5
TRUTH OR DARE
Andisiwe packed her bags wearily. It was morning and she knew she should have done it the night before, instead of going out partying with Siya. She felt tired, and her body hurt from all the dancing, but it had been worth it to spend the last night in PE with her best friend.
Andisiwe felt sad. It was time for her to leave and she was suddenly doubting her decision.
“Maybe I should stay,” she told Siya. “Or better still, you could come with me.”
Suddenly everything felt overwhelming. Siya hugged Andisiwe tightly.
“I don’t want to let you go either,” she said, as tears flooded her eyes and began to run down her cheeks.
“Stop it now, Siya,” said Andisiwe. “You’re making me cry too. We’re going to video chat. I’ll call you. We’ll voice chat on BBM if I don’t have airtime, vha?”
On the bus, Andisiwe spent most of the journey napping. She hadn’t had enough sleep for days. When she woke up from her last nap, she was at Cape Town Central Bus Station. She sat up in her seat and wiped her eyes. She put on her sunglasses, looked out of the window, and scanned the car park. Her aunt had told her she would be driving a red BMW convertible. Andisiwe spotted the car easily as she got off the bus. She was so excited!
As she approached the car she saw that her aunt was not alone, but with another woman. Andisiwe felt a twinge of disappointment. She wanted her aunt all to herself. That’s how she had imagined her arrival – just the two of them driving around Cape Town together, with the convertible top down, catching up on all the news.
Wonderful Aunt Mimi was a career woman. She was also very beautiful and glamorous. She had worked really hard to get where she was, and Andisiwe admired her and wanted to be like her one day. She was also so understanding and open.
“Siwe,” said Mimi as she greeted Andisiwe with a big hug. “Pam, this is my niece Andisiwe,” she told her friend, proudly.
“Nice meeting you, young lady.” Pamela squeezed Andisiwe’s hand. “You’re just as pretty as your aunt.”
And then they were whizzing through town in Mimi’s BMW, and on towards Camps Bay. Andisiwe felt so excited and so enchanted by the beauty of Table Mountain that towered above the city. When she saw a huge advertising billboard next to the road she smiled even more. At last she felt close to living her dream of working in advertising. She had completed her studies. There was nothing to stop her now.
Andisiwe’s mouth dropped open when they pulled up outside the giant gates of Mimi’s house. “OMG, this house is huge! It’s like in the movies …” she gasped.
Inside the marble entrance hall they were met by a young woman called Maria, who worked for her aunt. She took Andisiwe to her bedroom.
“Miss, if there’s anything you need just call me.” She smiled at Andisiwe as she put her bag down on a huge double bed.
“Please call me Siwe,” said Andisiwe, feeling a little awkward. She wasn’t used to having someone waiting on her like this.
“See you later, darling,” said Mimi as Andisiwe joined her aunt and Pamela in the kitchen.
Mimi gave her a kiss. “Business …” she said. “Pam and I have to get back to work to pay for all of this …” she said, gesturing around her. “Have fun.” And with that they were gone.
“Siwe, in about an hour we have to go shopping for a dress,” said Maria, bringing her a coffee while she unpacked in her new room.
“But I don’t have money,” said Andisiwe, a little confused. Then she added, “And I do have dresses.”
Maria chuckled. “Your aunt deposited five thousand rand into your account to keep you going for the month. And we are going shopping for a party dress.” Maria shook her head, clicked her tongue, and said, “Your aunt, she always finds excuses to throw a party, that one.”
At the V&A Waterfront Andisiwe found the dress of her dreams at Topshop. She had seen it in a magazine. She couldn’t believe her luck: it was the last dress and it was in her size.
When they got home Andisiwe disappeared into her room to freshen up and get changed for the party. When she emerged she found the house empty. “Where’s my aunt?” she asked Maria. “Where are all the people?”
“The party isn’t here,” said Maria. “Pamela is going to fetch you in ten minutes and take you to Shimmy’s Beach Club at the Waterfront.”
“You look gorgeous, darling,” said Pam as they drove to the Waterfront. “I see you are into fashion, just like your aunt.”
They arrived at Shimmy’s, and the first thing Andisiwe noticed as she walked in was a red carpet. Mimi had booked the cocktail lounge with an open bar. Still stunned by the red carpet, Andisiwe sat down on the nearest chair. She looked around for a moment and sighed deeply. It was all so beautiful, and to top it all, from where she sat she had a perfect view of the setting sun.
The waiter served platters and cocktails. Andisiwe made her way to the bar to order a Sky vodka with lemonade.
“It’s obvious that you must be the ‘Party Girl’.”
Andisiwe spun around. A young man was smiling at her. “Here, this must be your drink …” he said, handing her the drink the barman had poured. He was handsome, and Andisiwe could instantly feel the electricity between them.
“Why must I obviously be the ‘Party Girl’?” she said cheekily, with her head cocked to one side.
“Well, ‘Party Girl’, my name is Thabo, and …” the young man paused to run his eyes over her, from head to toe, “for starters, those shoes you’re wearing are from Aldo, your aunt’s favourite shoe brand. Besides, there’s a picture of you on the invitation.”
Andisiwe’s eyes widened. “Impressive. But how do you know so much about my aunt?”
“She is a very important person in the fashion industry,” said Thabo. “I might have read it in a thing called a ‘magazine’.”
Andisiwe looked away, frowning slightly as she replied, “Are you trying to be funny, Mr … um, Thabo?”
