* * *
I am looking forward to today. Mostly because Phuti will tell me if the team liked and agreed to my ideas. It is half past six when I am changed into my uniform and ready to start my day. I walk to the kitchen, open the drawer to see my week’s schedule. We have three meetings in the second-floor boardroom. It is not a hectic Monday.
‘Morning,’ Sis Judith, one of the cleaners, greets.
‘Morning, Sis Judith,’ I say while walking to the kitchen store to get the trolley to start my daily routine.
‘Thandeka,’ she calls, ‘I was told to take care of tea today.’
‘What? Why?’ I ask.
‘Ms Diana was here on Friday afternoon looking for you. She told me to take care of the tea for the boardroom today.’
‘What about me?’ I ask and she shrugs.
I take off my apron and head to the fifth floor. There is no one. They will be here after seven-thirty. I take a seat on the couch closest to Ms Diana’s office.
In a few minutes, her PA walks to her desk, followed by Rudzani’s PA.
‘What time is Ms Diana coming in?’ I ask the PA, who tells me she will probably be in within thirty minutes.
I sit back on the couch and wait for her to show up. I hope Rudzani shows up first so that I can tell him that Ms Diana has given my job to another cleaner. This has everything to do with him. Maybe he can do something.
The elevator opens and I hear the shoes before Ms Diana appears. She is in high heels, pulling her laptop bag on wheels and a small handbag is hanging on her wrist. Her dress is short and white. She sees me but doesn’t acknowledge me, just walks right past me.
‘Ms Diana, I am here to see you,’ I say, walking behind her.
She goes into her office. Her PA shrugs to let me decide if I want to go in after her or not. I choose to walk in. I need my job.
‘Ms Diana, I wanted to find out which floor you allocated to me.’
‘You are fired,’ she says, focusing on plugging in her laptop.
‘What?’ I whisper.
‘You are fired.’ She opens the drawer, takes out a brown envelope and throws it on the table, next to where I am standing.
‘Please, Ms Diana. I need this job,’ I say.
‘You should have thought about that before opening your legs for the boss.’
‘I never … I never opened my legs for the boss!’
‘Where did you disappear to with him after the meeting? After I found you two making out?’ she asks.
‘I … I was with Phuti because he wanted me to …’
‘You think I am stupid, don’t you?’ she asks and my tears drop. I cannot lose this job. ‘I brought you from the village to work but you decided to backstab me, huh?’
‘Backstab you? I don’t know what you mean.’
‘Take the money. Advance payment of next month’s salary. I don’t want to see you here again,’ she says rudely. ‘Take the money. You are going to need it to catch a bus back to where you came from.’
‘No, please.’
‘I have work to do. Go take your stuff and leave.’
My tears do not move her. I pick up the envelope. I am going to need this money if I am fired. I walk to the door.
She clears her throat for my attention. ‘I don’t ever want to see you with Gundo ever again. I hope we are clear.’
I turn to her. ‘Gundo?’
‘I don’t ever want to see you with him.’
What is she talking about? Gundo? Rudzani’s older brother? I have never seen Gundo here before. Does he also work here?
‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’
‘I will make your life a living hell, do you hear me?’ she snaps angrily. ‘Get out of my office.’
The PA stares at me with pity eyes when I walk out. I am so confused right now.
Who is Gundo?
‘Where is Gundo?’ I ask the PA who is pretending to be looking for something in her drawers. She snaps her head up and darts her eyes toward Diana’s office before turning to me.
‘I think he is travelling this week. Cape Town. Ask his assistant,’ she mumbles and points at Rudzani’s personal assistant.
What?
I am confused! So, so confused.
I stride across the floor towards Rudzani’s office. The PA has her eyes on the laptop.
‘Sorry, sisi, where can I find Gundo?’
‘The boss is travelling this week. He flew out this morning. He might be back on Friday afternoon. If not, he will come to the office on Monday next week.’
Why is she calling the boss Gundo?
‘What is the boss’s name?’
‘Gundo Radzilani!’ she says with her brows raised.
‘I mean the one who uses this office?’ I direct my finger to Rudzani’s office.
‘His name is Gundo.’
What? I stare at her, shocked. She drops her eyes back to the laptop and leaves me staring blankly into space. My eyes catch the name next to the office door. A tiny signage I never took notice of before. Mr G Radzilani is written next to the door.
Everybody calls him Mr R.
Not Mr Rudzani, but Mr Radzilani. Mr Gundo Radzilani.
Oh, my God!
Ms Diana’s door opens. I shut my eyes and pray that I am not in more trouble.
‘He fucked you just right, didn’t he? What did I tell you?’ she spits and crosses her arms. Both the PAs gasp at the news.
I run blindly to the elevator. I want to cry. I want to talk to Gundo, right now. Gundo?!
How could I’ve been so foolish? All the signs were there. He was so perfect. He is not his womaniser brother. I searched for the bad side of him and never found it. Still, I convinced myself it was all an act.
The elevator opens at the same time that Ms Diana’s door shuts. I hurry back to the PA, trembling at the guts I have to piss Diana off even more.
‘Can I please have Gundo’s cell number?’ I beg. I need to call and apologise, again. I need to take back my words – all of them. All the hurtful words I told him, thinking he was his brother.
‘Are you crazy? I don’t want to get fired too.’
‘Please, it is very important. I need to get hold of him,’ I whisper to her.
‘Sisi, please excuse me. I don’t want to get into trouble. Please don’t involve me.’ She shrugs and shakes her head. ‘I advise you to get out of here before you cause more damage. Ms Diana is not going to allow anyone to come between her and Mr R. After all, they have a daughter together. She wants them to be the perfect family and she is just about willing to kill for that.’
What?! Gundo and Diana have a daughter?
CHAPTER 9
GUNDO
I could kill for a good home-cooked meal right now. It has been three days and I cannot stomach another burger. I hate eating in a hotel room. I also