Chapter 16: Relapse
As Tendai sits and chill with a glass of whiskey in his hand on a Saturday evening he was thinking, Today I just want to relax and forget about business a little bit. But then a doorbell rings, much to his wonder. 'Who could that be at this time of the night? I just spoke Bheki and there's no appointment tonight. I spoke to Sharon earlier and she never said anything about bringing Karen today', he thinks to himself as he heads for the door. He opens it, and his eyes can’t believe what they see. It is Buhle. He doesn't know how to react to this really. The last time they saw each other he was chased out of the house and it wasn’t really pleasant. But what he reads in Buhle's eyes makes him wonder."Hey doctor, are you okay?" Tendai asks with a low voice and curious eyes. Buhle doesn't answer the question but just drops the bags and clings on Tendai as she breaks down in tears. "Hey, hey, hey...Shhh. It's okay. It's going to be okay you hear me? Shhh" Tendai says with a whisper and a worried face. He then lets her in and takes her bags inside.
The following morning, Buhle realizes that she overslept as she checks at her watch which says 09:30. She goes into the ensuite bathroom and take a bath. About 35 minutes later she comes down and finds Tendai in the kitchen making something to it. She comes and sits down.
"Hey, sleepy head?" Tendai says with a big smile as he is busy turning some burgers from the pan in the stove. "How did you sleep?" he asks as he comes t sit opposite Buhle. "Uhmm, I slept okay I guess. Thank you for giving me a guest room to lay down" Buhle says with a low voice and she looks a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry for making you late from work by waking up so late" as she covers her face with her hands.
"Oh no, don't worry about that, I am MEC remember?" Tendai says as he winks to which Buhle just smiles and shakes her head in disbelief. "I'm glad to hear that because I was really feeling bad about it" she says as she pours herself a glass of juice.
"You don't need to worry about any of that really, how are you feeling?" Tendai asks as he puts burgers on two plates which have other delicacies like eggs, beacon and sausages. But Buhle wants to avoid the questions so she says, "Shouldn't there be about four plates here, for Sharon and Karen as well?"
Being a politician, Tendai can see the trap so he dismisses by a smile and Buhle can see that so she throws her hands in the air as if to say, Okay then I'll leave it. "This looks delicious, thank you?" she says as she looks at the plate put before her.
"Well Dr., you remember how I used to school you in the kitchen, right?" Tendai says with a smile as he sits down. "Hahaha, 'school me'? hahaha, in you dreams Mr. MEC" Buhle says as she bursts out laughing. But at that very moment this little joke by Tendai sends both of them down memory lane when they'd cook a storm together in the kitchen. That memory quickly moves to moments when they'd make love from a bath tub to Tendai's huge bed. It is as if both of them are caught up in a trance or something. But suddenly they simultaneously snap out of it as they begin to look at each other. But that also bring an awkward moment of silence.
"So how is Sharon and Karen?" Buhle says as she breaks it, but perhaps not the way Tendai would have wanted as he seems like it has ruined a very good moment for him. "Uhmm, they are okay thank you" he says as he breaks eye contact. Buhle can see that she has ruined the moment there, so she also looks away for a second.
"Well Dr, do you really want to tell me what really happened between you and Sbu?" Tendai’s ask with a soft voice, looking at Buhle in the eyes. "Look you're welcome to stay here as long as you want okay? And if you are not ready to talk about it, it's okay. No pressure but just know that I'm here okay?" as he reaches out to touch her hand. Buhle looks at that and then looks at Tendai with mix motions before saying, "Thank you for a wonderful breakfast Mr MEC, I think i will go lie down a little bit" she smiles at him at him as she leaves the table and Tendai who looks on as Buhle goes upstairs to her room.
***
At the Lindy Hotel, Lerato had made reservations for a room just so that she summons her friends Lindiwe and Katlego to come and explain themselves over what happened with the Sbu situation. To say that she is upset over what has happened is an understatement. She is fuming over this. She feels that this has also cost friendship with Buhle over something she had nothing to do with.
Since it's a Sunday noon she didn't order room service for anyone, not even drinks. She wants this conversation to be as sober as possible. So here they are the three of them. Lerato is sitting on the bed while Katlego and Lindiwe are sitting on the couch. The tension in the room is real, no smiles from any of them. Lindiwe and Katlego can't even look at each other and Lerato is just fuming so much that it is visible from her eyes. Her friends themselves have never seen her like that. They have always known her as the jovial girl who enjoys the best life has to offer. Seeing her like this is scaring them a little bit.
