by Elsa Kurt
She attempted to knock again and called out, “Simeon, I—”
The door gradually opened, and on the other side, Simeon stood, looking out of place. His light hair was unkempt, his shirt was hanging loosely over his slacks, and he was far from what one would consider ready. He stepped aside and it was clear that he needed to talk; his eyes were red and swollen. From his posture, she noted he was tired and likely depressed, as he usually carried himself with far more confidence, even when he faked it for her sake.
“Good evening,” she managed to say, as she passed him. “Are you…okay?”
He remained quiet, only closing the door behind them and walking toward the kitchen, while music was playing from the media centre in the living area they passed.
Her heels clicked along the floor, as she followed behind and she couldn’t help to note the numerous legal documents sprawled all over the room. “Simeon, what’s going on? These documents can’t be out in the open like this. Besides that, we need to be at the fundraiser in an hour and I haven’t been fully briefed. It’s probably like last year’s, and all the other events I’ve accompanied you to, but still…this one is a bit more important. It’s your event,” she said with a tinge of annoyance, while worry played in her mind.
He took a bottle of water out of the fridge and handed it to her, before heading back toward the living area and she could only follow. She stared at the plastic bottle of water, and in it alone, she saw how out of character he was acting, which spiked her concern ten times over.
“Simeon,” she said in a heavy sigh, as it hurt her to see him like this.
Reaching the living room, he sunk into the greyish opal Poltrona Frau sofa with the capitonné design, while the music was some form of metal that made her question what humanity had done with its gift.
“So, what now?” she asked, as she sat in an armchair across from him and stared back at him.
He stayed quiet, threw a blanket over himself, and turned on the television.
Understanding that he wasn’t ready to talk, she set her handbag down beside her and knew a joke would slightly help him get out of his dark state, as he usually enjoyed humour. “You realise Salexis isn’t designed for these kinds of Netflix and chill type dates, right?”
He responded with a wry chuckle that was faked to the point, she nearly felt offended.
She sat forward and set the bottle of water on the coffee table in view of them both. “Simeon, what’s wrong? I’ve been your dater for long enough to know that this isn’t the usual you. And yes, while Salexis is there for putting up a front, I’m not okay with ignoring this, we’re closer than that. Talk to me?” She kept the eye contact, wanting him to fully acknowledge her. “Please,” she added with a whisper.
His eyes searched hers and she could tell he wanted to ask something, he clearly didn’t know how to put in words.
“Uhm…let’s say for the next five minutes, I won’t report us going against the code of conduct and you just see me as a friend. Also, don’t see me as a psychiatrist, for some reason my friends always complain about that. Talk to me, not the persona,” she added, knowing her profession did play a big part in why she cared, but he wasn’t a patient, he was different and meant more to her.
“Well, as a friend then,” he began, sinking deeper into the sofa and pulling the blanket higher. “I think it’s clear, I don’t want to attend this evening’s event.”
She grunted in frustration. “Where’s your phone? You could’ve let me know.” It might have been cruel, but she was annoyed by him not informing her, before spending half the day getting ready according to Salexis rules, and needing to deal with her own issues at her practise. “You don’t know where it is, right?” She snapped a little and got up from the armchair.
He nodded, sitting more upright when he realised she was furious with him. “You know what today is?” His voice was near inaudible, as she had her back turned to him while pacing a few steps away from him.
Her heart broke for him and she stopped in her tracks before she turned back and faced him. “Of course I do. It’s why I’m here and not referring to the event, but to why I’ve been here for the past year.” She turned to look at the photos on the far wall and went to retrieve the one of him and his fiancée. “Machi lost her fight two years ago on this day,” she said, handing him the framed photo.
He took it from her and stared at the image, while a hopeful smile played on his lips.
“While the pain you’ve experienced from your loss is incomparable to what I experienced, since we all experience it in different ways, I need you to know that I’ve been through it and I’m here if you need to talk,” she comforted, and to make him feel more at ease, she took her seat again, having slowly calmed down, knowing that depression wasn’t something one could smack away.
“Who did you lose?” Sincere eyes stared at her with hope of anything.
“Well, I did say screw protocol.” She let out a deep breath and looked at him more seriously. “My husband.” The words were an equal whisper to his.
He seemed more surprised than she had expected.
She nodded her head in a sort of confirmation, and knowing that even though they weren’t together for as long as Simeon and Machi were, it still ached. “We got married right after university. He was my best friend and we did everything together. I was lost the moment after he had his first attack and was diagnosed.”
“You became an aimless soul,” he said the words she once used so many moons ago.
“Yes. It was because we both knew the pain of loss that I decided to sign the contract to be your front for the media. It was actually why I had added my name to the pile even before we met.” She recalled he propositioned Salexis to get the media off his back about his lack of relationship, but she also knew it was to keep his family at ease as well.
“How did you get over the loss?” It was an odd question, but they had never before been so open with each other, due to the code of conduct Salexis had in place.
