PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

73

                               

     

“It’s not my birthday,” said Tinashe, confusion already taking form on his face as he stared at the vanilla frosted cake with colourful sprinkles, Anesu was holding.
     
“I know.” He patted Tinashe’s shoulder, pride evident in his eyes. “I bought the cake to celebrate your 5 months of sobriety.”
     
Anesu wanted to do something special for his brother to commemorate the milestone because Tinashe has never made it that far before and even though it was a small gesture he seemed pleased with Anesu’s effort.
    
“Oh, I didn’t think you’d remember.”
     
Though he was touched, he also felt guilty because he came close to falling back to his old habits. Every day was a constant struggle to keep his head afloat because the urge to drink was strong and very enticing.   
     
“I wouldn’t forget such a big moment. This means a lot to me as much as it does to you.” Anesu put the cake on the small kitchen table and dropped his keys next to it.
     
Tinashe put the cake in the fridge. “I’ll save it for Mason and Makayla, I don’t enjoy sweet stuff like I used to.” 
     
“That’s fine.”   
     
Tinashe’s bachelor pad was a modest 3 bedroom townhouse in North Riding, upgraded with black furniture and modern fixtures courtesy of an interior designer Jabu recommended.   It lacked space and the garden was the size of the living room, and the neighbours were too close for Anesu’s liking, but pictures of his niece and nephew added a splash of character and created a homely atmosphere.
     
He grabbed a chair and sat down, looking at the Father’s Day cards stuck on the fridge with magnets and he couldn’t wait to have these experiences with his son. “I’m proud of you for making it this far, there were a lot of times when I thought this day would never come.”
     
The bad memories all came back in a rush, a wave of broken promises, endless fighting, leaving rehab countless times, disappearing for days, being an absent father, losing Bianca and being so drunk he wouldn’t remember his last name while lying in his own vomit; flooded his mind.
     
Thinking of that dark period was hard for Tinashe because he felt like it hindered his progress but his sponsor was always quick to remind him that running away from his past wasn’t going to change it, it was better to embrace it so he could become the best version of himself.      
     
Tinashe shrugged a shy smile tugging at his full lips, it suddenly felt like he was on a blind date and had to bare his soul and impress his date.
     
“I can never thank you enough for never giving up on me. Watching what Kgomotso went through these last couple of days after losing her sister made me realise how lucky I am, after all the shit I did it’s a wonder I’m still alive.”
     
It was a bit of luck and their ancestors working overtime to keep his brother alive because there were times when Anesu expected a call asking him to come and identify Tinashe’s body.  
     
“It would’ve killed Ma if you ended up in a mortuary.”
     
“I know.” Tinashe sighed. “I’ll be honest, some days are tough but I’m determined to stay clean because I can’t let my kids down again.”
     
“I hear you because I’m already thinking about the kind of father I want to be because I want my child to be proud of me as a parent.  You are doing a good job so far, and it’s not going unnoticed.”
     
“Ngiyabonga, mfethu, hearing that means a lot to me.”
     
He wished making amends with Bianca was somewhat this easy, but she didn’t want to budge and start seeing him as anything but the drunk who sometimes got violent and slapped her around, something she perpetually reminded him of to disregard the work he was putting in to become better.
     
“Do you have anything to eat, I skipped breakfast?” Anesu asked, patting his stomach.
     
Tinashe shook his head. “I only cook when I have the kids over because Bianca doesn’t like it when they have fast food.”
     
“Since when do you cook?” Anesu laughed, folding his arms and eyes glued on Tinashe to detect any lie he was about to tell.
     
“If you must know, I’ve been taking cooking classes.”
     
He raised his brows, surprised by the revelation because it wasn’t a lie. “Oh, so, you’re Gordon Ramsay now? You must be good then because you haven’t killed them yet.”
     
“Mxm. Fuseg, wena Anesu.” He smacked his arm. “There’s eggs in the fridge, you can do with that information what you like.”
     
He got his phone out and opened the Uber Eats app. “What do you want?” he asked Tinashe.
     
“Or we could go to a shisanyama and catch up. When are you proposing to Kgomotso? Ma thinks you’re dragging your feet.”
     
Anesu looked up from his phone and frowned. He talked to his mother every day, why would she not mention that to him? “You talk about me behind my back with Ma?”
     
“Hai, suka, don’t act like you never talk about me with her.”
     
Anesu smirked, scrolling through his messages. “At least I don’t come back to tell you what we talk about.”
     
“Mxm.” Tinashe rolled his eyes. “Who’s blowing up your phone with so many messages? Is Kgomotso getting a sister wife?”
     
“Cha, bafo, I have no desire for Uthando Nes’thembu. I plan to live my life married to one woman until the day I die. It’s Jabu and Ma and they haven’t stopped since this morning.”
     
“Haibo, they’re still not on speaking terms?”
     
Anesu sighed, frustration palpable on his creased forehead. “Yes, and it doesn’t look like it’ll change anytime soon, so I’m caught in the middle of a centrepiece war between the two.”
     
He has never met Romeo and didn’t wish to because an unfaithful man wasn’t worth his time. In Anesu’s eyes he was public enemy #1 because his relationship with Jabu was causing a rift in the family.
     
“What’s wrong with the centrepieces?”
     
“Nothing. Jabu wants white hydrangeas and Ma thinks purple will be best suited for the gala.”
     
“It’s not that deep because they can use them both, I don’t see a problem with that unless you like playing messenger.”
     
“You think I haven’t tried that already? They accused me of taking sides, it’s like they both don’t realise how juvenile this is.”
     
Another message from Jabu came through.
     
Anesu, don’t blue tick me I’m still waiting for an answer.
     
Tinashe threw his hands up in surrender. “I think you should exit the conversation and let them figure it out, they’ll have to talk to each other at some point because the gala is around the corner.”
     
Anesu nodded and put his phone back in the pocket.
     
“I think it’s time we meet this Romeo guy and find out what his intentions are with Jabu or maybe break his knee caps for leading her on.”
     
He would rather jump into the Big Hole than talk about Casanova’s cousin.
     
“Let’s go, ngilambile.”
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