March 2017

2 March 2017. Why is Jonas getting so uptight about money? What is going on with him? This morning he complained that I was spending too much on groceries.

Anyway, at least school is going well. It’s lots of fun, actually. Christo and I have been doing some combined lessons, team-teaching both Grade 7 classes together. My class loves it. Christo has these amazing, exciting ideas.

Oh and Angie is getting desperate! Christo doesn’t seem interested in her. Even though she is the prettiest teacher on the staff – and the youngest. Even when she wore a new red dress yesterday.

Poor Angie! Late one afternoon, she sat with Nantze and me in the staffroom. Christo was out on the field, coaching soccer. He was tasked with doing all the soccer coaching, poor guy.

“Harmony, Nantze, what can I do?” asked Angie. “I keep hinting, but still Christo hasn’t asked me for a date. And I really, really fancy him.”

Nantze laughed. “Hey, girl, this is the twenty-first century. If you fancy him – you ask him. There’s no law against that.”

“But what if he says no? I’ll be so embarrassed! I’ll be mortified. What do you think, Harmony? You guys spend so much time together. In fact, I wonder if he fancies you maybe!”

“Nonsense …” I began to say. But I stopped, because just then Christo entered the staffroom, his coach-whistle swinging on his chest, looking extra hot in his soccer kit.

“Oh yes! What are you three ladies gossiping about?” he teased. “Harmony! I’m shocked! You’re supposed to be preparing our science lesson for tomorrow.”

He patted my shoulder to show he was only joking.

Angie rolled her eyes up.

14 March 2017. That’s the best thing about Christo – whenever we talk, even on the phone, everything feels fun and light-hearted. Nothing serious. Nothing depressing or hard. With him it feels like life is an adventure to be enjoyed! I forget all my troubles. It’s like having a holiday from real life.

And for sure, I needed a holiday from real life! Things at home with Jonas were getting worse. We barely spoke unless it was about mundane stuff like who must put out the bins or what groceries we needed. What was happening to us?

“It’s my elder brother’s birthday Sunday,” he said. “Mama is holding a big party.”

“Do you mind if I stay home? I have to set tests for Monday,” I said.

It was a lie: my tests were already set. Christo had done most of them. But I just didn’t want to face my mother-in-law. I didn’t want her sizing up my flat belly. I didn’t want to feel that Jonas was ashamed of me in front of his family.

Jonas sounded almost relieved. “No problem.”

And come Sunday, off he went to the family gathering. Alone.

I phoned Christo. Mostly because I needed to check on the tests for the next week. But soon we were talking about other things: happy, silly, unimportant things. We laughed and joked. Even being on the phone with Christo felt like a mini-holiday from the stresses of my life.

Later that day, with Jonas still at his family gathering, I went through some papers in his drawers. I suppose I was looking for some explanation, some reason why things were so distant between us. What I found, horrified me!

24 March 2017. My mind is swirling like crazy, like a whirlwind. Like a tornado! I can’t even think straight! I don’t even want to think straight! Is this why Jonas is so uptight about money?

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Tell us: How do you feel about Harmony going through her husband’s private papers?