Читать книгу Into the Sun - Takalani M - Страница 13

THANDEKA

Oh, my God!

I could live like this every day of my life. It is just a dream I know won’t happen but this place is remarkable. Gundo cashed his voucher at the Melrose Arch hotel Fire & Ice. I always passed Melrose Arch when going to work on the bus and I imagined it must be beautiful inside, but I never thought it would be as beautiful as this. The hotel is just as stunning. I admired it from the first minute I walked in. Those tall chairs at reception? Just stunning.

I was not bothered by everyone staring at me when I walked beside Gundo. He is wearing this perfectly fitted suit and I look dull with my relaxed hair. I need to get braids or something. I never wanted to leave the flat this past week. I thought shutting myself away would be much better.

I tried looking for a job after I was fired. I went back to the filling station to ask for the job. But I was discouraged by the petrol attendants who kept asking me if I was sure. When I asked why, I was told that a week doesn’t pass without them witnessing a hijacking just outside the station. This means the gunshots I hear almost every second night are coming from there. I couldn’t take the job when those old men told me that they fear for their lives every night.

Now I am in this beautiful hotel room and Gundo has left to go to the office.

Gundo.

I couldn’t tell him that I thought he was Rudzani. I was so sure he was his womaniser brother. All the signs that he is not him were there but I never seemed to care. I cannot wait to tell Maria all about it. I am just waiting for my phone to charge a little more.

Everything in this room is white and black, including the chair by the window. I’ve never been in any place like it. Wow!

I sit back on the bed. I was so overwhelmed when Gundo booked me into the hotel that I forgot to thank him! And he had to leave directly to go sort out some things at the office. Now I don’t even have his number to thank him for allowing me to use his vouchers. But he promised to come back so that we can have dinner, so I’ll thank him then. I wanted to refuse dinner, but when he said we needed to talk about the things I accused him of last time we spoke, I felt so ashamed, I couldn’t get a word out.

My phone pings a lot of messages, including texts from MTN indicating to me who tried calling me when my phone was off. I notice Maria and Thulani’s numbers. I know them by heart. I also received a few calls from a number that I don’t know. What if it is someone from the office trying to get hold of me? Maybe Ms Diana changed her mind. Maybe she was told that Gundo and I never did anything more than just a kiss which lasted only a second.

That kiss.

I can easily recall it whenever I close my eyes. It was perfect. Too perfect!

I dial the number and wait.

‘Hey,’ a deep, inviting voice answers.

‘Hi.’

‘Are you missing me already?’ It’s Gundo’s voice, creating a smile on my face.

‘What?’

‘Are you missing me already? Or did you need me to get you anything?’

‘No. Not at all,’ I quickly say. What more can I need from him? He has done more than enough. For the first time in the whole week, I will sleep peacefully. It has been hectic since Maria left. I couldn’t sleep, knowing that men were in the next room. It didn’t matter that the door was always locked, I just couldn’t sleep.

‘What’s up?’

‘I was just returning the calls I missed during the week.’

‘Oh yeah, I tried calling you on Thursday. That is my number. Keep it and use it whenever you need to,’ he says. I can sense a smile from his sexy voice.

Sexy voice? Thandeka, really?

What is wrong with me? This man has a child with Diana. That little girl will want her mommy and daddy to be together. I’m not going to try to come between them.

‘Thank you.’

‘So, are you settled? Do you like the room?’

‘Do I like the room? Are you kidding me? I love this room. It feels like they gave me the best,’ I say.

‘They did. I asked for the best.’

‘Thank you. I really appreciate it,’ I say.

‘It is only my pleasure. Okay, let me get these documents out of the way and then I will see you tonight, six o’clock?’ he says.

‘Six o’clock, it is.’ I still want to thank him in person for organising this hotel stay for me. Why is this guy so good to me?

As soon as I hang up, doubts start to creep in again. Am I even supposed to be having this dinner with him? I mean, Diana is going to flip when she hears about it. Do I really want her as an enemy? Do I want to cause trouble between them? What about their daughter?

I groan and lie down on the bed.

Well, there’s really no turning back now. Diana can’t be mad if it is just a friendly dinner, right? We’re going to clear up misunderstandings between us and I’ll thank him for the voucher, that’s all.

I get up, put my shoes on, pick up my sling bag and walk out of the hotel. I saw an Edgars just down the street and I’m in desperate need of something to wear tonight.

