PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

47

                              

     

Caroline’s visit left an undesired taste in Kgomotso's mouth and ruined her day, for a moment she fooled herself, thinking her mother stopped by to share in her joy. But nothing mattered to Caroline unless she got something in return, the act they put on for Kamo’s wedding as one big happy family deserved an Oscar win for best performance, because it was all done to make Caroline look good in the eyes of the Buthelezi clan. And Kgomotso played along for the day to be a success and help uphold Caroline’s fragile image as mother of the year.
     
Ausi Daphne was her saving grace because she was the reason Kgomotso knew genuine and unconditional love from a mother. All that talk Caroline spewed about wombs and bonds couldn’t be true because their bond ended the moment the umbilical cord was cut.    
     
There was a light tap on the door and Hazel barged in before Kgomotso could utter a word of resistance.
     
“You haven’t left this office since you got here, chommie, I know being the boss is nice but you have to eat.”
     
“I was busy.” Staring at the blank screen in front of her cause focusing on a spreadsheet was impossible in her current state of mind.
     
The look on Hazel’s face proved she didn’t believe a word that came out of Kgomotso’s mouth.
     
“I hope you still like the chicken Caesar salad from that place across the street.” She put it on the desk and sat down.
     
Her appetite was dormant and the sight of food did nothing to stir it up.
     
“Thank you.” Kgomotso opened the container and picked the contents around with the plastic fork.
     
“What’s the matter, chommie, did something happen while your mother was here?”
     
“Can we please not talk about my mother?” Her voice slightly trembled.
     
She should be used to this by now because she’d cried enough tears to turn her heart to stone but that didn’t happen instead her heart bleed every time Caroline launched an attack.
     
“Ja, sure.”
     
Her smile was frail and the lump in her throat felt like a hot coal burning a hole in her oesophagus.
     
“I got a call from the owner of Phuthuma Couriers, they recently expanded and are looking to hire us to handle their books. The meeting is tomorrow.”
     
“Okay.” she said, stuffing a piece of bread in her mouth.
     
“Are you sure you’ll be up for it?” asked Hazel.
     
Kgomotso frowned as the awful dressing soured her mouth. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
     
It was evident there was something on Hazel’s mind, she couldn’t sit still nor look her in the eye for longer than 2 seconds.
     
“You seem to have a lot going on and I want you to know that I don’t mind taking a more active role if you’re not up for it.”
     
“Excuse me?” Kgomotso pushed the salad aside, visibly shaking as her anger slowly unfurled again.
     
Hazel sighed, unfazed by the temper flare. “You couldn’t be bothered to show up on time today.”
     
“I sent you a message, Hazel, you could’ve waited for me so we could do the welcome speech together.”
     
“Okay.” She raised her hands in surrender. “I just don’t want us to fail, Kgomotso, because there are a lot of people who are just waiting for our downfall.”
     
Caroline was one of those people.
     
“I know but being on each other’s throats day in and out isn’t going to help us succeed, people already believe that women can never work together because of jealousy, let’s not play into that stereotype.”
     
Hazel nodded. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come at you like that.”
     
“I’m sorry, too, I’ll never let my personal life affect my work. I want M&D to become a success as much as you do.”
     
She got up from the chair and walked around the desk to give Kgomotso a hug. “I should’ve never doubted you, but you need to say something to that Yolisa girl about the dress code.”
     
“I think she had first day jitters.” Kgomotso laughed. “Let’s give her time to acclimate to this new environment.”  
     
“Fine, we’ll do that.” She checked the time on her phone. “I need to get back to my office but tomorrow we’re definitely going out for lunch, I need to know how meeting Anesu’s mother went.”
     
“She was nice.”
     
“You are sure acting way too cool about this, chommie, that man is ready to pop the question. Why else would he introduce you to his mother?”
     
“It’s too soon, Haze.”
     
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you when he goes down on one knee.”
     
Nah, that wasn’t going to happen at least not now, she still had things to figure out.
                                                             **********