We have an understanding
“So how is your cousin doing? Babies okay?” JB asks Derby as they are sitting in the same bar they once went to on Thandeka's birthday. It’s been a few weeks since she and Thandeka had bumped into Julie and Lee-Ann. It’s a Saturday afternoon, and the two had decided to just hang out and catch on things since they haven’t seen each other in a while.“Julie is okay and the babies are fine as far as I know and OMG it looks like she’s going to pop anytime soon. That’s how big her tummy is” Derby says as she sips on her cocktail. “And how is Thandeka? You know I tried calling her earlier but I couldn’t get hold of her, is she okay?” she says curiously. But JB looks irritated by that question as he sips on his beer. “She’s okay that one” he says as he rolls his eyes. “She offered to stay with my daughter today. I think she’s just trying to soften me up, me and her haven’t been vibing lately” he says looking away.
But Derby rolls her eyes as if to say here we go again as she takes a sip, “Please tell me you are not still upset about the Jason thing. JB come on dude” as she throws her hands in the air.
“Look, I’m not exaggerating with this okay?” JB jumps in. “She didn’t even know the guy when she went out on a date with him. It was at night; she could have been injured. I’m sorry to sound like a broken record but from my personal experience, that didn’t sit well with me okay. And what makes it worse is that she is not even listening to me” he says as he takes a huge sip that puts his beer halfway.
“Look, I get you” Derby jumps in to de-escalate the situation. “I know you love your sister and you want to protect her but I don’t think Jason is a bad guy. Besides they are just friends, right? They aren’t even in a relationship. I think you should trust your sister a little more and if something bad happened she would have told you by now, okay?” but JB decides to not respond to that, he’s irritated.
Derby looks at him in the eyes and says, “Tell me something, is this about Thandeka dating or it is just specifically about Thandeka dating Jason, a white guy?” but JB doesn’t answer as he looks away, trying to avoid eye contact and Derby sees that and says, “Okay, let me ask you this, if this is how you feel what am I doing here? I mean why did you invite me here for drinks?” her face changes to being sad. “No, no, no it’s not that at all” JB says trying to reassure her but she raises her eyebrow. “Okay maybe…I don’t know okay” as he throws his hands in the air. “Please understand thatThandeka is my responsibility. It’s my job to protect her. And that’s what…” he doesn’t finish as Derby cuts him of once again,
“And I’m sure she knows that. Please just cut her some slack. I agree she should be careful and she should have told you about Jason before that date night so that you won’t be caught off guard. But I think Jason isn’t a bad guy at all and like I said, they aren’t in a relationship, they are just friends” she says and this seems to calm JB down a little.
This is followed by some silence as they are both sipping on their drinks.
But JB breaks it, “Oh, and you were asking me why you are here?” he says as he gives a little sigh, “because I enjoy your company okay? I love spending time with you, chatting about stuff” he becomes shy but Derby gives a little smile and shakes her head as she goes on to dip her drink. JB notices that she has so objections, “What?” he says. “Don’t you like being here too?” as he looks at Derby in the eyes.
“Of course you know I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t want to be here” she says with shyness as she looks away but then she looks at JB again, “But of course I mean…” as she tries to find words, “What are we, exactly? Are we friends? Dating? Or…? What’s going on really JB?” she has shot her shot, no turning back now, she thinks.
But this caught JB off guard, he wasn’t expecting Derby to be that direct. He, out of panic downs whatever was left on his bottle. “Uhmm…” he looks for words. “No I mean…you mean like Lee-Ann- Simo 2.0 kinda deal?” he says which sends Derby out laughing, “hahaha, a 2.0 what? Hahaha…” but this makes JB laugh himself, “hahaha, no I mean you know…you mean are we like a couple like them?” he then changes his face to be a little bit serious, “Look, honestly? I don’t know but I know that I don’t want to go through what Simo went through with your folks and I don’t think…” but he doesn’t finish the thought as Derby cuts him of, “JB, do you like me?” she says looking at him dead in the eyes and he almost fell of his chair. Geez this girl is very direct he thinks to himself.
He takes a minute to think about it. He is trying to find words but it doesn’t s like there are any that are good enough for the response. “Derby, yes I like you” he says as he looks away trying by all means to avoid eye contact. But Derby’s eyes brighten a little bit as she takes a huge sip on her glass, still waiting for JB to make eye contact but she’s unsuccessful.
“I like you too JB” she says as JB restores eye contact. I suppose it’s easier now that both their cards are on the table. “Look, I don’t think we are like Lee-Ann and Simo. No one can ever be like them. They have it special, in their own way as well. We got to know each other under very unusual circumstances and there weren’t any influences into how we ended becoming friends. We took it baby step until we both developed something. How big it is, we don’t know, right?” she’s still looking at JB and he’s looking at her as she continues.