She shook her head. “I’m still not over it. I don’t think you ever fully heal, but it gets a little better with time. Slowly, but it does.” It was the only honest answer she could give him.
“She passed away as we were meant to start this new fundraiser, but I was only able to do it for her last year. And I know I need to remember the years before and not only the months leading to it, when she didn’t want things to change between us, but I can’t forget how it ended. It’s how I lost her and I think a part of myself.” His eyes shimmered in the low light. The pain was raw within him, and after spending so much time with him, she saw a different side of the man who most would consider closed off.
“I saw her very last interview after we met and I know she began this with you, because she knew you would fight to let people know how important it is to look out for the signs,” she offered. “You’ve helped many with this campaign and even aided those who can’t afford the treatments. Machi began this with you, knowing she wouldn’t always be there, but she knew you would be there for the survivors, the fighters, and those with signs that could lead to it.” She stopped for a moment, as the emotions began taking hold of her, and then she pressed on, “And I believe you know this, but you need to be strong and help someone else avoid the pain we’ve experienced with this illness.”
“I always suspected you did this because of loss, but I didn’t know it was because of the same reasons.” He even looked at her differently. Or so she believed, as it felt far more personal.
“In a way, I needed you as well, but you knew that for the most part. And obviously, not just because I’m being paid to pretend I’m a media darling at your side, but because every time I get to go to these events with you, no matter their cause, I feel like I’m making up for what I lacked when Joel was suffering and I clocked out.” She figured confessing wouldn’t hurt, when he was clearly devastated, but the light in him was coming back. “I need you to be strong now, not just for everyone else, but for the o
nes we’ve lost.”
“Promise me one thing,” he whispered, throwing the blanket to the side and sitting upright. The professional in him was back.
“Yes?” She felt uncertain at the sudden shift, while he still seemed casual enough to count as a friend.
“Don’t ever change. You’re a good person, Amahle. It was your passion for these events and projects that made me keep you in the beginning. I know how horrible it sounds, but it’s because I knew you wouldn’t need to fake it that I needed you by my side. I never fully understood why, but now I do, and I appreciate you sharing this with me,” he offered more full heartedly and she could see in his eyes that he was steadily finding himself again.
“We all need a little help when we’re down.” She softly smiled.
He nodded his head, contemplating for a few seconds, before getting up. “I’m going to get ready. You don’t need to be briefed, just…be there with me,” he said sincerely and it warmed her heart.
“Okay,” she softly said as confirmation. “I’ll make you some rooibos tea. Now go get ready, everybody will be waiting for you.”
“You’ll be wearing the jewels though,” he countered with a smirk, hiding the pain too easily, but at least he was giving it another go.
“Just get in the tux,” she said with a chuckle as he headed down the hallway, and she felt a shift in their relationship, as this was the least professional they’d been since she began this job.
Simeon was staring at the crowd as he found himself on the stage overlooking the audience, but he was continuously reminded of how much he appreciated the most important face looking back at him. Amahle had done so much for him over the several months he had known her, but he only now, slowly and in the most profound way, saw how much she had kept him from going over the edge.
“The best experiences we’ll have in life comes from the people we least expect to have the most impact,” he said, halfway into his speech. “That was something Machi always said I meant to her, and through the pain of losing her, I had lost sight of so much, but I realised that we are never alone in these hard times.” He had his eyes back on Amahle, who gave him an encouraging smile. He countered it and continued. “I was so blinded myself that I only very recently discovered why I felt so connected to Amahle.”
All life seemed to have drained from her face, as she clearly worried over what he was about to say.
“She not only knew loss as well as I did, but she lost her husband, Joel, to the same disease that I had lost Machi to. This very disease we are fighting to get the public more aware of, as it’s so prevalent among young adults. We know it’s a hard road, and alone it would be worse.” He looked down at the area in front of him, staring at nothing and realising he had begun this foundation with Machi to help others move forward, while he was still stuck on her and doing exactly the opposite of what she had wanted for him. “So here’s to moving forward, in not only our research in helping people be more aware of ischaemic stroke, but all diseases, and helping those who need to say goodbye to loved ones. For Machi and Joel,” he said, raising his glass in a toast.
Everyone followed his lead, and afterward, he headed down the steps, greeting some of the people he passed, and grabbed Amahle. He told himself he was embracing her to show his sincerity, but when his eyes met hers and a second of quiet locked him in a bubble with her, he leaned in and kissed her. He felt her body stiffen in surprise, but then she melted into him.
The moment must have seemed staged, but he felt every second of it, digging deeper into him and causing far more emotion that it should have. He pulled away, hating that he had to stop himself, as the cherry taste from her lip-gloss mingled with the champagne that left the perfect combination.
Eventually, he pulled away. “Sorry,” he softly whispered as he opened his eyes.
He watched her slowly do the same, while still in his embrace. “It’s…all good,” she said, clearing her throat and staring at him a bit longer before shyly stepping back, but she kept her hand locked onto his arm while smiling at the people watching them.
He crossed far too many lines on this date for things to be what he would have usually considered normal, but it was done, and in the back of his mind, he knew it was for the best.
