It Takes Two

by Haden, Ross;

  “I see,” said Andisiwe, shaking her head. “So, in a way, Thabo stole your identity?”

  “Bingo!” said Jacob, hitting his hand, quite hard, against the steering wheel.

  Men are just nasty dogs, said Andisiwe, angrily, to herself. She felt very upset, and wished she had listened to the little voice that had been making her feel unsure about Thabo all the time.

  “I’ve been trying to sell my penthouse,” continued Jacob. “That couple were prospective clients who I brought around to view it,” he explained as he drove. “Naturally, as his boss, I called and told Thabo of my intentions. So Thabo, knowing that he was about to be found out, ran off.”

  Andisiwe felt her blood beginning to boil. “And then he just left me to face the music!” she said angrily, unable to stop tears from running down her cheeks.

  Jacob was very kind. He was very understanding and attentive, and Andisiwe found herself comforted.

  “You are very beautiful, Andy,” said Jacob, looking over to her as he drove. “I don’t get why Thabo would do such a thing. I suppose he just panicked.”

  Andisiwe smiled. “Thank you.”

  A text from Siya arrived in Andisiwe’s inbox.

  R u ok? Wots goin on?

  Andisiwe hastily replied.

  I’m ok. u not gonna believe this.

  chat later.

  By the time they arrived in Cape Town, Andisiwe was throwing her head back, and laughing at Jacob’s flattery. As they drove down Sir Lowry’s Pass, and Cape Town lay spread before them, Jacob switched on the radio. Taylor Swift’s song was playing on Kfm.

  I’ve been spending the last eight months

  Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end

  But on a Wednesday in a café I watched it begin again

  Andisiwe began to sing along.

  “Wow, you really can sing,” said Jacob admiringly. “I heard you in the shower. You sing like an angel.”

  “Thank you,” said Andisiwe, but she blushed deeply and stopped singing.

  “I didn’t say stop singing,” said Jacob, laughing. “We’re in Cape Town now. Where should I drop you off?”

  “Camps Bay,” said Andisiwe, smiling in gratitude. “Thank you.”

  “Pleasure, madam. Um … can I get your email address, so that we can keep in touch? I really feel I’ve started to get to know you on this journey. ”

  Andisiwe thought of the six hours they had spent in the car together. It had felt like no time at all.

  “Of course,” said Andisiwe, with a smile. “I don’t normally check my emails but I’ll watch out for yours.”

  They arrived in Camps Bay and Andisiwe directed Jacob to Mimi’s house. When they got there Andisiwe gave Jacob a hug.

  “Thank you,” she said, “for rescuing me. And for making things OK again.”

  Jacob got out of the car to open the door for her, and then took the suitcase out of the boot.

  Thabo used to open the car door for me, thought Andisiwe. So this is where he learned his good manners. From Jacob.

  Jacob gave Andisiwe a brief kiss on the cheek as he said goodbye to her at the front door. She stood, with her suitcase at her side, as she watched him drive away. She just couldn’t help but feel a little excited. On the long journey home she had begun to think, more and more, that Jacob was, in fact, a lot better looking than Thabo.

  He was just a lot better than Thabo at every little thing. That much was obvious.

  Andisiwe put her key in the lock of the front door and went inside. She was glad to be home, safe and sound. I wonder how long it will take, thought Andy to herself as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom, before I hear from Jacob. I hope it will be soon.

  In her bedroom she flopped onto her bed, and pulled out her cellphone. She couldn’t wait to phone Siya. She had so much to tell her.

  She had taken Siya’s dare – but she had also found out the truth.

  Discussion questions

  •What were the warning signs that Thabo was not to be trusted, and why do you think Andisiwe ignored them?

  •What kind of person is Thabo? Describe his character. Do you know anyone with some of those qualities?

  About the author

  Zikhona Gwadiso completed her Marketing Diploma at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in 2013, but her true passion is fashion. Her dream is to own a fashion label or a fashion studio. Zikhona loved being able to include her fashion and style sense in this story.