Yes! The shop is right here. It is enormous with more fashion collections than any of the branches I have been to. I just need a stylish dress, with a stylish pair of shoes. Ms Diana paid me and I deserve to spoil myself now and again. This will make me feel so much better after this awful week.

We only live once.

I pick a short red dress. But not too short – I don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea! And I love the sandals I pick out. As long as the heels are not as high as stilettos, I can handle them. These are just right. And they are on sale – what a bonus. I select a pair of dramatic earrings to make up for my pulled-back hairstyle.

I pay a price high enough to threaten my wallet, but it is worth it: I won’t feel out of place in the hotel’s fancy restaurant.

I’ve pushed aside the idea that this dinner might be wrong or a mistake. Gundo has only been good to me and I am not trying to compete with Diana. I just want to feel good tonight – that is all.

By five-thirty he calls to tell me that he is at the restaurant already waiting for me. He seems very eager to dine with me. Or he is just the punctual type, silly.

I put on my dress and fix my hair again. I would have been looking like a million dollars if I had my braids on. I fix the little make-up that I had put on before getting dressed. Perfect! Except that I don’t have a matching bag or even a clutch bag to complement my dress. So I take the room’s keycard and slide it into the little envelope that came with it and head to the restaurant. Gundo is sitting where I can easily see him. I smile as I stride to him. He is staring at me as if shocked. His eyebrows are raised and his mouth is slightly open. My last few steps to the table are a rush, as I shy away from his stare. He stands up and pulls out the chair for me. I take a seat, placing the keycard on the table.

‘Wow. You look amazing,’ he says softly as he sits down across from me.

I stunned him.

‘Thank you, I wanted to look the part.’ I turn my gaze to the glass in front of him. ‘What are you having?’

‘Whiskey. It is a Friday and I am not babysitting.’

I raise my eyebrows at him.

‘My daughter is not around, so I can stay out as late as I want.’

‘Oh, okay.’ I don’t want to think about his daughter now or who’s looking after her. Probably Diana!

‘What are you having?’ He shifts the drinks menu towards me.

‘I’ll have wine,’ I quickly say to stop him from recommending anything. He seems surprised. What did I say? I want to have some fun tonight and forget the problems that await me when I walk out of this hotel. ‘You can order me your favourite.’

He calls over a waiter and asks for a bottle of red wine. I miss the brand. He says it is not too sweet but less bitter compared to what he would normally pick. The waiter brings the bottle and pours a half-full glass for me. He takes our food order before disappearing to the back.

‘You have been friendly to me today.’ He looks awkward. ‘I mean, last time I saw you, you almost seemed to hate me.’

Now I’m the one who is feeling awkward. ‘There were just some things I heard about you.’

‘What do people say about me? I am always the last to hear.’

‘That you are a womaniser,’ I say and he starts to protest.

‘Relax,’ I interrupt him, ‘I thought your name was Rudzani and all I heard about him was that he is a serial heartbreaker.’

‘What the fuck?’ He stares at me for a second, confused, and then laughs. I join in and our laughter fills the room. ‘How could you think I was Rudzani?’

‘I don’t even know exactly! I think I asked my brother who the man could be that I met that night I dropped my eggs and he thought it was Rudzani. I just kept believing that!’

‘You can mistake me for anybody but Rudzani, please,’ he responds and waves his glass in the air. ‘Rudzani has always been a mess of a man. I tried my best to get him to think straight. I never win. He is just a mess.’

‘I can imagine. The things I heard about him are heartbreaking.’

‘So, all this time I was punished for my brother’s sins? Every time you shocked me with bitter words? Wow.’

I am embarrassed.

‘I am sorry; I just thought you were trying your luck on me like Rudzani does with every girl he meets.’

‘I am not my brother.’ His response is like music to my ears. But I remind myself of Diana and the little girl. I’m not going to interfere.

The waiter walks to our table and refills my glass. Gundo looks at the glass and asks if I am enjoying it. I nod at him. He picked the perfect one.

‘So …’ He asks hesitantly. ‘Were you planning to stay in that room for long?’

‘I am going back to Venda next week if I don’t get a job.’ I shrug.

‘Thandeka, I told you that you shouldn’t have been fired. I meant that you should come back to the company. I can get everything fixed on Monday. You can take your job back.’

I shake my head. I don’t think so. Not when Diana is there. She is going to make my life a living hell.

‘I can’t come back.’

‘Why not?’

