TO LOVE A BROKEN MAN

8

It was coming up to 2 years since Masika left her corporate job to become a vagabond and retrace Lerato Mogoatlhe's steps throughout Africa, but that never happened because after years in remission Ruth's cancer made a comeback in her pancreas and her rapid health decline required Masika to stay put. Losing Ruth had her stuck in a rut and with each passing day she languished on the couch until Lefa showed up one day and took her back to his apartment. She was only supposed to stay with him for a few months, but months stretched into a year and she still wasn't close to finding her own place.

She wasn't ready to dust off her CV and re-join the grueling corporate world because she kept adding a new place to visit on her vision board. Ruth and Dawid left her with enough money to see the world plus the two properties they owned but she couldn't bring herself to make the necessary arrangements. While Lefa went to work Masika spent her mornings with Tebello and her yoga instructor, he was the hippie type with long blonde hair and admittedly showered once a week.

Yoga mornings became a thing soon after Tebello and her husband moved to Waterfall Equestrian Estate. It was an attempt to rekindle their friendship because after they got married Gosiame didn't approve of her single friends, his Napoleon complex made him controlling. Even with the effort she was putting in to make things right, Masika still felt some type of way because she considered Tebello as her big sister.

"Am I early?" asked Masika when she found no sign of the yoga instructor.

The imported chandelier in the foyer was a statement piece because it was the first thing that drew the eye when she stepped in. A big picture of the happy couple on the wall was put there to show off because Gosiame was proud to have bagged himself a trophy wife at his seasoned age.

He was from Phokeng in Rustenburg, the capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation. He wasn't a member of the royal family but that would be hard to tell because he carried himself like royalty and expected nothing less. So, yes, sometimes he was a pain in the ass.

"No, I cancelled today's session because I need to vent and doing the downward dog isn't going to help."

She would've made other plans if Tebello had informed her before she got a chance to leave the apartment.

"And none of the Stepford Wives were available?"

"I'm trying, Masika, the least you can do is meet me halfway." Her defensive streak jumped out.

"You've never even asked how I'm holding up after the break up."

The only thing she was mad about was the years she wasted on him, trusting a man should come with a warning because it was hard to believe she got played like this.

"I didn't ask because you're better off without Tshepo."

"You mean Theo."

"It's the same thing," said Tebello with a dismissive wave. "Just give it time you'll find the right one."

"Not happening."

Staying single was far more appealing than putting her heart on the line again.

Tebello led the way to the kitchen and Masika already knew they were about to get deep because there was a bottle of red wine on the island and two glasses.

"Is Masego asleep?"

Tebello popped the cork and filled her glass to the brim. "No, I asked her nanny to take her to the park. I really need some adult time."

She always had adult time because the nanny was the one doing all the work. They sat by the kitchen nook with wine and chocolate. The evergreen grass was freshly cut and the garden flowers were fully blossomed, thanks to the spring rainfall.