Those next couple of weeks I fed Jessie something every day. I had a pile of Gazette letters to catch up with, but I always made time to get that medicine-food into her body. Food made with love.
By day two she was eating cups of that chicken soup and on day three she even had a tiny piece of chocolate cake. She let her visitors polish off the cake. Soon she was able to eat some salads. When she ate her first vetkoek and mince, the doctor said she could go back home, so long as she rested a lot. We had a welcome home party around her bed. Reghardt made us all his bobotie. It was delicious. It was obvious enough in his eyes, but if you ever had any doubts about his love, you just had to taste that bobotie. He gave me his recipe. He added apricot jam and sliced almonds to the spicy mince, and he used sour cream in his custard topping. But it was the feelings he held in his heart as he cooked that gave it that special Reghardt flavour.
Kannemeyer never thanked me for that cake. Not that I needed thanks – it was a thank-you gift to him and you can’t just go on thanking each other back and forth for ever. But it was an opportunity he could have taken if he wanted to call me. And he didn’t.
I saw him now and again in town. Once he was in his van and he drove past like he hadn’t noticed me. But Piet, who was next to him, lifted his fingers to say hello.
When Jessie was back part-time at the Gazette, I said to her: ‘Jessie, my skat, you are still a bit thin. Those geckos have hardly got enough to climb on. I think it’s time for that big feast I’ve been promising you. With roast lamb and all your favourite foods.’
‘Ooh, lekker, Tannie M. I can’t wait. Check how this gecko is climbing towards a big star.’ She turned to show me the arrow scar just above her tattoo. ‘Cool, hey?’
A big pink box with long legs arrived at the door. Hattie’s head popped round the side of the box.
‘Good morning, darlings,’ she said. ‘Look what was at the post office for you, Tannie Maria.’
She plonked the box on my desk, along with three letters. I looked at the postmark on the box: New York. And the return address: Candy’s Boutique. I opened it with Harriet and Jessie peering over my shoulders.
‘Goodness gracious,’ said Hattie.
‘Ooh, sexy!’ said Jessie.
Wrapped in tissue paper was a beautiful cream dress and a matching pair of shoes with a classy low heel. The sizes looked just right. Also in the box was some pearl nail varnish, and a thin pearl necklace.
Hattie picked the necklace up and rubbed a pearl on her teeth.
‘Fake, I’m afraid,’ she said. ‘But the dress is fabulous.’
‘Try it on,’ said Jessie.
‘Ag, no,’ I said. ‘I’m not really in the mood.’
‘Later then, when you get home,’ said Hattie.
But I knew I wouldn’t be in the mood then either.
I gave us all beskuit and rooibos tea – we were all drinking that now because the doctor said it was good for Jessie. Then I sat down with my three latest letters. The first was from my friend, the mechanic. I recognised his envelope and writing, and I was happy to open it.
Dear Tannie Maria, it said.
Thank you so much, you have really helped me. The recipe trick worked! And I also made the best chocolate cake Lucia has ever tasted. It just gets better and better with me and her.
It hasn’t been a long time together but we know we are just right for each other. We would be very glad if you would come to our wedding in Riversdale on the 21st of December. Please sit in the front, next to my brother from Cape Town. You will see the announcement on page three of the Karoo Gazette. My real name is Kobus (not Karel) Visagie, and Lucia’s is Stella Vinknes. Feel free to bring a date.
I am deaf, but I can lip read quite well. My speaking isn’t very good, so I don’t do it much, which is why SMSs and letters and food are a good way for me to talk. But I hope you’ll come and talk to me at the wedding anyway.
Everything of the best,
Kobus
I smiled and finished off my rusk. I didn’t have a date, but I would go to Kobus’s wedding.
The next letter was from Outshoorn.
Dear Tannie Maria, I read.
This is the sweet-potato lady. You’ll never guess what happened. On the Saturday morning after I saw your letter, I went down to the Farmers Co-op at 10 o’clock like you suggested, and there was a man hanging around the sacks of butternut, who looked like he was waiting for me. He was very friendly and kind. And then, not long after that, another three men and another four ladies all came, carrying things from their gardens or farms, and they stood around and spoke about ostrich mince and sweet potatoes. They had read the letters in the paper and wanted to meet and eat too! So we have formed an Ostrich Supper Club and we meet somewhere every Saturday night. It is lots of fun. If there are single (older) people who would like to join us, come to the butternut sacks at the Co-op at 10 o’clock Saturday mornings, and we’ll let you know the menu and venue for our next event. Maybe you would also like to come one day, Tannie Maria?
I thanked her and gave her that recipe for ostrich casserole that fell out of the book in Martine’s study a while back.
The third letter was from someone who had not written to me before. As I read, my breathing shook and my heart beat faster. It was from a man with a lamb.