A HEART REPLACED chapter Twenty Three
A HEART REPLACEDChapter Twenty Three
MKHUSELI’S POV
He emerges from the board meeting room, exhausted and unwell, suspecting he's coming down with the flu. He removes his tie, takes a seat, and is soon joined by Khulekani and Qhawe.
“Hey, Bafo,” Qhawe greets him.
“What brings you two to my office? Shouldn't you be attending to your patients?”
“Don't worry, Bafo, another doctor is covering for me,” Qhawe reassures him.
“Oh, okay,” he responds.
Khulekani inquires, “How are you? You didn't seem well during the meeting.”
“I'm fine, just a bit under the weather, I think,” he replies. Qhawe offers, “I'll bring you some medication to treat it before it worsens.” He nods in appreciation.
“So, what's up? Are you and Nonhlakanipho okay?” Qhawe asks, aware of his brother's feelings.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on, have you confessed your feelings to her yet?” Qhawe presses.
“Not yet,” he admits, prompting Qhawe to frown.
“Wow, you finally have feelings for Nonhlakanipho!” Khulekani exclaims.
“I don't,” he denies, but Qhawe teases, “Keep telling yourself that.” “I'm unsure of my feelings for her, and besides, she's with someone else now,” he explains.
Qhawe reacts, “Someone else? Are you kidding me, bro? You're letting her slip away!” He sighs, pours whisky for himself and his brothers, and begins to open up.
“I don't want to ruin things for her; she seems happy.”
Qhawe advises, “You need to confess your feelings, even if they're not romantic yet. Give her a chance to decide if she feels the same way.” Khulekani agrees,
“Life's too short, Bafo. You need to settle down, either with Nonhlakanipho or your girlfriend with the big boobs.” They share a laugh.
“I know, I know,” he says, taking a sip of his whisky.
“I just don’t want to mess things up for her. She deserves to be happy.” Qhawe nods understandingly.
“We get it, Bafo. But you need to be honest with yourself and with her. If you don’t, you’ll regret it.” Khulekani adds, “And what about your girlfriend? Are you just going to leave her hanging?”
“I don’t know,” he admits.
“I care about her, but I don’t feel the same way as I do about Nonhlakanipho.” Qhawe shakes his head.
“You’re playing with fire, Bafo. You need to make a decision and stick to it.”
“I’ll think about it, okay?” he says.
“Better do more than think about it,” Khulekani says with a grin. “Take action, Bafo. Your love life is a mess.” They all laugh, and he feels a sense of relief wash over him. Maybe it’s time to take a chance and see where his heart truly lies. “I’ll do it,” he says, determination in his voice.
“I’ll talk to Nonhlakanipho and see how she feels.” Qhawe and Khulekani exchange a look, then nod in unison.
“That’s the spirit, Bafo,” Qhawe says.
“Go get her.”
As they savor their whisky and conversation, a knock at the office door interrupts them. He invites the person in, and to his surprise, Nonhlakanipho enters. It feels like an eternity since he last saw her, despite it only being two weeks. The distance between them is palpable, like they're strangers living separate lives under the same roof.
“Sanibonani,” she greets them, and they respond in kind. “Sawbona, Kotiza, kunjani?” Qhawe inquires.
“I’m good, Q, yourself?”
“I’m good too,” Q says ,She then turns to him.
“I actually came to discuss something, but I think I’ll come back later.”
“No need, we’re done here,” Qhawe assures her, but she insists, “I forgot something, that’s why I’ll come back later.”
“It’s okay, I’ll come to your office anyway. We need to talk,” he says, and she agrees, “Oh, okay then,” before departing.
________
NONHLAKANIPHO ’S POV
She settles into her office, distracted from her tasks, and begins working on something else. A knock at the door, and Mkhuseli enters uninvited, but she doesn't mind.
“Hey,” he greets her, and she responds, “Hey, take a seat.” He does, and she shares her work on her laptop, seeking his feedback.