"So who between you wants to start?" Lerato asks angrily. "You Katlego, a best friend who does something so b*tchy that she sleeps with her friend's husband to a point of getting pregnant or you Lindiwe a best friend who found out about this but kept quiet about it?" as she looks at them with eyes burning with fire.
Instead of answering the question, both Lindiwe and Katlego look at each, albeit with disgust for each other. "Well, talk" Lerato shouts. "Katli, let's start with you. How can you do something like this to your friend, your best friend?" as she looks at her friend with piercing eyes. Katlego at this point starts crying but it doesn't look like neither of her friends is moved by that as they both fix their eyes on her. "You know, I know that we all make mistakes, but this Katli" Lerato says as her eyes too are beginning to be teary. "This was the lowest of the low. You are beautiful and bright, a Dr. at that. You could have had any man you want other your best friend's husband. To get pregnant over it is despicable to say the least" she stands and starts to walk around the hotel room confused.
"Look you guys, nobody hates me more than me right now, I know what I did is unforgiveable in this life and the next. I regret everything and.." Katlego doesn't finish as Lerato cuts her off, "Well it's a little late for regrets right now, don't you think Katli?" she shouts.
"Yes I know I can never repair this" Katlego says as she wipes her tears. "I swear to God, If I was so sure that the baby was Sbu's I would have terminated the pregnancy right away but..." she doesn't finish as Lerato cuts in, "What do you mean by that?" she asks curiously. Katlego first looks at Lindiwe before saying, "Uhmm someone else may be the father other than Sbu and..." once again she doesn't finish as Lerato cuts in, "Who is the other guy?" again curiously. Suddenly a moment of silence passes in the room as Katlego is scared of saying this part. She has always known that this question was going to come at some point, she wasn't going to avoid it forever. "Jabu could be the father" she says with a low voice, embarrassed to even look at her friends.
"What?" both Lindiwe and Lerato shout simultaneously. "Jabu, as in Sbu's best friend?" Lindiwe asks as if she didn't hear well. Katlego nods without even looking at them. At this moment she wishes the earth can open up and swallow her.
Oh my God, Katli, what the f*ck is wrong with you?" shouts Lerato. "So it wasn't okay for you to get us into this mess seeing that Buhle hates all of us now, so you had to come between two best friends as well?" as she puts her hands over her head. "Yeah Katli, that is so sick you know" Lindi jumps in which makes fresh tears fall off Katli's face. "I know okay, I messed up big time," Katli says. "I can never forgive myself for all this. That's why I have decided to leave Durban for good. I'm just waiting for my transfer to be approved" she says to her friend's surprise. They didn't expect this. "So you think running away from this will solve the problem?" Lerato asks angrily. "Yeah, I mean what about the father of the baby?" Lindiwe jumps in right there as well. This gives Katlego a moment to think as she looks to the ceiling as if she is trying to figure this out.
"Lindi, there's nothing left for me here" she says with a very low voice. "I have already lost my friends that I love very much. I did something that can't be forgiven in the face of the earth. All I can do now is try and find a new life somewhere else. As for the father, well..." she thinks for a second. "There's nothing I can do about that. If he wants to be part of this baby's life, I suppose we will make arrangements. It's the only way" as she looks down in sadness. Lerato and Lindiwe look at each other and suddenly they are also sad about this. They can read it in her eyes that this isn't easy for her.
"Look guys I'm really sorry for doing this to you. I don't deserve your friendship or even your slightest kindness" Katlego says with a sad voice. "Especially you Lindi" as she looks at her. "I am so
sorry for putting you in this position. I am not expecting you to forgive. I am not expecting none of you to" as she stands up. "Where are you going?" Lindiwe asks curiously. "Uhmm, I got to run somewhere for an appointment. Goodbye you guys" she says as she walks out of the room with tears down her face leaving her friends just as sad.
"Well, you too have some explanation to do to me hey" Lerato says to Lindiwe as she comes to sit down after closing the door on Katlego. "Yeah I know my friend" Lindiwe says as she sighs deeply. "But can I please order room service and maybe some wine and i then i promise I will tell anything you want to know" she begs.