Andisiwe excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. There she ran into Pam.
“Are you enjoying the party?” Pam asked Andisiwe as they reapplied their lip gloss. “As always, your auntie has invited some of the most attractive men in town.”
“It’s raining men!” said Andisiwe.
“Alleluia,” said Pam, and they burst out laughing.
“I couldn’t help noticing you talking to a certain young man at the bar,” said Pam, as they rejoined the party. She leaned close to Andisiwe’s ear. “Just be careful, darling. A man’s suit says a lot about him, but some suits are rented.”
~•~
Andisiwe looked across at Thabo and he flashed a smile at her. For a moment she thought about what Pam had said, but she quickly pushed that thought away.
Who cared if his suit was rented or not? Right now Andisiwe felt herself melting under the warm gaze from Thabo’s soft, chocolate-brown eyes.
Andisiwe spotted her aunt every now and then throughout the evening. She noticed that Aunt Mimi was busy with her own flirtations, and she left the party early with a sophisticated man in a black tuxedo.
Thabo moved off for a while, and Andisiwe watched him talking to some guy wearing a red suit and suede, navy Carvela shoes. For a moment she thought Thabo might be gay. But how could he be? Hadn’t he flirted with her? Hadn’t she felt the electricity between them?
Then Thabo was back by her side.
“Dear girl,” he said, leaning towards Andisiwe and touching her cheek lightly with one finger, “I have to go. I apologise for having to leave you just when we were starting to get acquainted. It was nice meeting you.”
“It was nice meeting you too,” she said softly.
From her position on a stool at the bar, Andisiwe watched Thabo leave. She felt a little disappointed as she watched his retreating back, but her heart fluttered as she noted how well his jacket fitted over his broad, strong shoulders.
The party no longer held much interest for her after Thabo had gone, and Andisiwe phoned for a taxi to take her home, as her aunt had instructed her to do.
Andisiwe was home alone the next morning when she heard a car pull up outside Mimi’s house. The gate bell buzzed. Andisiwe peered out of the window. Her heart skipped a beat. There, standing at the gate, pressing the bell, was Thabo. Quickly Andisiwe opened the gate. The car swung into the drive and stopped right outside the front door. Andisiwe opened it to welcome him.
“Uhm, hi,” she said, trying not to sound too excited. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”
Grinning broadly Thabo stepped towards Andisiwe, and before she knew it he had kissed her on both cheeks.
“I’m great. Thanks for asking,” he joked. Then continued: “I’ve come to show you the sights of Cape Town. And I won’t take no for an answer.”
Thabo really did have an irresistible smile.
Andisiwe hesitated. She reminded herself that she didn’t know anything about this guy. But Thabo was just standing there, so sweetly, smiling at her.
She, meanwhile, was wearing black skinny jeans, a black studded blouse, a leather jacket, and stilettos. It would be a pity to waste it all by just staying in the house all day, she thought to herself.
Does everyone drive flash cars around here, wondered Andisiwe, as she got into Thabo’s Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204 Sports Line, Black Bison Edition.
“Hey wethu, you disappeared rather suddenly last night. Care to explain?”
“Eish,” said Thabo. “I had business to take care of … you know.”
Andisiwe didn’t know. She had no idea what kind of world Thabo moved in. “What kind of business?” she asked, smiling across at him.
“A little bit of this and that …” said Thabo, glancing over and smiling at her.
Andisiwe’s heart leapt in her breast, just as Thabo put his foot down, and the car raced forward, along the boulevard between the mountain and the sea. She leaned her head back against the leather seat and decided to just enjoy the scenery.
Thabo drove to the V&A Waterfront.
“Now … your wish is my command!” he laughed.
“I heard that the aquarium is beautiful,” said Andisiwe, suddenly feeling shy. “We could go there and grab drinks later.”
“I have a better idea.”
Thabo grabbed Andisiwe’s hand and led her to the breakwater. She looked out to where Thabo was pointing. In the distance she could see dolphins jumping out of the water. She caught her breath at the sight.
“See? This is even better than the aquarium. This is amazing, right? I have something else to show you.”
Thabo drove to Signal Hill. When they got there Andisiwe was speechless. She gazed with wonder at the spectacular Atlantic view. Thabo leaned over and whispered softly, so close to her ear that she felt his breath against her cheek. “I wish I had more time on my hands. If I did we could hang out here for a bit, and wait for the sunset.”
She smiled as she felt Thabo’s lips, warm and soft against her cheek. Andisiwe wondered what it would be like if he kissed her lips. She bit her lower lip at the thought. She couldn’t believe that a charming, handsome guy like Thabo was paying so much attention to her.
“Home time,” smiled Thabo.
Andisiwe was disappointed. She felt shy to admit it, even to herself, but she had been hoping for something more. They hadn’t even had drinks yet.
On the way home Thabo pulled into a petrol station. He got out, took the keys and went to the back of the car. Andisiwe heard him fiddling with the boot lock. “Oh no!” said Thabo, after a minute or two. She turned in her seat to see Thabo slamming his hand against the metal of the boot.
“What is it?” asked Andisiwe.
“The boot is jammed. My briefcase with my wallet is inside and I can’t get the damned thing open!”
Thabo searched his pockets for some cash, but found nothing. He looked so distressed and embarrassed that Andisiwe immediately lent him two hundred rand to put into the tank. Thabo accepted the money gratefully.
“Oh, Siwe,” he said as he took the money, “I’m sorry for doing this to you. I’ll pay you back.”
