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27
27A WEEK LATER
SANDILE’S HOUSE
After missing the planned anniversary dinner with the parents, Nomhle put Sandile on a pedestal and served him some old and cold silent treatment for a whole week. It was the start of the new week and she still had not melted. Things were seemingly going worse these days. The fact that she was at least 7 months pregnant too did not help because sometimes her reactions and mood swings were sometimes questionable and uncalled for. Seeing Sandile not giving a flying cloud or noticing he was given the cold shoulder kind of stinged her heart and made her regret getting married for the millionth time in their six years of matrimony.
The man was growing colder and colder against her every day. This morning she woke up early to catch him before he goes to work. Footsteps approaching the lounge startled her as she was falling asleep while in waiting. There he showed himself, unbothered and calm as if his life were renewed.
Nomhle: going to work already? This early?
Sandile: yes, any problem?
Nomhle: no, I just wanted to see you off and make sure you have not forgotten about our appointment today. You are very forgetful lately.
Sandile: do not worry about that.
Nomhle: so, last week was on purpose?
Sandile: I thought I was being silenced, where did that attitude go? I actually liked it better than being nagged.
Nomhle: whatever, show up or not at the doctor’s, it is up to you. I will try to get you involved or ‘nag’ you as you say. And please keep your voice down, Mini is still sleeping. I don’t want her finding us like this. She is still young. I will keep my fights with you off her sight by any means necessary, and that is the least you can do too.
Sandile: I’m running late.
Nomhle: I am not holding you hostage.
Sandile: well then, consider me gone.
A man with an attitude, something Nomhle never thought she would have to go through and have to deal with. Sandile really changed, his actions the past week have been alarming too. Coming home late? That is new in his work ethic. This was not off to a good ending no matter what.
SUNNYSIDE APARTMENTS
THE PARKING LOT
The man who left his house early drove inside the apartment complex after talking to the security guard at the gate and being let in. He took out his phone and texted someone, parked his car and waited a few minutes until someone came for him. A barely awake Thando knocked on the driver’s side window signaling Sandile to come out of the car.
Thando: it is cold out here. Hurry.
Sandile: give me a second. Out now, are you happy?
INSIDE THE APARTMENT
Thando: I told you this was not going to work. You should’ve slept over when I told you to.
Sandile: and leave my place empty? I may still be hung up on you and can’t enough of you, but I still love my place and my privacy.
Thando: this is kind of unfair treatment. Remember how I spent almost my whole time in college at your apartment? Can’t you return the favor?
Sandile: not ready.
Thando: coffee?
Sandile: yes, please.
Thando: surprising, after seeing you reject all the coffees and sweet things our colleagues gifted you every morning, I thought you were really clean and off caffeine.
Sandile: I was trying to stay out of trouble and possibly office romance. I am not blind nor am I dense--- I see the way everyone looks at me at work.
Thando: and what are we doing if it is not office romance?
Sandile: our story is totally different from what is happening at work.
Thando: how is it different?
Sandile: we have history.
Thando: oh, the history you don’t want to talk about. Yeah, I get it. Here’s your coffee. I will go shower.
Sandile: don’t be like that.
Thando: like what?
Sandile: I don’t want to fight.
Thando: neither do I. Quite funny, right? You don’t want to fight; you don’t want to talk about anything. What exactly do you want to do?
Sandile: okay, I am sorry. I won’t bother you anymore. You can go and take your shower. I will wait here. This is not how I wanted to start our morning. I’ve already--- you know what, I am sorry. Please forgive me.
Thando: see? That is your problem. You never get the point or try to process my words diligently and interpret them the way I want them to be interpreted. It’s like inputting one thing and getting something else as the output. I did not know I would ever say this but, I prefer the college Sandile over whatever you are right now. Give me 30 minutes to get ready. I don’t want to be late for work.
Sandile: okay.
Lying through his teeth and omitting everything he should not be, Sandile listened to Thando and caught the gist that he was angry at him. His morning was not going as smooth as he wanted it too. He fought with Nomhle and now Thando, things were not so merry this side either. After re-uniting that evening, he proposed not to bring up anything about the past which is the reason why he is fighting with Thando. There are a lot of underlying and unfixed issues in their relationship and him not wanting to take initiative and fix them shows just how immature he still is mentally. Over the years he had grown liking to a habit of piling up his issues and hope they will fix themselves. He may have not known in time, but this was the biggest crack in his life that led to his demise in the end.
Hiding the fact that he is married with a kid and another one on the way is just atrociously an unbelievable thing to do especially to someone you claim to love. His newly found despicable, untrustworthy, undecisive, and adultery behavior was just poison to himself.
AN HOUR LATER
WATSON AND POTTS ADVERTISING AGENCY
THE PARKING LOT
Thando: you go first, I have a call to make.
Sandile: what call? As if. I know you’re just avoiding being seen with me.
Thando: so, you do know how to read the room, I thought you were dense. Yes, I do not want to be seen with you. I will not be favorable for any of us, so… after you.
Sandile: okay, see you inside then.
Thando: do not hold your breath.
Left behind in the car Thando took serious thought looking back on his life and what it has become now. He had no plans to meet or reunite with Sandile later in his life, this was just a bitter reward life awarded him for all the heartbreak and relapsing moments he had because of their uncivil parting ways. As much as he wanted to leave and never look back, meeting with him after so long ignited something in him that he had thought died long ago. Being with Sandile made him feel like everything was going to be alright, he made him feel young, and the memories they had made back in college kept on flying and roaming in his head making things merrier than they were. It was like he was on hold, being controlled and could not get ahold of himself.
Somethings had not changed, some had changed. Sandile’s old ways of always misunderstanding situations and never wanting to talk things through bothered Thando. He seemed to be living without much thought. His college reckless behavior was still there and that was another problem. His personality was still there, he was still very much friendly and sometimes people pleasing which caused him to neglect himself and real issues. He wanted to only focus on the bright, good and happy side of things and never the serious and pressing issues. As much as Thando was attracted to him, this was something he could not avoid or try to sweep under the rug.
What type of man wants to move on without solving past matters that may be a thorn in the future? Only a man who doesn’t care about you--- a red flag!
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