A Harsh Reality

Lelo sat patiently in her car, outside Pearl's gate, and waited for her to open. She stepped out of the car and pressed the intercom button several times, but there was no response. She walked back to her car and stepped into it – making herself comfortable. She knew that Pearl was inside the house, ignoring her.

Lelo remained patient and buzzed Pearl's intercom button repeatedly. She had been calling Pearl nonstop, but her calls were in vain. Pearl was answering none of them. Lelo remained calm and was surprised to see Pearl's name appear on her phone screen, as an incoming call.

"Go, away Lelo," Pearl sobbed. "I'm not good company today."

Thirty-two-year-old Pearl Mula was a commercial model and the ex-wife of Percy Mula. She has been Lelo's best friend since their college years, where they met as roommates in college. Pearl was very much of an introvert and shied away from the world when life dealt her with difficult blows. Her home became her safe haven, and she would remain locked inside for days, without seeing a single soul. This was her way of dealing with hardship, and since her divorce, she was in no mood to see anyone, let alone those whose lives seemed to run smoothly without a hitch.

"Pearl, please, I need you, please," begged Lelo.

Lelo waited by the gate, as she leaned on the bonnet of her car for over an hour while pressing the intercom repeatedly. Pearl's face bricked, four en-suite bedroomed home, was one of Melrose Place's most sought after homes, with state of the art features and two garages. Percy had left her the house, after the divorce settlement.

Lelo was irritated when Pearl refrained from opening the gate. She returned to her car, stepped inside, fired the engine, and prepared to leave. Suddenly, the gates to Pearl's house opened, and Lelo slowly drove in and parked inside the yard. She stepped out of the car, hoping that Pearl would rush out to meet her with arms wide open like she normally did. But no one emerged from the house, so Lelo sauntered towards Pearl's glass front door, turned down the knob, and opened the door. The entrance hall flowed into an open-plan, grey walled and wooden-floored lounge, with beautiful views of the landscaped garden. It was a beautiful home, which consisted of three upstairs bedrooms, and one bedroom downstairs.

Her usually brightly lit home, seemed gloomy and abandoned, as she strolled around looking for Pearl. She finally found her, in her cluttered maroon wallpapered bedroom. She seemed frail and thin, as she lay there on her messy gold quilted bed, leaning against her pillow. Her long blue silk gown enhanced her long legs and tiny framed body. She took another sip of wine, as she lay there looking sad and forlorn, with her long thick cornrows, and curly sideburns, framing her beautiful face. Next to her lay three empty bottles of Cedar red wine, and it was clear that she had finished them all by herself.

The divorce had left her shattered, and Percy had left her high and dry, especially since the settlement amount had not panned out the way she had expected it to. She had not showered in days, and it showed, as her overly done up make-up had left stains of runny mascara, and red lipstick all over her face. At that moment, she resembled an evil-scary clown. Pearl did not know what day it was, neither did she care. She was barely recognizable, and it seemed as though she had not left her home in days. Overly drunk and about to blackout, she was oblivious to anything around her.

Lelo's eyes filled with tears of sadness for her friend, as she battled to find the words to comfort her. Instead, she went over and hugged her, holding her tight, and muttering the only thing that seemed to come to mind, "Pearl, I'm so sorry…I don't know what to say, or where to begin."

Pearl's eyes were dead, as she looked at Lelo, and stumbled upon her words, "Thank you for coming…it really means a lot to me."

"Pearl, why didn't you call me?" asked Lelo, with tears still forming in her eyes. She released Pearl from her embrace, and positioned herself beside her, so as to look her in the eye.

"Why would I call you, Lelo? My face is on the cover of each magazine, and there are sinister articles written about me in each of them. My name has been dragged through the mud, and I figured you out of all people would be the first to read up on them. So again I ask, "Why would I call you, Lelo, when you already have the scoop." said Pearl, her words beginning to slur, from drunkenness.

"You are my friend, Pearl. I would never dream of benefiting from your pain. I was approached to write a story about the divorce, but I declined because I would never betray you in that way. Your divorce came as a major shock to me, and I am here as a friend, not to get some heartfelt scoop." exclaimed Lelo, smelling the empty wine bottles.

"Pearl, you need to stand up, and fight for your life! Surely it doesn't revolve around Percy. Look at the size of you, you have lost weight, and your face is gaunt. When last did you eat something?" Lelo asked, concerned and worried for her friend. She had never seen Pearl look so wasted, and drained in all the years they had been friends.

Pearl drank from the wine bottle. "I am not hungry, and I'm not drunk!"

Pearl hauled herself off the bed, but skipped a step, and tumbled to the floor. She was too intoxicated to stand up straight. Lelo aided her to stand up and guided her to her bathroom, which oozed elegance with its black and white tiled interior, and white-stoned bathtub and shower. Lelo turned on the warm water tap temperature and waited for the tub to fill, whilst adding a foam bath. She undressed Pearl and assisted her in sliding into the bath, leaving her to soak, while she unhooked a soft sponge, that hung around the tap, and massaged Pearl's tiny body with it.

It pained Lelo deeply to see her best friend so broken, and lifeless. There were tears sitting at the back of her throat, but she refrained from crying, knowing she had to be strong for Pearl. After climbing out the bath, Lelo became concerned by the number of deep breaths Pearl was taking. "I think I'm going to be sick," revealed Pearl, falling to her knees, and throwing up into the bath of dirty water.

