Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 1
CHAPTER ONE
KHAYA MVELASE
I wake up at 4 o’clock and run to the gym for the first time in five years. The last time I ran to the gym was when I lost my fiancée, while she was giving birth to our child. It has been a difficult journey without her, fighting for my right bury her, fighting for my company and raising our daughter.
My security company, Mvelase security.co. is the only thing that kept me sane during that time, having something to do, something I can control. Mid way to the gym I decide not to go to the gym I just keep running. I pass through the gym and run back home. I go straight to the shower and take a bath, wrap a towel on my waist and go to the kitchen but there’s someone already there. Damn! I forgot I have someone here.
“I’m sorry I forgot that you are here.”
I went to my room before she can say anything, put on my uniform and go to the kitchen.
“That was quick,” she says placing plates on the table, “Breakfast is served.”
‘First and last I hope.’ I think bitterly. But I thank her anyway. I don’t know what I was thinking inviting her over, I can’t live with a woman here, not where my daughter visits.
“ I see that I’m making you uncomfortable in your own home,” her voice cuts through the silence. “I will take my things and leave,” she attempts to stand up but I hold her hand.
“Sit down, eat, take a bath and then you can go.”
She sits hesitantly.
“It’s not you, it’s me, and I’m sorry,” I release her hand that I didn’t notice I am still holding.
She doesn’t ask questions, she eats quickly, gets up, goes to her room and comes back with a towel in her hand and a bag that’s looks like a toiletry bag.
“Please wait for me I will be quick.”
I feel like punching something, shout or scream. I am supposed to tell her, ‘take your time ‘ or ‘don’t worry, I’ll wait.’ But I say nothing as if making her uncomfortable while I’m the one invited her is not enough. I don’t understand why all of a sudden I feel angry and treating her like this, she did nothing to me.
In the midst of my thoughts my cell phone rings in my pocket, when I look at it, I have five missed calls and two messages. One read: Boss, we’ve just signed in on duty and you’re not here yet. I check the time and I’m supposed to be at work right now, what kind of a boss have I become? Another one read: Hello daddy, you didn’t call me last night.. But I can’t wait to see you today after school. I search through my recent calls so that I will call her but that sweet voice disturb me again.
“I’m done smiling face.”
My God! “Sorry that was…”
She cut me off. “No need to explain. I’m ready to go and thank you for letting me sleep over here.” I realise now that I didn’t tell her my name. “ Well, I’m sorry for not being good company, I didn’t ask your name, or where you come from you caught me off guard I wanted you to be safe and forgot everything else…” She did tell me her name but I forgot. She laughs out loud and say, “Wait, breathe. I am Smangele Dlamini.”
“Khaya. My name is Khaya Mvelase, thank you for breakfast.” I say almost quietly. “Are you always like this?” She asked. I simply said “No” and she laughs again and say. “Goodbye.” As she heads to the door, I stop her, check the address where she is going if the place is close or far. When I see that it’s not so far from where I live, I let her go.
Driving to work, feeling more empty than usual I decide to call my daughter and when no one answers, I remember she is at school, and I hope I don’t forget to fetch her after school. Arrive late at work almost everyone has gone to work only few security guards are left. I greet as I pass them along the way to my office. I get in shut the door, throw my bag on the table, sit down and hit my head on my desk and felt no pain, I am about to hit it again when Sphosethu get in without knocking. Sethu has been with me ever since I was starting this company, he is the heart of the company. I trust him. “Sethu, what’s wrong?” I asks before he can say anything. “I am here to ask you the very same question.” I frowned in confusion. “ Don’t act confused, you’re late and you’re not carrying your gun!”
“No!” I shouts getting up and storming out of my office.
Sethu follows me. “ Wait,” I walk through the passage not paying attention to him until he get in front of me and block my way. I groan resisting the urge to punch him. “What is going on?”
I tell him the full story on how I got distracted. He laughs, making me feel more embarrassed.
“ Come on, you know I haven’t had a woman over my house ever since…” I try to make him understand.
“Oh! That’s the problem?” He keeps asking even though he sees that I don’t want to talk about it.
“You will not understand, I have a daughter to protect,” I try to make him understand. “You’re becoming cold if not boring. You can’t treat someone like that.”
He is starting to annoy me now.
“You think I don’t know that?”
He keeps talking, “It is time to get back to the dating game.” I shake my head ‘no’. “ You, go back to work.”
I rush back to my office and looked for a certain contact number. When I find it I make a call immediately.
“Hello.”
“Hello, this is Khaya Mvelase I need to talk to you as soon as you’re available. Actually I’d like to see you now it’s urgent.”
“Why now? How urgent is it?”
“Very urgent, please.”
After thirty minutes, counsellor Mrs Dube arrive in my office. “I came as soon as I can,” she says after sitting comfortably opposite me. “You look better than the last time I saw you. How have you been?”
I move my head a bit closer to her lowering my voice. “ What are the signs that a person is healing from trauma?” I get to the point.
I need answers and I need them now. “Offering professional help, avoiding spending a lot of time alone, noticing how you feel,”
I disturb her, “ I still spend some time alone, only at home.”
She nods. “If I may ask, why are you still single?”
I grimace, “Two years after losing Lisakhanya’s mother, I dated someone but we broke up so I’ve been single since then.” I don’t like talking about this but I think it will help.
“ I understand. It is not easy, but you need to try, give it a chance, take it one day at a time…” She goes on. But my mind is not here anymore. I am thinking about my company, how I’ve built it from the ground up until now. Mvelase security.co. Has changed not only my life but others’ as well. I have hired over fifty security guards and now Nsika Enterprise needs ten security guards. I have to post a job vacancy and be specific that we have ten vacancies.
Later, I go to fetch my daughter from her grandmother’s house. I find her ready. She rushes to me and give me a hug.
“Hello princess.” I kiss her forehead.
“Hello daddy.” I greeted her grandmother and told her I’ll bring her back Sunday afternoon as usual.
“Say goodbye to granny.”
She waves and we leave the house.
“You didn’t call me last night,” she says.
Here we go again. Can’t she just forget about yesterday! “ I’m sorry, I worked until late,” I lie.
We arrive in my place and there is someone on the gate. I open the window so that I’ll talk to her. But I stop in my tracks when I see her, again. I got out of the car.
“ What’s are you doing here?” I whisper. “I brought you something to eat just to thank you for helping me yesterday.” I am about to chase her away when Lisakhanya calls out. “Daddy!” I look at the car then at Smangele.
“I didn’t know you have a child. Where is her mother?” She says with a friendly smile, but my response is not so friendly. “I think you should leave.”
She lifts her brows up, confused. She is about to say something when I emphasize. “Leave!” She leaves walking fast, like She wants to disappear.
SMANGELE DLAMINI
When I realise that Khaya is serious I quickly leave embarrassed. I thought he will like it when I show him my appreciation but no, so from now on I’m focusing on what I came her for. To look for a job, and forget about this stranger. I just hope we don’t meet again. If he wants treat me like I don’t exist, then so be it. I’m not here to make friends.
I get in my room and check my emails, nothing. So tomorrow I will be submitting my CVs. It is going to be a long day. I lean back on the chair feeling sleepy all of a sudden. I got to bed and fall into a slumber. In the midst of darkness, I am walking on the street all alone, feeling lost, I keep looking around if there’s someone around here but there’s no one. I feel scared and start running until my body collides with someone. He smell like someone I’ve met before.
Holding me so tight he says, “I got you.” I hold on to him, suddenly feeling safe and warm. For a moment I forgot all my problems. When I’m about to look up at him I wake up panting. I rush to the fridge to get some water and gulp down the half bottle.
