Chapter 17: Relapse part 2
A week or so has passed since the drama at Buhle's house and lots of damage has been caused by just a few blissful nights between Katlego and Sbu. Since that night, the four friends haven't been together. In fact, they haven't been seeing each other or even talking on the phone. It is the same thing with the boys. They haven't been seeing each other since this thing blew up in their faces. It looks like everyone just need their time apart from each other in order to evaluate what's important.Some amongst them may even questioning how genuine their friendship was with one another. Buhle, who is at the centre of all this is still staying with Tendai, albeit in the guestroom. The MEC thought it's best to not take advantage of this situation.
Katlego has decided to go and see Jabu at his place on a Friday night. She knows she may not be welcome there but she wanted to give him a heads up about her plans and perhaps to sort of try and make peace with him. She knows that she can't expect things to ever get back to normal with anyone of her friends but she must try and make amends.
"Thank you for letting me in Jabu. I know I'm the last person you really want to see so thank you..." Katlego says as she sits opposite Jabu, who cuts her off and say, "Look Katli, I don’t mean to be rude but if you don't mind can you please get to the point of why you are here?" as he looks at her straight in the eyes. Katlego can't say she didn't expect this so she is not really taking offense over it.
"Okay, uhmm..." she says she tries to find words that are alright. "I will be leaving Durban soon and I'm never coming back" she says as she looks down, avoiding eye contact. Suddenly this gets Jabu's attention. A minute ago he couldn't wait for her to leave but now he wants to hear her out.
"What?" he says as he's puzzled. "I mean, what about the baby?" as he looks at Katlego's little bump. "What do you mean what about the baby?" she responds as she looks at him in the eyes. At that Jabu looks like he's trying to find the right words to say.
"Look, that baby could be mine, okay?" he says as he raises his voice a little bit. " So you can't just up and leave. What about my rights to this child?" as he stands up but Katlego cuts him off, "Whoa wait, just a minute ago you couldn’t be in same room as me and now you have rights to my child Jabu?" she raises her voice as well. "We don't even know if this baby is yours okay? So I don't know why..." she doesn't finish as Jabu cuts her off, "Yes it could be my best friend's baby, thank you for reminding me Katli" as he walks around the room and he is upset.
"Yes, yes your best friend Jabu. What do you want me to say?" Katlego says as she shouts which makes Jabu realize that maybe it's not such a good idea to escalate the situation any further.
" Look I'm begging you Katli" he says as he comes to sit next to her. "Please don't leave now. Why don't you at least leave after the baby is born, when we all know who the baby's father is?" as he looks at her with begging eyes as he comes a little closer.
"Look what difference does that make really Jabu? Now or later is all the same" Katlego says as her eyes are beginning tear. "Truth is I hurt a lot of people. I hurt you and Sbu and especially Buhle. She didn't deserve any of it. And then I lost my friends who I love very much. So what's left for me is to leave and start my life afresh somewhere with this baby. It is my second chance in life" as she wipes her tears. Seeing this, Jabu begins to feel bad himself about all this as he makes eye contact. "If it's any consolation Jabu, I really wish this baby is yours" Katlego says as she looks at him as well. "I have ruined Buhle and Sbu's marriage and if this baby turns out to be his will kill any chance of them ever giving it another chance" as she pulls away from eye contact.
"But it's just because of that Jabu" she continues. "You are a good man and very considerate. You'd make a great dad. I haven't spoken to Sbu since before the accident and the last time we spoke was when I told him about the pregnancy. He made it clear that I should terminate it because he didn't want to lose his wife. So I don't know how he feels now, so..." as she shrugs her shoulders in shame.
