We arrive in Musina around 6 a.m. I search for Sue whose WhatsApp says she was last seen yesterday. I want to know where she is. I get up and stretch my body, my brother is standing outside a shop and I go towards him then my phone rings.
“We are still at the breakdown,” she sounds worn out.
“Are you OK?” I ask, worried. I feel for her.
“I have a slight nose bleed but I will be fine,” she says quietly.
“You better be. Drink a lot of water baby,” I suggest calmly. I wish I was with her.
“OK I will.”
“Are they fixing the bus?” I ask curiously.
“Yes, it’s now good to go,”
I am just grateful that she would not be spending another night in the bush. We say our goodbyes and I go inside the shop to find Freddy.
Freddy and his wife buy us breakfast from a garage close to the border. Sue sends a text saying that they are entering the border. My heart feels as if it is going to jump out of my chest with joy.
Sue sends a message.
“The bus broke down again. I will climb in a taxi and meet you. Where are you?”
“UltraShell garage but my phone has low battery.”
“Ohk you are not far, where do we meet?”
“OK let’s meet by the gate entrance of border.”
Ten minutes pass as I continuously look towards the highway, scanning the passing pedestrians, hoping to see her. It is not easy as there are many people moving up and down. I check towards the road, still no sign of her or her bus.
Let me ask where she is again. I sit alone in a restaurant with my face fixed on my phone.
“Baby?”
“I am at the gate.”
“OK I am coming.”
“Please do.”
“Why don’t you come to the garage?”
“No come on Paul.”
“I am coming, I am wearing a sky blue T-shirt and dark blue shorts,”
“I’m in a black top and jeans.”
I inform my brother that I am going to meet Sue, his sister-in-law.
“We want to see her, please bring her here,” Sheila, Freddy’s wife begs.
“I will try to bring her,”
I take a walk over the highway, it’s tough crossing the busy road. I enter the border’s gate, scanning the place for Sue. I go to the containers where everybody is getting their passports stamped.
Our eyes meet and she comes running towards me. Her beauty shines bright like a diamond, her smile makes my knees weak. It’s Sue… It’s Sue! the voice inside me is screaming. I hug her tightly. I adore her beauty and smile.
“I was afraid you might not come,” she smiles.
She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, even though she must’ve been exhausted. She gives me a plastic bag, it has 3 bottles of whiskey inside it. I thought she was lying but no she wasn’t. All I had brought her cold water and juice.
“Thanks, nice to see my woman,” I chuckle like a infatuated teenage girl.
“My brother wants to see you,” I whisper in her ear.
“No, I can’t, not now,”
She keeps touching me with her soft hands, making me weak all over. I want to feel her and kiss her. I am a shy person so I want to find some place, private, without any prying eyes on us. Crowds have always made me uncomfortable. She is in a queue to get her passport stamped so I leave her. If I stayed, who knows how long it would be before my guilt gets the best of me.
***
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