Perfect timing

perfect timing (1)

Perfect timing all rights reserved © shasha_zw

Started 18 January 2021

Chapter 1

A few things you should know about me....

1) I love anything that's pink

2)Books are my life

3) I can't lie worth a damn

4) I am a magnet for accidents

5)I lack co-ordination

And 6) I hate heels

It's not that I hate them per se, infact there are times when I consider them a blessing. Like I said, I'm a magnet for accidents and have zero co-ordination. So,imagine putting that in a pair of six inch stilettos. A total recipe for disaster, it's like mixing chocolate with canned green beans- absolutely disgusting!Not that I've tried it before.

And yet with my lack of co-ordination, I find myself walking- staggering actually, out of St Andrews cathedral. Wearing a pink long sleeved dress and matching heels instead of a pair amazing converse . Why? One might ask.

Well, if one were to meet my mother, they would totally understand. Normally I'd pick out my own clothes, but not on Sunday . My mother has this thing about dressing to the nines at church. I think that she feels on top of the world when we enter the church looking like we stepped off the cover of a magazine.

I slowly walk towards the parking lot greeting people as they pass by and vice versa.And when I reach our car I can't help but rejoice. I have no Idea of what it's called nor do I care,cars are and will never be my thing. All I know is that it's black.

" Zandile!" I quickly turn around when I hear my mother call my name. She stands next to my father, beckoning me to join them as he speaks with Father Micheal.

They're standing under an Azalea tree which has snow white flowers and the ground is covered with them too, one might even mistake the flowers for a carpet. And as I walk towards them, I can't help but notice what a lovely couple my parents make. But I'm their daughter so I might be biased.

My mother is dressed in a peach jumpsuit that complements her dark brown skin and her eyes are the colour of black pearls that can only be found in the Persian gulf. Her ash brown hair falls in soft curls to her shoulders.

My father is dressed in a charcoal grey suit is perfectly tailored to show off his lean muscular form,and his slightly wavy blonde hair is neatly brushed to the back of his head.

My feet crunch on the smooth tiny pebbles in the parking lot as I make my way to them and with each step it becomes difficult to walk. Just as I'm about to reach my parents, a woman in a long navy blue dress catches my eye. Felicia Lorraine Meadows.

Mrs Meadows is a friend of the family, or should I rather say my grandmother. She's rather famous for her match making schemes and somehow the good people of Burnside have appointed her "the friendly neighbourhood Cupid". I didn't really care about it at first, I mean it's her life , her business- is her business. Well it was until she made me her latest 'assignment' so now I spend most of my time avoiding her. And it was a success until last week when my mother invited her over for New year's Eve Dinner.

She sat me down and gave me a lecture on "marrying well" it's crazy! I mean seriously, I haven't even written my A-levels and she's telling me about marriage, is that normal?

Maybe if I walk with my head down and pretend that I didn't see her, she won't stop me. It's sounds pretty dumb but it's worth the shot . Taking a deep breath, I continue walking and I can't help but feel elated when she doesn't stop me.

Unfortunately for me, that feeling doesn't last long because I hardly walk three steps when I feel a light tap on my shoulder.

Breathe in...Breathe out. I silently repeat this mantra several times before forcing a smile.

"Hello Mrs Meadows , sorry I didn't see you there" I say way too cheerful for my own good as I turn around.

"Good morning Zandi" she says with a huge smile on her face. She has a really pretty face, especially for an eighy-three year old woman. And according to Mrs Meadows, she stopped aging when she turned fifty-four.

Her skin looks so smooth and barely has any wrinkles and her lips are full and very pink. And lastly her eyes...her eyes are a very piercing blue, it's like they can see right through me, through the lie that I had just told. Could she tell that I was lying?

"It's okay dear"she smiles whilst playing with the beads on the Rosary around her kneck.

"You haven't seen my Great grandson have you?" She pauses and then looks around. Great grandson?

"He happens to be somewhere around here" she continues, her eyes searching the crowd of people standing by a silver car.

"Would you like me to introduce you to him, I think I see him over there" she asks and points to some guy in a leather jacket with his back turned to us.

"Absolutely not"The words rush out of my mouth before I can stop them and the tone of my voice doesn't help matters.

"I mean,no thank you Mrs Meadows I-"

" You're such a lovely young lady Zandi it's time to get to know other people we don't want you to be old and alone now, do we?" She says cutting me off.

" Sorry Ma'am, but my parents are calling me, maybe we can do this some other time" I suggest, one hundred percent positive that there won't be another time. All I have to do is avoid her and my life will be back to normal. If avoiding her isn't possible then murder is next on my list(well not exactly I do not want to go to jail)Okay that's a bit extreme, maybe running her over with a car will work.

"Oh stop sounding so formal, call me Lorraine it makes me feel younger" younger? She takes my hand in hers and points towards the subject that I do not want to meet.

"Look he's right over there all we have to do is call him over and you can meet him now" she says and I can't help but think of how persistent this woman is, she's like an older version of my mother. With much softer hands though.

" My mum is calling me Miss Lorraine, I'll come find you just now" I say and quickly walk away hoping that she will drop the subject. I most certainly have no time for distractions and dating someone is a huge one. I have A-levels in June which is five months away . My focus should be on books not boys.

"You can run but you can't hide" she calls out to me .

"Sorry what was that ? I don't think I heard you " I yell over my shoulder hoping she believes my little white lie.

It's Sunday, I'm at church and I've just lied twice. Not once but twice. God please forgive me .

My feet are hurting and as finally get to where my parents are standing, I hear Mrs Meadows say " you can't run away from fate."

Too bad for our ' friendly neighbourhood Cupid' because I don't believe in fate.

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New book alert!!!!!, well my first book actually. I got so many ideas . So please comment and vote if you like it.

Shante