TO LOVE A BROKEN MAN

28

              
I’m outside.
     
He pressed send and got out of the car, already lighting a cigarette. It was the day of their first date and he had no idea what Masika had planned for them because she said no to a candlelight dinner. He suggested it because making a reservation didn’t require a lot of effort, not that he didn’t want to plan something elaborate but he wouldn’t know where to start. He no longer had access to an endless reserve of money to hire people who were qualified to help at the snap of his fingers. But he wasn’t overly worried about his dire financial state because it seemed like Masika wasn’t chasing after a life of luxury.
     
It didn’t take long for her to come strutting towards him, carrying a peace sign tote bag and a dazzling smile on her make-up free face. She was beautiful not only on the outside but it emanated from within and illuminated her aura. He stopped gawking and closed the distance between them in hurried strides, and wrapped his arms around her waist. Touching her thrilled him even though he wasn’t sure about her walking around in a sports bra and leggings.
     
“Hi,” she said, looking up at him.
     
“Hi, yourself.”
     
He kissed her, gradually at first but his hunger couldn’t be ignored. She was the oasis in the middle of the desert and he wanted to savour every moment because being away from her wasn’t easy. The sweet taste of her delicate lips, the tremble moving through her body as he squeezed her butt and the moan rushing out her parted lips goaded his self-control.
     
“Yeses! Get a room, you horny dogs! There are children in the vicinity.”
     
She pulled back and buried her face in the crook of his neck to muffle her chuckle. Lefa’s words of caution trickled back in her mind but they didn’t trump this feeling of being in his arms. So, far their date was off to a good start and that put her at ease because her nerves were hyper.      
     
“You’re going to get us into trouble.”
     
“Maybe we should listen to him,” he said.
     
“No, we’ll be late.”
     
Lwazi carried the bag as they walked to his car, holding hands. He was tempted to open it and see what was inside because curiosity got the best of him. She told him to dress comfortably and her choice of clothing was a good clue they might be going quad biking or something along those lines.
     
“So, do I get to know where we’re going?”
     
“You’ll see when we get there.”
     
He wasn’t against being surprised but this one made him extra nervous because he might not be able to talk himself out of it, if it turned out to be something outlandish. He put the bag in the boot while she got in the car, waiting for him to finish his call with Anesu. Eavesdropping was no use because she couldn’t grasp most of the words but it was something to do with Khanya and he also mentioned something about a wedding.
     
He got in after a while and fired up the engine. “You should be the one driving because I don’t even know where we’re going.”
     
“Nice try but Google Maps will show you the way.”
     
“Well, whatever you have planned I hope it’s nothing crazy like skydiving or bungee jumping.”
     
“Why, do you have a fear of heights?”
     
“Something like that and plus I’d like to live long enough to see my daughter graduate, get married and generally live a happy life.”
     
“Don’t worry your feet will remain on the ground for most of the time.”
     
The suspense will kill him before she does. “That doesn’t sound as reassuring as you think.”
     
“Trust me, you’ll be fine.” She winked at him.
     
“Okay, I trust that you won’t get me killed.”
     
Now he was just being a drama queen, acting like she was sending him off to fight a war in a faraway country.
     
It hasn’t been 10 minutes since she left the house and Lefa was already texting to check if she was still alive, it will take a while for him to warm up to Lwazi. She sent a reply and put her phone on silent, knowing that Lefa wouldn’t hesitate to bother her for hourly updates.
     
“I hope you don’t mind me asking how your daughter is doing.” She couldn’t miss an opportunity to hear the kidnapping story from the horse’s mouth.
    
He couldn’t come up with a satisfying answer to her question because he sometimes felt like he failed to do right by Khanya when the world has already taken so much from her.
     
“She’s fine and I haven’t locked her in the car if that’s what you’re asking.”
     
Masika thought he was offended until she caught sight of his faint smile and she hoped they'd one day laugh about it when sharing the story of how they first met.     
     
“That’s good to hear but I’ll never hold that against you.”
     
“Ja, it wasn’t my finest moment.” He came to a gradual halt at the red light.
     
“We all have those moments we wish to forget, which is why I can’t imagine how you felt when she was taken.”
     
He frowned, looking at her before the robot turned green. “That was a misunderstanding and it will do you good not to believe everything you hear.”
     
“So, your cousin had nothing to do with it?”
     
“I see you got the whole scoop.” His attention went back on the road as he slowly followed the moving cars.
     
He was a closed book much to her dismay because she could tell there was more to the story and getting him to talk was going to be a mission.
     
“Well, the information was freely volunteered. It’s not like ke Mamgobhozi.”
     
“Asazi phela.” He shrugged, humour dancing in his eyes. “You’d sure give Devi a run for her money.”
     
“Mxm. Says the Trevor Noah wannabe.” She shoved him playfully, holding back a smile. His joy was infectious and Masika was caught up under his spell.
     
A cocky grin split across his face as he cast her a suggestive glance that turned her cheeks pink and rekindled the wet throb between her thighs caused by his breath-taking kiss earlier. Just the thought of it made her head spin into the clouds.
     
“Why would I worry about making you laugh when I can make you scream out my name all night long.”
     
For him to say that with such unwavering confidence should be considered a sin.
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