Because I don’t know if I will be able to keep my distance from my boss! I can’t end up kissing my employer again – it’s not right. And if he only knew how much I would like a repeat of that kiss …

Plus: Diana.

I remember the PA’s words: Ms Diana is not going to allow anyone to come between her and Mr R. After all, they have a daughter together. She wants them to be the perfect family and she is just about willing to kill for that. ‘I can’t. Ms Diana won’t be very pleased.’

‘Okay, be Ciara’s au pair,’ he says.

‘A what?’

‘I need someone to assist her with homework and take her to her extramural activities. Sometimes I pick her up late after work and sometimes I cancel meetings because I need to rush to school. You can do that. You will stay in the flatlet outside of the main house.’

‘Uhm, sir, I …’

‘Don’t call me sir,’ he says, his eyes on me.

‘Thank you, but I can’t accept the offer.’ He looks defeated but if I were to kiss my employer while I’m staying on his property …! That is just too much drama.

And would I have to see Diana coming round to mark her territory? I wouldn’t be able to take it. Gundo is never going to choose a girl from the village over glamorous Diana. Who am I kidding? It would break my heart to have to see them together.

‘Why don’t I get you a bachelor flat in the better part of town? You can pay me when you get a job,’ he says.

‘I can’t accept that, really.’ I am not trying to be ungrateful. But that offer is just out of this world! How can I allow him to get me a flat as if he is my boyfriend? He isn’t obligated to help me. Is he trying to ‘buy’ me? Setting me up as some side-chick while he focuses on Diana and their little family? No.

‘You know what? Let us talk about fun things,’ he says.

Thank you!

The waiter puts our plates on the table.

‘Fun things, like?’ I ask, glad to change the subject.

‘Like, your idea of fun on a Saturday.’

‘Catching a movie at a cinema. I have never been to one and I would like to do that before I leave Jozi,’ I say.

‘Why don’t we catch one tomorrow?’ He stares into my eyes. I thought he would laugh at the fact that I have never been to a cinema, but here he is looking all serious.

‘Sure,’ I respond without even thinking.

This wine!

We spend the rest of our supper talking about our childhoods. While I was running around the streets of Soweto barefoot, he was selling in his father’s shops in the village. How he was raised and how privileged he was turned him into the great businessman he is today. It bothers me that I don’t have anything exciting to add. All I have to tell is how unfortunate I have always been.

‘This has been so much fun,’ I say, drinking the last sip from my glass. I finished the whole bottle, all by myself! We have been sitting here for hours, it is a few minutes after eleven o’clock when he settles the bill.

‘We will have more fun tomorrow. I already have the perfect movie in mind for us to watch.’ He stands. I do the same and take my keycard. ‘Let me walk you to your room.’

He takes my hand so that I don’t stumble. His hand is warm on mine. My cheeks feel warm, and not just from the wine! He leads the way from the escalator to my room.

We laugh when I struggle to put the keycard in the slot. This wine!

‘Let me help you.’ With a sexy smile, he takes it from me and opens the door. I stumble in while he stays outside. What a gentleman.

‘Thank you again,’ I say and he stares down at me. Instead of him telling me it was his pleasure, he leans in and kisses me. I let him. I block out Diana and anything between them I might be interfering in. He lifts his hands to my waist while I hang mine on his shoulders. I take a few steps backward for him to come in.

That kiss! It’s like the one he gave me in the boardroom, only better. His mouth lands on mine again, parting my lips with his tongue. Warm hands are rubbing my butt. He moans in my mouth. A sound escapes my lips and he deepens the kiss.

This is getting out of hand! He is so turned on, I can feel his penis hardening against my thigh.

I can’t!

‘Your … family,’ I find myself saying.

‘What?’ he moans the words while lifting my dress up. He smashes his lips back onto mine and devours me. The more he kisses me, the more I feel him on my thigh. The more I feel myself getting weaker and wetter.

No, I can’t.

‘Please, we can’t.’ I push him away from me. His daughter will want her parents together. Diana wants them together. Who am I to come between them? We are both out of breath, staring into each other’s eyes. I drop my gaze first. I am so disappointed in myself for allowing things to get carried away. This will only lead to heartbreak when he chooses Diana, when he chooses his family, over me.

‘Damn it.’ He raises his hands. ‘I am so sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.’

Even though I was the one to stop it, I feel hurt by his words.

‘We both got carried away,’ I mumble while he walks out of the room.

‘Goodnight, Thandeka.’ He shuts the door behind him.