PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS (COMPLETE)

75

Lunch didn't end in bloodshed and she only ate because Nomonde was the one who cooked, Anesu went ahead and asked for seconds and Sthembile couldn't resist making snide comments that he wasn't being fed at home. She was tempted to slap his big head for putting her on the spot like that but that would've given the old hag more to talk about.

Leaving Khanya behind was hard but she couldn't risk causing a scene and provoke the Buthelezi spirits, she knew better than to mess with the underground gang. She exchanged numbers with Nomonde to get updates on Khanya, it was better than nothing because Sunday couldn't come fast enough.

The lack of conversation in the car was because of Kgomotso's sullen mood and she was grateful Anesu didn't force it but let her be. She was caught in her feelings and forgot to leave Khanya's schedule, and was worried the routine she worked so hard on will be disrupted and she'd have to start all over again. But her brooding was interrupted by ausi Daphne's call and she had no choice but to answer because her phone was connected to the Bluetooth.

"Have you arrived? We've been waiting for your call," she got straight to the point as soon as Kgomotso answered.

"I was going to call once we got to Stanger."

She didn't want to have this conversation with Anesu listening because she didn't feel free to gossip about Sthembile and the ghosts lurking in her family home.

"Oh, so you've already dropped Khanya off?"

"Yes." Kgomotso sighed.

"Are you okay? I know you weren't exactly looking forward to this day."

She could feel Anesu's intense side eye and she knew it was time to wrap up the call.

"No, but I'll be fine."

"Do you want to talk to your father?" she asked because he had a lot to say in the background.

"Not now, I'll call back later."

Her father was never in support of Kgomotso taking on the extra responsibility of becoming Khanya's primary guardian and she wasn't in the mood for his 'I told you so' speech. His lack of faith already cut too deep.

"Is this a bad time to talk?"

"Yes, I'm annoyed because I forgot to give them Khanya's schedule so I'm not in the right frame of mind to speak to Papa."

"I hear you but you can't keep avoiding him forever, he meant well when he spoke against you taking Khanya, you know that right? He is worried about you, Manana."

"I know but it still doesn't make what he said right."

She sighed, heavily, knowing how stubborn Kgomotso could be. "Okay, call when you get to Stanger."

"I will." Kgomotso hung up and reverted back to silence an update from Nomonde wasn't coming anytime soon, if it were up to her they'd be coming every hour.

Thinking about work didn't help because she was more focussed on being a mother than a mogul, and running M&D after having her son already seemed like an impossible task. She always wanted more; the career, being a wife and mother but it looked like she had to choose one over the other and that left her at odds.

"I hope you're not falling asleep," he said, squeezing her knee.

"I can't help it." She yawned and turned her gaze on his handsome face, his lips were slightly pouted and his brown skin was smooth under the subtle glare of the sun, and softened his chiselled jaw. His dark aviator sunglasses enhanced the effortless charm she could never resist no matter how hard she tried.

"You can take a picture of the schedule and send it to Nomonde."

"I didn't think of that." She felt a sense of relief and hoped that Nomonde wouldn't take offence.

A smug smile played on his lips when he caught Kgomotso staring. "Or you can just take a picture of me since you can't stop staring."

"Mxm." She rolled her eyes. "I can't stop staring because you look like a squashed bug with those sunglasses."

His infectious laughter filled the car with mirth and had her smiling against her will.

"Well then I did pretty good for a bug cause I get to sleep next to you every night."

She didn't have to look in the mirror to know that her face was the colour of ripe tomatoes.
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