Shrivelled Roses 1 (Intro)

Chapter 22

-𝑺𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒉𝒍𝒆 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒔𝒆-

Siphesihle's phone vibrated but she didn't pay much attention to it because her big sister was right there. It vibrated again, and she ignored it still.

Bukiwe: You're still blushing.

Claire: He's ticking all the boxes.

Bukiwe: But you were crying, I saw the tissues.

Claire: I was crying because he sent me money, I didn't even ask for it. No one has ever sent me that amount of money before... and we aren't even dating as yet.

Bukiwe: What does that even mean?

Claire: We went on one date, we don't even know each oth-

Bukiwe: There you go.

Claire: Sisi, just because he sent me money doesn't mean uyandithanda or whatever.

Bukiwe: I don't know him, but judging from what I'm seeing, please do yourself a favour and open up to the guy. Be open to new love Claire Biyase, you can't seriously hold on to your past uzivimbe a nice life ngenxa yezinto ezidlulileyo.

She didn't answer, but she was convinced that even if her sister didn't say a word trying to convince her, her heart was going to betray her anyway. She wanted him, he knew that. One way or another they were going to find each other and make it work.

Bukiwe: Umdala Claire, and you also deserve to be loved. Nditshatile mna, happily so, you also deserve someone who is going to cherish you. Someone you are going to enjoy life with.

Claire: You don't even know the guy yet you're advocating for him. What if uyafana no Mpumelelo?

Bukiwe: When you refuse to heal and move on, every man will resemble Mpumelelo kuwe because that's what you choose to see. Mpumelelo lowo ke utshatile and he is living his happily ever after with his little family.

Claire: I am not refusing to heal sisi, I know you don't know how this feel because utata ka Kwanda has always been consistent in loving you. Kemnake I literally wasted my life loving someone who was in love with someone else... I cannot do that to myself again. The fact that Luzuko splashed me with money doesn't mean he cherishes me or he wants to build a family nam.

Bukiwe: True, but it could mean he is serious about you and he wants you to know that he can and is willing to provide for you as your man. As he should.

Claire: Yho hay.

Bukiwe sat up, Claire followed suit.

They looked at each other in silence.

Bukiwe: I won't force you into anything, but ndive ngawe mna ba he ticks all the boxes. Give him time, see how far he can go.

Claire: Intliziyo yam is flesh through and through, if I open up to this guy and get hurt again I don't think I will ever forgive myself.

Bukiwe: You're only twenty-five, you will live.

Claire: You met your husband una nineteen and got married at twenty-two.

Bukiwe was one of the lucky ones.

She met her husband at varsity and they got married when she was twenty-two... he was he was thirty at the time. You're probably wondering why would a thirty-year-old be in varsity? He was a part-time lecturer. He had and still has great passion for Accounting so he offered his free time to lecture CA's... that's how they met.

Bukiwe: You could get married una twenty-six, what does it matter? If he loves you, he will show you. You won't have to beg for his attention, it will come naturally. Just open yourself up for love Siphesihle. Yho, khendikuyeke!