‘Phuti said I’d find you here,’ Diana spits. ‘When you are done, would you please help me look at the lease agreement with Mbovu CC? They need to move the printing machines on Monday.’
‘Sure.’
Diana shoots daggers at us with her eyes before she shuts the door behind her.
Thandeka angrily pulls her hands from mine and continues to pack the mugs on the tray.
Dammit!
CHAPTER 8
THANDEKA
I pack up the mugs and biscuits with Rudzani staring at me. I am in trouble with Ms Diana, I just know it. She found us in a compromising position. She has always said that we are here to work and not to flirt around the office.
Rudzani sighs deeply beside me.
I pay him no attention while I do my job. He will definitely forget about me once he has sexed me up. I came here to hustle, not to jump into a womaniser’s trap in just a month.
Yes, I know I was in the wrong too. I wanted him to kiss me. He was looking so good, he was being so kind listening to my thoughts. I let him kiss me. I pushed the thought of his womanising to the back of my mind. I was weak and now I’m so angry at myself I can cry.
‘Thandeka, listen …’ He walks closer to me. ‘Can’t you give us a chance to try this out? Please let me into your heart and let it decide for itself.’
I laugh coldly.
He really thinks he can fool me. He’s got it all wrong.
‘Oh, please,’ I say while packing up the sugar bowls and the flask.
‘You think you know me. You don’t know me. You know zilch about me,’ he says sternly. His eyes are burning with desire, but there is no trace of a smile. ‘Look, I don’t really understand why you keep pushing me away. Are you playing hard to get so that you can see how serious I am about you? Is that it? Tell me!’
‘I know that you just want me to spread my legs for you and leave me thereafter. I know it very well.’
‘Then you are very wrong. I want more than that from you.’
Ooohhh! So I am right, he also wants me to spread my legs for him? He wants that and more?
‘Listen, I am not the kind of woman you think I am. You found me in the village and you already concluded that I am stupid and desperate – I am not. I am better than that. I know about you sleeping around with different women and cheating on the ones you have a relationship with. I don’t want to be the next one you cheat on, or the one you cheat with. I know my worth … which you have no idea of. See, I deserve a better man than you. I deserve way better.’
‘Oooh, wow.’
‘Forget what happened a minute ago. It was a mistake. I shouldn’t have been so stupid. Please, excuse me.’
‘Thandeka, we really need to talk about this. Can we meet up after work?’
I shake my head. ‘No.’
His cellphone rings. He lets out a groan. ‘I have to take this, it’s urgent.’
As he answers, I quickly push the trolley out of the boardroom and go to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
I’m shaking – I don’t know whether it is from the sensational kiss or from the confrontation with Rudzani. If only he weren’t a player!
I dry the mugs and place them back in the cupboard. I put back the biscuits in the container. Seems like everyone is hungover. On any other day, they would have asked for more biscuits.
‘Hey, Thandeka,’ Phuti says from behind me. He yawns. He is one of the culprits.
‘Yes,’ I say.
‘The boss said you had a great analysis of the presentation for the boutique. He asked if you could run it through with me again so that the team can work on it.’
‘What?’
‘He said you picked presentation two but he didn’t give me details. He had to rush to another meeting, but he said you can run it through with me. Apparently, you came with a great angle.’
‘Oh … okay,’ I say while wiping my hands on the apron.
‘Do you have ten minutes to spare? Come to my desk.’
I push the trolley away to the kitchen store and follow Phuti to where he sits. I only come to this side of the floor when I have to collect the mugs to wash them twice a day – in the morning before they start and in the afternoon after lunch. I always admire their colourful cubicles. Phuti pulls out a chair from an empty workstation and places it next to him.
‘I can’t wait to knock off,’ he whispers when I settle on the chair. I giggle. He is not the only one who looks like he could do with some time off. I heard most of these people drank until midnight. Luckily the cleaners walk in first at six o’clock to make sure the office is neat before the bosses come in.
‘It is Friday, why didn’t you ask the boss for a half-day?’
‘Mr R was already pissed at us this morning. Asking him to give us half a day off was going to piss him off even more,’ he says, ‘So, what did you say to impress him?’
So, I impressed the boss!
‘Oh, I was telling him that presentation two looks more inviting and very different from what you guys would usually go for.’ We discuss the presentation and I expand on it, suggesting ideas of what to add to it. He likes my suggestions as well. Phuti asks me to pick the clothing items that would work best for the magazine spread.
I pick a pink suit with a pink formal blouse. Also a few playful dresses. What girl doesn’t like trying on dresses and high-waisted skirts and pants? I pick a few of those as well.
‘You have an eye for these things, hey. Mr R was right about you,’ he says.
‘Thank you.’
‘Oh damn, look at the time!’ he says when he notices his colleagues packing up. I am still enjoying our session. We can do it all day, all week, as far as I’m concerned.
‘Do you have to go?’
‘I need to sleep,’ he says. ‘I will incorporate your ideas with the team and present everything to the client on Tuesday. By Wednesday we should be doing the photoshoot for the magazine. You should come by and see how we do things.’
* * *
This is my very first weekend alone in our flat. I don’t have plans, so I spend the whole Saturday just lazing around. Maria called me last night, telling me that she is not coming back. Her mother is still in hospital and very weak. Her recovery will take long and there is the risk of a second heart attack. I am worried. I cannot stay in this room alone. Already the guys sleeping in the living room are starting to look at me funny. I cannot afford to move to the new flat alone.
‘Look for a new roommate,’ Maria said last night. She said she is resigning to care for her mother. I understand. I’d do anything to have my mother alive again. Even if she were on her sickbed I would care for her until she was fine and well. I truly understand.
On Sunday morning I head to the Shoprite just across the street. They have a board with roommate listings. Down the road is a Caltex. I go there as well to get a few numbers from the board.
I see an advertisement for an evening cashier. Maybe I can apply for this job and use the extra income to cover the rent for a safer flat.
‘How does your nightshift work?’ I ask an old petrol attendant sitting on a crate.
‘Six to six,’ he says.
It