For the first time, he says, “I love it, Nipho. This is great.” She smiles, pleased, and thanks him.
“Really? Thank you,” she says.
“There's a file I need to give you,” she says, getting up to retrieve it.
As she turns, she collides with Mkhuseli's chest, their faces inches apart.
“What's going on?” she asks, but he just stares at her.
“Umuhle,” he says, his eyes locked on hers. She swallows hard, unsure how to respond.
“Uhm...I...thank you,” she stammers.
“Nipho, kunento engifuna ukuyikhipha esfubeni Sami,” he continues, his gaze intense. She asks, her voice barely above a whisper, “What does that mean?” Mkhuseli's silence is followed by a sudden confession: “I think I've started to develop feelings for you, Nonhlakanipho.” Her response is a whispered “What?” Mkhuseli continues, “Ngiyazi I sound like I'm crazy right now, but...ngihlulekile nami ukizibamba. This feeling keeps growing day by day. I've tried to avoid it, thinking it would pass, but it doesn't. I think I'm starting to like you.”
She looks up at him, searching his eyes for any sign of insincerity, but all she sees is genuine emotion.
“Mkhuseli, I...I don't know what to say,” she stammers. He takes a step closer, his voice filled with vulnerability.
“I know this may come as a shock, Nipho. But I couldn't keep it inside anymore. I had to tell you how I feel.” She feels her heart racing, unsure of how to process her emotions.
She takes a deep breath, trying to process her emotions. “Mkhuseli, I... I'm with someone else,” she says, her voice hesitant.
“i know?” he says, his eyes locked on hers.
“Then what are you saying to me? While you know I’m seeing someone,” she asks, trying to sound firm. But Mkhuseli just smiles, his eyes gleaming with determination.
“I don’t care,” he says, his voice low and husky.
“I’ll do anything to make you mine, Nipho. Anything,Anginendaba nomageza loyo obusy naye.”
She feels a shiver run down her spine as he takes another step closer.
“Mkhuseli, I’m serious,” she says, trying to sound firm. But he just laughs, his eyes burning with intensity.
“I’m serious too, Nipho. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you mine.” He reaches out, his hand brushing against hers, sending sparks flying through her body.
“I’ll wait for you, Nipho. I’ll wait for you to realize that you’re meant to be mine.”
“What about your girlfriend, Mkhuseli?” she asks, trying to sound calm.
“Don't mention other people to me, I want you to be my girlfriend, even if you're already my wife in my heart,”he says with a chuckle. “There's no ring on my finger,” she replies, showing him her bare hand.
“I know, and I'll fix that soon. When I'm with you, nothing else matters,” he says, his eyes locked on hers. She's unsure if he's serious or just joking, but his gaze suggests he means every word. Could he be drunk? But he seems sober, so that's not it. He subtly moves his hand to her waist, pulling their bodies closer together. Her heart races as she should push him away, telling him this is madness, but instead, she's captivated by his touch, losing all reason.
“I should go now,” he whispers, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine as he speaks close to her ear. He releases his grip on her and exits the office, leaving her feeling breathless. She exhales the breath she's been holding, her hand instinctively rising to her heart as if to calm its racing beat. What is happening to her? She's lost in thought when her phone pierces the silence, shrill and insistent. She reaches for it, and her heart skips a beat as she sees Menzi's name flashing on the screen. She watches, frozen, as it continues to ring.
.
.
She heads to Pearl's house, desperate for a conversation to clear her mind. After a short drive, she arrives and knocks on the door. “I'm coming!” Pearl's voice calls out from inside. When Pearl opens the door, she greets her warmly.
“Friend, come in! What brings you here today?”
“Can't I just visit my friend without a reason?” she teases, and Pearl laughs.
“Okay, okay, but I know you, and you only visit when something's on your mind. Is it about Menzi?” Pearl asks, noticing her glow. “No, and I'm not here to discuss my boyfriend. Where are the twins?” she asks, changing the subject.
