Triangle

Chapter 1: Fun Games

“So how was your flight?” Nobuhle asks as she sits in front of the

dressing mirror table as she is getting ready for bed, late in the

evening. “My flight was okay thank you but it was tiring” Sbu

answers as he emerges from the ensuite bathroom in this very huge

and spacious bedroom that has the most beautiful curtains you have

ever seen. This bedroom is furnished with a huge TV plus an

ensuite wardrobe, presumably for Nobuhle who is Sbu's wife of 5

years. Before then they had been dating for 4 years. She is a brilliant

doctor who works at a private Hospital while she also has her own

practice. She is a woman of great taste in almost anything and some

describe her as rude and antisocial.

Sbu, a software engineer has his own company that has, in recent

times scored huge contract both in government and private sector.

Even though he is well off his friends describe him as simple and

perhaps a little naïve about certain things in life. If you ask him, he

thinks he is the coolest cat in the land. They have a daughter, Naledi

who is 7 whom they had, 3 years into their relationship.

“You know I was hoping and praying that I’d catch you before you

slept. I am so hungry, I never had anything to eat before I left Cape

Town. So what did you cook?” Sbu says as he comes to the dressing

table to plant a kiss into his wife’s cheek. “Nope I didn’t cook love,

you should have grabbed something on your way back” Nobuhle

says as she continues to powder herself in the mirror. This puzzles

her husband a little bit, “But babe, you knew I was coming back

tonight, you could have made a little effort. I mean what did you

and Naledi eat then?” he asks curiously. “Babe I was tired okay?”

Nobuhle says not really looking at Sbu. “My shifts were really tight

these past couple of days you weren’t here. I haven’t had time to cook or even rest at all. I got Naledi take away, so she was good” she

takes a pick at him through the mirror.

“Couldn’t you get Grace to make you something before you left?”

she asks pulling away from eye contact but Sbu doesn’t seem to like

this as he asks politely, “Now, what is that supposed to mean

exactly?” but Buhle turns around and looks at him this time,

“Doesn’t Grace do anything for you or...to you?” she asks with a

smirk on her face.

“You know what love, that’s not really funny okay? You know

Grace is my PA and there’s nothing else there. So these little

comments about her are starting to get old” now Sbu looks a little

upset but it looks like his wife is just getting started, “No I don’t

think it’s getting old” Buhle says. “How many times did I ask you to

fire her? But no, no, no you enjoy having her around you all the time,

to have her do anything you want, right?” Now Buhle is raising her

voice as well but Sbu cuts her off,

“Look, I’m really getting tired of this okay?” he says. “Are

you always going to blame Grace for everything? I have a

wife but it always feels like I don’t have one because she’s

always busy doing God knows what somewhere. You are

hardly ever here Buhle, can’t you realise that?” as he looks

right into her eyes.

As Buhle is attempting to jump in, Sbu motions with his hand as he

leaves the bedroom to go downstairs in the lounge. This leaves

Buhle with a bad taste as she takes a huge sigh of frustration,

looking into the ceiling. She looks into the mirror once again. She

decides to go and check up on her daughter Naledi in the other

bedroom. She gets there and finds her sound asleep with lights on.

She stands there for a moment just watching her little princess

sleeping. She comes over and kisses her

in the forehead, then goes, switching the lights off on her way out.

She goes back to the bedroom and finds it empty. She was really

hoping Sbu would be back by now. She takes a moment to think,

should I go downstairs and check up on him? Nah, probably it’s better I

let things cool off a bit. I don’t want to escalate the situation. She takes

another huge sigh as she looks at herself in the mirror once again.

She decides to tuck herself in bed and switch off the lights.

***

“So what’s up with you girlfriend? We are chilling here in this cool

spot sipping cocktails, chatting about the good life and wena, you

are all sour taste and grumpy. What’s up darling?” Lerato Phuthi

asks a down looking Buhle as they sit in this super classy hangout

spot by the beach on a beautiful Sunday noon. They are having

drinks with other two friends, Katlego Tlabi and Lindiwe

Khuzwayo.

“Eish, I’m sorry my friend I don’t mean to be a mood killer hey. It’s

just that that I have a lot on my mind that’s all” Buhle says as she sips

on her cocktail. “Are you and Sbu fighting again?” Katlego asks

curiously but before Buhle can even answer Lerato jumps right back

in there, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said anything about she and

her husband fighting now? She just said she has a lot on her mind,

geez” she says to which Katlego throws her hands in the air as if to

wrong with you then?” Lindiwe asks softly to which Buhle sighs and

then takes a huge sip of her drink, which makes her friends look at

each other, wondering. Now they are interested in hearing what’s

going on with their friend as they all sip their drinks.

“No it’s nothing serious guys” Buhle says. “Sbu came back on Friday

night and we had a little bit of an argument about something silly”

as she says that, Katlego looks at Lerato with a raised eyebrow as if

to say what did I tell you? Buhle can see that but she ignores it as she

takes another sip.

“Okay get this guys, right?” she continues. “We were arguing about

a silly thing like I didn’t cook for him even when I knew he was

coming back. But I explained to him that I’ve been working my ass

off the past couple of days he was away, I just didn’t have time. It’s

not easy to cover the hospital and

the private practice at the same time. I’m just as busy as he is busy, so

why am I the only one at fault here?” now she is starting to get upset

but her friends just keep quiet and let her speak. “And then of

course there’s no argument that ends without the mentioning of

Grace” she says as she looks away in annoyance but Lerato jumps

right in, “Oh my gosh, I just don’t understand what’s going

through your husband’s mind when he hires a hot girl like that as his

PA” she says

This makes all the ladies turn and look at her but she’s not done,

“No I’m serious guys. That girl is

really hot and the fact is that a married man shouldn’t be spending

too much time on trips with girls like that” now this creates

awkwardness and a sour vibe as Katlego and Lindiwe both look at

Buhle who is also beginning to feel a little uncomfortable discussing

her husband with friends

say my bad.