Andisiwe shrugged and smiled. “It’s cool,” she said. “Don’t worry about it.”
Thabo turned away and smiled at the petrol attendant, saying softly, “A hundred of unleaded, please.”
“Shame – he must need money for something else urgent too,” thought Andisiwe, overhearing.
Thabo stopped outside Mimi’s house. Before Andisiwe went inside they sat in the car for a minute. She looked towards Thabo, her hand on the door handle, but she hesitated. Thabo was looking deeply into her eyes. Andisiwe felt her heart beginning to beat faster in her chest again – maybe she even held her breath. Thabo reached across towards her. Andisiwe leaned closer.
When Thabo’s lips finally touched hers Andisiwe saw fireworks. Later, that was exactly how she remembered it. She felt connected to Thabo in a way that felt like she had known him for years. It feels so right, thought Andisiwe, as she felt Thabo’s breath on her mouth. She closed her eyes and then Thabo reached over, and began to unbutton her jeans.
Andisiwe instantly pulled away from Thabo’s embrace. Suddenly she remembered that they were outside the house in a car, and that she really didn’t know Thabo that well. Andisiwe opened the car door, and ran towards the house.
Thabo got out of the car and followed her to where she was fumbling with her keys. “Shall I come in?” he asked softly.
Andisiwe looked at him, and then looked at her aunt’s house. Should I invite this man back home? Thoughts ran through Andisiwe’s mind. Part of her wanted very badly to invite him in, and carry on with the fun. But there was that other part of her, saying that she shouldn’t.
Andisiwe paused, her key still poised to enter the lock of the door.
~•~
Andisiwe opened the door and let Thabo into the house. She turned towards him as they stepped inside, and he responded by kissing her lightly on the cheek. The delicious fragrance of his aftershave washed over her in a wave that made Andisiwe feel quite dizzy.
She hovered in the entrance hall, not sure where to take him. To the kitchen? But Maria might be there. To the lounge? She started popping her fingers, something she always did when she was nervous. But Thabo was the one who led her through to the living room.
Andisiwe sat down on the couch and then got up again. She felt that Thabo was watching her indecisiveness with amusement. She couldn’t settle anywhere. The truth was, she felt uncomfortable with having a man in Mimi’s house, even though she had had many chats with her aunt about guys.
Andisiwe sighed and then sat down on her aunt’s designer couch. She ran her well-manicured hand over the beautiful upholstery, and as she did so she suddenly felt OK. She remembered again what an outgoing and understanding woman Aunt Mimi really was. Thabo settled down next to her.
“Your aunt has an exquisite house,” he commented, looking around him at the beautiful paintings, the gold ornaments, the designer furniture.
“She had interior designers flown in from Jozi,” replied Andisiwe, in response to Thabo’s compliments. “They came down just to decorate the house.”
“Well they did a good job. The house is beautiful.”
Andisiwe nodded, and they both paused to look around the room, taking in the details of all the furnishings. She could feel Thabo’s gaze falling onto her, and staying there. “You’re beautiful,” Thabo said, switched from complimenting the house to complimenting her.
He moved closer to her on the couch and Andisiwe stood up. She walked to the kitchen to make Thabo coffee and biscuits. She didn’t quite trust her reactions to him any more.
When they had both settled with their coffee Andisiwe found her voice. “You haven’t told me about your business,” she said.
Now it was Thabo’s turn to be hesitant. “Err,” he mumbled, then sipped on his coffee. “Um … I used to own a company, but now I’m in between negotiating a contract deal. It’s not final yet, so I don’t want to jinx it by talking about it.”
“OK,” said Andisiwe, nodding and smiling. “So tell me about the company you used to own.”
“OK,” said Thabo, leaning his head back. “Where do you want me to start?”
“From the beginning!” she said happily.
Thabo nodded, drinking deeply from his cup. “Shuu, a year ago I started a business with an old high-school friend. We opened a night club, and hired the most famous South African DJs.”
“Oh really?” said Andisiwe, her eyes lighting up. “That must have been exciting!”
“Yeah, it was. So I got lucky, we got a bank loan. Everything was smooth. We made money, nyhuk’ebhaya Joe, lots of money.”
“Oh, wow.” Andisiwe threw her head back and laughed. “You speak slang too. You keep surprising me!”
“Ha, ha, mxm, he he, do you wanna hear the story or not?”
Andisiwe put her hand over her mouth, and her eyes were twinkling. “Ha, ha, OK, sorry, you may proceed …”
Thabo grinned at her, and then sighed deeply. “Thank you. Then things started to go wrong. This friend of mine, well I discovered he had a habit. And not for designer drugs – no – for tik. He saw me as a ticket out of his debt. You see he had stolen money from some rich guy to feed his habit. He was in deep.”
“Oh no. Wow!” Andisiwe was no longer laughing.
“He was using me to get the money back. He was in trouble. I think the rich guy had threatened to kill him if he didn’t give it back. All of it.” Thabo drank more coffee, and sat in silence. Andisiwe leaned towards him.
“So, did he get it back?”
“Yes, he did,” said Thabo, slowly nodding his head.
“How?” Andisiwe frowned with concern, and Thabo continued.
“It was only a few months after we’d opened the club. I went in one morning to start business. All the booze was gone. The till was empty. I thought we had been robbed. Then I got an SMS from Standard Bank telling me I had R50 000 overdrawn on my account.”
“So, what did you do?”