Lelo softly pulled Pearl's braids off of her face, and slowly escorted her to the bedroom, to get her dressed. Pearl seemed in better spirits than earlier, as she rested on the bed, and laid her head on the pillow. Lelo then covered her with a soft fur blanket, to warm her up.

Lelo hurried to the kitchen, opened Pearl's empty fridge, and heard a dreadful sound as if the fridge was in dire need of a service. She stood there, shaking her head in disbelief, whilst eyeing out the contents of the fridge. The fruit and vegetable drawer had nothing inside, except a box of grapes, which she carefully hauled out. She spotted a can of whipped cream but found no use for it. Opening the freezer, she removed some readymade pieces of chicken breasts and a package of frozen berries.

She placed the chicken breasts in the micro-oven and managed to whip up a chicken breast and grape salad, for Pearl. She laughed at herself, whilst looking at the contents of the salad, as it looked tasteless and bland, but it was the best she could do, as Pearl was allergic to pecan nuts.

Lelo pondered over the idea of sleeping over at Pearl's. She felt horrible having to leave her to her own devices, not knowing what she might do next. She wasted no time procrastinating, and picking up Pearl's landline phone, she immediately dialled Pule's cell phone number. She heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line, as he answered.

"Hey Phila, how are you holding up," enquired Pule, not realising Lelo was on the other end of the line.

"Who's Phila…babe, it's me."

Pule chuckled. "I know it's you…Lelo."

Lelo laughed. "Oh, is that my new name," she purred, relieved that the chill running up her spine, was nothing but a figment of her imagination. For a minute there, she had a crazy notion, that Pule might be a cheat.

Pule laughed. "You guessed it, my love."

"Babe, I am sorry to let you down this evening, but Pearl is in no position to be left alone. May I be excused this once?"

"Is that the reason you won't be coming back home?"

"Yes…she's a mess…I need to be with her, please."

"Did I not firmly state, that you may do as you wish, provided you come home? complained Pule. "Understand me nicely, we will not quarrel over friends, and you will not put me last on your to-do list!" screamed Pule, before hanging up on Lelo.

Pule's response aggravated Lelo, that she slammed the phone onto its base, and ambled back to Pearl's bedroom, carrying her dinner on a tray. She found Pearl tidying up her bedroom, and was in awe of her beauty. Her face was now scrubbed clean of makeup after she treated herself to a bath, and one could see that she was a natural beauty, with her long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, and flawless skin.

"You're awake...How are you feeling?" asked a worried Lelo, setting the dinner tray on her bedside table.

"I am super ok, thank you" declared Pearl, appreciatively.

"Pearl, you know that you don't need to pretend with me. I am here for you – whatever you need."

Pearl turned to look Lelo directly in the eye. Lelo's determination to see her had bothered her, and she wondered if there may be an alternate reason for her visit.

"Why did you come here today?" she asked directly.

"To be with you," replied Lelo, slightly offended.

Pearl pointed her right index finger at Lelo. "No! No! No! You are a reporter! You are not on my side! Are you here to get my side of the story…Whose side are you on?" queried Pearl, losing her mind.

Lelo laughed outrageously. "Pearl, relax! I'm an Editor, and I'm always on your side…it's me, remember? Lelo, your best friend since college?"

"I know who you are…I know what you do… I'm not stupid, Lelo!" wept Pearl, as she broke down in tears. "Don't you think my cheating on him was a sign of distress...Don't you? But then again, I am talking to the master playette herself! Get out of my house! Get out!" snarled Pearl, as she chased Lelo out of her house.

Pearl drove Lelo to the kitchen, but Lelo stopped at the kitchen's doorway and gazed at her.

"Wait a minute, Pearl," shrieked Lelo, pointing a finger at her. "You are being defensive here! All you had to do was admit to the wrong, and do right by your husband!"

Pearl tittered. "You know, if you weren't a whore yourself, I would believe your empathetic speech."

"You know, Pearl, I came here today out of love for you. I took it upon myself to get into my car, leave my boyfriend's function, and put you first, because I truly cared, not because I needed your damn story! But all I see is a bitter woman, who seems to think the whole world is out to get her! Well, you can go and screw yourself, because I am not wasting another minute trying to win your trust! You should have reeled him in, Pearl! He was your husband!" screamed Lelo, almost in tears, for being falsely accused.

Pearl chortled. "Yes, yes, yes! In the same way, you're reeling in your other lovers, huh, Lelo?"

Lelo was seething. "Oh, I get it!

So, this is about me, right, Pearl? You think I am to blame here? Well, you got it all wrong. You know, Miss Matome, I pity you! I really do! You don't have a clue when it comes to life! I'm done trying to be your friend! As far as I am concerned, you can go to hell!" retorted Lelo, feeling her anger building up.

Pearl smiled wickedly, walking up to Lelo, and looking her straight in the eye, "I don't need your pity. I can get through this on my own. I don't need any of you. You are nothing but a snitch, who is out to make a name for herself! Well, you have chosen the wrong victim. I won't fall for your story! Now get the hell out of my house!" shouted Pearl.

Lelo chuckled. "You can get through this alone? Well then, all the best, my dear friend. I hope you find comfort in your mishap!"

