I woke up. It was all a dream. That perfect man disappeared and reality started sinking in.

“What is this Akhona? Are you okay? How can you sleep till ten in the morning?” my mother asked me.

I had no answer, so I kept silent and looked down.

“Get up, breakfast is ready,” she said that with a scornful look.

I did as I was told, washed my face and sat down to eat, but I couldn’t. I kept on thinking about the man in my dream. My mom noticed that something was bothering me.

“How was your night?” she asked.

“It was okay,” I replied.

“Nana, you can’t lie to me, tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing mother, really, stop worrying, I’m okay.”

“Then eat,” my little brother said, while walking to me with a piece of bread, “Here, Akhona.”

I smiled and let him feed me.

After breakfast, I cleared the table and washed the plates. I didn’t have anything to do really. I had just completed senior secondary school and was waiting for my scholarship to be processed. I took a walk in the neighbourhood and just when I thought that I would die of boredom, Akila came and invited me to read some books at her house.

Akila’s house wasn’t far from mine. So, it wasn’t hard to get my mom’s permission. I stayed there until the evening.

“Akhona, stay a little longer.”

“You know that my mother will kill me if I stay a minute longer, Akila.”

We then said our goodbyes, and I left. I immediately rushed home. My mom was waiting for me. I thought for sure that she would yell at me for staying out that long. But she just said, “I presume you ate at Akila’s house?”

“Yes, mom.”

“Well go and sleep. And one more thing, don’t wake up late this time around,” she smiled, I smiled too and I got ready for bed.

I dreamt of a lot of things that night but he wasn’t there.

The next morning I woke up with a frown on my face as if I was hurt badly by someone. I didn’t even realise it, but I started falling for the man in my dream, literally, but I shook off the feeling and went on with my life. Reality was far different from my dream. So, I decided to stick with it.

During the day, I would help mom with her fruit stand while she managed the house and Themba had to go to school. My days were filled with my mother and me mostly. Time passed and the memories of that dream started fading.

Tell us: Do you think Akhona should just forget about the dream?