BONDED FOREVER.
24. GOOD GUY.
SHAMISO
BONUS chapter sponsored by Dinny M
“Heading out?” Njabulo asks, looking like he’s heading home too.
“Yeah, I’m surprised you’re still here.”
“I had something to conclude before calling it a day. You on the other hand always leave after Theo and today is no different.”
“I take longer to pack up and he doesn’t have the patience to wait for me.” I continue to pack up.
“Are you changing your shoes first?” he looks at my feet as I move around the reception space.
“No, Why?” I ask and he shrugs with a little smirk.
“I don’t know, isn’t that what ladies do?”
“These ones are comfortable, I can walk around them a little longer.”
“They look good on you too, hell you look good from head to toe. No wonder your man looked like he was ready to grab me by the throat the other day.”
“What man?”
“You know, boss Junior’s freind.” his explanation had me laughing a little.
“Boss junior? Is that what he’s called around here?”
“Secretly, yes so please don’t tell him.”
“I won’t,” I intertwine my index and middle finger for emphasis.
“So… You and that guy…”
“He’s not my man.”
“He said something about a daughter.”
“Yes, we have a daughter but we’re not in a relationship.” I grab my handbag and lunch bag then I round the crescent desk to join Njabulo where he’s standing.
“Ohh, so I other words you are single.” he says with an elated tone.
“Yeap.”
“That’s great. Very, very great.”
“What’s even better is that I don’t date in the workplace.” I bust his bubble with a little smirk. I won’t lie, Njabulo is a handsome guy, a real looker and charmer too but after everything with Simon. I’m not sure I want to go down then route. I mean, I never even dated Simon but things escalated pretty fast when I told him I couldn’t date him.
” I bet I could change your mind if you let me.”
“I don’t have the best experience with that.”
“And that doesn’t mean you’ll always suffer the same fate. You can’t shy away from good guys at work because you had a bad encounter before.”
“Are you saying you’re a good guy, Njabulo?” I start walking out and he follwes me.
“Miss, have you seen me?” he opens his suit jacket and turns while hyping himself up like a model with the widest smirk “Ask around, you’ll hear nothing but good things about me. I’m the sweetest guy you’ll meet in this building.”
“Theo is the sweetest guy.” I correct him.
“And he’s in a relationship, I’m not and apparently neither are you but I know when to fall back so I’ll do just that, for now and ask that you make good on your promise to hang out on one Friday. Maybe this Friday?”
“Do you guys go out every Friday?” before he can respond. We both spot Andziso in the parking lot.
“You say there’s nothing between you two?” Njabulo asks and I don’t reply, I don’t know why he’s here. It could be for Bakang. “Anyway, let me head out before your baby daddy runs me ocer with his car, I get the feeling that he doesn’t like me.” he smirks “Catch you tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow.” I mumble before we part way and I approach Andziso who has his eyes fixed on me like I’m a high prized painting.
“You’re here.” I slowly say, tilting my head to the side a bit while clutching in to my bags for sanity sake. I need to find find an antidote for the effect that this man has on me and I need to find it fast.
“I’m here.” he moves from his car and to get closer to me.
“Bakang has already left.”
“I’m aware and I’m not here for him.”
I sigh “What’s going on?”
“Why don’t we get in the car and I’ll tell you about it while I drive you home. I’ll get these for you.” he gets my bags and opens the door for me before heading on to his side.
“Is Anaishe home already?” Andziso asks.
“No, she’s knocking off very late today.”
“Which means you’re the one responsible for supper.”
“Yeap.” he seems to have worked out our cooking schedule already.
It goes quiet and I’m expecting that he will start telling me why he’s here but he decided to stop by burger joint fast food and it so happens to be my favorite burgers from varsity days. He’d buy them whenever I visited him in his room.
He smoothes through the drive through, ordering meals for two then he hands them to me “There’s your supper. Unless of you’d like something else.”
“This is good, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“You still haven’t told me why you’re here, Andziso.” I say and he chuckles.
“Is my presence that suffocating?”
“I ways that you can’t imagine.” I breathe the words out and he glances at me.
“I could say the same about you.”
“Yet you’re here.”
Again, he chuckles “You’re still cute when you’re snappy.”
“I’m not snappy-” I start to argue but catch him glancing at me again “Focus on the road.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I see him visibly try to relax. “I’m here because I’m in a situation.”
“What kind of situation?”
