We finally get to the restaurant after a meaningless conversation of how was your day and all that. After that quick reality check, I just took a deep breath and told myself to take a chill pill. I haven’t done anything wrong. We are at Sindu Restaurant. I have been here a couple of times but I can’t get over the interior of it. It is so beautiful and their service is always exceptional. Top tier every time. I don’t even know the chef here but I know their food is always good. We are led to our table by the hostess and Melisizwe opens the chair for me. He waits for me to sit and then he takes his place opposite me. Okay. He is a gentleman. He looks at me with a smile on his face without saying anything. This old man is trying to make me blush. Thixo wami. Nqaba Nami. A waiter comes and greets us before handing us menus and waiting for our drink orders. Since I still have to drive back home, I order a fruit juice. Melisizwe orders a soda.
“So, you can state your case now so that we don’t even have to make it past these drinks if I don’t agree with what you’re saying.” I state and he chuckles.
“Straight to the chase, I like it. Okay ntokazi. Firstly, I want you to know that I respect you very much and I don’t take you for granted or think you’re anything else other than a phenomenal woman. With that being said, the first time I laid my eyes on you, I even forgot what had brought me to my son’s house in the first place or what he had asked me to do. I saw a really beautiful woman and I was taken from there and then. When I snapped out of the moment, it was too late because I had already concluded in my mind that this is the woman, I would love to spend the rest of my life with.
“I’m not saying I wished bad luck upon your former relationship with Mbulelo but I just wished I met you first. Having to actually interact with you and get your views on business and other aspects of life really messed with my mind. I couldn’t stop thinking about how you’re not only a beautiful successful person. But you are also intelligent and you push so hard to make sure that your dreams don’t stay just that, dreams. I am sure a lot of people have told you this, but I would like you to hear it from me. You are beautiful, talented and amazing. I am honoured to have met such a young passionate person.” I stare blankly at him. I am so shocked; I nearly jump up when the waiter brings us drinks.
“Are you guys ready to order?” she asks and I look at her.
“Pork belly ribs 1kg and your house salad.” I respond and I am surprised by my own calm voice. She notes that down and turn to Melisizwe.
“Creamed mushrooms first and the jalapeño steak.”
“Okay. Your mains will be ready in 20 minutes. I will be back with your starters shortly.” She takes the menus and walks away.
I take a deep breath and master the courage to look at Melisizwe. “What are you trying to say, Melisizwe? Balance me really quickly before I go crazy with my own conclusions.”
He chuckles. “I am not trying to bullshit you or anything, but I have fallen for you, Hlengiwe. Deep and hard. If my actions at Oceans Mall didn’t show it, I apologize. Sometimes I am a bit slow but I hope I can rectify my mistakes. I am not going to pressure you into anything. I want you to take your time and think about what I have just told you, but what you must know is that I am not going to give up. I know that you are my soulmate and I know my life is incomplete without you. I am going to stop there for now.”
That is a lot. That is a lot. I can’t say I didn’t see the signs, but I didn’t think he would straight up admit that. That’s very bold of him, I commend him on that. But what the hell? I swallow hard and slowly stand up. “I, umm, I need some air.” I don’t wait for him to answer, I head outside because I can feel the walls closing in on me.
The moment I reach the outside, I breathe in and out a couple of times until I feel myself calming down. Slowly but surely, my breathing evens out. Then I take a deep breath and look at the dark night sky. I clear my thoughts and just focus on the crescent shaped moon. The night sky is beautiful. The night sky is beautiful. The night sky is beautiful.
Mbulelo’s father loves me. He might have not said it, but he does. I could hear it in his tone. I don’t understand any of this. He is saying that he has loved me since the first time he saw me. That time when he touched my body, even thought it was for a few moments. He is saying he fell for my intelligence, for my passion and dedication. I don’t know what to day. I didn’t know how I was going to respond to that situation. That’s why I ran out. Should have took my bag and car keys with me so that it could be easy to flee the scene. What am I going to do?
I am not someone who is ignorant. I know I felt something when I saw him. The man is handsome and he takes care of his body. He doesn’t look his age and has great manners. He is attentive and caring. I recognized a few of those things when he let us stay in his house when we were in Durban. But that doesn’t mean I would consider getting into a relationship with him. That would be bizarre. This ain’t a reality show. I am no Brooke Logan. I can’t be jumping from son to father like that.
I am sure Mndeni would slap some sense into me if I did. Mbulelo would also kill me. And I know he would think the main reason why I broke up with him was because of his father. So, there is no way I can entertain this. No way. I have to extinguish the fire before it burns an entire forest. Yeah, I need to get back in there, end this dinner and drive back home. He knows Richards Bay. He will find his way to his car or his son’s house for that matter. Imagine. The man is going to sleep in his son’s house after taking his son’s ex for dinner. What a telenovela.
I exhale for the last time before heading back inside. Melisizwe smiles when he sees me and gets up from his chair. He opens the chair for me once again and I sit down. He goes back to his seat. Before I can say anything, the waiter comes with two plates of creamed mushrooms. She hands me one plate and hands the other to Melisizwe.
“Please do enjoy and if you need anything else, don’t hesitate to shout.” The waiter says with a smile before walking away.
Melisizwe looks at me as he unwraps his cutlery. “I was thinking you had already left, then I remembered I still had your car keys and there is no way you can walk from here to Esikhawini.”
“I can take the ocean route.” I mumble and he laughs. He actually breaks into laughter and I can’t help but stare at him. Very easy on the eyes.
He takes a first bite of his meal, swallows, sips on his drink before looking at me again. “I do apologize for dumping everything on you all at once. Truth is, you make me a bit nervous and I find myself saying more than what I planned. If we were drunk, I probably would have given you my card pins and safe codes.” Now it’s my turn to laugh. That’s a bit hilarious. Me, making a whole grown man nervous. That’s absurd. What could I possibly have that would make him feel like that?
“From the look you had on your face when you walked back in here, I knew you were going to end our date because you have weighed the pros and cons of giving me a chance. I don’t want it to seem like I am forcing you to do something that is highly immoral and goes against your beliefs. I truly respect you and would never put you in an uncomfortable position. But all I am asking for, ntokazi, is a change to prove to you that I am not lying or taking you for a ride. You can even put me on a month probation. I don’t mind. Even two weeks. I just need you to forget about other people and focus on us and focus on yourself. I want to know what you really want, not what you think is best for everybody else. I have said too much, but please ntokazi. I can even go down on my knees.” He attempts to stand up and my eyes pop out before I stop him with my hands.
“Don’t do that. People will think you are proposing and they will take out their phones and make us trend and we don’t need that right now.” He smiles shyly and sits back down, scratching his beard. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and then open them. This man is putting me in a very tight spot and I don’t like it. “I don’t do decisions based on emotions. I need to really think about this long and hard. I can’t take a hasty decision that I might regret the moment I get to my house. So, Mnguni, allow me to sleep on this and don’t pressurize me into giving you an answer. I will really think about it and then get back to you.”
He smiles widely. “I am glad you are not turning me down immediately. That’s all I want, ntokazi. For you to really consider my proposal before turning me away. Thank you, muntu omuhle.” Hlengiwe, what have you gotten yourself into?
YOU ARE READING
Unhinged Love
Romansa"I have never felt love like this before. So wrong yet feels so damn good. I must be going insane. That's the only explanation." Hlengiwe is a cool calm and collected lady but her world is about to be turned upside down when a man crushes into her l...