Lelo fixed her leathered handbag as it hung on her shoulder, and let herself out. As she stepped into her car, Pearl raced up to the kitchen door and began shouting at her.

Pearl laughed wickedly. "You hate being challenged, don't you, Lelo?" shouted Pearl. "You hate it when women like me, become cheating women like you!"

Lelo quickly stepped out of her car, walked towards Pearl, and stood in front of her, looking her straight in the eye.

Lelo chuckled. "You're trying to be me?" "Well, you should know that the life I live, isn't just for anyone. It's neither for the weak, nor for the strong, but for the heartless! You're too soft-hearted to be ruthless, Pearl," ranted Lelo, brushing Pearl's head.

"I confessed, I told him about my affair," divulged Pearl.

Lelo tittered. "Poor little amateur, you got caught within five minutes of your misdemeanour," Lelo chuckled. "I'm out of here! You are so pathetic! One piece of advice, dear friend...Get it together!"

Lelo stepped into her car, and shut the door, departing from Pearl's home. Pearl hurried back inside the house, trudged straight to the bathroom, turned on the tap, and filled the tub with warm water. Too drained to think, she stepped inside the bath, not bothering to remove any of her clothes, and lay there until the water became cold. She clutched a bottle of red wine that had been sitting beside the bath for more than a week, peeked inside, then squinted at the feint words outside the bottle, trying to read the name of the wine.

"2011 Boekenhoutskloof, Chocolate Block," she said out loud, proudly, before gulping the contents down her throat, without thinking twice. She chuckled to herself, thinking of Lelo's words just before she left. "Get it together, get it together! Who are you, to tell me to get it together? I'll show you," she added, as she gulped down the whole bottle, and burped right after.

Pearl stepped out of the bath, removed her soaked clothes, and placed them inside the basin. She began cleaning her house, until it was back to its normal state, feeling the tension ease away as she cleaned. When she was done cleaning, she returned to the bathroom and refilled the tub. She lay there, while her body soaked up the foam bath, allowing her muscles to relax. She eventually washed up, tidied the bathroom, and strolled to her wardrobe, pulling out her sexy black dress from a green plastic hanger. She eyed it out, then spread it on the bed.

Picking up her bottle of Chanel Nº 5 perfume, she sprayed a few sprays on her dress and allowed the perfume to absorb into her clothes, ensuring an alluring aromatic sweet smell. She slipped into the tiny black number, then searched for her brand new pair of red stilettos, which she found in her shoe basket, and fitted them on. She sat on her bed, snatched up her phone from the bedside table, and pressed the side button to switch on the screen. Aiming at her screen, she called out the instruction, "Call Lover!" and waited patiently, as the phoned automatically dialled his number.

She stood beside the bed and paced, while waiting for her phone to connect her, to the person she was calling.

"My angel, you don't sound well, how are you doing?" he asked worriedly, in a strong voice, as he heard her withering voice on the other end of the line.

"Lover, I need to see you! I am going crazy without you! Please, Babe!" whined Pearl.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at my place. Are you working tonight, Lover?"

"No, Angel. I am not working. I'm home." replied the man, as he settled on his couch, in his home, in Randpark.

"Please come…I need to see you."

"Alright, my love, I am leaving shortly. I will call you when I get there.…Give me at least an hour, or so…See you soon." he replied hastily, as he hung up the phone.

Pearl ended the call and removed her shoes. She dashed to the bathroom on barefoot, and shifted her wet clothes from the basin to the washing machine, and whilst doing so, her eye caught a glimpse of the empty wine bottle in the bathroom. Grabbing the bottle, she raced downstairs and began removing the scattered empty wine bottles, seemingly laying everywhere. Frantically she ran back and forth to the bin, as she collected the waste from around the house, ensuring the house was spotlessly clean, for when her lover arrived.

Once she had binned all the waste, she looked around the house satisfactory and commenced to decorate her coffee table with two wine glasses, a small ceramic platter of frozen berries, and the half-filled bottle of whipped cream. Satisfied with the end result, she replaced her shoes on her feet, sat back on the couch, switched off the house lights, and waited for her visitor to arrive, whilst flipping through the TV channels, and settling on a romantic movie.

While Pearl enjoyed the movie, she was disturbed by the "on and off" gleam that radiated from her phone. She picked it up and gazed at it. It was an incoming call, but the caller quickly hung up when Pearl answered. Pearl dialled the number back, and the person answered.

"Hi, Sis, I'm here at the O.R Tambo airport," greeted the young woman.

"I'm confused, what are you doing there, again?" questioned Pearl. "Did you find a job or something?"

The young woman giggled. "I flew all the way from Durban, to live here with you."

Pearl chuckled and rubbed her face in confusion. "You must be out of your mind, Sanay."

Pearl thought about her sister and smiled to herself. Sanay Zamo was her younger sister, at the ripe age of twenty-five. She lived with their mother in Kwa-Zulu Natal, and the two sisters had a very close relationship. Their bond was extremely strong, and Sanay had always declared to her friends, and family, that Pearl, and their mother, were the rocks in her life, that kept her strong and solid. Sanay loved Pearl, and looked up to her, as her role model. She loved teasing her eldest sister, and laughed inwardly, as she continued to pester Pearl. She knew how to press her buttons, and rile her up.

