PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

43

                               

     

The house was shrouded in darkness as load shedding continued to wreak havoc across the country and an eerie silence followed once Kgomotso made it inside. It was a mystery to her why Anesu was dragging his feet about choosing an alternative power source because the government wasn’t prepared to fix the issue any time soon, despite how much it crippled the economy.
     
He should be home by now because she didn’t agree to move in with him so she could be left home alone, twiddling her thumbs while he gallivanted the streets.
     
Guided by her cell phone torch she found the candles and matches where Macy usually stocked them. It was the dreaded 18:00-22:00 slot, leaving her with no chance of a hot meal or binge watching her favourite shows. She quickly lit the candles and the faint glow cast long shadows across the room, being in the dark for too long made her uncomfortable.
     
The percentage on Kgomotso’s battery was good for another hour or two before a complete shutdown, she sent Hazel a message and made herself a tomato and cheese sandwich with a generous serving of Dijon mustard, and a tall glass of fruit juice. The silence forced her thoughts back to Nolitha but not for long because the car outside announced Anesu’s arrival.
     
He came into the kitchen and dropped his keys on the counter, the silence shifted to one of discomfort with him in the kitchen, towering over her.
     
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
     
She dropped what was left of her sandwich on the plate and licked the mustard off her fingers. Her appetite circled down the drain, leaving a bland taste in her mouth. “I know that, I just wish you would’ve talked to me first instead of ambushing me like that.”
     
He seemed to relax a bit as some of the worry melted off his face.
     
“I told Lwazi to back off, what happened today will never happen again.”
     
It better not because she wouldn’t be so forgiving if he tried her again.
     
“Maybe I over-reacted,” she said with a nonchalant shrug.
     
Learning about the aphasia had Kgomotso’s mind and heart in two different places, and it didn’t seem right to hold on to the image of Nolitha as a villain, but the silver-tongued devil whispering from her shoulder was not ready to accept the change of heart.
     
Her admission surprised him. “Why do you say that?”
     
“Seeing Xola’s sentencing on the news made me realize we were both his victims whether I like it or not.”
     
“He’s going away for a long time,” he said, sitting down.
     
“I want him to suffer for those 15 years and not get parole.” She raised the glass to her lips.
     
“There won’t be any parole, he’ll step out of those prison gates after serving his full sentence.”
     
Even though she was happy to hear that, Kgomotso couldn’t deny this side of him intimidated her so much she didn’t bother to ask if Nolitha’s family pulled some influential strings to make that happen. Xola was where he belonged and it was best for him to stay there for as long as possible.
     
She took another sip as the silence became their companion  
     
He pulled the plate towards him and finished her sandwich, but didn’t touch her juice because he preferred water.
     
“Bathong, Anesu, I was still going to eat that.”
     
“I’m hungry, too,” he said, trying to hide his mischievous smile. He could be such a baby sometimes.
     
Mxm! He was brave to eat her food after what he did.
     
“So, didn’t you eat wherever you were?” She didn’t care about the sandwich, him thinking he was off the hook already, annoyed her. He still needed to grovel for a few days at least. 
     
“I was at the office and lost track of time.” He shied away from the light emanating from the candles and the darkness made it hard for Kgomotso to see his face.
     
“We’re living together now, I need you home at a reasonable time if you can’t make it you must call.”     
     
He held her hand, interlocking their fingers. “I wouldn’t mind a date night sometimes.”
     
“Yeah.” Kgomotso smiled, happy to see he was willing to keep the romance alive. “It’ll give Macy a break from cooking dinner every day.”
     
“Hawu, baby, so you won’t cook at all?” he asked with his brows raised for dramatic effect.
     
“I will but only if you ask me nicely.”
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