It was a beautiful summer morning with clear blue skies. The streets of Orlando were abuzz with people going to the shops for amagwinya [fatcakes] and others chatting away. Gogo and Zwane were sitting outside having tea on the stoep.

“Mtanam, when am I seeing my makoti, bride?” Gogo asked and Zwane giggled before he could answer.

“Hayi! I don’t know yaz Gogo,” answered an amused Zwane. He had not loved any woman ever.

“You deserve the best mtanam, I know you will find her,” Gogo assured Zwane as she sipped her tea. They spent most of their mornings talking on the stoep and drinking tea.

In all the 20 years that Zwane had stayed there, Gogo had not seen Zwane’s love interest once. Gogo was now wondering why he hadn’t introduced the woman in his life. Zwane did have flings here and there but never did let Gogo see the women walk in and out of her yard. He respected her a lot and didn’t want to be seen with many different women.

As Zwane was walking past Sis Pinky’s house, he saw a van offloading furniture and it looked like someone was moving in. He slowed down and greeted Sis Pinky.

“Do you need any help?” he asked.

“Yebo Zwane, you are always a man among men!” replied Sis Pinky. Next to her was a beautiful young lady with mesmerizing eyes that caught Zwane’s attention as the furniture was being taken off the van.

“Zwane this is my niece Thando, she is going to be stay with me from now on,” Sis Pinky said.

“Oh, that’s good thing as she can help you around the tavern and the yard,” Zwane suggested. Thando couldn’t look Zwane in the eyes as he was talking. The offloading was finished,

“Was nice meeting you Thando,” as Zwane said his goodbyes and went on his way home.

“Where have you been bhuti, Zwane?” asked little Karabo.

“From the shops nana, here are your sweets,” replied Zwane.

“Thank you bhuti,” answered an ecstatic Karabo jumping and skipping around. As Zwane walked to his shack he couldn’t help but keep thinking about Thando and he didn’t know why.

“Maybe it’s because she will be working at Pinky’s,” he thought.

“But then again I don’t stand a chance at a fling with her, since she is Sis Pinky’s niece and was out of my league,” he pondered on.

“Zwane, Zwane!” called out a lady who was knocking frantically on his door. Woken from his day dreaming he answered.

“Yebo, yebo.”

“Yoh, I have been knocking forever here,” complained the lady, “I want you to come fix my TV at my house please,” she added.

“Ok, I will follow you now, let me get my tools,” Zwane said.

After getting paid for fixing the TV, he went to buy a cool drink for Gogo at Pinky’s instead of the spaza shop.

“Are you here for the usual?” Pinky asked Zwane as he walked in. And she was not selling today that made Zwane freeze for a second with fear and anticipation.

“No Sis Pinky, give me Fanta orange,” Zwane replied.

“I’m resting today. Thando come and help this side,” Sis Pinky called. Zwane’s knees were trembling and he was feeling hot as Thando approached.

“Are you ok, Zwane?” Thando asked.

“Yes, give me Fanta coke,” mumbled a nervous Zwane.

“What? You mean Fanta orange neh?” laughed Thando.

“You are not used to what you are buying hey,” Sis Pinky chuckled. An embarrassed Zwane also laughed at himself.

He got home and kept wondering why he always got that feeling he got when he was around Thando. He had never felt something like that before. Thando was taken by Zwane’s height and deep voice.

“Hey wena! You want to burn the food?” Sis Pinky shouted and interrupted Thando’s fairy-tale.

“Yoh sorry, Aunty,” replied Thando.

“You are too young to be day-dreaming wena,” joked Sis Pinky.

“So does Zwane come to the tavern often Aunty?” Thando asked.

“Yes and he enjoys the food and watches soccer here, why?”

“Just,” Thando shrugging her shoulders as she cooks.

Thando had finished her final year and moved to Joburg for better job opportunities. She grew up in Mpumalanga and studied from home and was always indoors during her studies. So staying with Sis Pinky was the best option as she was still job-hunting. She was always focused on her books and didn’t go out much, her staying in Soweto was going to be an experience. And getting to see Zwane seemed to be something she looked forward to.

Tell us: Do you think Thando and Zwane would make a good couple?