When You're Bound To Love

Chapter 6

Harold left us alone in the office. Me: "No." I paced up and down like the psycho I was starting to become. Lakhe: "babe, I don't understand what made you leave me like that. I thought we had a great time." I stared at him. Is he crazy? Has someone ever sounded so convincing, you began wondering if it's you who's the problem, maybe you didn't understand what was said, or you probably did little to heal the broken. Man, have you ever felt that way? Me: "Firstly, I'm not your babe. Secondly, you were the one who showed me leopard spots right after we had sex!!! You knew I worked here! You just wanted to make it difficult for me! As if you and that broken sandal of a friend of yours haven't done enough damage to my emotions, you want to ruin my work life too?! What kind of man are you?" all this time I was ranting and raving, he just sat on the desk and listened intently without a sound. Me: "I QUIT. I'm not going to work for you! You can give your promotion to Harold! I, Siphosenkosi Ngudla wase Humewood (because I mean really....it needed to be said.) am out." I turned on my heel. Before I reached the door, he grabbed me and pulled me close to him and kissed my lips. How I missed these lips. I had to push him away because I was getting dizzy and hypnotized. Lakhe: "I never meant to scare you away. I don't want you to leave me, Spho..." Me: "After the way you treated me that night?" Here come the tears. Lakhe: "What you said brought back hurtful memories." Me: "How was I supposed to know? How am I supposed to know anything if you don't say anything?" now I was getting confused. Hurtful memories? Lakhe: "I'm an adopted child... my mother left me at 7 with no form of education, no relatives and no chance of survival. I was left alone with her dead body in our shack for 3 days before I got any help. I was taken by social workers that were called to my case and I was put in foster care. Everyone knew my story. Then, it was a taboo topic. They knew my mother had AIDS and I was teased about it relentlessly for months on end. I had no friends, nobody wanted to come near me. They treated me as if close contact with me was contagious. I was being emotionally abused for my mother's disease. I don't even think it was her fault, its never your intention to contract the disease. Regardless of how careful one is. Things happen-" Me: "Lakhe.." Lakhe: "No, you want the truth, you need to be able to bear with it all." Me: "I can't." Lakhe: "Then how do you expect me to? I lost my way of speaking with you but I never meant to hurt you at all. I'm sorry Spho." I looked away. Lakhe: "Please? I miss you." I was being the emotional weakling again. With tears in my eyes and ready for action. He pulled my face by my chin with his hand. Lakhe: "Please forgive me." Me: "You never called me once. Or even sent an email to explain." Lakhe: "I had to go somewhere, work got hectic. I also didn't want to invade your space but I made sure to send dinner every night to your room. I couldn't risk sending lunch here, it would reveal my secret." Me: "how did you know my room?" Lakhe: "I own the hotel love." Me: "Stalker." he smiled finally. Me: "I found a flat in Humewood." Lakhe: "I heard, Siphosenkosi Ngudla wase Humewood. Do I get an invite for dinner?" Me: "No." Lakhe: "aww...well I'll have you know, my winery has arrived, so has my furniture. You're also not invited." I smiled. Me: "I'm inviting myself. That's our house now." Lakhe: "Seriously send me your address so I know where to find you when you run away from me." Me: "No." Lakhe: "Fine. I'll find it myself and God forbid when I do." Me: "Good luck with that." he kissed my lips. Lakhe: "Congratulations on your promotion to MD. Even though you already want to give it away." he kissed me again. Me: "That counts as sexual harassment." Lakhe: "Might as well have you on my new desk right now, so that HR has a real case." My insides screamed for him. Me: "I can't...I'm on my period." I think. My tampon had next to nothing this morning. Lakhe: "Oh that's why I was about to get punched.." Me: "Make jokes. I have work to do." Lakhe: "Let me make you dinner tonight...your place." Me: "Okay. Wear something sexy." he smiled and kissed my forehead. Lakhe: "I will. Let me watch your ass while you walk out." I laughed and catwalked out his office. When I reached mine, I shook my head. Where do my morals escape to when he's around? I feel like a teenager going through stages. I even smelt like him. Heee, ubhuti wamadada. (Mr Ducks.)