“I have a pending trip to the Western Cape this Thursday evening. It was supposed to be a week from now but it’s been pushed closer. The plan was for Enelo to tag along so she could look after Khanyisa while I’m busy with work but with the recent developments, she won’t be able to come with… “
” Which means there’s no one to look after Khanyisa while you’re working. “I finish for him. I can already see her sulking face.
” Yes. I could leave her behind but I promised her this trip a long time ago,”
” I get it, she will be disappointed but what else can be done at this moment… “
” You could come with us. ” he glances at me again.
” Me? I don’t think that will be possible. I just started a new job and I don’t want to come across as a slacker. It’s still early days. ” not just that but how am I supposed to go on a trip with him and Khanyisa, but mostly him?
“What if I told you that I already spoke to Bakang?”
“Of course you did.” I scoff “When was this?”
“Yesterday when the date changed. I’m sorry, I’m not trying to piss you off.”
“Andziso – you’re not being fair again.”
“This isn’t me trying anything funny. I’m just trying to come up with ways to not disappoint Khanyisa, that’s all.”
“That’s all this is about?” I ask.
“Yes, it is. I heard you the last time we spoke and I need to get my life in order, I know that.”
“And Pearl is okay with you taking your baby mama to come with?” he goes quiet when I ask this and I chuckle dryly “Of course, she doesn’t know. Now you have me feeling like the other woman.”
“That’s not what you are, Shamiso and you know that.”
I look out the window and just try to garner my strengths… This isn’t about me, he’s not askong this favour because he wants to be with me.
“I guess I could take a day off but then you need to behave.”
“I’ve been behaving, haven’t I?”
“No, you’ve been getting too close to me. If I’m going to accompany you then we need to establish some rules and boundaries.”
“I understand, you don’t even have to share a suite with us, I had booked one for Enelo right next to the one we will be staying in, you can stay there. I’m guessing Khanyisa might want to spend most of her time there seeing it’s now her mom who will be occupying the space. “
” I don’t have an issue with that. I do however want something from you. “
” Anything. “
” I want you to stop asking Bakang to pull favours for me. Talk to me about it first and if I can then I will. I also meant what I said when I said that you need to behave, im trying to move on from what we had, it would be great if you could not get too close so I can get used to the boundaries.
You’ve been very helpful since I reached out to you. You even got me a job and I appreciate that very much but if I’m going to get over you then you’re going to need to take a step back and let me figure out what life is on my own. Let the only thing that connects us be Khanyisa. ” I see him tense up when I say this but I’m not backing down from this. We started off on the wrong foot because we didn’t establish boundaries from the beginning. I need to not be emotionally dependent on him and I need him to step away so I can do away with whatever hope might be left in my heart for us. Friendship won’t even do at this point, we just need to co-parent and only speak where our daughter is concerned.
“I understand. ” he says after a while “I’ll do whatever I can to make these few days comfortable for you.”
“When are we coming back?”
“Sunday.”
Great! Just great.
*****
ANDZISO
I knock off early at work to go and get Khanyisa at school. The moment we reach the house I go to my bedroom to quickly pack. Her clothes were already packed by Enelo last night and I let her leave this morning. Khanyisa follows me around and asks if I’m done every two minutes. She makes it a point to tell me that next time I should also pack my suitcase the night before. I’m tempted to tell her that she’s one to talk because she didn’t even pack her own suitcase but I don’t. Mostly because I’m in my head again and when that happens I don’t find myself in the best of moods.
My phone beeps and it’s a message from Pearl “Hey babe. I hope you’ll have a safe trip and all the best for tomorrow’s pitch. I’m rooting for you.”
“Thank you, have fun this weekend too. Learn things.”
“That’s the aim.” she sends me kisses and I tell her that we will talk later.
“Daddy, are we going now?” Khanyisa pulls me back to the present moment.
“Yes, baby. We’re going to get mommy then we go.”
I roll out my suitcase, activate all alarms and lock out before we head to the car and hit the road.
.
.
.
When we arrive where Shamiso stays, I lead Khanyisa up to her apartment. It’s her first time here so her eyes are wandering everywhere and I can feel the excitement coursing through her.
She knocks and barely a minute later the door opens and Anaishe opens up.
She smiles at me but all her teeth are revealed when she sets her eyes on Khanyisa “You’re here, come on in.” she moves from the doorway “Shamie is almost done.”
“Thanks you. You good?” I ask Ana
“I’m great, how are you?”
