FOUND HIM WITH MY SISTER

THE DINNER THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

*CHAPTER 4 THE DINNER THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING

I said yes.

The next day at work, I couldn't focus. Dinner with Liam Khumalo. What do I wear? I have nothing. My best dress is R150 from Mr Price. My shoes have a small hole.

At 6 pm, I told my mother, "Mama, my boss invited us staff for dinner."

"Haibo! That rich man? Nandi, be careful," my mother said. But she helped me iron my dress.

At 7pm sharp, a black Mercedes arrived in front of our house. Not a taxi. A Mercedes. With a driver! My neighbors all came outside to look. "Nandi! Utholile umlungu?" they shouted.

The driver opened the door for me. I felt like Cinderella.

The restaurant was on the 10th floor of the hotel. You could see all of the Durban lights. The sea. It was magic.

Liam was already there. He stood up when he saw me. He was wearing a white shirt, no tie. He looked so handsome, like a movie star.

"You look beautiful," he said, and he meant it. He looked at me like I was the only person in the world.

We ordered wine. I never drank wine before. I only drink Savanna.

"Nandi," he said, holding my hand softly across the table. "I need to tell you something. The first day I saw you, you were helping that cleaner with heavy buckets. You didn't know I was watching. All my staff walk past her every day. But you helped. You have a beautiful heart. That is rare. It's more rare than money."

No one ever spoke to me like that. Sipho only said, "You are too dark," "You are too loud," "You cook too much salt."

Tears came to my eyes.

Then... I froze.

At the entrance of the restaurant, I saw him.

Sipho. Wearing his same dusty construction uniform. Holding cheap flowers from Spar. The ones that are R50 and already dying.

He had followed the Mercedes. He had followed me.

"NANDI?!" he shouted, so loud the whole restaurant turned. "So this is the dinner? Are you already cheating on me with this man? You leave me for money?"

My whole body was shaking with shame.

Liam stood up slowly. Very slowly. He is tall. Very tall. He buttoned his suit jacket.

He looked at me, not at Sipho.

"Nandi, this is between you and him. I will not fight for a woman like a street boy. A Queen must choose her own King. I will be right here. Take your time."

And he sat down calmly and sipped his wine, like Sipho was not even there.

That calm... that class... I will never forget.

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