“I was left bankrupt,” said Thabo, sighing heavily again. “I had to close down the business.”
Andisiwe’s mouth dropped open. “Yho!” she said. “That must have sucked! How did you deal with all that?”
“I had to be a man and take responsibility and not blame the world for my stupidity: trusting too much. Anyway, in the end the poor guy was killed by the man who he had stolen money from.”
Thabo cleared his throat. The two sat in silence for a while, and then Thabo looked up at Andisiwe and smiled into her eyes. “The world is full of people who take advantage of other people, Siwe. Especially the world of business. I lost everything I had built up, and had to start again from scratch.”
Thabo reached out and took Andisiwe’s hand, lifting it from where it lay against the patterned fabric of the couch. He stroked her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. “I don’t trust easily, beautiful girl. But I’ve learned my lesson. I can tell when someone comes along who is completely trustworthy. Like you.”
Andisiwe blinked and nodded slightly. She felt very emotional all of a sudden, and her heart warmed and burned in her chest. “Of course you can trust me,” she said softly, with a hint of a smile and a slight shrug. “I’m just a country girl really.”
Thabo stood up, still holding her hand. “I know who you are, Siwe,” he said sincerely, moving closer. “I feel like I have known you forever.”
Standing up to leave, Thabo invited her for dinner that night. Andisiwe gladly accepted.
She waved him goodbye, before going to her room and dreamily beginning to plan her outfit for the evening.
~•~
Andisiwe lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. “What am I going to wear?” she said aloud to herself. “I can’t buy another new dress or I’ll be broke.” Slowly an idea began to form in her mind. Then, delighted with the idea, she jumped up. Giggling to herself Andisiwe put her index finger on her lips.
“What she doesn’t know won’t kill her,” she said to herself, pausing to switch on her radio. Her favourite song, ‘Pump it’ by the Black Eyed Peas, was playing. She danced happily to the tune, jumping up and down.
Andisiwe knew exactly what she was going to wear. Still moving to the beat of her favourite song, she sashayed out of her room and down the passage. She was singing along rather loudly as she came to the door of Mimi’s bedroom. At the door she hesitated. Her aunt’s room was seriously out of bounds. Mimi was very generous regarding every other room in her house, except her bedroom.
That room had no doubt been the scene of many a romantic moment, and to Andisiwe it was a room filled with secrets. She pushed the door and it swung smoothly open. Andisiwe stood for a moment and breathed deeply. She sighed. There it was, wafting on the cool air of her aunt’s bedroom, that particular perfume that she had always associated with Mimi.
Andisiwe took one step into the room, and felt the soft pile of the snowy white carpet give beneath her bare feet. This was the first time that she had dared to venture into Mimi’s room alone. She tiptoed across the white carpet, and stopped for a moment in front of doors that she knew led to Mimi’s walk-in wardrobe. And then, dramatically, she pulled the doors open.
“Wow.” said Andisiwe softly. “Awesome!”
The rails were literally bursting with dresses. Shoes, neatly arrayed according to colour, were stacked on shelves from the floor to the ceiling. Andisiwe picked up one or two, simply to admire them, before moving on. She knew exactly what she was looking for.
Andisiwe put on her aunt’s Valentino print dress and her Christian Louboutin black Huguetta pumps. She spun around in the bedroom then admired herself in the full-length mirror in the large en-suite bathroom.
Now she remembered seeing a Coco Chanel quote on Tumblr that said, “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” Feeling like a million dollars, Andisiwe danced back to her bedroom where she put on the Prada perfume that Mimi had bought her as a welcome gift.
When Thabo arrived to fetch her he looked dashing in his dark green suit. Andisiwe felt wonderful in her aunt’s clothes, and as Thabo greeted her with a hug, she noticed again how absolutely divine he smelled. Thabo planted a kiss on her cheek and opened the car door for her. This time around Thabo was driving a grey Audi R8 Coupé.
“I like this car better,” said Andisiwe. “It’s sporty, which is what I like! Anyway, where do you get all these gorgeous cars?”
“Remember, I told you I know people … who know people?” said Thabo as he started the car and pulled out of the driveway with a gentle roar. “I’m glad you like this one.”
Thabo took Andisiwe out to Rust en Vrede in Stellenbosch. Andisiwe had never been there before, and the mountains and oak-lined streets took her breath away.
The hotel setting was just gorgeous, with tables covered in white cloths. The brown leather chairs were incredibly comfortable, and Andisiwe settled happily into one.
“My auntie said Stellenbosch has the best wines in South Africa,” said Andisiwe, running her hand over the brown leather armrest. “What she did not tell me was how beautiful this place is. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Don’t mention it,” said Thabo, flashing her one of his gorgeous smiles as he handed her a menu.
There were things like ‘Cured Lourensford Trout’ and ‘Carmay King Quails’ listed on the menu. Andisiwe blinked, shifted in her seat and swallowed hard. She had never seen, let alone eaten, any of these foods before.
“So,” said Thabo, closing his menu and putting it down, “what are you having?”
Andisiwe smiled across at him nervously, and then looked down at the menu in front of her. “Oh I don’t …” she said hesitantly.
“May I suggest something?” said Thabo cheerfully, and Andisiwe was washed with gratitude towards him, as she let him help her make a decision.
As they ate they chatted about their childhoods. They discovered that they had rather a lot in common, and they found much to laugh about together.
