Precious Rosé

CHAPTER TWO

He looks straight into my eyes making me feel uncomfortable. I have nothing to hide but I don't like it when someone looks straight into my eyes as if they can read my mind or even worse, able to see my vulnerable inner self. I pull my hand away from his, he clears his throat and sits down.

"Well, you said you are looking for a job?" Is that really a question?

"Yes." I decide to treat his statement as a question.

"May I see your papers?" I give him my files. "How old are you? Are you a graduate?"

"I'm twenty four, a holder of an honors degree in Accounting and finance." I say with confidence.

"For a twenty four year old, you have quite a CV and a hell lot of references. I'm impressed. Can I have copies of these?" I say nothing but stare at him. He hasn't even read a single word on the papers, how rude. "I'm not rude. I have a meeting that has already started in the boardroom. I was on my way there when I saw you leaving. Tell Aisha to photocopy these and send them to my office, I will be in touch." He gives me his business card, ushers me out and disappears into the door labelled boardroom.

"Friend, you really took your time. So?" Sheila asks as soon as I step outside the elevator. I blink rapidly because of the the light.

"I didn't find a job." Disappointment is audible in my voice.

"I'm sorry friend. We will keep trying." She hugs me tight, I try hard to stop the threatening tears but fail miserably, I sob still in my friend's arms. "It's okay sweetheart. God will surely make a way, you will see yourself breaking through one day. I will keep praying for you." She comforts me.

"Thank you. I don't who I would be without you." I wipe my tears.

"Without me, you'd be a boring and too strict, young, lonely Nomthandazo." We both laugh.

We decide not to take a taxi but walk home.

NARRATED

MaNkonjeni is sitting with her friend MaZikhali under the tree shade. MaZikhali is giving her the lunchtime news. Who needs a radio, newspaper or television when MaZikhali is around.

"Did you see that daughter of your neighbor?" She lightly pats her friend's shoulder.

"Which neighbor are you talking about now?" Zandi looks at her.

"That woman who thinks owns the world. Her daughter is back and you won't believe it!" She dramatically claps her hands.

"What are you saying?" She pushes her lightly.

"She's now a yellowbone! From being the most dark girl in this neighborhood."

"You're exaggerating MaZikhali. She was in America, its cold that side so its normal for her skin to be lighter." Zandi tries to defend the girl.

"America you say? This girl was in the country selling her body." Zandi's eyes wide open in amazement.

"Stop lying. Did you see her or it's just hearsays?" She knows how her friend likes making up stories.

"I'm not lying Zandi. You should ask Sne, what do they call it?" She scratches her temple. "Yeah soci.....what is the word again? Social media, it's all over there. People are talking."

"Good afternoon mama." Nomtha saves her mother who looks all of a sudden disturbed. Could it be what MaZikhali said or something else?

"Afternoon Princess. How did it go?"

"Not good Maa but I will not give up. Oh! Aunt how are you?"

"I'm fine my girl. You look grown up, when are we meeting our son in-law?"

"I'm not about to rush into love stuff. I still have to build my empire before falling in love."

"Thus good." She makes faces, Nomtha notices but chooses to ignore it.

Sne is in a club somewhere in town, she's drinking and getting down like always. People are shouting, whistling and clapping hands. She's the only one in the middle of a big crowd, she has a bottle of beer in her hand. Partying is what keeps her alive, I wonder where she gets all the money to buy such expensive beverages, clothes, shoes, make up kits and the whole enchiladas. She is a definition of a slay queen. After all the struggle her parents went through to see her graduating someday, this is how she repays them. Poor Mahlangu and Zandi, only if they saved all that money for something else.

**********

The King is having a meeting with his advisor and chiefs. Queen Clementine is also attending the meeting, she likes to poke her nose where they don't belong, one could swear this kingdom is led by a woman.

"Your Majesty. I think it's time we crown Prince Spha as your successor." The king's right hand man Bab' uMseleku suggests.

"What's the hurry? Everyone knows Spha is the crown prince, why do we have to waste our energy and time doing such useless things." Clementine says out of ignorance.

"Watch your tongue woman lest the ancestors strike you dead this moment!" Cautions the King's advisor and seer.

"This is the reason why I always tell you My King to restrict this foreign woman from meetings like these unless you want this kingdom to face the full wrath of our ancestors." Says Mr Sokhele, he always tells the truth like it is.

"I apologize on behalf of my wife. Darling please, respect our culture." The King tries to avoid the chaos.

"Whatever." Clementine scowls and leaves the elders shaking their heads.

"I will talk to my wife and get back to you on when we should crown my boy Spha." He sighs.

"Your Majesty, this has to be done before Spha gets married. He's not getting any younger and I'm sure we don't want the situation where he comes home with a pregnant woman because if that happens, the Umlazi kingdom will be doomed." Warns the seer as he turns to leave.

"You should put a leash on that wife of yours, we can't face the consequences of her foolishness." Chief Sokhele warns.

The King assures everyone that everything will be done accordingly but he looks uncertain. What could be bothering him? Is Clementine more of a problem than of a wife? We will see if the King is as strong as he portrays himself to be.

"What's wrong mother? Why are you pacing like this?" Sbu throws himself on his mother's bed.

"It's your father and those fools!" She removes her crown and throws it on the couch.

"What did they do now?" He yawns.

"Stop! This is a serious matter. Get out of my room I need to think." She takes her phone and dials someone's number.

"Fine. Suit yourself, I'm out." He slams the door behind him.

NOMTHA'S POV

Its been eight days since I left my documents in that man's office but they haven't called or anything. They can at least tell me they are not gonna hire me. My phone rings bringing me back to where I am. I check the caller, it's an unsaved number, who could this be?

"Heello." I wait for the caller to say something. Someone clears his/her throat on the other side.

