PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

11

                                

Anesu sipped on his second cup of coffee, admiring the stunning view of Victoria Harbour located between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, from the elegantly styled boardroom of Mr Zhao’s skyscraper. The Harbour’s grandeur reminded him of Cape Town and thinking about the Mother City steered his thoughts to Kgomotso and a smile crept up his face. The time they’d spent together was close to magical because he was the happiest he’d been in a long time, and the feeling came with a high he was fast becoming addicted to.
     
What was she doing to him?
     
He slowly shook his head, a futile attempt to get rid of the images roaming his mind, the memory of her bewitching smile, the vivid feeling of how her touch made him come undone and her deliriously sweet scent, which followed him across the oceans. He was a lost cause he thought to himself as his smile widened.   
     
He’d hit the ground running since his arrival on Monday and hardly slept because he was anxious to get the job done and return to Kgomotso. He couldn’t bear to spend another second away from her. Mr Zhao was happy to see his eagerness and didn’t wonder about his true intentions not that it was any of his business, but knowing Mr Zhao he wouldn’t be impressed to know he was thinking about a woman when this project was top priority.   
     
The dam was the highest and largest man-made dam in Rwanda’s agricultural sector and was set to benefit farmers by growing crops for export. Another advantage was that it would retain sufficient water to irrigate 1,100 hectares of crop fields throughout the year.

“Now there’s something you don’t see every day.” Humour coloured his tone.
     
Anesu’s smile vanished at the reckless intrusion, leaving a stupefied expression on his handsome face.
     
Damn, talk about awful timing.
     
“It would’ve been nice for you to knock, Andrews,” he said, concealing his annoyance with a blank expression.
     
“Did I interrupt something?”
     
“No.” Anesu shook his head. “I was just admiring the view.”
     
“Really? Because it looked more like you were…day-dreaming.” He smirked, taking a seat.
     
“That’s not true. I have a great deal on my mind, which leaves no time to day-dream as you put it.”
     
“Yeah, right, pal. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve been acting odd these past couple of days, I thought you were stressed about the project but now I’m not so sure.”
     
Anesu put the coffee mug on the table and kept his gaze firmly on Andrews.

“You’re not entirely wrong it’s been a stressful couple months and a lot of sleepless nights, going back and forth about this reservoir. I’m relieved we’re moving on to the building phase, that means you need to be in Rwanda ASAP to facilitate so that everything is ready when the team arrives.”
     
“My ticket is already booked and I leave on Sunday.”
     
“Good. I’m heading back home tonight, we’ll keep in touch should any problems arise.”        
     
“You might want to change those plans.” He tilted his head sideways, staring intently at Anesu.
     
“Why?” asked Anesu.
     
“Mr Zhao has decided to be a gracious host and send everyone to Macau to celebrate, including you.”
     
“I can’t go, I need to go back home.” Anesu protested.
     
“It won’t be a good idea to decline his invitation because he’ll take offense and that may jeopardise our relationship with Zhao Industries.” Andrews pointed out.
     
“That’s ridiculous,” Frustration shone in his eyes and rang clear in his tone.
     
“I’ve been here longer than you, so I know what I’m talking about.”
     
“Fine, I’ll indulge him.”
     
“Why are you in such a hurry to go back anyway, I’m the one who has a wife waiting?”
     
A telling smile spread across Anesu’s lips, knowing that Kgomotso was waiting for his return and he was prepared to fight for her no matter the cost.
     
“Wait a minute…Is there someone waiting for you, Anesu?”
     
He chuckled at the confusion, surprise and awe on Andrews’ slightly pink face, making him look comical.
     
“Can I ask you a personal question?”
     
“Yeah, sure.” Andrews nodded.
     
“Are you happy with your current wife?”
     
“Yes, I am. Not to say I wasn’t with my first wife but it just didn’t work out.”
     
Anesu frowned, thinking hard about his friend’s words. “So, you weren’t afraid the same thing would happen when you met Kate?”
     
“I was for a while and then I realized that my fear was holding me back emotionally and that wasn’t fair to Kate, because holding onto her out of fear wasn’t love.”
     
“But it’s too soon for me to feel this way about her.”
     
“Says who?” Andrews smiled. “Why should there be a timeframe?”
     
“Because rushing things only leads to trouble.” He reasoned.
     
He married Jessica, certain that their union would withstand anything and paid no mind to anyone telling him to be cautious. It was the same as touching a hot flame and getting burned, he wasn’t about to repeat the same mistake with Kgomotso because the damage would be irreparable.
     
“You are one of the smartest people I know, Anesu, but you sound real stupid right now.”
     
“Excuse me?”
     
This conversation wasn’t going to end well if Andrews continued insulting him, especially when he knew nothing about what he went through with Jessica.
     
“You know I have the utmost respect for you, pal, but I think you’re being a coward. If you really want to be with her nothing else should matter.”
     
Was he really a coward for choosing to protect himself from the turmoil of a heartbreak?
     
“Sir?” Felicity barged into the boardroom. “I know you asked not to be disturbed but I have your mother on the line.”
     
“Well that’s my cue to get out of here and go get ready for Macau.”
     
Anesu didn’t share in his excitement about staying another day here, even though it was an opportunity to see one of the greatest cities in the world.
     
“See you later,” he said, urging Andrews out of the boardroom.     
     
He turned his attention back to Felicity once they were alone. “What about Miss Modise were you able to get a hold of her?”
     
“No, sir, her phone still goes to voicemail. I can call P&J Auditors and Accountants and find out—”
     
“No, thank you, Felicity. That won’t be necessary.” He managed a small smile, but it did little to mask his rising panic.
     
Did Kgomotso make up her mind already and was ignoring his calls to avoid telling him the truth? He needed to get done playing nice with Mr Zhao so he could get the fuck out of China.
     
“Would you like another cup of coffee, sir?”
     
Anesu shook his head. “But could you please cancel our flight for tonight, we’ll leave tomorrow.”
     
“I’m on it.” She smiled, leaving the boardroom.
     
Anesu was grateful their interactions were becoming less awkward after they kissed last year. Working late nights and adding alcohol to the mix was a dangerous combination.
     
“Sawubona, MaDlomo. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
     
“Flattery won’t help you not this time, Anesu.”
     
He could tell from his mother’s firm tone, this wasn’t a social call and he was about to get an earful because of something Tinashe did. He was his brother’s keeper after all and it didn’t matter to his mother that Tinashe was the oldest.
     
“Kwenzenjani, ma?”
     
Celiwe’s composed sigh filled the receiver as Anesu waited to hear what had his mother so distressed.