Sanay chuckled. "My, that's friendly."

"Wait a second, Sanay, I am sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I will meet you at the airport, shortly. I am on my way," said Pearl, rushing to get out of the house.

Sanay tittered. "Wait! I am kidding, big Sis…I called to check up on you."

"Sanay!" complained Pearl. "Don't ever joke around like that again."

"I'm sorry…it's good to know that my sister loves me," admitted Sanay.

"Where's mom, does she know you're wasting her money?" inquired Pearl.

Sanay giggled. "I have money too…I've followed in your footsteps."

Pearl chuckled. "Say hi to mom…be good Sanay, I love you."

"Will do, bye Sis, I love you too."

Pearl felt good after that call with her sister. She went to the kitchen and made herself some microwaved popcorn. She poured herself a glass of grape juice, walked back to the living room with her snack, and continued watching her movie.

♥♥

Lelo arrived at Pule's home and parked directly behind his car. She let herself inside the house, and headed straight into the bathroom, removing her clothes, whilst waiting for the tub to fill up. After soaking in a hot bath, she dried herself off and slipped into her nightgown and slippers. Deciding that she was hungry, Lelo sauntered to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. She withdrew a bowl of green salad, and a griddled piece of chicken breast, and dished herself up a plate of food. She carried her plate around the house and headed straight towards the study room, where she assumed Pule might be working, so as to greet him. As she reached the hallway, Lelo heard Pule's voice and realised that he was on a call, inside his study.

Opening the study door, she found Pule sitting at his desk, with the phone against his ear. Pule noticed her standing there and immediately replaced the receiver, hanging up the call. He smiled at her and jumped up from his chair as if he hadn't seen her in years. He took her in his arms, and held her tight in his embrace, for the longest time. Releasing her from his embrace, he lifted her chin and held her gaze. He stared at her intensely, then kissed her passionately, placing her hand on his chest, by the side of his heart.

Pule smiled. "Do you feel it, babe? It only beats for you, my love and my heartbeat quickens, the second you are near me." he gushed.

Lelo blushed. "Aw, Pule, you say the most heartfelt things. Thank you for loving me the way you do. You fill my soul, and I love you so much."

"I love you so much, Mrs Pooe. Thank you for being the woman that you are. Thank you for your loyalty to me. You have made me a better person," declared Pule.

"Make love to me, Mr Pooe. I am ready to be the mother of your baby."

"Lelo, are you serious?"

"Yes, I am ready. I have been ready, since the first time we met."

"Babe, this is overwhelming but endearing. Let's discuss it in the morning and celebrate our engagement tonight," said Pule, strolling with Lelo into the living room.

"It's fine, Pule! Forget I mentioned it!" retorted Lelo, feeling as if she had been rejected a second time that evening.

Pule chuckled. "I love it when you get upset…tell me how things went with your friend?"

"Apart from you demanding me to come home…well…she pushed me away, and we exchanged some very hurtful words towards each other."

"What did you say to her, Lelo…Maybe she didn't take it as bad as you think she did."

"Let's leave it alone, baby…I want to go to bed. Good night," she said, irritated by his rejection, and intervention.

Lelo left Pule sitting alone and stormed off to her bedroom. She closed the door shut, and sat by her dressing table, applying a creamy white night cream to her face. She slipped out of her gown and placed it on the leathered recliner. Feeling horribly anxious, she retired to bed, wanting nothing more than to slide inside the sheets and bury her eyes underneath the blankets. She had had enough for one day and felt herself crumbling into a mess, as she closed her eyes, and sobbed her heart out. Surprised at her sudden departure, Pule followed her right after, to check on her. He was shocked to find Lelo in uncontrollable tears.

Pule sat beside her and handed her some tissues, but she ignored his gesture. He gently reached out, and wiped Lelo's eyes with the unused tissues, feeling sad, as he watched her lay there, in a heaped mess. She was emotional and desolate.

"What's wrong, baby…Are you alright?" queried Pule.

"No, I'm not!" sobbed Lelo. "You say today is my day, and yet I have to beg you to make love to me! Why Pule? Why?"

Pule chuckled. "That's the reason you're crying…Come here, baby, stop crying and kiss me...kiss me," teased Pule, pulling her in an upright position.

They kissed passionately, as he felt all the pain she was feeling, from the way in which she responded to him. Pule cuddled her tight and gave her what she asked for. He gently pulled her to sit on his lap and lifted her laced nightdress to her waist. She screamed out his name in pleasure, as he strongly pulled her back and forth into him, feeling his overwhelming need to be inside her. He gasped, and she clenched her jaw, as she looked up to the ceiling, and held him tight around his neck.

Her screams became louder, and louder, as the lovemaking intensified between them, and he groaned deeply in pleasure, as she rhythmically circled onto his lap, making him moan loudly as well. Lelo loved what Pule was doing to her, and the feeling was mutual for him. "I've got him wrapped around my little finger," she thought wickedly, as she smiled at him in her mind.

Their lovemaking lasted longer than expected, and they loved doing what they were doing to each other. Pule was the right man to cater to Lelo's needs.

