Perpetual

‘I was eight years old when Sasha’s parents asked my mum if I could go for a holiday there. It was exciting, they had always been well to do and every family member that ever visited them only had good stories to tell. I wanted to go and eat all the good food that they were eating. I wanted to do the nice hair that Sasha was doing and come back home with nice clothes. You know what they say about poverty right?’

She pauses when she says that.

We have just arrived at the restaurant where we are to have dinner. The entire way neither of us said a word to the other. I was worried she would start crying but her face has been composed the whole way.

‘What happened when you stayed with them?’

‘I learnt that not all that glitters is gold. Sasha’s parents were not saints, they fought every chance they got and in the process affecting their child. I noticed she was always withdrawn but each time those fights happened they would buy everyone in the house presents.’

She breathes out deeply.

‘This didn’t sit well with me and I know I was a child but I felt the need to be Sasha’s friend because she really needed one . I vowed to be that friend. But I should have known that some people don’t need fixing if they are not broken. Through the years Sasha has proven that she was never a broken child so me trying to fix her was just in vain. She took advantage of my friendship and in the process started to treat me like I was less of a human than she is. It’s not like I couldn’t have stood up for myself, I could have. I should have. But each time I tried to, I thought of the fights between her parents and convinced myself that someday she would accept that she needed me, but she didn’t and every other day I have had to live with the thoughts that just maybe a day will come when she will need me. And of course she has needed me, to clean after her, to be the rug she dusts her feet on and to be a constant reminder that she is doing fine because she is nothing like me.’

When words fail me, I place my lips on hers and kiss her slowly. At first she is non responsive but then parts her lips slowly. The kiss is intense but short as I pull away, I don’t want her to think that I am taking advantage of her situation.

‘So what will you do about all this?’

‘Tonight I don’t want to think about it, I just want to have dinner here and forget about what happened before Sasha happened.’

‘Finally we get some food.’

We both laugh after he says that.

We walk into the restaurant together fingers locked. The restaurant isn’t as packed as I thought it would be. A waiter quickly comes to us and asks if we want a table for two which we agree to. She leads us to a table just at the corner of the room. It’s away from all the tables and gives us enough privacy to just be ourselves.

‘Your menus.’ Our waiter says handing me one and the other to Pearl.

‘Take your time, I will be back after five minutes.’

‘Can you please bring me some hot chocolate while you are at it?’ Pearl asks.

‘Sure ma’am. And anything for you Sir?’

‘Some tea.’

‘I will be back shortly.’

‘Great.’

‘Tea?’ Pearl teases.

‘Well it’s cold and I don’t want to start drinking alcohol before I can eat.’

‘Tea.’ She repeats and laughs afterwards.

‘Stop doing that.’

‘Fine.’

She sighs deeply as she peruses through the menu.

‘Anything you like?’

‘The Garlic Chicken and Pasta sounds interesting.’

‘Anything with Garlic I wont eat.’ She tells me.

‘Why not? And I thought you were perfect.’ I whine.

‘Who eats garlic in their right mind? That awful smell it leaves in the mouth is something I can’t live with.’

‘Come on Pearl, garlic is not that bad.’

‘It is.’

‘Okay what will you have?’

‘Coconut rice, rump steak with a drizzle of mushroom sauce.’

‘Ah your food sounds interesting.’

‘I know, better than that garlic you are about to feast on.’

I look at my phone when the screen light goes on, there is a notification from facebook.

‘This is weird.’

‘What?’

I show her.

‘Accept it.’

‘What?’

‘Accept it, let us see what she wants.’

‘You know this is not a good idea right? There is no way that I am accepting Sasha’s friend request.’

‘Leo do you trust me?’

‘I used to.’

She eyes me.

‘You don’t like garlic, how can I trust you?’

‘Boy please. Accept that request, I know what I am talking about.’

‘For what it’s worth I hope this doesn’t come biting us in the ass.’

‘If it does, it won’t be our asses that would have been bitten.’

‘I will take your word for it.’

‘Trust me Leo, I know what I am saying.’

‘Fine.’ I say hitting the accept button and a few seconds later a message pops up in my inbox.

‘So you are an engineer?’

I ignore it, turn off my data and put my phone away.

…

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️