“Remember, I told you that I feel like I have known you my whole life,” said Thabo, as he lifted her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “We are meant for each other, Siwe.”
The bill eventually arrived, and Thabo took out his card to pay. The waiter ran his card through the machine.
Andisiwe was shocked to see that it was declined. Thabo laughed it off, insisting that the waiter try again. “Maybe,” said Thabo, with a wave of his hand and an edge of irritation in his voice, “the problem is with the network.”
“No, I’m afraid not,” said the waiter. “Sir, I’m afraid it has been declined again.”
“Just try it again,” said Thabo firmly, standing up.
Andisiwe could see that Thabo was getting angry, his voice growing louder. “I’m sure,” continued Thabo, “that there is money on that card. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here, would I? Can you now stop embarrassing me in front of this beautiful lady? Try it again!”
Andisiwe shifted in her seat and looked down at her hands which were now gripped together in her lap. Thabo had taken the machine from the waiter, and was poking his finger into the concerned-looking waiter’s face.
Desperate to avoid a scene, Andisiwe spoke up, very quietly saying, “Let me pay.” She still had a lot of the money left that her aunt had given her.
Thabo immediately threw his hands up in frustration, but took his card back from the waiter, and accepted the card that Andisiwe offered him. The waiter swiped her card, and the transaction was approved.
Thabo escorted Andisiwe out of the restaurant in silence, but she noticed that he was frowning deeply. “I don’t understand how this could have happened. I deposited money into my account a week ago,” he said as he opened the car door for Andisiwe. “I’m sorry, Siwe. This is the second time you’ve rescued me because of my financial problems. I promise I will make it up to you.”
Andisiwe felt deeply fed up, but she forced herself to smile. They drove away, and an uncomfortable silence settled around them in the car.
Andisiwe thought to herself that this just might have been the most embarrassing moment of her life. She decided that all she really wanted to do was to go home. Why hadn’t she and Thabo just gone to a Spur instead? She would have enjoyed ribs and calamari, with an ice-cream sundae for dessert. It would have been a lot cheaper.
Andisiwe felt very depressed as she thought about the fact that her account was now nearly empty. She had meant that money to last her a long, long time, until she got on her feet in Cape Town. She couldn’t ask her aunt for more. Aunt Mimi had already been so generous.
“I hope you have petrol this time around,” said Andisiwe after a while. She felt grumpy, and simply could not resist the temptation to make an angry comment.
“Oh, Siwe, I’m really sorry,” said Thabo, moving his hand from the steering wheel to tenderly squeeze her hand. “Please forgive me. I really like you. I hope you’re going to let me make this up to you.”
When Thabo pulled up outside Mimi’s house Andisiwe got out of the car, and hardly muttered a goodbye. She put the key in the front-door lock and turned it. The door opened and she went inside, without looking back.
~•~
A couple of days passed before Thabo called Andisiwe.
In that time Andisiwe longed to hear from him, but another part of her felt that it might be better if she never heard from him again. When he finally did call Andisiwe could not help the way her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice.
“Hey, Siwe, I want to make up for the disastrous date the other day. I have planned a surprise for you. I hope you will consider what I have to say, but it will involve you coming away with me for a couple of days.”
Trying to decide whether she should go with Thabo, or not, was a difficult decision. Andisiwe scratched her head and cracked and clicked her fingers. Thoughts raced through her head as she considered first one option, and then another. She might consider going with him if she could have some kind of guarantee that what happened on the last date with him would never happen again. She might consider going with him if she knew that she would never have to pay for something that he was supposed to pay for, ever again.
But how would she ever know that? Thabo had spoken a lot about trust. The question she kept asking herself was, did she trust Thabo enough?
Andisiwe called her friend Siya back in PE. She felt sure that Siya would know what to do in this situation. Andisiwe told her everything.
“Skat,” said Siya, not really able to believe what Andisiwe was telling her, “I think it has all been an accident. Surely he hasn’t been doing all these things on purpose? I suppose you could let it slide, and give him another chance.” Siya laughed loudly, “Ha ha, you paid on a date, yhu! You have a heart.” Still chuckling Siya added, “After all, it seems like he really does want to make it up to you for all the terrible dates he’s taken you on. Let’s give him a chance. Besides, I can’t wait to hear the next instalment – it’s better than Days. And how can I, if you never see him again?”
“I suppose we can,” replied Andisiwe, feeling comforted, the way she always did when she talked to her friend. “I miss you a lot. I’m still not sure about going, but I’ll think about it.”
“Just go,” said Siya, encouragingly. “I dare you to. I’m sure it’ll be fun. What’s the worst that could happen? Besides, life is so boring here. I need your stories to cheer me up.”
Andisiwe herself cheered up. “Yah neh, sharp ke, my skat, mwah!”
Thabo called back. His voice was calm and gentle. He made her feel that there would be no pressure regarding her relationship with him. He told her that all he wanted to do was get to know her, and have fun. He also seriously wanted to make up for all the bad dates he had had with her. He sweetly let her know that the ‘getaway’ would have ample space for them to have separate rooms. He just wanted to treat her.
After a moment’s thought Andisiwe agreed to accompany Thabo. She knew that she had to make a choice, and whether it was a good or a bad choice – she would deal with that later.
She packed a bag and left a brief note for her aunt, in which she mentioned that she was going away with an old friend. She hoped Mimi would not ask too many questions, but Mimi wasn’t in the habit of asking any questions at all.
Thabo parked his car outside the gate of the house, and buzzed Andisiwe to let her know that he was outside.