♥♥

A red Ford Focus lit up Pearl's gate and hooted thrice. Pearl had fallen asleep on the couch, and the movie had been playing by itself. She woke up, and slowly strolled to the living room window to take a peek, and spotted her visitor. Her cell phone rang, whilst she hurried to the kitchen to open the gate.

Pearl smiled. "Babe, I see you and I'm buzzing you in," explained Pearl.

Pearl pressed the remote button to open the gate, then scurried down the hallway to the bathroom to check herself out in the mirror, and spray some more of her Chanel perfume. She found her red lipstick sitting next to a photo frame, and in it was a photo of her and Percy. She picked up the photo frame, and gazed at it sadly, feeling her heart pulse elevate. She closed her eyes and placed it face down.

Her lover let himself inside the house, and she heard strands of romantic music coming from the living room. He met Pearl in the hallway, and they kissed passionately while holding each other. He was love-struck each time he saw her.

"I missed you, my love, so much. How you are doing?" greeted Thendo.

Pearl smiled. "I missed you so much…the divorce hit me very hard…he was ruthless, babe."

Pearl was tearful when she saw Thendo, and he was a bit perplexed as he embraced her.

Thendo Ncube was a very tall, dark and amazingly handsome Zulu Man, with long eyelashes, and nicely shaped stubble around his cheeks and chin. Pearl was tall too, but standing next to Thendo, made her feel tiny and safe.

"Stop crying, I'm here now…You look amazing by the way," smiled Thendo, trying to calm Pearl down whilst running his hands along her back.

"You're all I have left, my love," declared Pearl.

"Tell me, did you love your husband?"

Pearl frowned. "Is that a trick question? Why ask such a question, Thendo?"

"I just want to know what I'm dealing with."

Pearl scoffed. "What…Dealing with...I am not in a situation, baby! Besides, I chose you…right?"

"You did?"

"I wouldn't have called you here…Since Percy left, you're all I think about."

Thendo chortled. "Please…Don't impress me with lies…rather tell it like it is…I won't judge."

"Thendo, I was married to Percy, I loved him dearly…Love doesn't just disappear into thin air, or melt away…We made vows."

"Why lie to my face then...I think that's my cue to leave…I don't like where this is going," conceded Thendo, leaving Pearl standing there.

"Wait…wait…stop, please don't go, please," begged Pearl, falling on the floor, grasping Thendo's leg.

"Pearl stand up," he said, pulling her up from the floor.

"I need you more than I need him, and this is true," Pearl sobbed. "Tell me what to do, and I will do it."

"I want you to stop acting crazy, and get a hold of yourself," demanded Thendo, "The fashion designer is gone, he moved on, unless you want him back!" he shouted, "The sooner you get that in your head, the sooner we'll live our lives! I'm here because I want to be with you, is that clear?"

Pearl nodded repeatedly. "Yes."

Thendo cuddled the distraught Pearl, like a father holding his daughter. He gazed into her eyes and kissed her cheek and forehead.

"I love you, Pearl, you hear me," confessed Thendo.

Pearl nodded. "Yes, I hear you, baby."

"That's a good girl. Now, what does a man have to do, to get a drink around here?"

Pearl grasped Thendo's hand, and gently pulled him as they strolled to the kitchen. He took a seat at the table, as she prepared cocktails, for him and her both. Before becoming a model, Pearl held the position of a barmaid and was recommended by one of her previous clients to take up modelling as a career.

"What would you like to drink?" asked Pearl.

Thendo smiled. "I would like to drink something that will make me forget my past, and focus on you." he kidded, and they both laughed.

Thendo stood behind Pearl, embraced her, and kissed her behind her neck. He let her go, ambled to the doorway, and admired her as she opened the fridge, and pulled out the strawberry cocktail syrup.

"Babe, do you think the absence of a father can really mess up the growth of his daughter, or daughters?" asked Pearl, as she ambled towards the kitchen counter, stood against it, and faced Thendo.

Thendo frowned. "What makes you ask that?"

Pearl shrugged. "It's just a thought. I mean, I know I am who my mother says I am, but who am I to my father?"

Thendo frowned. "You're his princess?"

Pearl shook her head and stared at Thendo. "I don't know my father, so how am I his princess?"

Thendo was astonished. "Wow! Babe..."

Pearl nodded. "Yes"

"I didn't know…I'm sorry."

Pearl nodded, faced the fridge, and withdrew a tray of ice cubes from the freezer. She crushed them using a blender, hurled them into the two glasses, then poured some vodka, and strawberry syrup onto the ice cubes. She passed Thendo one of the filled cocktail glasses.

He smiled at her, as he raised one eyebrow to indicate the impression she had made on him by making that cocktail, and he kissed her gently. She felt safe inside his big strong arms. They were in love, and Pearl had found the man of her dreams.

"This man loves me with all my flaws," pondered Pearl, as she rested on Thendo's chest while holding him. They sat on the couch in the living room, and chatted for a while, as they indulged in their cocktails. Thendo fetched a warm blanket from Pearl's bedroom, and they cuddled and took a nap on the couch.

♥♥

Pearl woke up two hours later and left Thendo sleeping peacefully on the couch. She fetched another blanket to cover him, and went back to the bedroom, opened her wardrobe, snatched out a white loose tank top, and wore it with a pair of light blue jeans.