  Being a mentee…

  When I started writing the short story I felt frustrated with a lot of things. Writing in different styles and focusing on the main characters was hard for me. My best writing days were when I wrote while I listened to the very lovely Christina Perri’s ‘A thousand years’ on my phone. Then I could think clearly, imagine and see my characters in my head while writing. It felt easier to write listening to that song.

  Getting reader comments was the best part about writing. It felt awesome to know that people read and enjoyed my short story. When I finished writing it, I had lots of self-doubt. Would people like my story? What kind of comments would I receive? Do I suck as a writer? Then BOOM! I read the comments and I was happy, excited and pleased that people enjoyed my story.

  6

  SECOND TIME LUCKY

  Michelle Faure

  Andisiwe lay in bed watching the sunlight moving across the ceiling of her room. She could not shake the angry, and sad, feelings she experienced as she remembered the night she had spent with Thabo in the penthouse in Plettenberg Bay. What was it that Siya always said? Andisiwe could almost see her friend standing over her, waving her long-nailed index finger, and tossing her long extensions.

  “Get out of bed right now, girlfriend, and close the kitchen door. All the rest is history.”

  Andisiwe’s phone beeped from where it lay on the pillow next to her. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw it was a message from Jacob. He was a man of his word. He had said he would be in contact.

  R u rdy 4 a visitor slping beauty?

  Coz ur prnce charmin is cumin ur way ryt now

  R u home?

  Yes. Gv me 20

  Andisiwe’s hands were shaking as she pressed ‘send’. He was on his way over right now. She had said yes. There was no going back. She grabbed a towel and ran to shower.

  Andisiwe had just dried herself and slipped into a print dress when the doorbell rang. She grabbed her sandals and hurried down the stairs. Her hair was still wet. When she opened the door, there was Jacob. He was holding the largest bunch of flowers she had ever seen in one hand, and a huge box of chocolates, tied with a shiny pink bow, in the other.

  “Come in,” she said, laughing in delight as she took the bunch of flowers and the chocolates.

  “This is a great house,” said Jacob as he followed her into the sizeable kitchen. Andisiwe could not help but notice how incredibly good he looked, from the top of his perfectly groomed hair to the sharp tips of his shiny leather shoes.

  “I was on my way to work,” said Jacob with a grin, “but first I had to make a special delivery.”

  Andisiwe felt herself blushing as Jacob continued: “Now that Thabo has left town it’s hard to find enough hours in the day for my work. But I want you to know, I will always make time for you, babe.” All Andisiwe heard was, “Thabo has left town.”

  “So he’s really gone?” she asked softly, as she felt relief flooding over her.

  “Yes, and I don’t want to see or hear from him ever again.”

  Just then Jacob’s phone rang. He looked down at it and then across at Andisiwe.

  “Speak of the devil,” he said before excusing himself, and moving into the passage.

  Andisiwe began searching through the kitchen cupboards to find the largest vase her aunt possessed. She paused just as she was about to fill th
e vase with water, to listen to what Jacob was saying.

  “Don’t try to threaten me, Thabo. You don’t really know who you are dealing with here. I am not scared by you. I don’t know what you think you have, but I’m warning you again: be careful, my friend.”

  Andisiwe turned the tap on full blast and the water gushed out loudly just as Jacob returned to the kitchen. He was shaking his head. “Thabo never made a good decision in his life,” said Jacob. “He just took a free ride on my success. He helped himself to whatever he wanted. How dare he think he could just drive my car and use my penthouse? And as for how he treated you …”

  Andisiwe felt herself blush again, and she lifted the vase of flowers and hid herself behind them.

  “I’m sorry,” said Jacob, moving forward to help her. “I didn’t mean you …”

  “It’s OK,” said Andisiwe, as she let him take the heavy vase from her. She indicated a table in the hallway. “I think the flowers will look great there.”

  Jacob put them down and stood for a moment to admire a gold clock on the table. “Wow,” he said, moving closer to examine it, “this is an incredible piece.”

  “It belongs to my aunt,” said Andisiwe, adding, “She has a lot of lovely things.”

