Unhinged Love

CHAPTER 20

We arrive at my place just after 1 pm the following day. His father couldn’t let us go without having breakfast. He took us out to this fancy restaurant at Oceans Mall. He is a very kind hearted man and very handsome. His girlfriend or fiancé is very lucky. I walk inside my house and he follows me with my shopping bags. Yes, he bought me clothes again before we left. I take the shopping bags from him and place them in my bedroom. I come back to him sitting on the couch and holding the remote.

“Please leave.” I ask politely and he looks up at me, then frowns.
“I thought we could spend the day together.” He mutters, getting up and walking towards me. I take a step back.
“What really happened yesterday? And please don’t bullshit me. I am way to old for that.”
He frowns. “Baby, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I did tell you that there was a work emergency. Some equipment was stolen and we had to track it and make sure it’s found because it stopped the projects.”

I laugh angrily. Stolen equipment? “IF you are going to lie, can you at least remember the lie you told before? This is just juvenile behavior. Please leave my house.”
“Hlengiwe, listen…” I interrupt him.
“I don’t wanna hear it, Mbulelo. Yesterday was very important to me. But instead you chose to spend your morning with Nomfundo. She is more important than me. So, you listen. When you came into my life, I was not lost. Life happens without you. And FYI, I hate liars. I gave you a chance and you continued to lie in my face, even invented a new lie because I’m an idiot, right? So please leave this idiot alone in peace.” He sighs and look at me.

“Can I at least explain?”
“I know you don’t respect me, but can you please try this once? I wanna rest and forget about this. I also wanna lock up, so please leave.”
He swallows hard and looks at me. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I will say it and then leave. Nomfundo is pregnant with my child. She fell pregnant before we started dating. She told me about it and yesterday she had cramps. I had to take her to the hospital. I am sorry I wasn’t there for you. I love you, Sthandwa Sam.” He walks out and a few moments later I hear his car driving away.

I didn’t hear correctly. His ex is carrying his baby. The same ex who assaulted me. That is going to be his baby mama? Like for real? And he didn’t tell me from the get go. How long has he known? He enjoyed toying with my feelings and lying to me. Why do men always think they have the right to turn us into fools? I am rational person and I always give people a chance to explain but this isn’t about him cheating on me. It’s about the fact that he chose yesterday of all days to do me dirty. Yesterday was very important to me and my restaurant, my brand. I had an interview with one of the biggest radio stations in South Africa and he chose to go to Nomfundo and his baby. I guess I am that unimportant to him. He has an heir now and that’s the only priority. I am not going to compete with his child. I just don’t want anything to with him. At least not now. I don’t want to hear his voice. I don’t even want to cry. I am just so mad I wanna punch something. I sit down and text Nqobile, informing her that she should do the end of day and close up the shop since I won’t be coming in. Look at me neglecting my baby because of a man. I fought so hard to see Healthy Eats prosper and now I can’t even go there because I might end up lashing out on my staff for nothing. Fuck men.

×××

I am woken up by a loud knock and someone shouting my name. It takes me a moment to realize that I am sleeping on the couch. I must have dozed off when I returned from locking the gate. I sit up and I can hear clearly that Nqobile is calling my name. It’s dark outside. I wonder what time it is. I go to open the door and see her standing on the other side of the burglar gate. I open for her and go back to the couch. I sit down. She enters and switches on the lights and also the TV.

“How are you? Why did you lock up?” she asks taking a seat on one of the couches and placing a paper bag on the coffee table.
“I am good. I didn’t think you were going to come. I would have made sure to leave it unlocked.” Ever since my incident, she goes in and out as she pleases, but she makes sure that I am taken care of at all times. I love that. I think if I was close to my baby sisters, they would behave like this.

“You don’t look okay. What happened in Durban?”
I take a deep breath. “Mbulelo is two timing me with his ex. Well, I guess she is still his girlfriend and baby mama. He was with her yesterday when it was time for to go to Durban. He didn’t even tell me that he won’t be able to drive me. Instead the coward sent his father. I had to sit in the car for two hours with a man I don’t know all because my supposed boyfriend went to spend time with his girlfriend. He actual said there was a work emergency when he drove his beloved baby mama to the hospital. He is a fuckin boy, not a man. I hate him.”

She sighs and head to the kitchen. Moments later, she comes back with a wine bottle and two glasses. She pours one for me and another for herself. “Boys are trash.” I take the wine glass and gulp down all its contents. She does the same. “I won’t say that I thought he was different because this gender is not to be trusted, but I thought he had good intentions. When I am done here, I will go to him and swear at him until his ears are sore. I wonder how long he has known about the child.”
I chuckle and pour another glass for myself. I am also curious to know how long he has known about the pregnancy. If pursued me while he knew he was a father to be. Why are men born this way though? “if I didn’t have an interview, I wouldn’t be mad, but he chose Nomfundo over something that is really important to me. Now I know where his priorities lie.”

“By the way, you nailed that interview. Because of it, we got a celebrity booking. The cast of Uzalo will be coming to shoot a scene here in Richards Bay and they want to book the whole restaurant for at least three hours. So money is coming in. Fuck that Mzimela boy. You don’t need him.”
I smile. “Yeah I don’t.”

2 hours later, Nqobile and I are still at it. She warmed the food she came with and we opened a second bottle of wine. We are just chilling and chatting about anything and everything.

“Do you ever think about forgiving your father?” she asks. She knows my family’s topic is always a no go area. But I guess she has found courage to ask because of the wine.
“I don’t think I ever will. He is like all other men. He had other priorities that weren’t his family and for that, I will never forgive or trust him ever again. He is good as dead and every night when I pray to God, I always ask that I never bump into him. Not because I am avoiding him, because of the amount of hate I Harbour inside me. It’s strong enough to make me kill him. So, yeah. If I won’t see heaven because of this grudge, then I don’t mind.”

She gives me a pity look. “But at some point, you will have to forgive him. Not for his peace, but yours. You need to free yourself.”
I laugh. “My darling Nqobile, not all things are meant to be fixed. My relationship with my family, especially my father, is like water poured on the ground. It can not be collected. So yeah, it is what it is.” I shrug and drink more wine. This is not something I want to think about it. Not when I have problems of my own.