“Look, I’m glad that we got that out of the way. But I’m not saying let’s act on how we feel now. We can just be friends as long as we can until we are both comfortable enough or ready to be a couple, no pressure okay. I am just glad that we got that out the way” she concludes and JB, out of words he smiles as he opens another beer.
***
“Are you sure this was a good idea to invite me over?” Jason shouts to Thandeka who is in the kitchen while he is sitting on the sofa in the lounge. Thandeka had invited him over to come and just watch movies indoors. Thandeka comes back from the kitchen with a plate of snacks and puts on the table and then sits next to Jason as she presses play on the remote.
“Oh don’t worry about it, it’s okay JB isn’t here” she says. “He probably is with Derby. Besides we couldn’t go out because I’m watching over his daughter here so” she says as she takes a few chips of the platter. “Oh okay that’s good to know” Jason says as he takes a sip of his juice. “The last thing I want is creating tension between you and your brother, you know?” he says politely. There’s a moment of silence a bit. “No it’s okay. My brother is just being protective of me. He means no harm and I think once…” but Thandeka is cut off by Jason, “Look T, you told me about your brother’s story and I know about what happened to his friend Mlu, so he doesn’t trust white people” he says as Thandeka feels a little embarrassed.
“What? Does he think I want to hurt you? Or does he think I’m out to get him by hurting you? Seriously?” he says as he takes another sip of his juice. This gets Thandeka thinking for a second. She’s trying to find the right words to put through. She clears her throat that is becoming dry. “Well, you do like his friend’s fiancé yet you spend time with me, so can you blame him though?” this catches Jason by surprise. “Who told you that?” he asks curiously. “ah, so it is true huh?”
Thandeka says. “look I overheard the guys talking about it one time, that was before you and I met. Did you think Simo wouldn’t know a person who snoops around his woman?” she says teasingly much to Jason’s annoyance. “Look, firstly I’m not in love with Simo’s girlfriend okay?” he says. “yes I had always had a crush on Lee-Ann who has been friends with my sister since high school. That was way before Simo came into the picture. But then she dated him and life moved on for me. I’m actually happy for her that she found someone she loved. So I’m moving on with my life too” he concludes as Thandeka looks at him in the eyes. She is braving the awkward moment.
“Look, T” Jason continues. “Since I met you at the park few months ago I’ve enjoyed being friends with you. I love spending time with you and I have no intentions of hurting you or getting into trouble with your brother of even getting in between the two of you. And if it means I stay away from you I will then” he says with a little sad voice, but Thandeka jumps in immediately,
“Oh I’m sorry” she says. “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that. And I love spending time with you too. And I really hope that my brother one day will see that you mean no harm and will see things differently” as she smiles to Jason who smiles back at her and says, “Look, let’s take everything step by step and friendship is a great place to begin and trust is everything. If anything develops beyond friendship we will discuss it and make a decision together, how is that?” as he looks at Thandeka in the eyes. She seems speechless for a second. “Well Mr smooth talker I think you have said a mouthful and I couldn’t have put it any better myself” she says blushing as she takes a sip of her juice.
“So I shouldn’t worry about you stopping Lee-Ann’s wedding and telling her you love her, like in some romantic movie nonsense?” she jokingly and luckily for her Jason gets the joke as he laughs. “Nah, I think you can relax about that” he says. “The more I spend time with you the more I realise that there’s more into life than a high school crush” naughtily.
***
Their moment is interrupted by JB who comes in with Derby. They seem happy but that is short-lived as JB sees Jason on the sofa. He has a good mind to go over there and punch him in the face, but it looks like Derby can read his mind so she quickly moves ahead, in front of him and greet Thandeka, “hey my friend. How are you? Tried to call you earlier but your phone was of, you okay?” she says as she hugs Thandeka, while JB still stands there just looking at Jason.
“Oh hey girlfriend, I’m okay. Oh yeah my phone was fat dead in the morning. How are you darling?” Thandeka responds as she stands up to hug Derby back. To that Jason also stands up to greet, “Hi Derby” he says nervously extending a hand to which Derby receives and greets back, “Oh hi Jason, how are you?” she says with a smile and then looks at JB who is still standing there looking annoyed. Jason looks at JB back, which brings an awkward moment in the room. No one seems to know what to say to the other. Thandeka looks down not wanting to make eye contact with her brother. Derby looks at JB and gives him the eye as if to say please, don’t you start with that today. To that JB gives a half smile and says, “Hi Jason. I didn’t expect to see you here” but doesn’t go over to him to shake his hand, but it doesn’t look like Jason expected it anyways as he doesn’t extend his.
“Oh hi JB” Jason says nervously as he looks at Thandeka and Derby, which leads to another awkward silence. “Well I was on my way out. And thank you T for hosting me” he says much to Thandeka's surprise who looks at her brother irritably. Derby also look at JB as if to say how do something with that situation, to which he can actually read.