“Those two are sleeping, I just fed them, burped them, and put them to sleep,” Pearl replies.
“Oh, okay. Anyway, how is mommy hood treating you?” she asks, taking a seat.
“It's treating me great, friend. I love my babies, and being a mommy of two isn't bad at all. They are behaving,” Pearl says. “That's great to hear.”
“So, what brings you here? Because I know you, Nonhlakanipho, you visit when you have something to talk about or ask,” Pearl says, curious.
“Oh, gosh, I sometimes forget you know me, huh!” she says, rolling her eyes.
“Now, come on, come with it,” Pearl says, eager to know.
“Well, something happened today at the office...” she begins, struggling to find the right words.
“What happened?” Pearl asks. “Umm...I...arghh, where do I start telling you?” She breathes in and out, then starts explaining to Pearl what happened at the office and Mkhuseli's confession. “What?!” Pearl exclaims, then laughs.
“Didn't I tell you? That what he suggested would come back and backfire? Now look, he's the one who wants a relationship with you when he's the one who suggested you become friends. Now he wants you to be his girlfriend? Wow!” Pearl claps her hands, amused
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything,” she says, shaking her head in disbelief.
“So, what’s your next move, friend? Are you going to give Mkhuseli a chance?” Pearl asks, curiosity getting the better of her.
“You must be joking! I’m in a relationship with Menzi, remember?” she replies, taken aback by Pearl’s suggestion.
“Oh, come on! You can always find a way to break up with Menzi. Mkhuseli is basically your husband, just find an excuse to end things with Menzi,” Pearl says, her words leaving her friend speechless.
“My feelings for Menzi aren’t just going to disappear, Pearl. I love him, and he loves me too,” she insists.
“And don’t you have feelings for Mkhuseli? Didn’t you feel something when he confessed his love?” Pearl presses on, but she remains silent, avoiding eye contact.
“Your silence says it all. I’m not saying you’re indecisive, but I always told you Mkhuseli would come crawling back, and now he’s developed feelings for you. The problem is, Menzi is still in the picture,” Pearl says, sighing.
“I’m torn, Pearl,” she admits, as they sit in silence for a moment, her phone ringing, breaking the silence.
“Answer your boyfriend’s call,” Pearl says, and she sighs before picking up. “Hey, babe,” Menzi’s voice says on the other end of the line.
“Hey, I’m with Pearl right now,” she replies, trying to sound casual.
“Oh, okay. What’s going on?” Menzi asks, sensing something is off.
“Nothing much, just girl talk,” she says, avoiding the truth.
“Okay, well, I was thinking we could spend some quality time together tonight?” Menzi suggests, his voice filled with longing. “I don’t know, Menzi. I’m not really feeling up to it,” she says, hesitating.
“Please, baby? I really need to see you tonight. Just one night, that’s all I’m asking,” Menzi pleads, his voice filled with desperation.
“Menzi, I...” she starts to say, but he cuts her off.
“I know you’re busy, but I promise I’ll make it worth your while. I’ll do anything, just please say yes,” Menzi begs, his voice filled with emotion. She feels a pang of guilt, but her mind is still reeling from Mkhuseli’s confession.
Pearl gives her a knowing look, as if to say, “Go be with the guy.” “Okay, I’ll come over,” she agrees.
“Really? Then let me come pick you up, my shift is over,” Menzi offers.
“No, no, I’ll take a taxi, no need to come pick me up,” she insists. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, love,” she replies.
“Okay, then, if you say so. Let me head home and I’ll be waiting,” Menzi says.
“Okay, bye,” she says, then looks at Pearl.
“I love you, okay?”
“Love you too,” she responds, then hangs up. Pearl bursts out laughing.
“You go spend time with your boyfriend, let him ride you while you’re still deciding what you’re going to do about Mkhuseli,” Pearl says, chuckling. She frowns, looking at Pearl disapprovingly.
To be continued…
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