PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

32

                              

     

Kgomotso was already done making breakfast when Anesu came downstairs, showered and dressed in a black Moncler polo shirt and black jeans. She Googled the label out of curiosity because his closet didn’t carry popular brands most people with money gravitated towards, his style was unassuming even though those unfamiliar brands he preferred didn’t come cheap. She had to admit they were a much better choice than the silk Versace shirt Xola wore yesterday, looking like a cheap knock-off from China Mall.
     
He looked refreshed and appetizing despite sleeping for two hours, her plan was to serve him breakfast in bed because he was still snoring when she finally gave up on staring at the ceiling because sleep was a no show, but plan B would have to do. They talked about her running the company but Kgomotso still wasn’t sure she was ready for that kind of responsibility, it was the same as being thrown into the deep end after one swimming lesson and hoping not to drown.
     
“Good morning.” She smiled.
     
“Morning, baby.” He placed a kiss on her lips and grabbed his car keys from the table. “Sleep well?”
     
She sighed, wiping her hands with a cloth. “I tried.”
     
“Everything is going to be alright, baby, you’ll see.”
     
She believed him but there was still that little nugget of doubt somewhere in the back of her mind, messing with her.
     
“I didn’t know you had plans today.” She eyed the keys in his hand.
     
“I didn’t but my mother called, telling me that Tinashe didn’t come home last night. She’s worried he might be drunk or high somewhere.”
     
Oh, not this again. She didn’t know much about addiction but this had to be emotional abuse and it was wrong of his mother to expect Anesu to keep rescuing Tinashe whenever he got himself in trouble. It would be best for Anesu to disown him for his own peace of mind but she always felt like he wanted to prove something where his brother was concerned.
     
“I was hoping we’d have breakfast together and further discuss the bombshell you dropped earlier.”
     
“I really need to get going, baby, but we’ll talk about that later.”
     
Whatever. She rolled her eyes and turned her back on him.
     
“We’ll talk later, I promise.” He kissed her cheek.
     
“Your brother needs to go to rehab, Anesu.”
     
She wasn’t going to say anything but keeping quiet about it would only eat her up inside.
     
“I know and he will.” He sighed, seemingly in deep thought.
     
“Okay, we’ll talk later.”
     
She waited until he drove out of the garage and called Hazel.
     
“Hi, chommie.” She finally answered when Kgomotso was about to hang up, sounding half asleep.
     
“The rumours were true.” Kgomotso got straight to the point.
     
“What rumours?” Her loud yawn filled the receiver.
     
“P&J has a new owner.”
     
“Haibo, chommie, how long have you been sitting on this information?”
     
All traces of sleep deserted Hazel’s body at the thought of being possibly unemployed. She’d be homeless faster than she could snap her fingers if the rent payments stopped. She used the money she saved to travel overseas and the thought of having to use those funds to cover rent instantly gave her heart palpitations. She didn’t think the rumours would turn out to be true, boy was she screwed.     
     
“I also found out this morning.”
     
“Do you know who the new owner is? Don’t keep me in suspense any longer, I want to know that they won’t come in and decide to restructure and leave us destitute. Imagine if that were to happen, chommie, I won’t be able to go to the Amalfi Coast and I’m looking forward to that trip. Do you think Anesu can put in a good word for us?”
     
“Haze, just relax you have nothing to worry about.”
     
“How can I relax when our jobs could be in jeopardy? What if Petersen said something to the new owner?”
     
Kgomotso was expecting Hazel to overreact, she did too after Anesu made his announcement but this was a bit too much.
     
“I’m the new owner.” She had to talk loud to drown out Hazel’s rambling.
     
“Wait, what?”
     
Hazel didn’t have a hearing problem, so why was she making Kgomotso repeat herself?
     
“I’m the new owner,” she said more slowly because it felt weird saying those words.
     
“Yho, Kgomotso, are you telling me that Anesu bought P&J for you?”
     
“Yes, Haze, and I have to come up with a new name. What do you think of MD Accountants & Auditors?”
     
“I like it but what is the D for?”
     
“Diba, your surname.” Kgomotso replied.
     
Hazel drew in a sharp breath as she tightened her grip around the phone and her rapid heartbeat echoed in her ears.