She reached for her black clutch bag from her shelves of bags, chucked a few banknotes in it, tiptoed out of the house with her bare feet, carrying a pair of black six-inch heels, and grabbed the keys to her white Mercedes A250 sedan along the way. The car was dusty since it had been a while since she drove it, but Pearl was not bothered by that, and stepped inside it, warmed up the engine, and drove out of her yard.

♥♥

Siza fetched the grumpy Menzi from Pule's house, and there was in silence in the car, as she drove them home. They arrived home, and Siza rushed to open the door to their house, switching on the lights as she entered into the kitchen. Her ride with Menzi was quite tense, but she tried her best not to read too much into it.

Menzi left her in the kitchen, headed to the bathroom, and filled the basin with cold water, leaving his face to soak for a while. Siza followed him to the bathroom, opened the door, and watched him. She waited for him to finish.

Menzi sensed that Siza was watching him, as he pulled his face out of the cold water, and gazed at her through the mirror. He was in a very bad mood, and she could tell.

"Babe, would you like me to fix you a plate of food?" enquired Siza.

"No, I am not hungry, babe, thanks…Let's just go to bed," replied Menzi, walking past Siza to their bedroom, with his face buried in a white cotton towel.

"Menzi, what's going on?"

"What's going on with what, Siza?"

"Menzi, I'm not the one who ruined your day…If there's nothing going on, then don't take your stress out on me."

"Siza, I'm not in one of your childish moods…shut up, and let me get my sleep!"

"Fine, Menzi."

Menzi mumbled. "Stupid spoiled brat, you can't even see that I don't love you."

"What…What did you just say to me? No, you don't mean that."

"Open your eyes, Siza! Gosh!"

"Menzi, you don't mean that."

"Listen, woman, when a man says he doesn't love you, believe me, he is telling the truth."

Siza was astonished and speechless, but no emotion reflected on her face. Seeing the look on Siza's face brought Menzi back to his senses, and he instantly realised that he had hurt her feelings.

"Babe, babe, I'm sorry, that came out wrong," pleaded Menzi, grabbing Siza's arm.

"Let go of me, Menzi," cried Siza, "Oh My word! I don't believe this," she added, running out the room.

Siza scurried to the guest bedroom, shut the door, and locked it. She climbed on the bed and whimpered silently. She was heartbroken by Menzi's piercing words. She searched for her phone, not realising that she was in the guest bedroom. She exited the room in tears, and went to Menzi's bedroom to search for her cell phone, and found it in her handbag.

She dialled Lungi's number, hoping that she answered. She ambled to the kitchen with the phone against her ear, while waiting for Lungi's call to connect. She grabbed her car keys and found Menzi in the kitchen pouring a drink. Lungi was not answering her phone, it went straight to voicemail, and Siza quickly hung up. She stood against the kitchen wall and stared at Menzi, who was unperturbed by her presence.

"I am leaving…I will come for the rest of my things during the week," announced Siza.

"And where are you going?" asked Menzi.

"I'm going to my house in Rosebank."

Menzi scoffed. "Who is taking you there?"

"I will drive myself home."

Menzi scoffed. "Right….hope you won't be driving the car I bought you."

"Exactly that one," declared Siza.

Menzi scoffed. "What my money buys, I control."

Menzi gently opened Siza's hand, and retrieved her car keys from her, leaving her standing there, gaping at him, as he headed back to his bedroom to sleep.

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2016

MIDNIGHT

It was midnight when Siza tried dialling Lungi's number again, strolled into the guest bedroom with the phone against her ear, and reclined on the bed. It took a while for Lungi to answer her phone since it was very late in the evening. Lungi became worried when she heard Siza sobbing on the phone.

"Siza, what's wrong?" queried Lungi.

"Please come pick me up…I'm not alright," sobbed Siza. "For the first time in this perfect relationship, Menzi just told me how he really feels."

"What did he say?"

"He told me straight to my face that he doesn't love me," Siza sobbed. "Please come, Lungi...please."

"Siza, it's after midnight, can you try and get some sleep, and I will come and pick you up in the morning."

"I'm not alright, Lungi."

"He isn't rough with you, is he? Or do you want me to call the police for you?"

"No, he isn't…I will see you in the morning, Lungi. Bye."

Just after Siza spoke to Lungi, there was a loud knock on the guest bedroom door. Menzi turned down the doorknob and was stunned when he found the door locked. He knocked repeatedly, whilst turning down the doorknob, violently trying to open the door. Siza sat still on the bed, stared at the door, and ignored Menzi.

"Go away Menzi, leave me alone," cried Siza.

"Babe, please open up…Let me explain, Siza! Please…I had a bad evening at Pule's," pleaded Menzi.

Siza lay on her stomach, unperturbed that Menzi was begging, and that encouraged her to ignore him further. She continued to scroll on the contact list in her phone and searched for the next person to call.

"Explain what, huh…Make me feel better…Why on earth did you even propose?" yelled Siza finally, as Menzi continued to plead with her. "You're the one who proposed, you wanted to get married, not me, so go away."

"I do want to marry you, babe! I do, and you are perfect for me," declared Menzi.

Siza unexpectedly opened the door, after hearing those words. She was aggravated judging by her puffy, red eyes. She stood at the doorway and gazed humourlessly at Menzi.

"I suggest you start talking, because should you not tell me the truth, something bad is going to happen between us," remarked Siza.