  “Yes,” said Jacob, beginning to move towards the front door, and glancing around himself as he did so. “It’s a beautiful house.”

  Andisiwe nodded, and Jacob flashed her one of those smiles that made her feel weak at the knees. “Tell her to let me know if she ever wants to sell.” Then Jacob came towards her and took her into his arms to gently hug her. “Which reminds me,” he said, kissing Andisiwe on the cheek, “I have a whole pile of houses out there, waiting to be sold. But can I see you later?”

  Jacob’s wonderful aftershave made Andisiwe feel quite giddy, and it was all she could do to nod happily before Jacob left.

  ~•~

  Andisiwe watched Jacob drive off down the street in his fabulous car. She was still reeling from the encounter. He had said he would contact her but she hadn’t thought he would do it so soon. He was obviously a man who didn’t waste time going after what he wanted. And what he wanted right now was her. She was flattered. Here she was, just arrived from PE, with no real clue about the high life in Cape Town, and he had chosen her. Cape Town was full of some of the most gorgeous women in the world. A man like him could have his pick. But he chose her. It was crazy: first Thabo, now Jacob. Her love life was busier than her aunt’s – and that was saying something.

  At the thought of Thabo she shuddered. She wouldn’t let herself dwell on him. It still shocked her to the core thinking about the morning she had been found, half naked, by strangers in the penthouse suite that Thabo had led her to believe was his. Strangers, and no Thabo! Just an empty bottle of champagne and slightly faded rose petals. No, she wouldn’t dwell on that. Jacob would be a breath of fresh, gorgeous-smelling air into her life. He would help her wipe out all those dark memories. He had already started with the beautiful flowers and the Belgian chocolates.

  She sighed deeply, turned back into the house, and paused for a minute in front of the huge mirror. She was glowing, there was no doubt about it. Andisiwe ran a finger over the gold clock that Jacob had admired. He really did have exceptional taste! And now that taste was directed her way.

  “A man who spoils you rotten can only have the best taste, girl!” It was Siya’s voice again, playing in her head.

  Andisiwe flipped off the lid of the box of chocolates and chose her favourite one. “Well, here’s to me girl,” she said, just before she popped it into her mouth and closed her eyes in bliss at the taste. Andisiwe opened another foil-wrapped chocolate, and then another, as she sent a quick text to Siya.

  Jacob muuucchhh cuter thn Thabo eva was.

  Flwrs & chocs … bt is it too soon afta Thabo? Wat now?

  Hey girl

  came Siya’s reply, just as Andisiwe heard her aunt’s key in the lock.

  ur in da big city now. Time 2 b a big

  girl n play wit da big boyz

  “Wow. Wow. Wow,” said Andisiwe’s Aunt Mimi as she walked in through the front door and saw the flowers. She stopped to smell the roses, and fluttered her eyelashes at Andisiwe as she asked, “So, which of my admirers delivered these?”

  Andisiwe laughed gaily, following her aunt as she moved through her house. Aunt Mimi kicked off her shoes and began unzipping her dress as she walked.

  “No, Auntie,” said Andisiwe, “they were actually bought for me!”

  Aunt Mimi paused for a moment in the doorway of her bedroom, the toes of her slender feet digging deeply into her white carpet. “Ooh!” she said, over her shoulder to Andisiwe, raising her one eyebrow. “How nice.”

  Then Mimi dropped her handbag onto the middle of the carpet, twirled, and then said, “Oh, Siwe, darling, be a dear and help me with this zip. I simply have to have a bath right now.”

  Andisiwe obliged, and her aunt moved away into her bathroom and shut the door. A moment later Andisiwe heard the bath water running.

  She wandered across the deep-pile, white carpet towards Mimi’s walk-in wardrobe, where the doors were standing open. She stood still and gazed inside, remembering for a moment the day when she had borrowed that Valentino print dress for her first special date with Thabo. Andisiwe frowned to herself. She had been so excited that day, and so wanting to impress Thabo. She reached out and flicked the door to the wardrobe closed with a bang.

