The Perfect Copy
#9
Four Years Later…
In Gaborone, Neo walked down the corridor at her workplace, her black six-inch heels giving her the confidence she could only physically master. She knocked gently on the HR’s door before opening it and stepping inside, worriedly. The HR officer stared at her and pushed back her laptop.
“O tsogile? (Are you scared?”)
Neo laughed nervously, closing the door behind her. “Yes.”
The HR Manager sighed. “You can have a seat.”
She sat down opposite her, putting her handbag on her lap and took a deep breath praying silently.
“You have been interning here for six months now, and I have to say, I am truly impressed with your work and the dedication you have put into this.”
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“I know it’s your last day here and that you have to go back to school now, but…” She reached for an envelope in her drawer and handed it over to Neo. Neo quickly opened it while the HR manager continued speaking.
“For someone your age, you have left all of us breathless and we are offering you a full-time position here once you wrap up with school.”
Neo gasped reading through the offer letter. She got up, dropping her handbag.
“Is this for real?”
The HR manager laughed. “Yes!”
Neo screamed, jumping. “Oh God, thank you! Thank you Jesus!”
“Go back to school and be good.”
“I promise I will be extra good. I will be more than good. Thank you! Thank you!”
“See you, kid. You can go. I have work to do.”
“Eemma, bye.”
Neo picked up her handbag and walked out of the office. She paused after closing the door and began hopping around excitedly. Her phone buzzed from her handbag and she composed herself looking around before taking it out to answer.
“Babe…”
“I am outside.”
“I am coming.”
“Ok.”
She dropped the call and put the phone back in her handbag, then slid the offer letter back inside it.
“Ok Neo… calm down.”
She held her handbag properly and walked toward the reception where her intern colleague was chatting with the receptionist. Neo smiled as she walked past them. The other intern quickly rushed after her.
“What did Mrs D say? She called me into her office earlier and I got a job! Can you imagine it? I, Ella, working for one of the biggest companies in Botswana?”
Neo smiled. “I was offered a job too…”
Ella’s smile disappeared. “You? Why?”
“Mrs D said she was very impressed with me. I think my supervisor was as well.”
“Gase gore you are still going back for your final year?”
“Yes, after I am done, I am coming back here.”
“Oh… Well, I guess for you it’s different, after all, your boyfriend seems to be influential. I’m sure he put in a good word for you.”
Neo looked at her and sighed. “Bye.”
She walked toward the parking lot where Quinton’s white Audi was waiting. He leaned over opening the door for her and she got in the car smiling.
“Guess who will be working immediately after I’m done with my exams?”
Quinton leaned over kissing her. “I told you. You were going to get the job.”
Neo giggled and closed the door. “I was so scared! Mrs D can be scary…”
“You are good at what you do. It would have been questionable if you didn’t get the job.”
Neo looked at him smiling. “Ella is so bored. She thought she would be the only one to get the job. Can you imagine? She said I got it because of you.”
“Which one is Ella? The one we don’t like?”
“Mhmm… Waitse, that girl hates me! I don’t even know why. I won’t be surprised if she is the one who started the rumor that I got the internship because of you.”
He started the car, reversed out of the spot he was parked in, and drove off joining the main road.
Neo shook her head fuming. “Mme I killed her with kindness. I won’t even give her the attention. Babe, do you know what I think?”
Quinton stopped at a red traffic light then turned to her, reaching for her hand. “You want to know what I think?”
She looked at the gentle smile on his face and breathed out. “Mhmmm…”
“I think I love you very much.”
She smiled a little embarrassed. “Am I talking too much?”
“No… But you are focusing on the wrong things. You should be celebrating you. You did it, and that’s all that matters. The rest is just noise in the background. I want to celebrate you tonight.” He kissed her hand. “Don’t you want that?”
A shy smile crept up on her. “I do.”
“Good. I also think you should put on your seatbelt.”
Neo giggled and pulled the seatbelt across her just as he drove off.
*
At Quinton’s apartment, Neo walked inside the main bedroom while Quinton slowed down behind her picking up a call.
“Papa…”
“It’s your mother, I just stole your father’s phone.”
He laughed. “Gorileng? What happened to your phone?”
“It doesn’t have airtime. I heard your father talking earlier and he won’t tell me anything. You want to get married?”
He smiled and walked outside. “Yes, I am not getting any younger.”
“Are you really ready?”
He chuckled. “Yes.”
“Is it that girl?”
“She has a name ma…”
“You don’t bring her around that much. We don’t know her that well. I feel like you are rushing this. Is she even ready? Gape hela, isn’t she too young for marriage? Kana, Quinton, just because you are cohabiting with her doesn’t mean she is ready to be a wife.”
“And this is why I didn’t tell you.”
“I don’t trust her. What if she is with you because she is poor, and once she makes it, discards you? For the fact that she was willing to cohabit with you makes me question her even more.”
