I stood, my ear pressed carefully and avidly, at their door. Their quarrel was like sweet melodies to my heart, body and soul. It was even sweeter listening to them knowing that I was the very cause of their quarrel. I giggled with satisfaction knowing that I should soon have Katlego where I wanted him. Yes, I was nothing but a maid, but soon I should be able to transform from maid to Mrs Mangena…

“How can you even think that I would send your Personal Assistant a text message and insult her? What do you take me for, Katlego? What do you take me for?” asked Lulama with a shaky voice.

“Ag, please drop the act. We both know you have long been gunning for the poor girl. First it was why I had to hire a female P.A.? Secondly it was why I had to take her everywhere with me; then why is her salary so high and today it’s this? You know what? I’m sick and tired of your stupid insecurities.”

“I just told you I don’t know anything about any text message, I… Katlego where the hell are you going?”

“I’m going where my professional life will be respected. When you feel that you want to stop acting like a little girl, feel free to call me.”

And that was my cue to get away from their door and tiptoe to my bedroom. I could already smell victory in the air. He was soon going to be mine; I could feel it in my heart, in my blood, in my veins. Why did he even feel the need to go anywhere? He could have just come straight to my bedroom. For him, my door was always open. I slowly closed my bedroom door, thinking of how everything might turn out in the coming days, just like that fateful day, the day all my dreams and fantasies came true.

I’d heard them argue the previous night about Katlego’s mother coming to visit for the whole month so she could help Lulama when she gave birth, but she refused point blank. She even called her mother-in-law ‘a selfish witch who enjoyed causing havoc for them’.

Katlego was so angry he almost hit her. When Lulama saw his reaction, she packed her bag and called her friend Lorraine to come and pick her up. It was funny that he never even bothered running after her or begged her to stay. He just stood at the bedroom door and watched her leave. However, after Lorraine ‘s car had pulled away, I heard him cry like a baby. I tried to pretend I couldn’t hear him. I pretended to be minding my own business all the time they were arguing but I just couldn’t ignore that touching cry. I knocked once on their bedroom door and let myself in.

He was sitting on their bed, his face hidden in his hands, and he was weeping. At first it felt awkward watching a man cry, but this was no ordinary man. He was the man I fantasized about every night, he was the man I could never get out of my mind from the very first day I started working in his house. I knew that this was the now or never situation. I had to play my cards right, show him who was the right woman for him, the kind of woman who would love and respect him, who would love and respect his family, especially his mother.

I slowly walked to where he sat, and I felt a lot of emotions take over just by standing next to him. It seemed he could feel my presence because he looked up, tears shining in his eyes and on his cheeks and he said: “What have I done? All I have ever done is love her, spoil her rotten. I’m even saving to buy her a car, but she will keep on making my life difficult.”

I thought about everything carefully. I needed to think first before acting, but whatever it is I needed to do, I needed to make sure it stayed in his mind forever and ever. I sat down next to him, close enough to feel his body shaking with rage. I took his hands in mine, looked him straight in his eyes and said: “Sir! I know it’s not my place, but what you must know is that someone out there loves you wholeheartedly, and they would give anything to be with you, to share happy moments with you. You are such a great man and you deserve only the best. If Lulama can’t see all these things that you are doing for her, then that’s her own problem.”

After speaking, there was a long moment of silence and Katlego’s weeping. Even if I had long been fantasizing about it, I did not expect what happened next. He grabbed me with great force, took me in his arms and kissed me like I’ve never been kissed before. Before I could even breathe, he took off all my clothes one by one and took me to bed.

It was as if I was dreaming. He made passionate love to me the whole night, without for once stopping to breathe. He kept whispering sweet nothings in my ears, and he held on to me like he never wanted to be separated from me again. He fell asleep right beside me afterwards and the cherry on top was how he had his hand wrapped around my waist the whole time.

While he slept, I kept on reminiscing about the things he did to me, my heart kept telling me that this was just one of my silly dreams and I would soon wake up, but his face next to me made it real. It was obvious. He’d had enough of that selfish woman. The way he made love to me said it all. He should be calling her to come pick up her things. He should be divorcing her to make me his wife. Oh Katlego! I would make him the happiest man on earth, I thought to myself!

***

Tell us: Do you think you can build your happiness on someone else’s pain?