"That is why I'm begging you to stay" Jabu says as he holds Katlego's hands. "Look, screw DNA test, okay? We can just raise this baby together as ours. I don't need to confirm if the baby is mine okay? Even the slightest chance that I might be is good for me and..." he doesn't finish as Katlego cuts him off, "Jabu please stop, stop, stop okay?" she says politely. "You are not thinking straight alright? Sbu will want to know if this baby is his okay? It's only fair to him. He has every right to find that out just like you do, okay?" as she squeezes Jabu's hands as if she's pleading with him. Even though Jabu knows she is right he is still sad that Katlego isn't buying to this idea.
***
Somewhere else, Tsepo and Grace are having a chilled Friday night with nice meal and wine. They are trying to focus more on their relationship now which is doing very well and over the past few weeks Grace has been staying with Tsepo even though she still keeps her own place and goes there from time to time. They feel their relationship has matured enough now for them to start considering moving in together.
"So how was work babe? You look exhausted" Tsepo says as he sips on his white wine. "Yeah babe, work is very hectic, just too much to get through" Grace says as she also sips her dry red. They are set up in a balcony of this double story Mansion since it's a little warm Friday evening. From where they are sitting high up they can see the beautiful night skies over the seas and cargo ships lights. It
all looks beautiful. Inside the house slow jam music is playing beautiful songs and they can hear it
since the slide door is open.
"So, does it mean that you won’t be able to come out of that to go and help Sbu out?" Tsepo asks as he avoids eye contact by down at cars passing by. "Uhmm, what do you mean?" Grace asks as she is confused by that. "Uhmm..." Tsepo tries to think how to say this, "A while ago Sbu asked me if I could grant leave for a little so that you can go help him and Naledi out" as he clears his throat. This seems to puzzle Grace who for a moment seems very confused. "Uhmm, why would I come out of my job to go and help him out? Why doesn't he hire a helper?" as she shrugs her shoulders. "Well, that's what I actually asked him. But he believes that you understand Naledi's routines and he didn't want to interrupt that" Tsepo says as he also shrugs his shoulders.
"No ways" Grace says as she looks away to avoid eye contact. "I don't want to help Sbu, he must find a helper. And If I may ask, why are only saying this now?" as she restores eye contact with her boyfriend. Suddenly this threatens to build tension in the balcony.
"Uhmm, you mean after you never mentioned to me that Sbu had asked you to come help him at his house that night Buhle left?" Tsepo says as he looks away. This catches Grace off guard as she wasn't ready for it. "Uhmm, what do you mean?" she asks as she clears her throat but that seems to just annoy Tsepo who says, "Oh come on don't do that okay? He asked you to come and help out that night and you slept there. He told me himself. But to me you said you had slept at your apartment" as he fixes his eye on her girlfriend's. Well, there is no way to hide from that, is there?
"Look babe, I'm sorry okay" Grace says nervously. "I just didn't know how you'd take it so I didn't want to cause you to start assuming things that..." she doesn't finish as Tsepo cuts her off, "I thought we had gone passed that stage of mistrust G" he says disappointed. "Are we still questioning each other's trust still? I mean, why would you thing I'd make assumptions? All you had to do was just telling me. But now you are making me ask questions as to why you didn't and i had thought we'd never circle back to this?" as his facial expression changes to being sad. "Okay, okay my love" Grace says with a begging voice, "Look I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to keep that from you, at least not in a bad way. Please believe me?" she looks terrified.
"Okay let's forget about it" Tsepo says as he begins to look calmer again, sipping his wine. "So, tell me why you don't want to go help out Sbu this time?" he asks curiously, much to Grace's discomfort.
She really doesn't like discussing her former boss with her man.
"But love, what with all the penetrating questions?" she asks as if she is a little irritated. "No I mean..." Tsepo says as he looks for words. "Did something happen between you two?" as he raises an eyebrow. But as Grace's eyes meet Tsepo's she realizes there's nowhere to hide. The last thing she wants is to cause further tensions between herself and Tsepo but she also knows that keeping things from him will only lead to that very fact. "Uhmm...Nothing happened per say" she says as she tries to avoid eye contact with Tsepo who is at this point looking at her with some shock. He is wondering what his partner means by all that.
