QUEEN OF HEARTS

CHAPTER 2

I dragged myself out of bed and in to the shower. I settled on a black maxi dress with black Gucci sandals. My dad had given me the eye when he saw me wearing a jean since I was a "princess" I wasn't allowed to wear pants in public but it's the freaking 21st century, so best believe you'll catch me outside in pants.

I trudged down the stairs and sat at the dinner table where Nana, our housekeeper, had prepped breakfast. "Dumela Mme Nana, how are you?" I asked as she came down the stairs with a broom and dustpan. "I'm okay kgosatsana, lovely actually." she replied dusting the kitchen counters. I nodded as I popped a piece of sausage in my mouth. I settled on a bowl of cereal and yoghurt and was eating when my dad came in to the room.

"Good morning, ngwanaka." he said smiling at me. "Good morning Ntate, how did you sleep?" I asked biting my lip, waiting for him to shout at me about last night. "I've never slept better my child." he said giving me a smile that said 'all is forgiven'. I relaxed a little and Ntate sat down across from me. "Mme o kae?" I asked after a few minutes. "She went to a stokvel meeting." he replied. "My child, can you please head to Mugg & Bean and get me coffee and a cinnamon roll cake from Cinnabon, bring it to my office." he said as he stood up. My father though, he just loved sugar, "Lumka goes with you though." he said leaving me alone at the table. I sighed, grabbed my bag and I headed out the door. "Sawubona nkosazana," Lumka said.

It baffled me how Lumka spoke Zulu in a Sesotho dominated town, but I find him too quiet and intimidating to ever ask. He held the door open for me and I got in. We parked at the Northern Cape Mall and headed inside. First we searched for Cinnabon and when we found it, we were greeted by the smell of cinnamon and coffee. "Hi mam, what can I get you?" the till operator asked. "Uhm, I'll have two cinnamon roll cakes to go, please," I said paying the lady after she got me my order.

Next I headed to Mugg & Bean with Lumka following at a safe distance. "Hi, I'll get 1 coffee no milk and a dirty chai to go please." I said paying. "Well, well if it isn't Miss Disappearing Act," said a voice behind me. I turned to see the stranger I had met last night and I smiled. "Well good morning to you too just came to get my daily dose of caffeine." I blabbered. He sat down next to me and I saw Lumka edge towards us but I shook my head at him and he stepped back. "Divorced?" the stranger suddenly asked me looking at the tan mark that clearly showed a ring used to be there.

"Called off engagement actually." I replied slowly. "Mmm. Why, may I ask?" he asked I sighed, "Listen, I don't know you, neither do you know me and I don't think I should go around telling a stranger about myself." I said defiantly crossing my arms. "Exactly, we will never see each other again, so it's not like I'll be judgy or whatever." he replied. I giggled, he sounded weird saying something so "girly" in such a manly voice.

"Uhm okay, my "fiancé" cheated on me with my best friend slash maid of honour." I said. "Ohhh. Stop me if I'm overstepping but you don't look hurt though," he said arching a brow. I laughed dryly, "Uhm yeah, it was just for our families, we wouldn't have been a good match anyways." I replied looking down. "Mhmm, okay." he said.

"I need to go, we should bump into each other more often and laugh at cheesy pick up lines," he said and I laughed. "Usale kahle nkosazane emhlophe," he said and I smiled dumbfounded seeing as my Zulu was rather limited.

He stood up and walked away as I tried to stop him, but he was already towards the door. Then I noticed he had dropped something on the floor behind my chair. A card.

A.MKHIZE

CEO OF MKHIZE INDUSTRIES

CELL NO: 075 456 2738

BUSINESS TEL: 031 684 8237

I put the card in my bag and decided to call him when I got home, I took my order and left with Lumka. We drove to my dad's office which was only 20 minutes away from the mall. Lumka parked and I left him in the car. "Hey Layla, is my dad in?" I asked Layla, the company receptionist. "Yeah, he should be in, but he will be in a meeting soon." she said smiling at me. "Oh okay." I said and I went to my dad's office to see him sitting on his chair, not looking like someone who would be on a meeting soon.

"Here I was thinking you would be prepping for a meeting." I laughing. "Mhmm, here I was thinking you weren't coming anymore." he replied. "No, I was caught up somewhere, sorry." I said looking down. "Mhmm. Sit, sit. The person I'm having a meeting with said he will be 10 minutes late so you can sit my baby." my dad said gesturing to a chair across from him. I sat and pulled out cake and got out my dirty chai. I bit in to my cake and silently moaned, damn was it good.

In less than 2 minutes the roll was gone and I was sipping on my chai when Layla came in, "Your meeting is ready for you sir," she said smiling. "You want to join me?" my dad asked. "No, I have to pack, I'm leaving tomorrow ntate." I said standing. "Mmm. Okay then, go pack. See you at home." my dad said closing the door behind. I stood up and walked to the parking lot, got in the car and we drove home. I smiled, thinking about Mr A.Mkhize....