Perpetual

I look on in admiration as Pearl takes measurements of the office. She is clad in boyfriend jeans and a loose t shirt that she has tied into a crop top. On her feet are canvas and she has a pencil tucked onto the left side of her ear and is using a pen to write down the measurements on a notepad that she has in hand. James is still against the idea of spending money to renovate my office. If I am being honest, this is a cost that wasn’t even budgeted for. More reason I shouldn’t be going ahead with it but anything to spend some time with her is welcome.

‘I am done here, I will write a quotation and send it to you. Is that okay?’ she asks now looking at me.

‘That’s fine, you can take your time.’

‘Sure.’

I go and sit on the couch that is in the room, she comes over and joins me.

‘What plans do you have for the rest of the day?’ she asks once she settles down.

‘I was hoping to spend some time with you, that is if you are up for it. I owe you lunch, remember?’

‘That you do. Where would you like to eat?’

‘How about nshima from your Aunty’s place?’

‘You are lying right?’

‘Why would I lie? I love that woman’s food with a passion. I would choose it any other day.’

She shakes her head in disbelief but I mean it. I would rather go there than anywhere else.

‘Fine, we will go and eat nshima since that is what you want.’

‘Did you have anything else in mind?’

‘Leo a nshima date is something that didn’t cross my mind. I cook that a lot when I am at the restaurant and going back there to eat doesn’t tickle my fancy.’

I look thoughtful for a while.

‘If you put it like that then it makes a lot of sense.’

‘So can you pick another place?’

‘How about you pick a place?’

She smiles widely and I am wondering what the smile is about.

‘You look mischievous right now.’

‘No I don’t.’ she tells me covering her face

‘I think by now I know you well enough to know that you are being mischievous.’

She laughs hard.

‘Okay you got me, but I have a very good reason.

‘Do tell.’

‘Let us go to Sasha’s party.’

‘No.’

‘Come on Leo.’

‘Pearl we both know that your cousin has a stinking attitude, there is no way that we are attending that party.’

‘Pretty please.’

‘No.’

‘I did say I had a good reason.’

‘Which is?’

‘I bought a really pretty dress and shoes, I want to wear them.’

‘You are such a girl.’

‘I know.’

She touches her hair.

‘What?’

‘I don’t know what to do with my hair.’

‘It looks perfect to me.’

‘You are such a boy, you are probably looking at me with a pair of boyish eyes.’

‘Are they supposed to be for a girl?’

We both laugh after that.

‘There is a salon at the mall just five minutes from here, we can have your hair fixed. What else needs fixing?’

‘My nails and probably makeup as well.’

‘I can work with that.’

‘Awesome, I really want to go to the party.’

‘I don’t understand you Pearl, Sasha is not a good person.’

‘I know. But she is still my relative.’

I look at her intently. At first I thought it was her naivety that was making her behave like this but I guess it’s something I am yet to understand.

We leave the office and drive to the salon. I know the lady there so I texted her earlier to put a hairdresser on standby so that we wouldn’t have to wait. Once there and the ladies start working on Pearl’s hair, I decide to buy us some food. I am starving, I don’t think I can wait till she is done with her hair.

I return to the salon after thirty minutes. I have bought us buffalo wings and some fries.

‘Thank you. I was starving.’ Pearl tells me as she puts a wing in her mouth

‘You and me both.’

‘James is having a party next weekend, I would love for you to come.’

‘I don’t mind, if not for that I will probably just be home doing nothing. Going for a party sounds like a better plan.’

‘Shoot me now.’ She says looking at her phone.

‘What?’

‘Sasha has scooped herself an internship job with the Bank of Lusaka.’

I look at her, I can see the hurt on her face.

‘You know we have to continue clapping until it’s our turn right?’

‘I am not sure I want us to go to this party anymore, I bet she will just rub everything in my face.’

‘I didn’t want us to go but now I feel it’s only right that we do go.’

‘Why Leo?’

‘She needs to know that her success doesn’t bother you, instead it makes you want to push even further.’

‘But I am bothered.’

‘I know. You are only human, it’s natural to feel like you are not doing enough when all your friends are progressing and it looks like you are not. In such a situation you need to work extra hard so that your turn is as pleasant.’

‘Thank you, I needed to hear this.’

‘You need to stop comparing yourself to Sasha. You are doing just fine Pearl.’

She smiles at me and I want her to believe me even though I know that she doesn’t. It will take a lot for her to stop seeing herself through Sasha’s eyes.

…

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️