“Hayi,” said Andisiwe excitedly, once she was happily seated in the car. “Where are we going, hle?”
“Just take a nap,” said Thabo. “You’ll know when we get there. It’s a surprise, remember?”
Andisiwe and Thabo chatted as they took the main highway leading out of Cape Town. From Sir Lowry’s Pass, Andisiwe looked back over the city and False Bay twinkling in the sun.
There was an amazing sound system in the car, and Thabo was playing all her favourite music. Andisiwe felt herself beginning to relax, and she leaned her head back against the extremely comfortable seats of the car.
Laughing, she even sang along softly to one or two songs, until she began to feel sleepy. The last thing she remembered, before she finally could not keep her eyes open for a second longer, was Thabo’s slender brown hands gripping the steering wheel.
Andisiwe had always loved a man’s hands, and Thabo’s were a pair of the best she had ever seen. Her dreams were full of his hands, tenderly caressing every part of her.
She awoke with a start as she felt Thabo gently shaking her shoulder. She blinked and wiped her hand over her eyes. She had been sleeping very deeply, and she hoped she hadn’t been snoring.
“Wakey, wakey, Sleeping Beauty,” said Thabo. “We’ve arrived.”
Thabo had driven her to a beautiful, white penthouse apartment situated above the central beach in Plettenberg Bay. When they went inside, she saw that the views from the long balcony took in the curve of the long, white beach and the endless blue ocean.
Just as Thabo promised, the penthouse had more than enough rooms for her to sleep in a separate bedroom, but Andisiwe did notice that the big double bed was strewn with red roses, and that there was champagne in a silver ice bucket.
Feeling overwhelmed with gratitude Andisiwe turned to Thabo, as they stood in the hall, facing the open bedroom doors, and surprised him with a kiss.
That was all they needed, a spark to a flame, and they started kissing passionately. Thabo lifted Andisiwe in his arms, and carried her to the bedroom with the red rose petals. He flipped the music player as he passed, and ‘Sex Therapy’ by Robin Thicke began to play.
Thabo held Andisiwe’s waist, and ran his fingers along her spine as he took her dress off.
Iyho, I’m glad I wore matching lingerie, thought Andisiwe as she breathed heavily into Thabo’s ear. I never thought this could happen in real life, she thought to herself.
Andisiwe began to melt as Thabo ran his hands over her thighs, just like she had dreamed he would do a little while before. Her body shivered. She wrapped her arms around Thabo’s neck as they kissed, closing her eyes. She could feel him aroused against her.
Thabo really turned her on, and although a little voice was trying to tell her something, speaking quietly inside her head, Andisiwe chose to ignore it. Every move Thabo made thrilled her with intense pleasure, and she felt herself responding to him with every fibre of her being.
~•~
Andisiwe yawned and stretched her arms wide open, as she rolled over on the double bed. She felt the pillow next to her. The bed felt empty. When she opened her eyes she saw, with surprise, that Thabo was not there.
Andisiwe removed some of the rose petals that had stuck to her cheek. The champagne bottle was empty on the bedside table. Her pretty summer dress lay crumpled on the floor. She was naked in the bed, only covered by the sheets.
“Nco, is he preparing breakfast?” she wondered.
Andisiwe dozed a little, but after half an hour she wondered what was taking Thabo so long, and she got up to look for him. “Babe? Thabo!” she called, as she began to wander round the apartment.
She knocked on the bathroom door. He was not there. She went to the kitchen. Thabo was not there either. She went to the living room and to the patio. Thabo was not there.
Where is he? Just the faintest feeling of fear came over Andisiwe. What if he never came back? But that was ridiculous. He had probably just gone out for juice or coffee, or more champagne.
Suddenly Andisiwe heard a key in the front door. She sprinted back to the bedroom. She wrapped the white linen sheet around her body, and lay in the middle of the bed, on her left hip, facing the door, ready for Thabo to walk in.
The door opened slowly.
Andisiwe composed herself, allowing a soft, seductive smile to play upon her lips, as she waited for Thabo.
A man in a black suit, followed by a very tall, tough man wearing a plain gold ring, and a beautiful, rather large woman, wearing a huge diamond ring, opened the door. They stood in a row, staring at Andisiwe.
Andisiwe opened her mouth and screamed, very loudly and very long. Oh my God! Oh my God! Who are these people? What’s going on? she thought frantically. Andisiwe’s heart started beating like a drum in her chest.
“Whoow, lady! Who are you? What are you doing here?” the man in the black suit shouted.
Andisiwe screamed again.
The man in the black suit quickly led the couple out onto the patio.
Andisiwe clutched the sheets around her body, and jumped out of the bed. She tried to gather her clothes from where they were lying, scattered over the floor of the bedroom. She scooped them all up and retreated to the bathroom. With trembling, fumbling hands she pulled her clothes from the previous day back on. A few vital pieces were missing, like her underwear.
She could not for the life of her remember where her suitcase was. It might still be in the boot of Thabo’s car. Everything, from the moment Thabo had begun kissing her, was a blur.
And where was the car now? Andisiwe asked herself. And where was Thabo?
Andisiwe stayed in the bathroom, trying to figure out who these people were. Nothing was adding up. “Thabo, dammit! Where are you?” Andisiwe said out loud.
She didn’t even know where her cellphone was. Somewhere in her handbag no doubt. She seemed to remember having dropped that onto the floor somewhere near the front door.
