“Nothando, I’m sorry I messed up back then, but to tell you the truth I wasn’t acting of my own free will. My friends, Clement and Thami, they took charge of my every action. They pushed me in ways they didn’t have to, they put me under pressure. Thami and his family suffered poorly, with no money and sometimes no food. So as you lived close to each other, he knew that your family possessed wealth. He’d always ask me to ask you for food and money. All I ever asked for went to him just so he could put food on his family table.

Yes, I didn’t man up to tell you I loved you face-to-face, but I tried and they interfered. I felt like they forced me to love you and saw that everything became a burden. Thami used me, they enjoyed our love, but I no longer did. So after some time of thinking, I decided to write you the letter. As much as I wasn’t happy for not getting back an answer, I thought it was the right thing. We saw each other every day, but I accepted the fact that I was no longer the perfect one for you. My love for you got shattered, broken into a million pieces that I couldn’t put together except to just watch them as they broke even further, until I couldn’t see even a single one of them. I regretted it my whole high-school life,” admitted Samson, rubbing his face.

“Me too.”

“We can’t change our past, can we?”

“No, but it’s possible to change the present. The dream came to you as a manifestation of the possibility of us making that change, it’s a second chance. Samson, please find it in your heart to forget about what happened and let us try again.”

Samson thought for a moment and said, “You think we can start over again? Nothando, look at me. Now look at you. You’re everything there is for a complete woman. But I’m nothing, surely there’s plenty of men out there who’d want you as their woman.”

“I know no better man out there than you. You’re the only one I’ve shared those feelings with, no man has ever made me feel the way you made me feel. And if what I felt came from real love then I want it back. I know that we never got a chance for a relationship together, but now it’s possible,” Nothando said.

“Nothando, a lot has changed, and I don’t think it’ll feel the same as the past.”

“Samson, I’m a woman, and I’m saying that I love you. I want you. Only a few men get the luck of having a woman ask them for a relationship. You failed to confess your love to me but I won’t. Your dream gave us a second chance. We’ve got support even from the spiritual world. And so, Samson Nkalanga, please love me back.”

“Oh, Nothando, I don’t know. I need to think about it.”

“Let’s not hurt each other once again. You know what happens when you say you’ll think about it. You’ll never find the answer, and don’t tell me you’re thinking of other people’s opinions on this.”

“Yes, of course. Nothando I’m a…”

“No, don’t say a word. Tomorrow I’ll come, you think about it throughout the night.”

“Uh okay, tomorrow then.”

Nothando stood up and headed for the door, but when she reached it she stopped and said, “Ever since I came to this place, I never stopped realising that living within these walls feels lonely. There’s always no hand to hold, no breath to feel and, for me, no chest to lie on. I hope you realise it too.”

After she left, Samson locked the door then sat on the bed. He placed his hand where she had sat. The warmth fed him memories of her, coupled with the scent of her perfume the walls kept inside.

“Oh boy, Nothando,” he said.

***

Tell us: Do you think Samson should leave his wife for Nothando? Why or why not?