A Mother's Pride

Chapter 5

Chris' POV

I walked into the building and grabbed a cup of cappuccino before heading to my office.
The drive here felt long and sad. I cannot really explain it, but I felt like I have lost a part of me.

I did not greet my lovely personal assistant, Karina. Karina is a very nice woman, but sometimes I feel like she can be so much more than a P.A. Her character of caring for people really suits the field of a teacher or a social worker. Scheduling meetings and assisting me just does not seem like her kind of thing. Although, she does love her job. I am hoping the salary I give her is enough.

She is also one of the people that disliked Angela, saying Angela is arrogant. She may be the mother of my son but I am not going to argue with that.

I rushed from the cafeteria to the elevator that then took me to my office, not greeting anyone on my way there. I gave everyone a smile though, trying to hide the fact that I am dying on the inside. I also took a Cappuccino muffin.

I remember how Mmampho loved blueberry muffins. It was her favorite thing to eat. I disliked the muffins, I simply ate them because of her. I love Cappuccino muffins, now those are my favorite but I never told her that and I have no idea why.

Seriously, I have to stop thinking about her. It's driving me crazy. How do I stop myself from thinking about her? Working. Hopefully.

The elevator stops on the floor of my office and I step out, turning right where my office is situated. I sit on the table that has my work documents scattered all over it. The last time I was here was on Saturday and I was just in a hurry to get home to the surprise party that I planned for Mmampho that I left all my stuff messed around on the desk. See, everything reminds me of her.

I pack up and place everything where it is supposed to be, making my table neat again. I sign the contract that is placed on the table from Mega Computers. I hear a knock on the glass door and I lift my head up and nod for the person to come in.

"Hey Karina, how are you doing?" I start the conversation as if she is not the one who came to me.

"I am good. Are you?"

See, she cares about people too much. She must've noticed that I am not myself and came to check up on me. Although, work and feelings don't mix so she must remember that she is at work.

"Yes. I just have to sign this." I point to the contract in front of me with the back of my pen.

"So you remember that you have a meeting today?" She asks me.

Meeting? I don't remember agreeing to have a meeting on a Monday.

"Yes, with that mister that came here on Tuesday, I think it was Patrick." She answers as if she could read my mind.

"Patrick? I totally forgot. Please make sure to postpone it."

"To when?" She asks me.

"Uh...Thursday because I have another meeting back in Thello."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes Karina. Thank you so much for caring."

"Is Thabo in yet?" I ask her.

"He said he had to drop off his child at school but he is on his way."

What? Child? So Mmampho lives with him now? Then why did she get offended when I asked if she was going to live with him? I wonder if they got back together or something, or that she rejected me because she figured that she still has feelings for Thabo- which she may have figured out when she was living with him for the time she left me. I hope not. Thabo is my best friend, we have not talked in a while or had a guys' night out or just hung out but he is still my best buddy.

"Chris, did you hear what I just said?" Karina wiggles and snaps her fingers in front of my eyes, I guess she was trying to snap me back to reality.

"Huh? W...what did you say?" I ask.

"How come none of us ever knew that Thabo has children?" She asks.

Did I happen to mention that as sweet and selfless as she is, she can also be nosy. Although, isn't that some sort of stereotype for all personal assistants? Like they always know everything that goes on at their work place?

"Look, I can't say much about that.  You can ask Thabo that yourself." I tell her.

"Ask me what?" Thabo walks through my office door holding his briefcase.

Karina and I look at him, lost for words. We can't basically just say, "Karina was just asking about the shocking fact that you have kids."

"I was...I was wondering if you mind meeting up with Mr. Patrick Lotry, to stand up for Chris." Karina blurts.

No Karina, I wanted to see Patrick myself, it concerns the company's financial position and that's sort of my job and the financial manager.

"Why? What's wrong with Chris?"

"I forgot about it. But it's okay, it could just be postponed to Thursday and I will attend."

"Okay." Thabo prolongs the word and shrugs, showing no belief to whatever we were saying but luckily, he chooses to ignore it.

Karina leaves us and things get a little bit awkward. There is no exchange of words. What happened? We weren't like this before.

Thabo looks unsettled on his seat and he cannot keep his eyes on me. Why are things so awkward?

I want to ask if Mmampho is okay, what she said about me when she got there but this is her ex-boyfriend I am talking to. I cannot believe that Thabo and I have actually dated the same woman.  And he was the reason that my woman, I mean Mmampho has a lot of insecurities, is damaged and broken.

I should maybe kill him for causing so much pain on that woman but then again if he did not, I wouldn't have met her nor fallen in love with her.

Although, how could she get back to him after everything he had done to her? Yes forgiveness is everything but if she actually left me for him, why would you go to something that broke you, hanging on to that little bit of hope that he won't do it again?

Sure Thabo looks like he has changed, well I have always known the exact opposite version of what Mmampho portrayed for me. Since I met him, he has been a great guy. He was there for me when Angela was being a bitch and also never gave me the impression that he would ever abandon his kids.

But I had noticed how he would shift uncomfortably when we talked about my little Gift. I never really thought about it much.

Maybe he did miss them and had no idea how to find them, and I did that for him. I found them for him and what now, should he thank me maybe?

You know how crazy the universe works, maybe I was like the bridge for them to connect again- the two long lost lovers. Maybe it happened that I would be the reason they re-unite and everything could be perfect for them again. I was the catalyst for their romance.

But why would the universe then let me fall in love with her if that's the case? I am already in too deep.

"I am going to get myself Cappuccino man."

"But you hate Cappuccino." I know the lines on my forehead are visible.

"Oh...I am? I am-yes, no I meant coffee." He stutters and I feel a little freaked out by that.

Mmampho said that she didn't want to tell me about him because then our friendship would be awkward, I did not really think it would be this bad.

He leaves my office, taking his briefcase with him and I am left alone, again thoughts about the love of my life flooding my mind.