PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

7

                                  

“Finally, Kgomotso, what took you so long?” asked Kamo, taking a measured sip of her coffee.
      She oozed elegance and beauty in a honey-coloured dress, which complimented her caramel skin tone, making her look angelic with the morning sun effecting a halo above her head. At that moment unfamiliar emotions engulfed Kgomotso and swept her up to face the hard-hitting realization of losing her sister to Lwazi, and the urge to succumb to her demanding tears was almost too consuming.
     
A chance encounter at a BP garage was love at first sight and Lwazi wasted no time putting his Zulu charm to use, reeling Kamo in and his captivating wit sealed the deal. He was irresistible from the start and she never stood a chance, and it didn’t help that she was naturally a hopeless romantic. Within no time she had fallen head over heels and made sure everyone knew how amazing Lwazi was.
     
There were moments when Kgomotso failed to share in her sister’s happiness because her wounds from Xola’s slaughter were still very raw. She never expected their whirlwind romance to end up at the altar, because Kamo always envisioned a future with men she dated minutes within meeting them. It was something she could never do because the man she wanted that future with went on to live her dream with another woman.
     
Thinking about Xola wasn’t worth her time anymore, especially now that she knew he hadn’t changed much since their time together. This revelation forced Kgomotso to acknowledge that he never loved her and he definitely didn’t love Nolitha, but he was good at pretending to possess those feelings.   
     
“I was about to send out a search party.” Kamo added before placing her cup on the saucer, pulling her back to the present.
     
“Search party?” she echoed.
     
Why didn’t Nolitha think of doing that instead of barging into her room and asking ridiculous questions about her unfaithful husband?
     
Kamo and Caroline were already seated when Kgomotso arrived at their table set outside next to the pool. It was yet another sunny day in the Mother City the gentle breeze stirred the trees to life, moving in subtle whispers and made it the perfect day to explore famous sights around the city. Kgomotso was glad for the opportunity to forget the madness that transpired in her room earlier (even if it was for a little while that), because she had a feeling the madness was far from over.
     
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, as she claimed the seat next to Caroline.     
      
“We couldn’t wait any longer so we ordered and you’re going to love the Brioche French toast.”
     
“I’m sure I will.” She forced a smile, lacking the energy to argue with her sister about breakfast choices.
     
“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look like you slept well, my baby.”
     
“I’m fine, Ma, I promise.”
     
“Mmmh.” Caroline helped herself to a scone, spreading a generous amount of strawberry jam before taking a bite. “Did you have another dream about Anesu?”
     
Caroline didn’t want to meddle in her daughter’s life, but she felt that Kgomotso needed a firm push in the right direction. It was obvious there was something brewing between her and that sexy man, he ticked all the right boxes and would make the perfect son-in-law. She’d be the envy of those church women with both her daughters married to successful men from prominent families.   
     
What?! Her grip on the glass of water tightened, stopping it from shattering on the floor but her bottom jaw fast went down, leaving her mouth wide open. If only she could evaporate.
     
Kamo’s eyes widened as they landed back on Kgomotso. “What is mama talking about?” she demanded.
     
“Nothing.” She was quick to answer before she cowered back in her seat.
     
“Don’t make me stab you with this fork.”
     
“Ha a, Kamo, don’t talk to your sister like that.”
     
Kgomotso’s restraint not to strangle her mother was to be commended because Caroline was enjoying her discomfort a little too much.
     
Their breakfast arrived and Kgomotso was grateful for the brief interruption, the look on Kamo’s face was hard to ignore and she knew her sister’s inquisition was far from over.
     
The brown haired waiter stopped the trolley a short distance from their table and had to slightly bend his towering frame to place the covered plates in front of them. Once everything was on the table and the empty cups cleared away he lifted the cloches. Kamo was right this French toast looked appetizing and Kgomotso couldn’t wait to have a taste.
     
“Enjoy. I hope you’ll find everything to your liking.”
     
“Thank you.” Kamo smiled and Kgomotso wasted no time grabbing a fork and knife, ready to satisfy the light rumbling in her stomach.
     
