A Trip Abroad

Insert 5

*Lisa Jonas*

Cranes in the Sky by Solange is playing loudly on the speaker. It's my go-to Sunday Jam when I'm feeling under the weather and this Sunday, I am. I have this sudden longing to be in Sydney’s arms, to be touched softly by her as she tells me stories students get up to.

The door of the apartment opens as Yolanda, my girlfriend, walks in holding a six pack of ciders, a large box of pizza with KFC on top of it.

“Hey baby! I hope you have snacks. I couldn't get them at Spar! How are you?”

She's jolly and I watch her from the couch moving comfortably around the kitchen area.

“Hey, I'm feeling low. Think I need a blunt or something,” I say.

“Good thing I got you some. She pulls two perfectly rolled from the small pocket of her backpack and places them on the counter along with a lighter. Great stuff. Just what I need.

“Great stuff!” I move from the couch and open the balcony door. It's cloudy and chilly, typical of this town. I still have on Shy’s big hoodie and I have on short tights and slides. I dust the leaves off the outside chair.

I light up the first blunt and place my legs on the balcony barrier. I pull and it hits my lungs.

“This is some good stuff,” I yell. Fighting for my life. My eyes get teary too

“Got it on campus. Mihle said it's the strong one. She got it from this old man…” she places the plates of pizza and meat on the table and throws me a bottle of water “...she's f*****g and apparently, he gives to her for free because he deals with it.”

“Oh real?”

“Yeah. He makes weed products. And I guess bcz they're f*****g, he feels like he owes her some? I don't know. She didn't go into deep details about it.”

“Hold up… there's only one dude who deals with weed in EastBay, I mean who works with it, not roll and sell kinda s**t like he has a lab and stuff..” I say and sit up looking at Yolanda.

“Wait… Mihle can't be f*****g him?” she says, looking shocked.

I shrug my shoulders.

“I mean, we're smoking free weed right now!” I say.

The silence settles as we connect the dots.

“Oh s**t!!” We both say in shock as it registers. The vice chancellor!

“Dawg? That's wild! She can't be f*****g the VC? that dude is like 80 years old or something!” She exclaims and I look at her with a smile.

“He is 45 actually,” I correct. I sit back and pull from the blunt again and blow the smoke out slowly.

“How'd you know??” she asks.

Because I f**k his wife? Well, that would be a half lie because we're not f*****g yet. But that's not the point. The point is I know his real age because I snooped around and Shy confirmed it for me. She's 35 and their 10 year age gap was something she mentioned in passing.

“I stalked him because you know our history..” I tell her the other truth.

“Oh yeah!! They were high school sweethearts, you once mentioned. Anyways, it starts to make sense the things Mihle would say about him when we're talking. And how we'd ask why she keeps going to the admin building after lunch? Sis is getting himself some of that VC d**k?? Deep stuff.”

“And Mihle said she went on an academic trip last June, right?”

“Yeah, to Brazil or Chile. I don't remember but it was South America. Why?”

Hold up… this s**t is getting weird. I pull from the blunt again and sit up facing her. She takes it from my hand and smokes it without choking, staring blankly at me.

“The VC went to a summit too last June. I remember because the registrar had to be acting VC as it would be a month long trip. What if??”

She sits up too and hands the blunt back for me to pull.

“What if Mihle and the Vice Chancellor took a month-long trip to be together on an island somewhere and it was hidden as a school trip?? No ways Lisa. The weed is causing you to overthink..and besides, Mihle left for a week max and came back.”

“But listen Babe, for that week, both of them were not in the country!”

“Still it could be a coincidence. We might be connecting dots that aren't there. And anyways, if they did, it's between both of them.”

“Facts,” I say and drop back on the couch.

“But a married man?” She says and laughs.

“We're getting free good weed here. No judgements!” I exclaim and we both share a laugh as she lights up the second one.

Who knew that the Mkhize household was one full of cheaters. Wonders shall never end.