Just then Andisiwe heard a soft knock on the bathroom door. For a moment she wished that this was just a nightmare, and that the knock would wake her from a bad dream.
“Who are you?” asked Andisiwe angrily. “What are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you those questions, Miss.” Andisiwe recognised the voice of the man in the suit. He continued, “Keep calm, and please don’t raise your voice at me. I’m authorised to call the police about you!”
“Oh my God!” screeched Andisiwe, horrified. “Please don’t. I don’t know what’s going on here. I’m here with my boyfriend. He disappeared. Oh no!”
Andisiwe held her forehead, then released her hand and felt her heart beat. It was still beating fast. She began to pace up and down. She leaned on the wash basin and sighed. She bit her nails. Tears started falling down her cheeks as Andisiwe suddenly realised that she didn’t know how she would get home. She couldn’t even find her underwear. She sobbed out loud as she remembered that she had no money.
Andisiwe began to feel nauseous. She began pacing faster and more urgently.
“Miss, who is your boyfriend? Where is he? How did you even get in here?” The man was back, talking sternly to her from the other side of the bathroom door.
“Um, uh, oh my God,” was all Andisiwe could manage to say. She could feel her heartbeat rising again. She placed her hand over her mouth. Panicking, Andisiwe realised that she didn’t know what to say, and her hands shook nervously as if she’d done something wrong.
Later, Andisiwe thought that she may have cried out loudly before she collapsed. All she really remembered was that before she hit the ground, the strange man stepped into the bathroom, and he must have caught her.
When she came around, a moment later, she was aware that she was lying on the bathroom floor, and a sheet was tucked round her, and a pillow was underneath her head. The man was standing over her, examining some sort of ID card belonging to Thabo. Andisiwe had previously vaguely noticed it lying on the shelf next to the hand basin.
“Shit!” The man’s mouth dropped open with shock. “Thabo!” he said. He lowered his head in disappointment.
Andisiwe, from her position on the floor, looked up at him and frowned. “Wait, how do you know Thabo?”
“It’s a long story,” said the man, looking down at her, and shaking his head. “First things first,” he said and leaned down to Andisiwe and helped her shakily to her feet. “Let me help you over to the bed.”
Andisiwe allowed herself to lean against him. She couldn’t help noticing the superb cut of his suit, and the incredible material that it was made from. Pam’s words regarding Thabo’s suit, said to her what seemed to be a lifetime ago, ran through her head.
Well, thought Andisiwe to herself as she sank down onto the bed, as the man’s strong arms released her, this suit is definitely not hired. It fits him perfectly, in every way.
~•~
Andisiwe found her underwear amongst the folds of the bedclothes. She had scrounged for them when the man in the suit had left her alone to go and attend to the couple that were still in the penthouse somewhere. Hastily she had slipped them back on.
“I found this in one of the rooms,” said the man, when he returned. Andisiwe breathed a sigh of relief when she saw he had her handbag in one hand, and her suitcase in the other. She had heard the front door closing behind the couple he had brought with him to the penthouse.
“Thank you,” said Andisiwe, taking her bags from him.
“Look,” said the man, “this has all been a massive waste of my time. I take it you come from Cape Town?”
“Yes, I do,” said Andisiwe, as she scratched her scalp and bit her lower lip, embarrassed.
“Would you like a ride?”
“Yes please!” said Andisiwe. She did not know the man, and was anxious about accepting. But what choice do I have, she thought.
“We’ll leave in twenty minutes,” said the man, turning to leave the penthouse. “Be ready.”
“Is there time to take a shower?” she asked quickly. “I really need to change my clothes. Please.”
“OK then, but make it quick.”
Andisiwe sprang into action, clutching her suitcase and her bag, and retreating into the bathroom. She shut the door and locked it.
As soon as she had locked herself in Andisiwe scrabbled inside her handbag and found her phone. She breathed a sigh of relief. Taking it in hand she scrolled down in her phonebook, and stopped at ‘Thabo’, then pressed the green button.
“The number you have called does not exist.”
Andisiwe’s heart jumped in shock and her eyes filled with tears. She took a deep breath and rang Siya’s number. No answer. Disappointed, she sent a text.
if u neva hear from me again
cum lookin 4 me in a penthouse flat in Plett.
Luv u.
Taking off her clothes Andisiwe turned on the taps in the shower. She stood under the pounding water for a long time, allowing her tears to mingle with the warm water, and run down her cheeks. After a while she began to feel better, and closing her eyes she even smiled to herself a little, as she remembered the time she had had with Thabo. It had been amazing.
“What’s love without tragedy?”
Andisiwe remembered listening to Rihanna’s song. She began humming it to herself as she stood under the water. She began soaping herself with the shower gel, and as she did so she began to sing, quite loudly.
Was it love though?
It was a sobering thought and Andisiwe stopped singing, just long enough to hear the man’s voice above the sound of running water. He was pounding on the bathroom door, and calling out, “Could you hurry up now please!”
Andisiwe put on her orange peplum skirt, and a white crop top. She took about ten more minutes to apply some make-up, and then she finally emerged from the bathroom. The stranger was standing in the bedroom, obviously ready to go.
“By the way, I’m Jacob,” said the man, as he held the front door open for Andisiwe. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Andy,” said Andisiwe, choosing to use the variation to her name that Thabo did not know. She reached out her hand to shake Jacob’s hand. Jacob reached out to take Andisiwe’s travel suitcase.
