Lerato ate the large breakfast that Busi had made for her, and then kissed her on the cheek. She stopped to hug her father, and then left for work.

It was Monday, and Lerato felt happy and positive about the week that lay ahead. She hoped that she might hear something with regard to the writing competition. She had not written anything new for days. That was always the problem. Her writing always had to come second to her work and her social life.

Lerato was already on her way to work, when her phone received an email. She glanced at it quickly when she stopped at a traffic light. It was from Andile. Not wanting to read her cellphone whilst she drove, Lerato spent the rest of the journey wondering about what was contained in the email.

Lerato had spent a fair bit of time thinking about Andile after Philane had left the previous day. She couldn’t help comparing the two men.

In comparison to Philane, Andile was so light and happy. It wasn’t that Philane wasn’t happy, he was. In fact, Lerato had to acknowledge, Philane was particularly funny.

‘It was just,’ Lerato told herself, ‘that Philane was so smug about everything. It was like he always knew better. Like he always had the answer to all of life’s problems.’

‘Especially my problems,’ thought Lerato.

Lerato thought grumpily about the way she had found herself sharing just about everything about her private life with Philane. How had that happened? She certainly had not intended to share anything with him.

And now even Busi liked him. And her father.

Lerato changed gears forcefully.

‘Now take Andile, for example,’ thought Lerato. ‘Andile just enjoys life. He is fun. He is successful. He is positive.’

‘Andile,’ said Lerato to herself, ‘just finds solutions for himself in life. Philane, on the other hand was always seeing problems. Problems where there aren’t any.’

‘And what about that rape case?’ thought Lerato. ‘Of course the rape case is a problem. To me at any rate, it is one big problem.’

Lerato shook her head.

Gugu had always told her that Andile was the one for her. And Gugu should know. Gugu knew an awful lot about men. And she knew an awful lot about Andile.

‘Gugu also claimed to know a lot about Philane,’ thought Lerato doubtfully, but, and here Lerato shook her head, ‘Gugu didn’t know everything. After all, Gugu wasn’t God. She could be mistaken. About Philane anyway. Only God never made mistakes.

‘And what about God?’ thought Lerato, putting on her indicator, and changing lanes suddenly. ‘Well, with God, some things were not always completely clear. I guess that’s where faith comes in, and trust.’

Lerato shook her head.

‘Where have my thoughts taken me now?’ thought Lerato. ‘Let’s get back to Andile.’

Lerato smiled to herself. She quite liked thinking about Andile.

He certainly had a wonderful house. And garden. And car. And he obviously liked her. A lot.

Here Lerato paused in her daydreaming, to negotiate a parking space in the underground car park of her office building.

‘I miss you so much, Mom,’ thought Lerato, as she sat for a moment in her car seat, before opening the door. ‘I’m sure you would have told me the right thing to do.’

Lerato closed her eyes. Her mother’s face appeared before her. She was smiling at her, and Lerato found herself smiling back.

Lerato took a deep breath. Sometimes it felt like her mother was very close to her.

Lerato checked her watch. She noted that she was late for work. Again!

Grabbing her laptop Lerato headed for the lift, just managing to catch it, before the doors could close.

Gugu was already waiting for her in her office.

“Hi, Lerato,” said Gugu, quietly closing the door behind her.

Gugu looked unusually serious.

“Have you heard from Andile?” she asked. “He hasn’t answered any SMSs or emails since Saturday.”

“I’m sure he’s just been busy,” said Lerato, sighing. “Anyway, why do you need to get hold of him so badly?”

Lerato remembered the email waiting for her on her phone. She felt suddenly possessive of Andile.

Maybe Andile just didn’t feel like communicating with Gugu for a while. Maybe Gugu even fancied Andile? Maybe Gugu had decided she would make a move in Andile’s direction, seeing as how Lerato had made it quite clear, that she was not interested in pursuing a relationship with Andile.

‘Gugu can be pretty annoying,’ thought Lerato.

Lerato shook her head.

‘Why did things suddenly seem so complicated?’ she thought

“It’s not,” said Gugu suddenly, eyes flashing, “that I have to get hold of him. It’s just unusual for him to not return my calls. That’s all.”

Gugu turned on her high stiletto heels, opened Lerato’s office door, and stalked away across the carpet to her office.

Lerato sat down behind her desk and opened her laptop. After a moment the email from Andile filled her screen. It read:

My dearest Lerato,

You must know by now how I feel about you. I am in love with you.

I have been searching for a girl like you for a very long time. I didn’t think you were interested in me. But after Saturday I think I may have reason to hope.

On Sunday I left South Africa. I am writing this to you from a hotel in London.

Lerato paused and looked up from the computer. She could not believe her eyes. London?

At that moment Lerato’s office phone rang. She picked it up. A conveyancing client had arrived to sign his documents.

Hurriedly Lerato clicked on her email and shut it down. She stood up from her desk, pulled her skirt straight, composed herself, and moved into the foyer of the offices.

“Hello,” said Lerato, smiling and extending her hand to the gentleman standing there. “Do come along with me,” and she led him to her office.

The rest of the morning was spent with client after client, most of them signing documents for plots of land which Andile had sold to them.

***

Tell us what you think: What do you think is going on with Andile?