Triangle

Chapter 1: Fun Games

Fun game

“So how was your flight?” Nobuhle asks as she sits in front of the dressing mirror table as she is getting ready for bed, late in the evening. “My flight was okay thank you but it was tiring” Sbu
answers as he emerges from the ensuite bathroom in this very huge and spacious bedroom that has the most beautiful curtains you have ever seen. This bedroom is furnished with a huge TV plus an ensuite wardrobe, presumably for Nobuhle who is Sbu's wife of 5 years. Before then they had been dating for 4 years. She is a brilliant doctor who works at a private Hospital while she also has her own practice. She is a woman of great taste in almost anything and some describe her as rude and antisocial.
Sbu, a software engineer has his own company that has, in recent times scored huge contract both in government and private sector. Even though he is well off his friends describe him as simple and perhaps a little naïve about certain things in life. If you ask him, he thinks he is the coolest cat in the land. They have a daughter, Naledi who is 7 whom they had, 3 years into their relationship.
“You know I was hoping and praying that I’d catch you before you slept. I am so hungry, I never had anything to eat before I left Cape Town. So what did you cook?” Sbu says as he comes to the
dressing table to plant a kiss into his wife’s cheek. “Nope I didn’t cook love, you should have grabbed something on your way back” Nobuhle says as she continues to powder herself in the mirror. This puzzles her husband a little bit, “But babe, you knew I was coming back tonight, you could have made a little effort. I mean what did you and Naledi eat then?” he asks curiously. “Babe I was tired okay?” Nobuhle says not really looking at Sbu. “My shifts were really tight these past couple of days you weren’t here. I haven’t had time to cook or even rest at all. I got Naledi take away, so she was good” she takes a pick at him through the mirror.
“Couldn’t you get Grace to make you something before you left?” she asks pulling away from eye contact but Sbu doesn’t seem to like this as he asks politely, “Now, what is that supposed to mean exactly?” but Buhle turns around and looks at him this time, “Doesn’t Grace do anything for you or…to you?” she asks with a smirk on her face.
“You know what love, that’s not really funny okay? You know Grace is my PA and there’s nothing else there. So these little comments about her are starting to get old” now Sbu looks a little upset but it looks like his wife is just getting started, “No I don’t think it’s getting old” Buhle says. “How many times did I ask you to fire her? But no, no, no you enjoy having her around you all the time, to have her do anything you want, right?” Now Buhle is raising her voice as well but Sbu cuts her off,
“Look, I’m really getting tired of this okay?” he says. “Are you always going to blame Grace for everything? I have a wife but it always feels like I don’t have one because she’s always busy doing God knows what somewhere. You are hardly ever here Buhle, can’t you realise that?” as he looks
right into her eyes.

As Buhle is attempting to jump in, Sbu motions with his hand as he leaves the bedroom to go downstairs in the lounge. This leaves Buhle with a bad taste as she takes a huge sigh of frustration, looking into the ceiling. She looks into the mirror once again. She decides to go and check up on her daughter Naledi in the other bedroom. She gets there and finds her sound asleep with lights on. She stands there for a moment just watching her little princess sleeping. She comes over and kisses her in the forehead, then goes, switching the lights off on her way out.
She goes back to the bedroom and finds it empty. She was really hoping Sbu would be back by now. She takes a moment to think, should I go downstairs and check up on him? Nah, probably it’s better I let things cool off a bit. I don’t want to escalate the situation. She takes another huge sigh as she looks at herself in the mirror once again. She decides to tuck herself in bed and switch off the lights.
***


“So what’s up with you girlfriend? We are chilling here in this cool spot sipping cocktails, chatting about the good life and wena, you are all sour taste and grumpy. What’s up darling?” Lerato Phuthi asks a down looking Buhle as they sit in this super classy hangout spot by the beach on a beautiful Sunday noon. They are having drinks with other two friends, Katlego Tlabi and Lindiwe Khuzwayo.
“Eish, I’m sorry my friend I don’t mean to be a mood killer hey. It’s just that that I have a lot on my mind that’s all” Buhle says as she sips on her cocktail. “Are you and Sbu fighting again?” Katlego asks curiously but before Buhle can even answer Lerato jumps right back in there, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about she and her husband fighting now? She just said she has a lot on her mind, geez” she says to which Katlego throws her hands in the air as if to say my bad. “Well, so what’s
wrong with you then?” Lindiwe asks softly to which Buhle sighs and then takes a huge sip of her drink, which makes her friends look at each other, wondering. Now they are interested in hearing what’s going on with their friend as they all sip their drinks.
“No it’s nothing serious guys” Buhle says. “Sbu came back on Friday night and we had a little bit of an argument about something silly” as she says that, Katlego looks at Lerato with a raised eyebrow as if to say what did I tell you? Buhle can see that but she ignores it as she takes another sip.
“Okay get this guys, right?” she continues. “We were arguing about a silly thing like I didn’t cook for him even when I knew he was coming back. But I explained to him that I’ve been working my ass off the past couple of days he was away, I just didn’t have time. It’s not easy to cover the hospital and
the private practice at the same time. I’m just as busy as he is busy, so why am I the only one at fault here?” now she is starting to get upset but her friends just keep quiet and let her speak. “And then of course there’s no argument that ends without the mentioning of Grace” she says as she looks away in annoyance but Lerato jumps right in, “Oh my gosh, I just don’t understand what’s going
through your husband’s mind when he hires a hot girl like that as his PA” she says
This makes all the ladies turn and look at her but she’s not done, “No I’m serious guys. That girl is
really hot and the fact is that a married man shouldn’t be spending too much time on trips with girls like that” now this creates awkwardness and a sour vibe as Katlego and Lindiwe both look at Buhle who is also beginning to feel a little uncomfortable discussing her husband with friends.