"Babe, let's talk about it in the morning when you're calm," replied Menzi, looking very nervous.

"I didn't open this door to go to sleep, otherwise I would've done that in here, now start talking, Menzi."

Menzi smiled. "Are you going to forgive me when I tell you?"

Siza chuckled. "Wait a minute here, are you making a deal with me? You tell me you do not love me, then you expect me to smile, and sleep in your bed...Are you serious?"

Menzi took a deep breath. "Alright, here goes…I am jealous of Pule."

Siza scoffed. "What? That is it…You treat me like trash, and yell at me, all because you are jealous of your best friend?" Siza chuckled. "Oh! Spare me the deceit, please!" she shouted.

"What do you want from me, Sizakele…I tell you the truth, and it's not enough, you never appreciate anything, do you?"

"You're crazy! Well, if you won't tell me, then I will ask your best friend about it."

Siza scurried to Menzi's bedroom, snatched his phone from the bed, searched for Pule's number, and dialled it. Menzi followed behind her and found her calling Pule. He snatched the phone back from her ear, switched it off, and roughly clutched her neck with his big right hand, pushing her towards the open balcony sliding door.

Siza was on the edge of the balcony wall about to fall over, with nothing to hold onto. She was losing her breath and hanging on to Menzi's clothes, whilst Menzi had her tiny neck inside his hand as if it was the only thing to hold onto.

She hung on to him with the little strength she had left. She gazed at Menzi, as he glared at her with hatred in his eyes. At that moment he looked like a monster, who had no mercy, and wanted nothing more than to see her dead. She felt the life drain inside of her, as she battled to remain conscious, and just when she thought she could no longer hold out, she heard a voice saying...

"After all this, you better make sure that you never marry this bully of a man."

She was in tears, as she continued to fight, but no matter how hard she tried, she struggled to remove Menzi's hand from her neck. He was too strong for her. Siza tried to kick him, but nothing she tried could ease his grip. She slowly began to close her eyes, losing consciousness.

Menzi refused to unfasten his grip, as he held on tight to Siza's neck, seeing Lelo before him. He wanted her dead, for all the pain and betrayal she had inflicted on him. He was determined to show her that he meant business. He would rather see her dead than have to deal with her shenanigans. It was then that Siza heard him say, "If you're going to be a bitch, Lelo - then no man will ever have you," he said calmly, feeling powerful after he made that statement.

"Menzi, it's me…it's...Siza," choked Siza, as she struggled to breathe.

Menzi snapped out of his reverie and saw himself strangling Siza. He seemed very disillusioned and startled, that he quickly unfastened his grip around Siza's neck. She toppled over the ground and coughed. She gasped, and almost blacked out, as she lay flat on the ground.

"If it's over, then let me go…Don't treat me like this," muttered Siza.

Menzi was speechless, mortified, and disappointed in himself. Siza slowly crawled into the bedroom, leaving the confused Menzi standing there. She managed to haul herself onto the soft bedroom carpet, laid flat on it, and tried to gather her strength. She managed to stand up, then trudged into the guest bedroom, and locked the door. Siza broke down in tears and felt as if her heart had been ripped out of her chest and stampeded upon. Her nightmare had begun, and she was in deep shock with what had just transpired. Another minute out there, and she could have been dead. It shook her to her very core.

"I disrespected my father, and ignored my family for this man," cried Siza.

Menzi followed her to the guestroom, found the door locked, and sat there against the door, realising that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life. Siza phoned the guard at the estate gate.

"Isango Estates, how can I assist you?" greeted the guard.

"Hello…hello, please…can somebody help me! I'm at house number four, zero, eight....my fiancé is trying to kill me, and I've managed to lock myself in another room," Siza sobbed. "Please, I need your help."

"Alright, Lady, I will get one of the patrollers to come, and check your house."

"Didn't you hear me? I need to get out of this house, don't come here to check it out, I need to be escorted out of this house, please do something!" bellowed Siza.

"I am sorry, I will call one of my bosses immediately! He will get you out of there…I will call you back on this number."

"Thank you, please hurry!"

Siza rested on the bed and waited for the guard to call her back. The guard could not get hold of Thendo, the area manager, as it was his night break. He called the CEO of Safe Secure Global, Mr Diesel Mokgoba instead. Diesel assured the guard that he would assign someone to come to Siza's rescue. The guard texted Diesel Siza's number, so he could call her back, and Diesel wasted no time, calling Siza back immediately.

"Sizakele, you are speaking to Diesel…one of my employees gave me a call, and told me that you need to be escorted out of the premises…Is that true?" enquired Diesel.

"Yes, that's true, please Sir, I need your help," pleaded Siza.

"Please hang in there, Sizakele, help is on the way," affirmed Diesel. "Tell me, is your boyfriend a violent man?"

"No…yes…well I don't know anymore, please come, I need to get out of here, please."

"Please hang in there, someone will be there shortly."

"I'm scared, please get here."

It was half-past two in the morning; Siza had fallen asleep after speaking to Diesel. There was a loud bang on the bedroom door, which made her jump and sit up straight in her bed, but she was sceptical to open. She crept out of bed, and tiptoed to the door, positioning her ear to listen.

