She had been ignoring Abongile since that day and not picking his calls. Pearly was easier to avoid because she didn’t come over anymore. Tania spent her days sleeping and her nights watching TV; what a way to spend the December holidays. It had been a week since last she saw them but the rest of the night was a complete blur to her. Other people her age were out having fun, dancing, partying and being with their boyfriends, but she was stuck trying to get over her broken heart.

Then Saturday morning she received a text message from a number she didn’t recognise.

Hi Tanie, hope you doing OK after last weekend. I would love to meet with you and I promise it’s a non-alcoholic place I promise you will enjoy it very much. Meet me at Long Street Café, CBD, Stone.

Tania was confused; she couldn’t recall much of what had happened the past weekend. But the name Stone rang a bell but she couldn’t picture his face. She decided to meet up with him so she could hear about this weekend. She prepared herself and wore a boob-cube denim dress, a straw hat and sandals.

In the taxi, her mind was racing with wonders of what could’ve happened the previous weekend. She could still vaguely remember seeing Abongile and Pearly and a guy named Stone, but that was it.

She reached her destination and saw a tall, dark and handsome guy wearing sun glasses, denim shorts and a vest sitting alone. That must be him, she thought. She went straight to him because his face looked familiar.

“Hi, am I looking for you?” she said reaching for his hand.

“Yes that’s me in the flesh, take a seat please,” Stone responded with a smile on his face.

She sat down and Stone called for a waitress. Tania was still glancing around the place. This was a very fancy place it looked expensive to even drink a cup of coffee here.

“Good morning, can I offer you anything?” said the waitress.

“Tanie, do you want anything to eat, drink?” Stone asked.

“No I’m fine thanks,” she replied a little embarrassed that she couldn’t afford anything on their menu.

The waitress suggested their breakfast special with a cup of coffee.

“I’ll just have a glass of tap water please,” she was adamant, at least I know I won’t have to pay for that right, she thought.

“Bring us the two specials please,” said Stone.

Just when the waitress was about to turn her back from their table Tania called her again, “Sorry can you make me Rooibos tea, I’m not a coffee person,” the waitress said no problem. Tania hadn’t looked up at the waitress when she first came in, only now did she get a better look.

She couldn’t believe her eyes; even though the skin tone was different – a shade darker and she wore too much make-up, Tania was staring at Pearly, who didn’t want to look at her in the eye.
Before Tania could react, Pearly had vanished inside again.

Stone looked down with a guilty face. “Tanie I have something to tell you,” Tania was suddenly uneasy. “Remember what I said about the weekend on the text message I sent you?” asked Stone.

“Yes and I still have the message…why do you ask?” said Tania.

Stone started to explain to Tania what had happened the previous Saturday at the tavern with Pearly and Abongile. Tania became reluctant to believing what was said to her at that very moment.

Minutes later their order came.

“Sister, do you mind joining us for a few minutes? I know you’re on duty but this is very important because it involves your friendship here,” Stone asked Pearly.

“Hey Mr, what the hell am I really doing here? Did you know about all this, or better yet did you organised it?” she angrily asked question after question.

“Tania please, don’t do this. It’s New Year’s Eve; we don’t want to get in to the New Year with baggage from last year.”

Tania didn’t say a word after that; she took her bag and left. She realised that she had left her phone behind and went back for it.

“You can take everything from me but not my phone. And by the way, you can also have this food since you like my left overs so much,” she said to Pearly.

She grabbed her phone but it fell on the floor and Stone jumped for it.

“Oh my word Tania, what is wrong with you?” Stone said.

Tania pushed him aside. “You have a nerve to ask me that question after what you just did?”

Pearly went back to her duties without saying anything.

“Can I at least take you home?” asked Stone.

“No you’ve done enough for one day,” she collected her phone and ran to the taxi rank.

***

Tell us what you think: Was do you think of Stone’s intentions? Was he right to meddle in Tania and Pearly’s affairs?