October 17th, 2019. 5:16PM 12
“And the mistake that most of us make is telling on our friends during pillow talk; and if ever knowingly and unknowingly I let you down – I am sorry.”
The food is served; Lerato is busy flirting with her man as we eat. I have been with them and so I am used, Jayden is an ass and she knows it still baffles me why she is still with him.
‘I need to leave.’ I say after we have our dessert
It’s after 10PM and even though I live alone I have a policy of never getting home late.
‘Babe no one is waiting for you.’ Lerato says in her tipsy voice I look at her, she is always a loud mouth when drunk.
‘I will push you.’ Hugo says getting up
I hug Jayden goodnight, then ask him to drop Lerato home safely after which I kiss her forehead then walk out with Hugo.
We get to my car then stop.
‘Thank you for walking me to my car.’ I say ‘You are welcome.’ He responds with a smile I open my car.
‘So you are going to pretend like I am a stranger?’
I look at him wordlessly
‘Thelma I have been trying to reach you but you cut all my calls, you don’t even want me to know where you leave. You have shut me out completely without an explanation.’
‘And it should stay that way.’ I say trying so hard not to look at him He looks at me for a good minute without a word
‘I miss you.’ ‘Hugo not now.’
‘It’s Mulife for crying out loud.’
‘The Mulife I know is in my past, the man standing before me is Hugo.’ ‘What are you even doing here?’ I ask
‘I am here now.’
I want to ask about Olipa but if I do it might seem like I am still interested in him so I don’t.
‘Mum asked about you the other day.’ ‘Why?’
‘It seems Lackson told everyone who you really are and all of a sudden you were their favorite.’
I laugh.
‘She will always be a drama queen huh?’ ‘Yeah.’ He says leaning against my car
‘You have grown hey.’ He says after much silence ‘It’s been six years Hugo.’
He eyes me and I laugh.
‘Please don’t call me that.’ ‘But whose name is it?’
‘It’s mine but what can I do, that’s the name I used back in school and all my friends called me that. But you are not allowed to call me that name.’
‘Why Hugo?’ ‘Really?’
I laugh
‘Let me get going, I have work tomorrow.’ I say getting into the car
‘I will be seeing you around.’ He says and I just smile before driving off.
Monday morning I am already ready for work by 6:45AM, home is in Meanwood Mutumbi so I have to start off very early if I have to beat traffic; my office is at Acacia Park.
I settle for a red dress, a blue handbag and a matching clutch. I am ready to take on the day and I feel good about the week ahead.
By 7:45 I am in the office and my secretary is already rushing to make my cup of coffee.
‘Good morning Ma’am.’ She greets handing it to me ‘Good morning Ms. Banda.’ I say putting my things away
I put my coffee on the table and she hands me my takeaway pack.
I always make monthly payments to the café for my meals and so each morning they have my food ready by the time I get into the office.
‘Thank you.’ I say with a smile
She walks out of my office and gently closes the door, I go through my emails as I have my breakfast. By the time it is 8AM I dash out to Foxdale court where I have my first meeting, it takes longer than I anticipated so I cancel the one I was supposed to have with Western Union and by the time I am getting back into the office it’s already after lunch.
Now I tell my secretary to cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day as I want to get some work done, meetings can be draining and time consuming. By the time I am leaving the office it’s already after 7PM, we have this tradition with Lerato to link up every Monday for dinner and we have done this for the past two years but today I am tired and almost canceling on her.
I look at my ringing phone and I am almost cussing under my breath. ‘Hey beautiful.’ Mulife says
‘Mulife.’ I say rolling my eyes
‘I am surprised you still have my number.’
I want to laugh but I choose not to ‘What do you want?’
‘Well, Jayden just called me telling me about dinner tonight.’ ‘And you are telling me this because?’
‘It seems you and Lerato have a tradition that you have managed to hold up to now.’
‘That tradition is only for us girls.’ I say bewildered
He laughs before cutting the line, now for some unknown reason I want to go home and freshen up but seeing how far my place is I decide against it.
I drive to the corner café and in twenty minutes I am already there, I retouch my make up from the car before going inside.
I am betrayed when I feel a rush of urine and I know I can’t hold it for a long time so I decide to use the bathroom. I quickly lock myself in to relieve myself but before I can walk out I hear some ladies talking.
‘Jayden told me she is sick.’ ‘What do you mean sick?’ ‘She has HIV of course.’
‘No way.’ The other one gasps
‘I mean these women be walking all glamorous when they are walking coffins, I wonder how many men she slept with before she finally got it.’
‘I am sure that is why she has all that money.’
‘But wait, how did you get all this information from Jayden?’ the second lady asks ‘We have a thing going.’ The first giggles
‘And to think Lerato is always flaunting their relationship on social media.’
‘Honey social media shouldn’t deceive you, why do you think I am here? He says he will fern sickness then we will go to my apartment together.’
I don’t want to hear more so I flash then unlock the door, the ladies look at me fear written on their faces but I go about washing my hands before drying them.
‘Enjoy yourselves ladies.’ I say before walking out Winnie