***
At Sbu's house things aren't really rosy as well. Buhle left for Tendai's house and left him with Naledi. He is really struggling to accept that this has happened to him. This house walls are plastered with pictures of him and Buhle but there's more pictures of Buhle than of his so she sees her whichever room she goes in the house.
"Hey man, thank you for coming hey. I know it was a last minute thing" Sbu says to Tsepo who sits opposite him at the lounge. "It's okay man, how did it go last night?" Tsepo asks curiously as he looks around the house. Sbu sighs deeply before saying, "My wife left last night bro" with a sad voice. "Not that I can blame her. I brought all this upon myself, I deserve it" as he tries to sit comfortably on the couch. "Katlego told her before I did, like you said. So it's game over for me man" as he looks sad but his friend doesn't really know what to say to him. He is trying to find words but none come to mind.
Uhmm look man," Sbu continues. "I know that I should have asked you first but last night I asked Grace to come and assist me with regards to Naledi and a few things I needed but I am now asking you formally" as he looks into Tsepo's eyes to see his reaction.
"Uhmm, you mean...?" Tsepo says as he looks a little puzzled by that. "I mean; can you pull her out from her job a little bit? I mean can you grant her leave of absent for this period so that she can come and help out here, with Naledi especially?" as he tries read where his friend is. "Uhmm nah
Sbu that is a very big ask man, come on" Tsepo says, still puzzled by this request. "I mean can't you get a helper that will..." he doesn't finish as Sbu cuts him off, "Man, no one understands me like her and she understands Naledi's routines, I didn't want to disturb that" he says with begging eyes. "But Sbu man, it's another thing for Grace to help out whenever she can from time to time. But to pull her out to do this full-time man, I don't know, that's too much" Tsepo says looking down.
But when he sees that this is making Sbu sad he then says, "Look, I will speak to Grace about it okay? Let's see what she thinks about it" as he smiles to which Sbu smiles back at him. They then sit there and talk for about an hour or so, discussing what really happened with Katlego.
***
Grace has gone to see Lumka at her place just to check on her before she leaves for New York Fashion week. Lumka is living a very soft life with all her travelling, meeting who's who of the entertainment industry.
"So girl, are you ready for the good times? I so wish you could take me with you to this show you know" Grace says as she sips on her juice sitting on the couch. "Hahaha, well my friend as I recall I did ask you to join me. All of this could be yours" Lumka says as she sips on her glass as well. "What time is your flight? Am I keeping you?" Grace asks as she looks at wrist watch. "Oh no, my flight is much later, so what's up? You don't look good my friend, what's wrong?" Lumka says with a little worried face. "Arg, it’s nothing you know but I slept at Sbu's place last night?" Grace says much to Lumka's shock who almost falls off the couch and spilt her juice.
"You what?" she shouts, wide-eyed. "Arg no man, not like that okay? It's not what you think okay?" Grace jumps in to ease her friend. "He asked me to assist with Naledi since Grace wasn't there. You remember that he was in the car accident right? So he still can't walk on his own, so someone had to look after little Naledi" as she sips on her drink.
"Oh so why must that someone be you? Doesn't he know that you also have a life and a man? He is super rich; can't he find someone else? And where the hell was that useless wife of his?" Lumka says as she looks all annoyed about this. "Well I did organize him a nurse who started today to help, so..." Grace says she shrugs her shoulders. "The thing though is that no one understands Naledi's routines like I do and..." she doesn't finish as Lumka cuts her off, "Hey, hey, hey that's not your problem okay?" she says. "Naledi has a mother who should be there for her daughter. You are not her mother, Buhle is. She must learn to make time for her kid, so that you can live your life" as she pours herself another glass of juice.
"Yes I hear you my but..." Grace says as she protests but she is cut off once again, "No, there's not but here G" Lumka says as she raises her voice. "Wait, is this still about you wanting to help with Naledi or it is you feeling sorry for Sbu, maybe because you still have feelings for him?" as she raises her eyebrow.
"Arg, no man please. It's not that at all, don't be silly" Grace says nervously as she sips on her juice. "Okay good, because you have a good thing going with Tsepo and he is a very good man and he loves you. I'd hate to see you give that up for a man who has everything and would never leave his wife you" Lumka says as she once again gives her friend a look. "Yes maám" Grace says as she laughs loud. "Okay look, enough about me okay? Let's discuss what you are going to buy me in New York okay?" she says she sips om her juice as they enjoy a moment with her best friend.
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