“How do you know Thabo?” asked Andisiwe as they travelled down in the lift.
Jacob sighed. “Thabo works for me.”
“Wait! What?” Andisiwe gasped. “He works for you? He told me he had his own business and everything!” Shaking her head in disbelief Andisiwe added, “Oh my word.”
Jacob put his arm gently around her shoulder. “Andy, Thabo is my security guard. Calm down, I know you didn’t know anything.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry for being so upset,” said Andisiwe as Jacob opened the car door for her, and she climbed into the front seat. “It’s just such a shock to be abandoned like this.”
“Its OK, I understand.”
Jacob pulled out onto the N2 and began to head back towards Cape Town.
“How did he get hold of the keys of the penthouse?” said Andisiwe, as she distractedly stared at the sea view on the horizon. “We came through security to get in here. The guy knew the car we were driving. I assume he doesn’t have a car like yours?”
“Nope, he doesn’t have a car like mine. He has my car,” said Jacob, shaking his head. “He has access to my house and to the office. He must have used my car, and asked one of the security guys to cover for him.”
“I see,” said Andisiwe, shaking her head. “So, in a way, Thabo stole your identity?”
“Bingo!” said Jacob, hitting his hand, quite hard, against the steering wheel.
Men are just nasty dogs, said Andisiwe, angrily, to herself. She felt very upset, and wished she had listened to the little voice that had been making her feel unsure about Thabo all the time.
“I’ve been trying to sell my penthouse,” continued Jacob. “That couple were prospective clients who I brought around to view it,” he explained as he drove. “Naturally, as his boss, I called and told Thabo of my intentions. So Thabo, knowing that he was about to be found out, ran off.”
Andisiwe felt her blood beginning to boil. “And then he just left me to face the music!” she said angrily, unable to stop tears from running down her cheeks.
Jacob was very kind. He was very understanding and attentive, and Andisiwe found herself comforted.
“You are very beautiful, Andy,” said Jacob, looking over to her as he drove. “I don’t get why Thabo would do such a thing. I suppose he just panicked.”
Andisiwe smiled. “Thank you.”
A text from Siya arrived in Andisiwe’s inbox.
R u ok? Wots goin on?
Andisiwe hastily replied.
I’m ok. u not gonna believe this.
chat later.
By the time they arrived in Cape Town, Andisiwe was throwing her head back, and laughing at Jacob’s flattery. As they drove down Sir Lowry’s Pass, and Cape Town lay spread before them, Jacob switched on the radio. Taylor Swift’s song was playing on Kfm.
I’ve been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again
Andisiwe began to sing along.
“Wow, you really can sing,” said Jacob admiringly. “I heard you in the shower. You sing like an angel.”
“Thank you,” said Andisiwe, but she blushed deeply and stopped singing.
“I didn’t say stop singing,” said Jacob, laughing. “We’re in Cape Town now. Where should I drop you off?”
“Camps Bay,” said Andisiwe, smiling in gratitude. “Thank you.”
“Pleasure, madam. Um … can I get your email address, so that we can keep in touch? I really feel I’ve started to get to know you on this journey. ”
Andisiwe thought of the six hours they had spent in the car together. It had felt like no time at all.
“Of course,” said Andisiwe, with a smile. “I don’t normally check my emails but I’ll watch out for yours.”
They arrived in Camps Bay and Andisiwe directed Jacob to Mimi’s house. When they got there Andisiwe gave Jacob a hug.
“Thank you,” she said, “for rescuing me. And for making things OK again.”
Jacob got out of the car to open the door for her, and then took the suitcase out of the boot.
Thabo used to open the car door for me, thought Andisiwe. So this is where he learned his good manners. From Jacob.
Jacob gave Andisiwe a brief kiss on the cheek as he said goodbye to her at the front door. She stood, with her suitcase at her side, as she watched him drive away. She just couldn’t help but feel a little excited. On the long journey home she had begun to think, more and more, that Jacob was, in fact, a lot better looking than Thabo.
He was just a lot better than Thabo at every little thing. That much was obvious.
Andisiwe put her key in the lock of the front door and went inside. She was glad to be home, safe and sound. I wonder how long it will take, thought Andy to herself as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom, before I hear from Jacob. I hope it will be soon.
In her bedroom she flopped onto her bed, and pulled out her cellphone. She couldn’t wait to phone Siya. She had so much to tell her.
She had taken Siya’s dare – but she had also found out the truth.
Discussion questions
• What were the warning signs that Thabo was not to be trusted, and why do you think Andisiwe ignored them?
• What kind of person is Thabo? Describe his character. Do you know anyone with some of those qualities?
About the author
Zikhona Gwadiso completed her Marketing Diploma at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2013, but her true passion is fashion. Her dream is to own a fashion label or a fashion studio. Zikhona loved being able to include her fashion and style sense in this story.
Being a mentee…
When I started writing the short story I felt frustrated with a lot of things. Writing in different styles and focusing on the main characters was hard for me. My best writing days were when I wrote while I listened to the very lovely Christina Perri’s ‘A thousand years’ on my phone. Then I could think clearly, imagine and see my characters in my head while writing. It felt easier to write listening to that song.
Getting reader comments was the best part about writing. It felt awesome to know that people read and enjoyed my short story. When I finished writing it, I had lots of self-doubt. Would people like my story? What kind of comments would I receive? Do I suck as a writer? Then BOOM! I read the comments and I was happy, excited and pleased that people enjoyed my story.