“I’m confused because you told me you don’t like him.” Kamo started soon after the waiter’s departure.
     
“I don’t know him well enough to determine whether I like him or not.”
     
“Give him a chance.” Caroline urged.
     
“I don’t think I trust any man after Xola, he hurt me so bad, and you were both there. You know what he put me through.”
     
“You give him too much power over your life, aren’t you tired of that?”
     
“What do you want me to do, Kamo?”
     
Caroline squeezed her hand, an attempt to calm Kgomotso down. “What your sister is trying to say is that we want you to be happy, my baby.”
     
Kgomotso sighed, keeping her pointed stare on her sister. “I slept with him and now I can’t stop thinking about him, and that scares me,” she said and took a bite of her French toast.
     
“I knew it!” Kamo squealed. “I knew something happened between you two, I knew it the moment I saw you leave the reception together. So, tell me how good was he?”
     
She leaned forward, eyes sparkling with excitement.
     
“Bathong! Kamohelo, stop it. I don’t want to know what happened between your sister and Anesu, please just stop.”
     
“But you started it, Ma,” she said, rolling her eyes.
     
“And I’m ending it, stop pestering your sister about this. You’re too nosy for your own good, focus on your husband and marriage.”
     
“I focussed on Lwazi sufficiently last night.”
     
“You couldn’t wait until your honeymoon?”
     
“No, Ma, Lwazi can be very persuasive.” Kamo smirked.
     
“Where are you going for your honeymoon?”
     
She sighed, flapping her sweeping lashes. “We’ll start at the Four Seasons Safari Lodge in the Serengeti, I don’t want to go but Lwazi is excited.”
     
Kgomotso didn’t understand what the problem was her sister was talking about the Four Seasons for crying out loud, it was bound to be far more luxurious than their camping trips in high school.
     
“Then Barcelona is next and we’ll go to Paris again because that’s where he proposed and a shopping spree in Milan will end things off nicely.” She smiled.
     
“And who’s paying for all of this?” asked Kgomotso.
     
“Hai, wena” (you). Caroline slapped her hand. “Why would you ask your sister that?” she asked sternly.
     
 Kgomotso stole a glance at her sister. “You know why, Ma.”
     
“It’s okay. I know the newspaper articles are hard to ignore but I can assure you that Lwazi’s family isn’t corrupt at least not like the others.”
     
But they are.
     
“You don’t have to explain yourself, my baby. Apologize to your sister, Kgomotso.”
     
She rolled her eyes instead and took a sip of water.
     
“It’s okay, Ma, there’s no need.” Kamo gave a tight lipped smile, her bravado slipping.
     
Awkward silence lingered and heightened the rippling tension. Kamo cleared her throat, pushing the bowl of unfinished fruit salad aside.
     
“I have something for you,” she said, reaching into her tote bag and pulled out her bouquet. “I want you to have it.” She handed it to Kgomotso.
     
“Thank you, sis, now I just have to find myself a suitable man to marry me.”
     
“I think you already have.” Kamo winked.
     
Caroline smiled, nodding in agreement. “He’s the perfect one for you.”
     
“Sonia won’t be happy about this, she wanted the bouquet.”
     
The same way she wasn’t happy when Kamo made Kgomotso her maid of honour.
     
“Oho, that one.” Kamo rolled her eyes. “She doesn’t deserve it, do you know that she slept with Xola?” Her lips twisted in displeasure. “Only a man who lacks self-respect would humiliate his wife like this.”
     
“That boy has no shame,” said Caroline, slightly shaking her head.
     
Kgomotso almost laughed at her sister’s surprised reaction. This was the same man who dumped her a week before his wedding or didn’t that matter because she wasn’t his wife.      
     
“Oh, so, that’s who he was with?” she said dryly.
     
“What are you not telling me?” asked Kamo.
     
“Nolitha came to my room earlier, hysterical, thinking he was with me.”
     
Kamo frowned, looking at her sister. “She knows that you two used to be in a relationship?”
     
“I don’t know and I don’t care.”
                                                                   **********