"What do you mean by that now?" he asks, with a curious eye. "Uhmm..." Graces says as she clears her throat. "A little while ago when I went to help with Naledi, your friend Sbu made a move on me" as she looks down in shame. Tsepo almost falls from the chair with shock. He gives his girlfriend this look that is difficult to read.
"Okay baby please I need you to hear me, okay?" Grace begs as her face changes to being terrified of what her boyfriend must be thinking or will react. "I went there to help Naledi, alright? Both Buhle and Sbu weren't there and I didn't expect Sbu to come back first as they had indicated to me that Buhle was going to come back early" she says and all the while Tsepo is just looking at her, showing no emotion at all. "So Sbu thanked me for helping out, which by the way I was happy to do because as you know I'm very fond of little Naledi. So he hugged me" as she looks to see if Tsepo's reaction changes, but nope it doesn't. "Oh wait, let me rephrase that" she says nervously. "We hugged."
At this point Grace can read her boyfriend's eyes that he is really pissed at this even though he is not showing. "So he then tried to kiss me. But I didn't kiss him back, I swear to you" Grace says as she panics. " But babe, I really reprimanded him for that and I left immediately after" as she comes closer to take her boyfriend's hand, who pulls away.
"But why didn’t you tell me all this earlier Grace, huh?" Tsepo says with a very low voice and with a very sad face. Grace thinks for a second and then says, "Baby i really didn't want to get in between you and your friend" which makes Tsepo raise an eyebrow but she continues, "Look, you and I were relevantly new at the time and I didn't want to come across as girlfriend who gets between boyfriend and his friends. I know it's not a reasonable excuse baby, that's all it was I promise" as she thinks about pulling his hands again but she decides against it. It looks like Tsepo believes him but then he says, "You really should have told me this" as he stands up and get into the house, leaving his girlfriend sitting there by herself, pondering on this.
***
At Tendai's house Buhle made herself very comfortable and she feels she has been treated well there. Since she arrived she has been living in the guest room and uncharacteristic of Tendai, he has been a real gentleman, not making a move her even once. Buhle, as much as she misses home and
her child whom she calls on the landline just to talk to her, every time she thinks about Sbu did she becomes infuriated. She can't let herself look pass that even though she acknowledges that she herself has done wrong by her husband in the past. Probably what compounds the situation is the fact that there could be a child involved in all this. How can she forgive Sbu and the girl she thought was her friend?
"Hey, Uhmm I was meaning to tell you that soon I will be moving into my new place soon" Buhle says as she sits on the couch opposite Tendai's while they are watching a movie. "You really have been a great host for me Mr. MEC, you really have been. I have felt welcome in your house. I enjoyed your company. But I really think it's time for me to move in to my place now, in that way i will be able to move in with my daughter" she says she looks at a disappointedly looking Tendai.
"Uhmm, wow, I really didn't expect this so soon hey" a surprised Tendai says. "I mean, but why? Your daughter is welcome here too, you know that. Did I do anything that made you feel uncomfortable?" he asks curiously as if he's trying to recall. "Oh no, you didn't, it was quite the opposite actually. But come on Tendai, moving here, with my daughter? That's not practical and you know it. Imagine what Sharon would think, let alone say. I had a great time though" Buhle says with a smile.
"So then why are you rushing to leave? I thought you were having a great time; I know I was. You know that you can stay here as long as you want, right?" Tendai says as he takes a sip of his drink as if he just had the worst news of his life. "Look Tendai, since I've been here your girlfriend and your daughter haven't come not even once, and I'm assuming you are making excuse for them to not show up here, right?" Buhle says as she looks at the MEC to try and read him.
"That's not what I want for you Tendai" she continues "I don't want to get between you and Sharon and you guys..." she doesn't finish as Tendai cuts her off, "But you're not, I promise" he says with begging eyes. "But I am Tendai if you aren’t seeing them because of me and you can deny it all you want but I'm the reason" Buhle says politely.