Amahle looked up at the beautiful night sky as it shimmered with bright stars, while the de’Scala Resort in Camps Bay was behind her. The surprise of the kiss she had shared, nearly an hour earlier, with Simeon was still having its effect on her body. Whether it was the moment, the sweet gesture of it, or that fundamental shift that changed between them, it baffled her to the point where she chose to ignore it.
In the distance, the waves could be heard playing along the shore, while the music and chatter carried with the breezy evening. It was a completely different world, lifestyle, and manner of doing things, but the pretenses always led her to escape to quiet spaces, and on this evening, she needed it more than ever.
The joyful chuckle coming from somewhere beyond the fynbos shrubbery, had her expecting holiday goers having a roll in the sand. When it was revealed to be an old family friend of Simeon, it left her a little surprised. It was Kylie Courier and a man Amahle remembered always being around, but something about how the two stepped back into their personas upon seeing her meant whatever was between them was still a secret.
With a soft nod of her head, she greeted Kylie, whose dark blue dress was as striking as her eyes, even in the low-lit area. Kylie easily smiled in response, while she and her companion headed back toward the festivities.
Amahle chuckled to herself, realising once more that the partygoers were enjoying their evening, drinking champagne by the bucket loads, waltzing under the night sky, and simply being merry, while an important event gained great support. The flawless diamond necklace she had worn for the first part of the evening was sold for R5 million, which was a sure indication that the fundraiser had far exceeded expectations, considering the fact that nearly ten of the necklaces were sold.
Sadly at this point, she had grown tired from all the smiling, dancing, and simply acting the part, though with Simeon it wasn’t hard to pretend, as he always found a way to make it go smoothly. He did make her laugh and she had numerous moments where she would absolutely feel giddy. During his speech, when he mentioned Machi and added that Joel was also a victim, caused appreciation to bubble inside her, even though he gave the media something to go dig into about her past.
“Escaping again, are we?” he said next to her ear and she let out a startled breath.
“Damn you!” she exclaimed, turning around to face him and softly hitting her fist into his chest. “My heart might explode,” she said, holding her hand to her chest.
“Sorry,” he said, carrying a huge smile that ruined the sincerity, but she could only shake her head and smile at him.
She noted that his tux in the midnight blue with the diamond cufflinks looked picture perfect in the garden setting. Only his tie needed to be adjusted and she did just that as he stood staring. When she was done, she stepped back, tilted her head to the side, and hummed in approval when he was once more flawless.
“Did you at least enjoy your evening?” he asked, wavering, and she expected she was only reading into it due to her own guilt of knowing it would be the last.
“It was…different,” she admitted with a shy smile. “But I did enjoy it more than most of the events we go to, and this was for something we both really care about. So it was a definite win.” She was looking at his lips as she recalled the kiss they had shared and realised she had enjoyed it far too much. She bit her lower lip as a silly form of restraint, and when she made eye contact with him again, she noted he saw the action.
He cleared his throat. “Are you ready to go?”
She heard his phone buzzing in his pocket, and after retrieving it, he looked at the screen with a deep set frown.
“I wondered if he’d call,” he mumbled.
“Go. I’ll start greeting some people.” She nodded t
o show him to go ahead.
He mouthed the words, one minute, while turning away. “Hey Griff, how are you?”
With a sigh she began meandering through the crowd, and though they planned to stay longer, Breitenbach Snr. and Simeon’s parents said the two of them could leave early when they all shared a table at the beginning of the event.
After the run-in with Mrs. Breitenbach in the ladies’ room earlier, it was clear that in her mind, her son was thoroughly in love with Amahle. It took numerous tries to convince her that there was no chance Simeon was preparing to propose to her. Yet what had excited her in a way she dared not speak, was that his family also saw the slight shift in their relationship, which she knew was terribly wrong.
It also had her to the point of worry, for she wasn’t scared of the idea of moving on. She knew it was likely because of the contract they shared, and its safety nets that had her feeling this way, because she refused to say out loud that she would never even attempt a relationship with him, for he had shown her far too many times that she’d be lying.
After greeting several guests, she spotted the near untouched cake at the back, on the tea and coffee table, and all but ran toward it. Spotting a server, she asked for anything they could provide to take a big slice home with her. Adding it was for the guard in Simeon’s building only gained her a frown, as the server likely never saw anyone take leftovers after these events.
Turning back to the crowded room while she waited for the piece of cake to be readied, Simeon came closer with his eyes wide.
“Are you well?” she asked, closing the space between them.
“Griff Pierce just donated in Grace’s name more than enough money to close the gap,” he said in a stunted tone.
In the moment of shocked realisation, she couldn’t quite recall who Mr. Pierce was, but she had to assume he knew loss as much as they did, for contributing to their cause. As for him closing the gap, it meant he donated a bigger sum than most, which would not only allow the Machi Foundation’s funding to reach the point where the research could go beyond just being in the trial stages, but it could possibly become common practise by doctors worldwide.