“I’m good. This is Khanyisa. Nana, say hi to aunty Ana.”
“Hello.” Khanyisa waves with a shy smile.
“Hey you, pretty girl. I’m so glad to get to meet you but you and I need to set a proper date, what do you say?” Ana asks her and she looks at me.
“I’m sure her mother will organise something.”
“I’ll bug her until she does.” she giggles. Shamiso steps out of her bedroom and Khanyisa immediately meets her halfway to give her a hug
“You’re beautiful.” she says, looking at her mother and she’s not wrong. She’s dressed in leggings and a white baggy T-shirt with socks and sneakers. She looks quite laid back and beautiful, damn beautiful.
“You’re beautiful too, sweety.” She hugs her again. “I hope I didn’t keep you guys waiting.” Shamiso looks at me and I don’t know if it’s me but I immediately feel this barrier between us. I’m not sure how to describe it because we haven’t exchanged a lot of words but it’s there, I feel it.
“Not at all, are you ready to go?”
“Yes. Let’s go.” she says then turns to her friend “I’ll see you when I get back.”
“Have fun and bring me something nice.” they hug and I reach for her suitcase then lead the way out.
I make sure that Khanyisa is buckled up at the back before joining Shamiso at the front then I drive us to the airport. There will be someone there waiting to take the car and drive it to boti Nhlamulo’s house when we get there because I’m not fond of leaving my car at the airport, the same guy will bring it to me on Sunday when we return.
Khanyisa has her iPad with her so she immediately gets distracted and so does Shamiso who has barely said ten sentences to me, I believe. She gets comfortable and pulls out her phone then moments later she’s all smiles. I feel myself burning in the inside, wanting to ask what she’s asking at but I remember what she asked for yesterday, bloody boundaries.
This goes on for a while longer until I peak at her screen and find that she’s chatting with Njabulo and she just sent him a line of laughing emojis.
That guy.
I clear my throat and focus on the road, trying by all means to not grab that little device from her and tossing it out her window.
“How was your day?” I ask her.
“It was good, yours?” she barely looks up at me.
“It was good too. How are you finding the workplace? I’m sure I’ve asked this before but what the heck. She must just look up from that phone and she does.
” It’s great, I like the people there and they are nice. “
Njabulo is nice too, I bet.
” That’s good.”
“Yeah.” the damn phone pings again, taking back her attention.
When we arrive everything goes smoothly. After having supper, we don’t have to wait a long time before boarding our flight and we’re on the three sitter with Shamiso on the window side and Khanyisa in the middle. The two of them are having the time of their lives taking pictures and just enjoying the trip while I try to locate my good mood.
After landing, I get us a ride to take us to a wine estate that also has a hotel. I picked this place because there are lots of activities available. I figured that Khanyisa and Enelo could go horseback riding, bike tours, take cooking classes for the fun of it, and then later if drive us to the beach and find other activities for us to do, now she will do those with her mother.
I check in and ask Khanyisa where she will be sleeping and she says she will be with her mother so I join them in their suite until she falls asleep. By this time, Shamiso has also changed into her pajamas and she looks ready to call it a night which is a boomer because I wanted to ask if she would like a glass of the complimentary wine that I had take up to my suite.
“Remember that breakfast starts at seven, from there you two can engage in any activity in the yard. I’ve let them know to bill it on my card.”
“Thank you, I’m sure we’ll have fun.”
“I have no doubt that you will. We’ll leave the yard tomorrow morning for sightseeing then head back on Sunday.”
“Alright, I look forward to it.” there is so much formality in her tone.
“What time are you leaving tomorrow?” she asks after yawning.
“My meeting is at 9 o’clock so I’ll be out quite early.”
“You’re ready?”
“More than ready.” I answer and she nods. No smile.
“That’s good, I wish you the best. I’ll head to bed now.”
“I was wondering if you’d like to share a glass of wine with me, just to relax.”
“I think I’ll pass, I’m quite beat right now and I think good rest will do. The door locks when when shut it, right?” she asks.
“Uhm, yeah. It does.”
“Okay then, goodnight, papa Khanyisa.” she calmly says, still, no smile. Her phone pings and she ignores it this time.
” Aren’t you going to get that?”
“I’ll get back to him tomorrow, I’m sleepy now. You should get some sleep too.” she then walks in the bedroom and closes the door and I’m left standing there before I force my feet to start moving. This will be one fucking long weekend, that’s for sure.