“Oh no Jason you don’t have to leave you know…” JB says with a nervous smile to which Derby jumps in, “Oh yeah you can hang around a little bit. We actually came back because we were craving braai meat, restaurants can’t make it like we do, right J?” she says as she looks at JB who reluctantly smiles and says “Oh yeah, look man just hang around a bit, you can help me set up the fames this side” he says as he leads a shocked or pleasantly surprised Jason outside. He really didn’t expect that at all but he is not complaining about it. So he nervously follows JB outside without saying a word, leaving Derby and a surprised Thandeka speechless in the house.
****
“Please tell me you two had not planned to kill the poor man and bury him in the back yard there. What just happened right now?” Thandeka says to Derby who just bursts out laughing, “Hahaha oh come on friend, don’t be silly” she says. “our brother isn’t as bad as you think, you know. He is just over protective of you, that’s all” as she picks a few snacks from the platter.
“Look who’s talking” Thandeka says jokingly. “So, you two, you really had planned for a braai or you actually came back to do the naughty here but found us?” she says with a naughty tongue out to which Derby becomes embarrassed. But that doesn’t make Thandeka stops, “Whoa so we crashed your party? You were coming here for the freaky, OMG hahaha…” she bursts out laughing again.
Derby doesn’t like this awkward topic but she can’t help but bursts out laughing too, “hahaha, oh come Thandeka, it’s not like that alright?” she says as she looks away. “look your brother and I talked about this today” as her face changes to be a little bit serious. “even though we admitted to have feelings for each other, we thought we should just take our time and not rush into anything. The last thing we want is the same situation Lee-Ann and Simo found themselves in and with past your brother has it may ruin things. So we are okay with no pressure” as she picks a few snacks again.
“You and Jason? What were you planning to do here by yourselves? Did we interrupt anything” she says with a naughty smile, much to Thandeka’s comfort. But Derby can see that so she pushes a little bit, “Oh come on T, I’ve put my card on the table about me and your brother, so what is the story between you two? Were you planning on doing a dirty dance right here? Hahaha” she laughs hard.
“Oh no man, there’s a child in the house how could we?” Thandeka says as she feels awkward. “Look, it is similar to your story with JB okay. We just love spending time with each other. We enjoy each other’s company but we have also felt that perhaps we shouldn’t rush into anything you know? Like, perhaps friendship is a great place to start and if and once we feel we are both ready for something more, then we will discuss it and decide what we want to do with it” she says as she picks up snacks herself. Derby nods with a smile as they continue to watch whatever was playing on TV.
***
Outside, Jason and JB have put meat on the braai stand as they are sitting on the camp chairs. Jason is still a little nervous about this whole thing, he honesty expected to be kicked out of the house with a fist but here he is sitting outside with this man.
“Are you sure you don’t want a beer?” JB asks as he sips his but Jason smiles and lifs up a glass of juice, “Oh no, thank you I still have to drive later” nervously. JB just nods with a smile and then goes over to turn the meat and says, “So, I got to ask man, what’s your deal with my sister? I mean are you guys dating or what? What’s going on between you two?” as he looks at a nervously looking Jason who takes a huge sip at his juice. “Uhmm, Thandeka and I are just friends, at least that’s what we settled on today. We decided that we are not going to rush into anything until we are both sure and ready to enter into a relationship. And can I please just say JB…” as he sighs deep,
“If or whenever we decide to inter into a relationship, we will speak to you about it. I have respect for you and I know your reasons for being protective of her and I’m not planning on hurting your sister in any way. I will respect whatever decision you take with regards to me and…” he doesn’t finish as JB cuts in, “look man, I don’t mean to come across as difficult. It’s just that she is my responsibility and I have to look out for her. And as you may well know of my story, I’m sure you can understand why I’m very cautious when it comes to her” he says as Jason nods without responding. “And speaking of which,” JB continues, “didn’t you have a thing for Simo’s girl, Lee-Ann?”
Jason is becoming a little annoyed with very same question from everyone but he can’t show that to JB can he? “That was a very long time JB and Lee-Ann is getting married to Simo” he says. “Which is one of the reasons me and Thandeka aren’t rushing into anything until we are both sure about that everything because she also had a same concern as you. But I also told her that I only care about Lee-Ann as a person I’ve known for a long time, since high school and she is friends with my sister which makes her familiar. But other than that, there’s nothing there” he concludes.
“Good” JB jumps in. “I don’t want my sister becoming your rebound or heartbreak pill when Lee-Ann gets married, I hope we are clear on that” as he takes another sip. Jason nods in agreement as he sips on his juice. When they are done with the meat they go inside to enjoy with the ladies.
Please log in to submit a comment.