"Look, I want you and Sharon to be happy okay? I don't want what's happening between me and Sbu suddenly change what you and Sharon have" she says as she also sips on her drink to which Tendai just shrugs his shoulders as if to say Well, okay then, if you say so. This suddenly brings a little of awkwardness in the room. "Tell you what?" Tendai breaks the silence. "Why don't I school you one more time in cooking before you leave, hahaha" he bursts out laughing uncontrollably. "Hahaha school me you say, MEC? hahaha" Buhle joins in the loud laughter. At that, Tendai goes to the kitchen and in a moment comes back with two aprons. He throws one at Buhle and says, "Well come on then Dr." as he wears one himself.
"Okay then Mr. MEC, I accept the challenge" Buhle says as she takes the apron and follows Tendai to the kitchen. "So what are we making tonight?" she asks with enthusiasm. "Well, doctor, today we are baking" Tendai says as he looks for ingredients from the cupboard, which seems to really excite Buhle a lot. "yes, so you choose which you want to make, scones or muffins? Whatever you choose I will make the other" Tendai says with a smile that always seems to put Buhle at ease.
For the next two hours they bake a storm in the kitchen while dancing to the music, just like old times. This is the first time since Buhle left Sbu that she's felt so happy around a person or people. These are the kind of things they never do with Sbu at home, not to say she was never happy there though.
So after a little while they were sitting on the couch, this time not on opposite sides but the very same couch next to each other. They are watching a music channel that happens to play beautiful music. "So Dr., your muffins are actually quite nice hey" Tendai says to Buhle who looks impressed with herself as she says, "Well thank you very much Mr. MEC" as she lifts her glass of wine. "But you better try my scones with this cream here" Tendai says as he dips a piece of scones into a fresh cream and then feeds Buhle who gracefully obliges. "Hmmm..." she says as she her taste buds enjoy the melting taste of the scones soaked in delicious cream, "That is so divine, well-done MEC" she says to which Tendai can't help but smile proudly.
"Oh but try this delicious cream with is" Buhle says as she takes a strawberry and dips it in the cream and feeds Tendai open opens his mouth wide. "Hmmm that is really delicious" Tendai says as he loves how that melts in his mouth. "Oh well Dr., I can also feed too" he says as he takes another strawberry and feeds co-cook who is happy to join in. "Hmmm oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about" she says as she closes her eyes, enjoying the desert. "Oh, oh, I think you left something there..." Tendai says as he reaches out with his thumb to wipe Buhle's lower lip that left cream. But before he knew it, Buhle was sulking the cream off that thumb. Well to say the room suddenly went warm is an understatement, it was steamy with both of them burning with desire.
Their eyes were suddenly filled with longing for one another as they got closer to one another. They both know there is no avoiding this. At that very moment they started kissing passionately, leading to them taking off their clothes to enjoying a steamy love making of two people who have been longing for each other a while.
***
Some miles away in New York, Lumka has had a time of his life but later tonight she's heading home, much to her annoyance. But once again she is waking up in the hotel bed of Bheki Khuzwayo who happened to be in the Big Apple as well. Whether that was a coincidence or not it's not clear but they definitely didn't arrive here together.
"Well Mr. Khuzwayo can you explain to me exactly what are we?" Lumka asks as she lay on Bheki's chest. This does seem to make Bheki very uncomfortable but he probably knew it was coming. "Look, why are you asking this now?" he says. "Aren't you spoiling things a little bit with that?" But that question seems to make Lumka upset, "Look Bheki, I'm not one of your booty calls okay?" she says. "I am a woman with dignity. And yes I enjoy having fun with you from time to time but don't you even make the mistake of thinking you'll call on me anytime you want and expect me to show up at your door like a little prostitute" as she gets up and leaves Bheki right there in bed as she walks out of the room.
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