“Darling, I’m so happy for you,” my mother eventually said, crying after hearing my announcement. “Take the offer, my love, and fly high. But I’m going to miss you, though.”

“Come on mom, please don’t cry,” I said in a calm voice. “I’m still within the Boarder of the country, so please don’t.”

“So, Ndalo, are you going to start a new life in Cape Town?” Simo asked. “I’m going to miss going out to the mall of Africa with you, and I don’t even want to mention the fact that you always roll your eyes at me. So, sis, are you leaving, just like that?’’

“Me too, Simo,” I responded. “I’m going to miss cooking for you, and mostly, I’m going to miss rolling my eyes at you. I’ll video call you guys, and I’ll fly back twice in a month to see you, just like how I used to do when I was doing my undergraduate degree.”

Even though I was sad while telling them the news of me leaving, I had known for a long time that it was coming, and so did my mother and my baby brother. I had been dreaming of becoming an independent and phenomenal woman in my community and family for a long time, and the time for me to do that had finally arrived.

Later that day, I started packing my bags, and pit was not easy for me, especially with me knowing that I was going to be leaving my two favourite humans in Johannesburg. The thought did not settle well with me, and the funny thing about it all was the fact that my mother had once told me to follow my dreams, and now my dreams were taking me back to Cape Town.

A part of me wanted to take out all the clothes from my luggage and put them back into the closet, but the other part of me kept saying I should go. I loved Cape Town, it was one of the most beautiful places in I had ever been to in South Africa, but the most annoying thing about it was the fact that they experienced different weathers in a single day, and that frustrated me a lot.

**********

Visiting Celiwe, who was my childhood best friend, was one of the biggest highlights of my life. Well, I could say that she was my human diary because she knew everything I had gone through. She was the star that brightened up my day, and she was the rain in my dessert.

Celiwe was one of my former teacher’s daughter, and her mother used to teach us English at secondary school. It so happened that her mother used to like me for my performance in class, so one day, she asked me if I was keen on being friends with daughter, who was the same age as me. As it turned out, I was keen on being friends with her daughter because I was lonely and in need of someone I would share my happiness and sadness with.

After a few day, I finally got the chance to meet Celiwe, and she had a calm, free, and collected spirit. She was very down to earth, and I immediately fell in love with her confidence, and how she carried herself like a woman. She later served as one of the few woman I looked up to, mainly because there was no situation she could not handle, and I believed she deserved a diamond trophy worth billions and billions of the US dollars.

***At Celiwe’s home***

“Oh, my bad, I feel like I’m leaving my significant, precious ornament behind,” I said to Celiwe. “No amount of words will ever describe how I’m feeling right now. I feel drained seeing you and my mom looking so sad about my relocation. It’s sad, I know, but you know that I’ve been dreaming about staying permanently in Cape Town, right?”

“I know Ndalo, and I wish you all the best in life,” Celiwe responded. “To be honest, I’ve been praying for a better job offer for you around Sandton for the past two months. But, you have unknowingly reassured me that you are fond of Cape Town.”

“Okay babe, I hear you, but I don’t have much time left,” I said, looking at her with begging eyes. “I’m leaving on Monday afternoon, so I’m inviting you to tonight’s dinner at home. Mommy wants to do something intimate to celebrate my success and bid me a farewell at 7pm.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, my friend,” Celiwe responded. “I’ll be 30 minutes early so I can give you a hand.” After speaking, she gave me a tight hug.

***

Tell us: What do you think but Celiwe and Ndalo’s friendship?