“I am the one who wanted us to stay together. She has always been against the idea. And the reason I don’t bring her around is because you are too judgmental. You don’t like her yet you don’t even know her.”
“I don’t like her because I know a gold digger and a leech when I see one. You need to open your eyes and see her for who she truly is.”
The door opened and Neo peeked outside. Quinton turned to her and she lifted the red sparkly dress, mouthing, “Is it mine?”
He smiled and nodded. Neo smiled even more and rushed back inside the house.
“Mama, I have to go but whether you like it or not, ke ntsa magadi. I don’t know what you think you know about her, but it’s all false. And if you love me, you would just accept my decision.”
“I hope you have a prenup ready.”
Quinton shook his head. “Bye.”
“One day you will remember my words.”
“I hope not.”
He hung up walking inside the house. He stepped into the bedroom and undressed listening to the shower. He took a deep breath and stepped inside the bathroom then under the shower. Neo looked at him, her body soapy. He pulled her closer, staring at her fuller-than-usual, pointy breasts and reached over squeezing gently. He liked the fuller look. Matter of fact, he liked how her body was more rounded now.
Neo moaned slightly as he squeezed a little harder.
“My period is close, they are a bit sore.”
He let go then picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and looked in his eyes, smiling.
“What?”
He kissed her. “Nothing. If you give me a boy as my firstborn, I will get you a Fortuner. If it’s a girl, I will get you a CX5.”
Neo gasped and laughed. “Baby, why are we discriminating against girl children?”
He joined her laughing. “I am just saying.”
“No, I should get a Fortuner regardless… but that’s in the future when I am working, and by then I would want something even fancier. And something tells me it’s going to be a girl.”
He kissed her neck then lowered her body slightly. “Even now, I don’t mind.”
“Quinton, I am still going to school. I am not ready for that step yet.” She cupped his face. “Can we not talk about that tonight? Or now. Where are you taking me?”
He adjusted her in his arms and held her at a distance, pressing his waiting erection against her. He slowly lowered her down on it, looking at her as she closed her eyes, taking him in bravely.
***
At Heathrow Airport, Neelo boarded her flight and sat down in her assigned seat. She looked out through the window spotting other planes a distance away. Her phone rang just as the person who was sitting next to her took their seat.
“Mama…”
“Hey, my angel. Are you now on the plane?”
“Eemma.”
“I am so excited to see you. I want to go to the airport now and wait.”
Neelo laughed. “Mama my flight arrives later. You can stay home and chill.”
“I am still shocked you are coming back. Your father thought you would find a job in the States and stay there.”
“Really? The same guy who was telling me he is excited for me to be back to help him run his businesses?”
Her father laughed in the background. “Your position is already waiting. Your salary will be as good as the American one.”
Elizabeth sighed. “I hope that is not why you are coming back.”
“It partly is. I miss home. I miss you.”
“I missed you too.”
Her father yelled in the background. “Me too!”
Neelo laughed. “I have to go.”
“Bye, nana.”
Neelo hung up and sighed. She thoughtfully took a picture then opened her Instagram and posted it with a caption underneath:
‘Home sweet home’
A few likes trickled in from her classmates and friends back in New Jersey. A message came through and she opened it frowning as she saw Kgosi’s name. She rolled her eyes at the message. She looked at the other series of unreplied messages he has se r over the years. Clearly, he never got tired of speaking alone
“Mxm.”
***
In Gaborone, Quinton opened the door for Neo at a restaurant just a few kilometers from the city. He reached over and helped her out of the car. She smiled at him in the sparkly dress then looked over at the restaurant.
“I have seen this place on Facebook.”
“Now you get to experience it in real life.”
She laughed happily. “Thank you.” She paused as tears filled her eyes. “Thank you for choosing me. You make it all feel like a dream. One I never want to wake up from because it’s so perfect.”
“Come…”
He took her hand and led her toward the restaurant. Her smile grew bigger as they approached and she looked at one table with candles around it.
Neo giggled. “Is this ours?”
He turned around and put his hands on her waist. “You are going to hate me for this, but…”
She looked at him, then at the table, then back at him, smiling. “What?”
“I think you are pregnant. Ok, that’s a lie. I tested you and confirmed it myself.”
Neo frowned then laughed. “No, you didn’t. And to put you at ease, my periods have been coming and-”
“No, you have been spotting. I know that is not part of the plan you have, but…”
He reached inside his pocket and took out a little box then opened it. She looked at the ring.
“I want us to get married-”
“I was on contraceptive pills. There is no way I can be pregnant. I know my body.”
“Those pills aren’t 100%-”
“They have been! I have used them since we started having sex.”
“Ok, I may have swapped them, but-”
“You what?”
“I knew you wouldn’t agree if I asked, but I want to do the right thing and marry you.”
She stared at him, her anger overpowering her shock.
.
.