  She was just turning to leave the room when the bathroom door opened, and Aunt Mimi popped her head out. Startled, Andisiwe stopped in her tracks, feeling suddenly guilty and more than a little afraid.

  “Who brought them?” Aunt Mimi asked loudly, over the sound of the running water.

  Confused and flustered, Andisiwe turned to face her aunt. She could feel herself blushing. “Wh … what?” she asked softly, stuttering slightly.

  “The flowers,” said Mimi, a little irritated. “Who brought them?”

  “Jacob,” said Andisiwe. “I …”

  “Oh, I know who he is,” said Andisiwe’s aunt, with a shrug of her shoulders. “Nice looking … well done, girl.” Then she raised one eyebrow again. “But I heard some story about him … or maybe it was about that other guy, his friend – Thabo, I think his name was. They were always as thick as thieves those two. Anyway, it was probably said by some bitchy ex-girlfriend …”

  Andisiwe’s aunt laughed lightly and turned back to her bath.

  “There’s always a bitchy ex-girlfriend you know, darling. It was quite a story now that I think about it … something involving guns. But who doesn’t have a story involving a gun these days? You be careful now, darling … oops … my bubbles are overflowing.”

  And with that Aunt Mimi shut the door of her bathroom, and a moment later Andisiwe heard her loudly singing some song to herself.

  ~•~

  Later that day Andisiwe received a call from Jacob. His voice was very polite and very gentle when he asked her to go out with him that evening. Andisiwe did not hesitate. She accepted his invitation straight away.

  When Jacob arrived, he was driving the exact same car that Thabo had driven. As she slid into the leather car seat Andisiwe mentioned it. “It’s my car,” said Jacob with a sigh, as he put the car into gear and pulled away. “Thabo always loved it, and I let him borrow it from time to time.”

  He looked over to Andisiwe and shook his head. “Naturally he must have acted as if it was his own. The guy really has issues and I’m sorry you got caught up in them.” Jacob reached over and briefly touched Andisiwe’s cheek with one finger.

  Andisiwe smiled. “I remember he didn’t know how to open the boot – said it was jammed. He said he had left his wallet in it, which meant, of course, that I had to pay for the petrol.” Thabo really had a nerve borrowing Jacob’s car and making out it was his.

  Jacob pull
ed into an Engen garage and ordered the petrol attendant to fill up the car. When he returned from paying, he slipped a small box of special chocolates onto Andisiwe’s lap.

  “Wow, thanks,” said Andisiwe laughing. “All these chocolates are going to make me fat.”

  “Never mind,” said Jacob, turning to look deeply into Andisiwe’s eyes. “You’ll always be perfect in my eyes.”

  Andisiwe held his gaze for a moment and then slipped the small box into her bag. She could feel her heart doing cartwheels in her chest. Just before he pulled away Jacob’s phone rang.

  “Hello,” he said, turning the key in the ignition. Then, “I told you to leave me alone.”

  Andisiwe noticed that his tone was impatient, almost angry. “I told you everything is on track. Listen to me, because I am really warning you now. These things take time. OK. Bye.”

  Jacob slid his phone into his pocket and accelerated. “Estate agents!” he said, frowning slightly. “They always want to fight over properties.”

  Andisiwe sat in silence.

  “I’m sorry, my sweet Andy,” he said after a moment. “In the present economic climate it is very difficult out there in the marketplace. Dog eat dog you know – we’re all fighting over the same scraps.”

  Andisiwe nodded in understanding, and they drove on in silence. She was surprised when Jacob turned and pulled up outside the very same restaurant that Thabo had taken her to.

  “Oh,” she said quietly. “This is the –”

  “Don’t tell me Thabo brought you here?” Jacob interrupted her. Andisiwe nodded, and Jacob hit the steering wheel lightly with his fist. “That guy!” he said. “He just copied everything I did. This is my favourite restaurant! I often bring clients here. It’s a winner. Seals the deal every time.”

  It was a wonderful meal, and Jacob was charming in every way. Andisiwe felt happier with every mouthful. The waiter brought the bill, and when Jacob pulled out a hefty wad of money she felt happier still.