*****

Sydney Renea Mkhize

*Shy*

I pull myself up from the floor and sit on the chair. I place back the photo and tidy up the table. My hands haven't stopped shaking, I have a lot of questions that the only person who can give them to me is on the other side of the line.

I gather myself and call the number again, this time it is answered quickly.

“I was fighting myself to not call and give you space,” she says.

“Where was our first kiss?” I ask.

“I understand that this is hard to believe but there's an explanation for all of this. A perfect explanation Syd and I…” she stops for a second. “…we had our first kiss in the basement garden of the palace. It's the only place that didn't have cameras or any guards. It was near the watering tools. It's where you'd later slide your hand in me to feel my wetness. I remember silently moaning as you held me closely and whispered in Arabic that you loved me. It's also where when my father told me he had found a boy I was to marry, I cried uncontrollably and you held me until I fell asleep in your arms. It was our place. We held it dear…” she stops abruptly and sniffs.

“Khira…” I whisper.

“It's me baby.”

“You're calling me with a South African number, where are you?” I ask. And gently wipe my tears.

“Pretoria…”

“You're not far from me,” I respond.

“I'm not. But I don't think that's what we both want?”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“You're married, Syd. You've done well for yourself and I'm sorry for calling you. It's just… when a colleague told me she once worked with you on a book research project in EastBay, I had to ask for your number and call. I only wanted to hear your voice, hear how you're doing. I was going to disguise myself as someone interested in research but I couldn't hold myself the minute I heard your voice. I will stay away, I promise!” She says and I can hear her voice breaking. My heart aches and I wipe my own tears.

“No, don't stay away. I don't want you to.”

“Syd, I don't want to hide anymore. I'm not hiding anymore. I married a beautiful woman and we have a baby girl together,” she says.

“That was our dream Maela.”

“I know.”

“We have a lot of unfinished business Khira. I have to see you… we need to see each other, it's not fair that I thought you died all those years ago and you were alive. Khira, I have questions.”

It is impossible to talk about everything over the phone. I need to see her, feel her and touch her. Even as restricted I will be but meeting will help me better understand everything.

“I know you have questions, Syd, I do too.”

“I will book a hotel and drive up there tonight. Pretoria is not far, we can meet in the morning.”

“I have work in the morning,” she says softly.

“What do you do?”

“I teach Arabic at the University here,” she answers.

“Take a day off. Make up an emergency please. Ask a colleague to take over for you. Please Khira, I need to see you. I need to talk to you in person.”

Silence falls as we listen to each other breathe. I think about how I should be mad and angry but there's no option because hers was harder. Anger cannot be the emotion I feel right now.

“Okay,” she says, finally. “But it's impulsive to drive here right now,” She adds.

“I don't care. I need to see you.”

“Syd…”

We spend a minute on the phone with her trying to persuade me to drive tomorrow instead but that is not happening. She ultimately gets that she's losing this one and tells me to call her when I get to the hotel safely. We end the call and I waltz to my bedroom and pack a Weekender bag.

I search for Richard around the house and then his office, but it is locked with Mozart playing loudly. I sigh and knock loudly, banging on the door until he opens wearing his robe. He doesn't open the door all the way and I sigh.

“I hope Andy knows he doesn't have to give you a blow-job every Sunday for a plate of food! For f***s sakes Richard stop using the child!!”

“Respectfully Mrs Mkhize, I'm not a child…” he answers

“Shut up Andy. This is my wife you're talking to, not some scum!”

“I'm sorry,” he mutters.

“I actually don't care. I'm driving to Pretoria and I'll be back in a day or two. I can't explain everything but I will do it when I'm back.”

“Okay, but who'll be standing in for you at work?”

“Beth will take my classes. I'll send her an email. She knows everything.”

He nods.

“Drive safely and call when you get there,” he says.

“Will do. Bye!”

“Bye baby.”

I give him a kiss and walk downstairs to the garage. I get in my car and drive out the estate. Instead of taking a turn to the N2 main road, I take a curve and drive to the other side of the town and up the hill to her complex. I need to take care of business first.