"Babe, please open up, it's me, Menzi…Babe, I'm sorry, come on now," begged Menzi. "It's almost three in the morning, and you haven't slept…we haven't slept, Siza. Please open the door."

"Go away, Menzi! I have had enough of you, I want to go home," shouted Siza.

At that moment, the doorbell rang insistently, making a "Ding-Dong" sound. Menzi was puzzled as to who may be calling at that hour of the morning, as he glanced at his watch to confirm the time. He headed to the kitchen door to answer to the caller. He bravely opened the door and stood there puzzled by the presence of a good looking, muscular man, twice his height.

"May I help you?" questioned Menzi, seeming intimidated, with his eyes wide open.

"Hi there, my name is Diesel, from Safe Secure; may I please speak to Siza?" greeted Diesel.

"Alright, just a sec…let me get her for you."

Menzi went upstairs to call Siza. When he got there, he found the bedroom door ajar, and he softly pushed it open. He saw Siza packing her clothes in her travelling suitcases. Siza had a swollen face and neck, and her eyes were teary when Menzi got to the bedroom. She carried her suitcases and placed them at the door. Menzi tried to block her from leaving the bedroom, by kneeling on the floor and hugging her waist.

"Babe, you really are blowing this out of proportion…please don't go, let's talk about this," begged Menzi.

At that point, Siza showed no emotion on her face, and she gazed at Menzi as if he meant nothing to her.

"That was the first, and the last time you will ever lay your dirty hands on me…understand," vowed Siza.

"Siza, I'm so sorry!"

"Let go of me, Menzi, or I will scream," said Siza, still shaken up, by what had happened earlier that evening.

Menzi let go of her, and she composed herself as she walked down the stairs. A man, who wore an expensive navy suit, welcomed her and greeted her with a smile. He knew his story, while he gave Siza a smirk. Diesel was very light in complexion, like Siza. He had a great physique, was extremely good-looking, and was double Menzi's height. Siza could not even speak; she was pained and horrified to look at Diesel.

"I'm Sizakele, sorry for waking you up this late," apologised Siza, as their eyes met for an instant.

Diesel beamed. "I'm Diesel. It's not a problem…Can we go?"

Siza nodded. "Yes, please."

Diesel took Siza's suitcases and packed them inside his car. She placed the keys to Menzi's home on the counter and exited the house. Menzi just stood there and watched them leave. He seemed dumbfounded and lost, as he never imagined Siza ever leaving him. Siza turned to look at him one last time before leaving, and there was a sadness in her eyes, that he had never seen before. She was heartbroken.

Diesel opened the backseat door for Siza. She sat on the backseat, and exhaled, realizing how lucky she was to have escaped. Her life had flashed before her eyes that evening, and finally, the nightmare was over. Diesel covered her with a light blue and leaf green, velvet throw blanket, and shut the door. Menzi called out to Diesel.

"Yes" responded Diesel.

"Hey man, please take care of her…she means the world to me," pleaded Menzi.

Diesel forced a smile. "I believe that was your job…You know what, man…it is men like you, that give men like us a bad name… You would be fortunate if she returned to you. Have a good morning!"

Diesel left Menzi standing on the veranda and exited Menzi's yard in his car. Menzi went back inside the house and sat in the unlit living room. He was heartbroken by what had occurred earlier.

"Have I really lost Siza?" Menzi wondered.

♥♥

While driving on the road, Diesel made it his duty to ensure that Siza was ok. He regularly checked on her through the rear-view mirror and felt horrible when he caught a glimpse of her wiping away her tears, as she gazed outside the window. He did not know what to do, or how to comfort her, and he felt completely helpless. He had never rescued an abused woman before.

"Please, Miss Siza, don't cry, it's going to be alright soon," urged Diesel. "Don't worry much…Where should I drop you off?"

"I don't know," sobbed Siza. "I'm not sure, I just can't be alone…I can't."

"Where is your place?"

"My place is in Rosebank, home is in Athol Oaklands, Houghton," Siza sobbed. "It's been a while since I've been to both of these places."

"Alright, here's a deal…since I can't drive around not knowing where to take you…Let's go to my place…I promise to take you home tomorrow," suggested Diesel.

"No, I don't even know you…What will you say to your wife or girlfriend… No!" protested Siza.

"I'm sorry, but I am single…also from an abusive relationship, but it has been eleven months since I broke up with Tumelo," disclosed Diesel. "Listen to me, it's good to offload to a stranger, believe me."

Siza scoffed. "That's convenient."

"I'm sorry Miss, but that is the truth."

"Alright, I need all your personal details so I can text my family?"

Diesel opened his dashboard drawer and handed Siza a recent envelope addressed to him from the post office. He reached for his identity card, and his passport, and handed it to her as well. Siza took the information from Diesel's personal belongings and texted them to Lungi, her brother, and her sister. She texted them Diesel's home and business address and included his identity and passport numbers.

Her text message read, "I will be at this address if you need me: Mr D Mokgoba, of 909 The Mansions, Bryanston Drive, Bryanston, passport: 8706 19 VVZA, I.D: 870619 000 1099, his cell phone: 069 888 1515."

She handed the envelope back to Diesel and smiled at him. Diesel then handed her his phone for her to go through it, and assure her safety. Siza was certain that Diesel was legitimate. She handed him back his stuff and rested her head against the headrest of the car seat.