Ghungroo - The Siren Call of Lovers (#1 - Completed)

Chapter 21 - Tina To The Rescue

One of the best pleasures in life is eating while reading in bed (Who agrees?) ... I usually have a slab of chocolate nearby:)

Above is a rare pic of Marylin Monroe, eating and reading in bed. Obviously staged for the camera, but intriguing none the less .....

Chapter 21

The week goes by quickly. I eat, sleep, study, write.  Repeat. In between I do a few more classes at Kumari Devi's studio. Just to keep my muscles supple.

On Friday afternoon my phone rings. I'm on my bed going through some psyche notes and eating a peanut butter and jam sandwich. I'm in no mood to cook today. This will have to do.

I look at my phone and see Rahul's name light-up on the screen.

I answer.

"Where have you been? I haven't heard from you in over a week," I say.

"Well, hello to you too, La," Rahul says sarcastically. "Just got back from Mossel Bay. I had to do some safety checks on the rig there."

Rahul is an oil and gas engineer and periodically has to make trips to his company's off-shore rig in Mossel Bay which is about five hours out of Cape Town.

"Ah, and here I was thinking you've grown up and realized I don't need baby-sitting."

I think of the incident outside Don Jose's with the drunk guy and shiver at the thought. What will happen if Rahul found out about it?

Would Riaan say anything? I don't think so. I'll be banned from there in no time if Rahul got wind of it.

"Well, that's never going to happen. Listen, I'm extremely tired. Need to get home and crash. I just wanted to call and say I'll be there at 3pm tomorrow to fetch you."

Fetch me? Why?

"Why? Where are we going?"

"Don't tell me you forgot, Layla. You got the email. I saw you on it."

Oh, shit! I forget. Riaan's engagement party. Did I block it out of my mind deliberately?

"Oh, no Rahul. I forgot...Maybe, you must just go on without me."

"No ways La, you're coming. I already confirmed. And I didn't get a date because of you. I'm not pitching there alone. They must have catered for you already. Too late to cancel."

"Okay...okay. Sure. I'll be there. Just need to find something to wear."

Rahul cuts the call and I sigh deeply.

What the hell am I going to do?

It's Friday afternoon. By the time I pull on my jeans and catch a shuttle down to Main Road, most shops will be closing. I had it in mind to go riffle through the second hand thrift shops in the hope of finding something at least half decent. Damn Riaan and his fancy family. These kinds of events are out of my league.

I go to my cupboard and sigh. I own just three dresses and they are all casual summer ones.  They will never do. Maybe I can use one of my Indian outfits?