called my cab man. Now if you excuse me l don't want any trouble and I have a long way to go" l sneer

"I can't leave you here its too dangerous please allow me to take you home. I can drive you that's the least I can do"

" so now you want a thief in your car?... interesting "

" about earlier am sorry I just had a bad day" he assents

"i will have to pay you i don't accept free rides from strangers"

" if that is the only way you would want it I will not protest I just want to make sure you are safe" he says reassuringly

I reluctantly make my way to his car...it's an audi SUV jet black and sleek he opens the passenger door for me and I step in. I gusp in awe the car is gorgeous. It's a beast of a car. He starts the engine and switches on the sound system. Alan Walker's 'sing me to sleep' plays ..at this moment all my senses are in disarry am in love with the song .He drives with ease and confidence.

The interior of the car alone makes me question who this man really is. I quickly glance at his left hand in search of a wedding band but there is none..he notices my glances

"am not married if that's what you are thinking" he smirks "Where are we going? Oh my manners am Leon Dlamini by the way, you can call me Leo..You are?"

"Kylie Tee Shumba. ..Stenbrok flats"

"I presume you're Zimbabwean for the T initial what's the full name" he inquires

"Its Tadiwanashe" I reply

"It's a beautiful name sounds familiar what does it mean" he probes

" the Lord has loved us Thanksgiving names are a real deal where i come from it expresses the goodness of a blessing" l state

My shona name is one thing that brings me close to my home country it's a name that is close to my heart my mother gave it to me because she saw me as a blessing and what great way would she thank the Lord for such a blessing other than naming her daughter the Lord has loved us

"So what name do you prefer I use"

"Tadiwa is just fine you don't really have to get acquitained to me I don't think there is going to be next time"

"I will call you Tadie then
so what are you doing in South Africa" he says ignoring my last sentence

"am studying law and working"

"law is a big thing hey l bet you are a smart kid how do you manage law and working" he inquires

" I need the money so I try to make it work" I say

My last statement signals that am done with the conversation he notices but still decides on yet another question...cutting down the deafening silence

"how bad is your phone" he interrupts
I hand him the phone and I don't tell him that it was cracked before am abit embarrassed to admit it so I skip that detail
"This is really bad am sorry" he apologises

****
We reach the flats in total silence
I guess he is well acquainted with Cape Town he didn't ask for directions. He gets to the passenger side door and opens it l get out and he walks me past security to the staircase