To Love Or Not To Love

Chapter 12

ZIMBINI

"Yeeeey wena Thandi, ungangi hlanyisi!! (Hey you Thandi!? Don't make me angry!!)  You are gonna be late for school, so put on these shoes so we can leave already!" I semi yell at this little minx.

Well that is my little sister Thandiwe, she's 8 years old and man she thrives on driving me nuts sometimes. I guess I'd say it's because she doesn't know that once in a while I'd like some peace, and for things to go accordingly with no mishaps. Right at this moment, she thinks wearing these bloody sneakers at school is the "IT" thing, and unfortunately it's not, now I have to force her into wearing these school shoes.

"Thandi, I'm not going to repeat myself. Wear these shoes now or I'll leave you behind." I warn one last time.
"This sucks..." she mumbles and I will let this slide because I don't have any energy left in me to argue with her.

My brother, Mthokozisi left earlier, something about morning classes? I'm not too sure. With him, I know I have nothing to stress about, he's more of a nerd and there's nothing one could do to keep him off his books. He also understands that there are time's I'd come home late from work because of the workload amd by then, he had already cooked and helped Thandi with her homework.

This house we live in, belonged to my mom before she passed away and then left the house under my name and care. I've tried fixing around where I can and other places still need a bit more intervention, which I will take care of when the time comes. Things weren't always like this though...my stepfather, Thandi's biological father was very abuse towards my mother. Everyday my mother used to shed tears because of his unruly behavior and I never understood why she stuck around with him for that long.

"You won't understand my baby." Is what she said to me when I asked her for the millionth time. I guess I might never understand and well I hope I am never put in a position to.

When miss is finally ready and done, we walk to her school and I drop her off at the gate.
"Behave yourself okay Thandi. Angifuni izinkinga angithi uyazi.( I don't want any problems, you know that right?)
"Yebo sisi. Goodbye."
"Bye baby." I kiss her cheek and off she goes.

*************

30 minutes later I'm at work and I have no time to waste as I dive straight into work.
Fifteen minutes later Ziyanda enters inside the building and I can tell she's on top of the world right now...all smiles.

I ask her what's going on and all she had to say was, "Hey friend, don't worry I'll let you in on the details at lunch." And just like that I am left wondering what is really going on with her. I'm left im suspense and I cannot wait for lunch.

Time passes and when I check it's fifteen minutes to eleven. Amazing!! Any time soon I'll be put out of suspense. Just as I sort out the files on my station I hear the doors open and shut. I lift my eyes and they meet one's that look so beautiful,  pure black and enticing. The owner though looks like he is bored to even be here. He looks oddly familiar.

"Hi sir, how may I help you?" I hope my voice is not selling me out because I am drooling.
"Hi. I'm looking for the boardroom where I have a meeting with the creatives and director of digital marketing. Would you mind directing me to where it is?" His voice sounds so smooth and calming.
"Oh yes sure. Second floor and the first door on your right."
"Okay thank you and next time...try not to look so thirsty." And with that he walks off to his designated place.

My jaw drops and I feel a wave of shame hit me in the face. Talk about being rude. Screw whatever feeling I had brewing inside, this was a total turnoff.

It's not long when it's lunch time and I still feel a bit down. This guy really knows how to put one's mood down. Ziyanda fetches me and we go to the cafeteria, I try hard to not seem affected but I think Zee can tell as well that I'm not my normal self. Hence the never-ending questions about whether I'm okay or not. She finally gets that I don't wanna talk about it and gives it a rest. We finish off lunch in silence.

It's knockoff time and Zee says her "plumber lover" has ordered  to fetch and transport us home. Well better hope she doesn't catch me calling him plumber lover.  Lol.

"Mngani, this guy is the real deal mos. A few days in and he's already offering such?" I say this as I chuckle.
"Yeah hey, I'm surprised as well. Let's go now, he's already waiting outside."

We get to the parking lot and there he is outside the car. Yeyeni bo, abo Ziyanda bageza ngani nathi sizo geza ngakho( Wow, what does Ziyanda use so that we can use it as well.) This guy is a decent person and I can see that he's very invested in her. She deserves this...she might not know it yet, but this guy is good for her.

He greets us and opens the back seat door for me and the front for Zee.  I am not stressed about Thandi because I know my brother would have fetched her by now. This lift is exactly what I needed...I don't think I could think properly with a lot of people around.

20 minutes later I'm dropped off at the gate after thanking Mnotho and saying goodbye to both him and Zee. Immediately when I enter, I'm suffocated in a bone crushing hug by yours truly, Thandi.

"Hi baby unjani?(How are you)"
"Ngiyaphila sisi wena unjani? Bokunjani emsebenzini? (I'm well thanks sis and how are you? How was work?)"
"I'm well baby and work was okay thanks. Have you bathed already? "
"Yep."

She skips off to the living room once she's done speaking. I find Mthoko there with her watching tv and ask if they've already eaten and he replies yes. He's not much of a talker so I know there's not much that will be said, I leave them there after saying goodnight. I need to have an early sleep tonight, especially since that whole scenario from earlier today keeps replaying in my mind.

That stupid good looking maniac sure tainted my heart, a bit. I don't understand why he's still stuck to my thoughts regardless of my attempts to not think of him.

"Stupid me!" I say to myself as I head to bed and hope for a better day tomorrow.