Midnight Kiss
5
Tiro held his bag tightly waiting next to a hawker at the bus rank. He looked around, the entire rank was now lit by street lights. The hawker turned to him and checked the time. She sighed.
“My son, are you waiting for someone? It’s been an hour of you standing there.”
Tiro looked around. “Uh… a guy I met said he is going to multiply my money for me.”
“Multiply money? How much?”
“It was P1800.”
The lady stood up. “You have been robbed! How do you give someone your money?!”
“No, he said he knows someone who can do it for me.”
“You have been waiting an hour! He is not going to come back! He is gone. Do you know him?”
Tiro swallowed. “No.”
“And you just saw it fit to give someone all your money? When have you ever seen money being multiplied?”
His heart raced. Her saying it out loud cemented just how stupid it was.
“That was all my money.”
“They took it my boy. This is Gaborone. If you are not smart, they will steal you yourself!”
He looked around as his vision blurred. The hawker shook her head. A combi driver who had been listening laughed.
“Heey! They robbed you?! These thieves don’t play. They are dangerous. They don’t even care who you are.”
Two more people joined the conversation.
“They did the same just yesterday. They sold a UB student a tile saying it’s a phone.”
The other man shook his head. “That’s their usual style. How much did they steal from this one?”
The hawker sat down. “He says P1800. Apparently the thief said he will help multiply his money.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
A car stopped nearby and a lady rolled down her window to buy airtime. The conversation about Tiro being scammed carried on. She looked over at him, the confusion on his face clear.
She leaned back remembering her first day in Gaborone and how she had been scammed of her phone. She stepped on the accelerator, then drove closer to him and stopped.
“Hi, are you okay?”
Tiro looked at her, eyes glossy. She smiled.
“If it makes you feel better, I was also once scammed. My name is Happy. What’s yours?”
“Tiro.”
She nodded. “How much did they take?”
“P1800.”
“That’s all your money?”
He nodded. She glanced at how he was dressed, a T-shirt tucked into his jeans, formal shoes.
“Where are you coming from?”
“Up north.”
“I’m from Shakawe.” She smiled. “Did you just arrive?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, hop in. I will give you a lift.”
“I have to wait for him because-”
“Tiro, he is not coming back. He stole your money. Come.”
He looked around as defeat and hurt settled in. She leaned over the passenger seat and pushed the door open for him.
“Get in. Let’s go.”
He slowly got in. Happy drove off.
“Where are you going? I will take you.”
“To the police station. I need help looking for my girlfriend. Her father married her off to a man here in Gaborone.”
Happy nodded as she drove out of the bus rank.
“The police don’t help with such cases. Unless she’s a missing person.”
“So they can’t help me?”
“Unfortunately, no. Not in this case. They will actually laugh at you if you do.”
He swallowed sadly. Happy glanced at him then sighed.
“But my older brother is a police officer. I can take you to him tomorrow.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you know anyone here?”
He shook his head. “I was going to sleep at the police station.”
“You can come with me. Tomorrow I’ll take you to my brother.”
*
At Happy’s house, Tiro followed her inside slowly. He looked around at her fancy house then back at her.
“Thank you.”
She smiled. “It’s okay. There is hot water so you can go take a bath. I will make us something to eat. The bathroom is there.” She pointed.
He walked over and looked at the shower. Happy followed him and flipped the switch. Water poured from the showerhead and she stepped back.
“You can use my stuff. It’s okay.”
She stepped out and walked to her ringing phone.
“Hello?”
“Chomi, what’s up? It’s Friday, Prince Kaybee is in town!”
“Eish, I don’t think I will be able to.”
“Why? Remember Tiza? He knows the promoter and we can get VIP. Alcohol galore, babes.”
Happy glanced at the bathroom door.
“My cousin from the village is here so I can’t leave him.”
“Let him come then.”
“Chomi, no. Next time.”
“Ijo. Bye then.”
“Bye, friend.”
She hung up and walked to the kitchen.
Over twenty minutes later, Tiro walked out of the bathroom already dressed. Happy looked up and paused.
She hadn’t really taken a good look at him before. She stood upright.
He was tall. Broad shoulders filling out the T-shirt, water still clinging lightly to his skin. His dark skin almost looked velvety and his bone structure elevated his handsomeness. She looked at his lips… full, soft, almost distracting. Her eyes trailed down without permission, her mind going wild.
Village boys were not supposed to look like this. Not this buff and sexy. His height alone-
She cleared her throat quickly realizing she was staring. “Uh… food will be ready soon.”
Tiro smiled shyly. She blushed then looked away momentarily.
“Thank you.”
Happy nodded then turned back to the stove suddenly very aware of him standing behind her. She tried brushing off her thoughts, she was probably just horny. She shook her head slightly scolding herself.
She just needed a man.
Focus, Happy. Focus.
She turned around again, her eyes betraying her. Tiro caught her staring then looked at herself wondering if he was ok.
She looked up and they locked eyes. Happy smiled before turning back to her pots.
.