The Assistant

Chapter 5

"Did you manage to find Ms Khumalo?" Mr Dlomo asks as I hand him the documents from the printer.

It's a Monday. Thank God I woke up feeling a whole lot better than the previous days. After confirming that I found Ms Khumalo I head to my sit and do my job. I stand up to Mr Dlomo's table, I decide that I am going to tell him about my pains cause continue working for him he has to know so that someday when I can't report in he doesn't think I am making excuses

"Do you have a moment" I ask. He says "yes Tali, shoot"

"Okay firstly I'd like to apologise for the Saturday incident. I just didn't know how to tell you that I am sick" he interrupts me

"So you finally found about your pregnancy" he says with a serious face

I laugh. "You sure want me to be pregnant and no I am not. Thing is I am a woman and on my "days" I get to have very bad pains that I sometimes can't walk or I just throw up"

"Oh. Have you consulted about it?" He asks. I thought he wouldn't understand when I say "days" but here he is understanding every word I said.

"Yeah at first I did but they kept going on and on. I was told I can't use any type of contraceptives that stop the....cause they are going to be bad" I explain. "And another thing I am scared cause you know when you are sick and end up being diagnosed with other things so I just stopped consulting" I add

"Don't you think consulting will help you with treatment that is possible" He asks. He is making a valid point but still I am not ready for all that.

We end up talking about other things concerning law and public relations. I stand up to fetch my lunch. Mr D said he is not hungry. This man and not eating but I noticed that he doesn't eat mostly on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

After lunch I proceeded on my work. It's knock off time. I have to pass through the mall for essentials that I need, so I start there. I walk to Game to get myself an air cooler for the lounge because the heat is unbearable. As I move to the kitchen staff aisle. I see one of the people I never wish to see ever in my life, my ex (Nkosiyethu) hand in hand with some girl. It's not his wife, so he couldn't keep her or he's cheating like he did with me.
I move faster so that he doesn't notice me. It's almost 4 years since he got married and he never reached out to send me an apology. Nothing, not even a letter. I continue with my shopping and drive home. I pack everything where it needs to be. I get in my room and head to the shower. After I am done with everything I go eat.

Today is Friday and I am meeting up with my varsity friends, Thuli and Zama. I am at the office doing my work, it's 11 am and Mr D is not here. I wonder where he at? Or maybe I should call him and ask if he is clocking in today? I mean I am his PA and supposed to know right?

~Tring..Tring..Tring~ His phone rings and no luck of him picking up. Maybe I should hang up and continue with my job.

"Tali" he says as I was about to drop. Wait is he sleeping at this time?

"Hi Mr Dlomo. I wanted to ask if you had a meeting in the morning since you haven't clocked in at work and also I needed your signature on the court papers" I say in rather a quick way

"I can clock in at my company at whatever time I want to Talitha and it's none of your business to want to know about my whereabouts ok. I'll sign the papers when I come to work" he says before hanging up the phone. I am the one who called Bathong!!!

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Mr Dlomo was still in bed at 3 pm he didn't bother waking up and going to eat. He is wallowing into grief. Nine years ago he lost his wife 5 days after she gave birth to their precious daughter. The cause of her death was because of negligence of doctors who helped her give birth. He sued the hospital after a year and they started taking the matter serious two years back. Today is her death anniversary and he still hasn't found a way to let her go.