"May I please speak to Nomthandazo Mahlangu." He finally says.

"It's Nomthandazo speaking. How can I be of help?"

"Ehm.... Its Sphamandla. Can you please come to my office, like now?"

"Okay. I will be there in a few minutes." The line goes dead, I sigh. I hope this guy is not calling me to tell me to my face that he won't be hiring me. I already took a shower so I just change my clothes into something formal. I take my phone, bag and leave.

"Where to, Princess?" Dad questions.

"I just got a call to come to the office where I dropped my CV a few days ago." I pour myself some water and drink.

"Thus great news." He's ecstatic.

"Let's not celebrate now. See you later, Dad. Love you." I blow him a kiss and leave.

"You? Again?" The receptionist gives me a stare, I wonder if there is something wrong with me or its just her being herself.

"Good morning. I got a call from Mr Tshabangu to come and see him." I ignore her stern face.

"Fine. Wait here, let me tell him you are here." She presses a button on the telephone and informs him that I have arrived. "Go in." I thank her and climb the steps to Mr Tshabangu's office. I find him waiting for me in the doorway.

"Good morning Miss Mahlangu. Come in." He pulls out a chair for me to sit, I hesitate until he tells me to sit.

"Thank you."

"I called you here to tell you that I'm impressed by your CV. I decided to give you a chance and see how it goes."

"Really?" I can't hide my excitement, I have waited for this day ever since I graduated. I'm jumping up and down, I've forgotten that I'm in someone office until I hear him clear his throat. "Sorry." I sit back down.

"It's okay. May I continue with what I was saying?" I nod. "You will not be working as an accountant but my personal assistant." I don't know how I feel about this, as long as I will get paid, right? "You can start working tomorrow. For now, I will just show you around the offices and brief you on how we operate."

"Thank you so much, Sir."

"We will share this office, I hope you don't mind. Here is your contract you can read it and sign it if you agree with what's written on it." He gives me a big brown envelope.

We walk around, other workers are giving me stern looks and some are looking with raised eyebrows, will I be able to fit in here? I will have to try, my family needs each and every cent I can get from this job.

When I reach home, I tell mom and dad how it went. They are all happy except for my sister.

"Sne, I just got a job, smile." I tease her.

"I would be happy if you had won a lotto. Anyway, all the best slaving your whole life all in the name of being employed." She hugs me.

TWO WEEKS LATER.

Despite all the looks I keep getting from my coworkers, I must say I have been enjoying my job. My boss doesn't talk too much but when he does, his voice has the authority that makes him respectable.

"Nomtha, I think I'm hungry, what about you?" Did he just shorten my name?

"Uhm.....its not lunchtime now." I say looking at the clock on the table.

"Come and join me for lunch. And I don't take no for an answer." He raises his eyebrow waiting for me to say something. What can I say? He just said he doesn't take no for an answer.

"Okay, Sir." I pack my stuff, he grabs my hand startling me.

"Sorry. Leave that, we will see it when we get back." He ushers me out of the office still holding my hand.

"Sir, my hand." He quickly let go of it but says nothing. The ladies in the accounts department are gossiping about it already, I don't like people talking about me behind my back, why did he do that? He opens the passenger door for me, I find all this weird. He's my boss not the other way around. I get in the car, he also gets in and drives off in silence. He parks in front of an enormous building, gets down and again opens the door for me. I will have to tell him to stop this. He leads the way into the elevator, up we go until the elevator comes to a standstill on the 30th floor. Wow! The place looks amazing, the walls are antique white, wooden furniture and the centerpieces on the tables are flowers. He leads me to the corner of the building, looks like a private section, the furniture here is different from the rest of the restaurant. Instead of wooden brown chairs, there are white couches, a wooden center table with yellow roses on top. We both sit down.

"Welcome to where I always run off to every time my stomach grumbles." I faintly smile. "You look lost, what's the matter?" He asks, concerned.

"Sir, I don't like your other employers to hate or gossip about me. What you did....holding my hand like that can cause a lot of troubles for me at work."

"Are you afraid of your collegues? Nomtha life is too short to keep following the rules, what the society will say and all. I will understand if you say you felt uncomfortable or you don't want me holding your hand not you worrying about other people." I look down. "Look at me, I want you to do what you want not what others want, okay?" I nod.

"I understand, Sir, just that I feel embarrassed when you pull out a chair for me or open the door for me." Again, I look down. Why am I feeling shy all of a sudden?

"Besides being your boss, I'm a gentleman Nomtha, my dad taught me to treat women with respect all the time. Let's order something, I'm starving."

We eat our lunch in silence, he keeps stealing glances at me every chance he gets. After finishing our food, he calls for dessert but I'm already full.

"You are too quiet, what's wrong? Don't you have something to ask your boss?"

"Mmm.....not really, Sir."

"Will you please call me Spha, I'm too young to be called Sir even when I'm outside the office." We both laugh.

"It won't be easy but I will try." I smile and look away.

It's twenty past four already, s**t! I promised mom I was going to cook dinner but here I am still busy with these papers. It looks like I'm the only one left in the building, I have to go. Just then I hear a thunderous sound, I open the blinders, its dark outside and about to rain. A flash of lightning forces me to quickly close them and sit down. What now? I'm really scared of thunderstorms. I try to call mom, dad, Sne, Sheila but their phones are off. Oh my God what will I do now? Just then I hear someone's footsteps.

"Nomtha! What are you still doing here and why are you crying?" I didn't realize I was crying.

"Sir, I-i-i- I'm scared of thunderstorms, my parents' phones are off." I finally manage to say.

"Is that why you are crying?" There is a flash of lightning followed by a thunderous sound again, I hug myself and let the tears just fall. I silently pray to God to protect me.