Broken

*11*

"Ms Leballo!" Thabile said with mock respect as soon as she saw Mo. "I'm glad you could grace us with your presence. Don't you look just ravishing?"

Mo smiled. "And you don't look too bad yourself. Anyway, where's your date?"

"He's around here somewhere. You? Where's your date?"

"I'm here alone tonight. I don't even want to see that bum Rea but I called him. Tebatso said they are looking for new businesses to invest in and he might just win this so I called him. He'll be here but not as my date."

Thabi clicked her tongue. "Sometimes I think you are too good for your own good. How can you still be looking out for that idiot after what he did to you?"

"I know he did me wrong but I have my own reasons why I am still looking out for him."

"There is no reason whatsoever for you to be looking out for a man that laid his hand on you. Even if he's about to die, you should just let him die."

"You wouldn't understand-"

"Just let this go! Leave Rea alone and let him starve to death for all I care. That man will never grow up and you should stop being so hung up on him. He doesn't love you if he's gonna throw his weight around on you. Let him go."

"I can't-"

"You can. So many men want you but you're too busy being blinded by your love for Rea that you can't see that! There are so many eligible bachelors here. Forget about Rea."

Mo was becoming annoyed. "I can't! Like I said, I have my own reasons for whatever I am doing right-"

"Then tell me that reason-"

"I can't! Not yet anyway."

"You know what, I'm just gonna pretend that we didn't have this conversation. Come on. Let's do this thing and get it over with. I want to go and get cuddled tonight."

"Mxm. I'm going home to a cold bed."
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After her Speech as a guest speaker, Mo went over to the bar and asked for some sparkling water. When she looked over at the entrance, Rea came in with some woman on his arm, laughing.

The jealousy came bubbling in the pit of Mo's stomach. She regretted telling Rea to bring himself a date and she turned to look away but a pair of hands turned her back around.

"Just digest all of it. That's his life now." Thabile cringed. "Anyway, there are a couple of suitors waiting to talk to you about your 'company'." Thabi pointed at a group of men and women and Mo saw a very handsome guy toasting her. "That's one of the potential investors sponsoring the new business startup. He's Mexican-American or whatever he said he was. His name is Chad Perez and he couldn't stop ogling at you during your speech."

Mo's eyes drifted to Rea and his date who was all over him. She got sick and a bit hurt by the sight. Standing up from the stool, she excused herself. "I don't feel so good. I am going home. I need to rest."

"You are not going home to an empty bed. Oh no!"

"I just want to get out of here. I don't feel so well for real." Mo turned to the barman. "Was that pure sparkling water you gave me?" she asked.

"It was sparkling water and a shot of Vodka," the barman said. "Event manager's orders so that people will loosen up and mingle."

Mo nodded and walked out, followed by Thabile who was staring at her with a frown the whole time. "Since when have you had a thing against Vodka? I saw your expression and you were not happy with the barman even though you tried to mask it. What am I missing?"

"I just want to go home!" Mo cried. "Will you take me home? Please?"

A concerned Thabile just stared at her. "Is it Rea?"

"Yes and no! I just want to lie in my bed and sleep. I don't want to see or talk to anyone. I just want to be alone. If you could just drop me off at my house."

"I know you need me but I can't. I have to go and pick Aphiwe up from her aunty's in a few minutes."

"Is Moonlight open at this time?"

"Just give me a minute." Thabile ran back inside and came back later with a confused Tebatso in tow.

Tebatso smiled as soon as he saw Mo but his smile disappeared to be replaced by concern as soon as he saw her silently sobbing. Without a word, he rummaged in his pockets for his car keys and Thabile escorted Mo to his car. He was driving off in a minute with Mo lying in the backseat.

After he had made sure that she was settled comfortably in her bed and that she wasn't crying anymore, Tebatso went to the adjoining bathroom and came back with some face wipes.

"To remove your makeup before you sleep," he said as he sat in the chair beside her bed. He smiled a little. "Do you wanna talk about whatever made you cry?"

Mo didn't know why she told him but it suddenly came out of her mouth. "I'm pregnant," she blurted. It was instant relief.

Tebatso stared in surprise at her but then quickly smiled. "Congratulations! I don't see how that can make you cry. How far along are you?"

"I'm a less than three weeks," she whispered.

"Your boyfriend's the father I'm sure. He'll be so thrilled."

"I hope so..."Mo said with uncertainty as she lay her head on her pillows. "Please don't tell anyone-not even Thabile. I want it to be a surprise."

"You can trust me," Tebatso said soothingly.
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Over the next few weeks, Tebatso made it a point to come over at least once a week to make sure that Mo was OK. He even brought her a surprise lunch at work once in a while and today was one of those days.

"So when are you going to tell Thabile or your boyfriend about the baby?" he asked as he reclined in the client seat opposite Mo in her office.

She hadn't told him that she had broken up with Rea. "Once I start showing. And I think Thabile is getting suspicious. She keeps making these comments about how I'm gaining weight and glowing and stuff."

"And she thinks I'm cheating on her." Tebatso laughed. "She's been telling me about how much time I haven't been spending with her. You gotta tell her, you know? So that she knows I am not sneaking off doing some hoe stuff but spending time with you to make sure that you and that lil man in there are cool."

Mo giggled. "How'd you know it's a boy? It might be a girl. My bump is beginning to show a little and I'll tell Thabile tomorrow. I promise I'll take her out of her misery. You've been so good to me. Thank you."

"Anyway, I feel so excited. And I have a surprise for you once work is over. You call me, hey?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Just between us...I...I was married about two years ago and we were pregnant. That was gonna be my first child and we were so excited. We went home to tell the news to my family and a short distance away from our destination, we had an argument in the car. She was driving and she took her eyes off the road for a minute and that loss of concentration caused her to drive off the road into a tree stump."

Mo gulped as she stared at him.

"Anyway, long story short, the steering wheel was pushed forward and the baby didn't make it. My wife blamed me for the argument, the accident and the loss of the baby. We got a divorce a few weeks down the line and here I am now. And please understand that I'm not trying to relive having a baby through you. I just think its one of the best gifts you can ever get and I never got my gift. I'm gonna make sure you get yours."

Mo wiped away the tears she hadn't realised had been running down her cheeks. She stood up and came over to Tebatso's side. He stood up, trying not to let his tears out but as soon as Mo hugged him, all his bitterness and pain seeped out of him in the form of tears and it was such a relief to him to have let it all out.

"It's OK," Mo whispered as she rubbed his back. "It's OK."

It was at this moment that the door opened and Rea came in.