Her Soldier

Chapter 14

"So, how are you finding it so far?" I asked Zack as we cruised through the empty streets of Pretoria. I was driving my mum's Jaguar F type, playing remixes music from my phone as I looked over at Zack who was sitting in the passenger seat, looking around wherever we were going.

He turned to smile at me as we reached a robot that had turned red and I smiled back at him, blushing at the attention that he gave me, "I enjoyed it," he told me with a smile, wearing a bucket hat that I had bought for him at a market place.

"You look pretty ridiculous," I giggled as I looked over at him. The second we had reached the marketplace and he saw all of the items, he liked and wanted everything. He had pulled out some cash but it was all American dollars and I honestly didn't mind buying things for him because my mum had given me enough cash to spend.

I wasn't planning on taking him sightseeing today. I had saved that for the very end. I had been planning on going go-kart racing today to get us in a bit of a competitive mood but I fell asleep and ruined that. 

Spending the day with him has been the break that I needed. Today was Friday and I was supposed to be at school but my mum was super chilled with Zack being here and didn't mind me skipping school for a bit. I had to make sure that I caught up with work though. 

My mother went to work today and she always takes the Urus when she goes to work but she gave me the permission to take the Jaguar. I knew how to drive and I had a license. I was just lazy to get behind the wheel because I'm too spoiled. 

"I can't help but feel like you've got a lot on your mind," Zack broke through the momentary silence and I could feel his eyes on the side of my face as I pushed the car on the empty roads, loving the feel of the car as it sped through the high way. 

"I really don't want to bother you with my silly little problems," I said with a light scoff and eye roll as I turned to face him for a short moment before paying attention to the road. 

"We're past that, Dudu. We talk about anything and everything, that's our relationship. So tell me, what's bothering you?" 

I sighed, "So, my mum found someone," I stopped, slowing down a bit and moving into the slower lane when I saw a few cars behind me. 

"That's great. You do want that for her, right?" he asked me and I relaxed my hold on the steering wheel because I wasn't speeding so much anymore. 

"I am happy for her," I bit on the inside of my cheek, listening to the slowed down version of Post Malone's rockstar on the speakers and lightly tapped my fingers against the steering wheel. 

"But?" 

"It's weird, Zack. Like really weird for me to see her like this. It's weird to see her with someone else besides my father. I haven't met this man, just yet, but she wants me to meet him this weekend and she seems so happy and she talks so highly of him...but..." I sighed unsure of how to continue. 

"You're just not ready for this?" he assumed and I gave a hesitant nod. 

"The only person my mother's been with is my father and as much of an asshole that my father was, I can't help but feel like...like...she's not supposed to put herself out there," I grimaced at my words, "I know it's wrong to say that when my mother has gone through so much because she deserves happiness, I know that. She's been hurt for so long, but I just...don't want her to find her happiness this way. I just never imagined my mother with another man; let me put it that way. I don't want her to make the same mistake and pick another man who's exactly like my father."

"Just because your mother found someone else, Dudu, doesn't mean that she'll love you any less. I think what's making you so nervous and unsure is that it's always just been your mother and yourself and because of that, this scares you and it feels like she's replacing you when in actuality, no one can ever replace you."

I smiled and turned my head to look at him, "it has always been just me and her." 

"Besides, you're growing older, Dudu. In no time, you'll be moving out and going about your life. You were just telling me that you wanted to study in Cape Town, and since UCT has provisionally accepted you, you're going to have to move all the way that side. And she'll be left all alone. After that, you're going to find some college boy, and have your own love stories and live your own life. It'll no longer be your mother and you. It'll be just you and then just her."

I nodded my head, "I hadn't thought of that, Zack." 

"I know you hadn't, but it is time for the both of you to move on and grow, don't you think so?" I hummed in response, laying my head back on the seat as I listened to him speak in his thick American accent that I've come to adore. 

"It's a little bit hard to though," I told him honestly, "time feels like it's moving so fast and everything is happening so quickly. I knew that a time would come...I just never thought that it actually would come." 

I heard him move around in his chair before he adjusted the seat to lean further back, lazily lounging in the car and I could see that he'd finally gotten comfortable, "it's time you both forgot about your father completely and lived your lives to the fullest. It's time that your mother has found someone who treats her way better than your father ever did and it's time that you let her do so..."

I glanced down at him, my eyes glancing over his face. His eyes were closed and his arm was at the back of his head as he relaxed into the seat. He was a good looking man, one that I had a bit of a crush on. Maybe a big crush, but I wouldn't dare try anything. 

"She's going to have a dinner and he'll be there and I was wondering if maybe, you could, be there with me?" I asked softly as I paid attention back to the road, taking the off ramp that led to Jo’burg, "I would feel a lot better if you could be there with me." 

"Of course," he breathed out, "anything for you," butterflies swarmed in my stomach at that stomach. 

"Zack?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Thank you." 

"Anything for you, Dudu," he paused, "anything at all."