Lerato was tired as she drove to work the next day. Tired, but elated. She had finished her story, and met the deadline. It would be a couple of weeks until she heard whether she had won or not. In the meantime, she would focus on her work at the attorneys.

Andile had spoken a lot lately about his new development. The work with regards to that was probably going to start pouring in any time soon. The future looked busy.

Lerato sighed inwardly. Conveyancing was lucrative, but the thought of all those transfer documents was exhausting. Lerato pushed that thought away. She was determined to do a good job of it. She often reminded herself of just how lucky she was to have such a good job.

Lerato was singing loudly to herself in the car, as she pulled into the underground parking lot. It was the song that had been her mother’s favourite, ‘Amazing Grace’.

Lerato felt the presence of her mother so strongly sometimes. Like this morning. Just when she was feeling so exhausted, so overwhelmed.

Lerato’s mother had been a strong woman. She had not been educated, but she had been a hard worker. Lerato still remembered how she had spent her early childhood mostly with her Gogo, because her mother had worked as a domestic worker. She had worked all week, and had only come home every second weekend.

And yet, Lerato had not one single memory of her mother ever complaining. She remembered her mother as always being cheerful.

“What good does worrying do?” her mother had always said. “Worry adds nothing to your life. It only takes away. Everything is going to be all right.”

Lerato remembered her mother saying that, right up to the end. Her faith had held out, even when the pain had been so bad that the nurse had had to come around every day to inject her with morphine.

Even then, it had been Lerato’s mother who had comforted all her friends who had visited her. Lerato remembered how some of them had left after visiting her, shaking their heads, saying, “Ai! I don’t know what came over me. I spent the whole time with her talking about my problems! I forgot how sick she is. I am so sorry. She just seemed so well. So like her old self.”

But Lerato knew that her mother had never wanted them to be sorry. It was true. She had been a light to everyone, right up to the moment when her light had dimmed, and then gone out.

“Oh, Mama,” said Lerato, with a bitter sweet smile, “Thank you for the strength that you give me. And thank you for the strength that I see in Busi. You have given us both the strength to overcome.”

Lerato was deep in thought as she entered the office, and bumped into Gugu, in a hurry, as usual.

“Hey, girl,” said Gugu cheerfully, “you left early last night.”

“I had my story to finish, remember,” said Lerato, walking with Gugu to her office.

“Oh, yes,” said Gugu, “Your precious story. And did you finish it?”

“Yes,” said Lerato, adding, “in the early hours of the morning.”

Lerato shot Gugu a fierce look, before adding, “And yes, it is precious to me.”

“Who or what is precious to you?”

It was Philane. He was waiting in Gugu’s office for her.

Lerato flashed him a look. What was he doing listening in?

“It’s private,” she muttered.

“Darling, your writing is hardly private,” Gugu laughed, dismissively.

“Sorry,” said Philane, and then he smiled at her, “I didn’t know you wrote.”

“It’s nothing, really,” said Lerato, turning away, to walk to her office.

“No, really,” said Philane, lightly taking hold of Lerato’s arm.

“Our Lerato is planning on becoming a famous writer,” said Gugu, from behind the desk, as she unpacked her laptop, adding, “Didn’t you know that!”

“Gugu!” said Lerato, feeling upset by Gugu’s dismissive tone.

Philane ignored her.

“Is that true, Lerato?” he asked gently.

Lerato shook off his hand, from where it rested on her arm.

“I really think it is none of your business,” said Lerato, wriggling her arm. Philane held on tighter.

“Don’t be upset, Lerato,” said Philane again, “I think that writing is very interesting.”

“Yes, yes,” said Gugu, sitting down, “fascinating. Now Philane, you said you wanted to talk to me about this case you’re working one. This rape case.”

“Please let me go,” said Lerato sharply. She couldn’t wait to get away now. She had already revealed far too much.

Philane released Lerato, and she moved off quickly in the direction of her office.

As she walked away, she heard Gugu’s voice saying, “Do you really think the guy is innocent?”

Lerato walked quickly, before she could hear any more.

Lerato had known for a long time that Philane had taken on the case of a wealthy businessman accused of raping the friend of his eighteen year old daughter. When she had first heard about it Lerato could hardly believe it.

How could he?

As a result Lerato no longer wanted to have anything to do with Philane. His mere presence turned her stomach and filled her with anger.

How could anyone defend rape?

Lerato closed her door firmly and went to sit behind her desk.

‘Damn it!’ she thought to herself, ‘How did I let that happen? I was feeling so good about everything.’

And what about Gugu? What kind of friend was she? She mocked my writing. And she insisted on being Philane’s friend!’

Lerato opened her laptop and waited impatiently for her screen to open up.

Everything was going wrong! She could just feel it.

Lerato’s phone rang. She saw that it was Andile, and she decided to ignore it. If Andile wanted to speak to her, she decided crossly, he could phone the office, and speak to her formally about work things.

Lerato buried herself in the details of her work, keeping her door shut, and speaking to people only when her office phone rang.

By lunch time she was feeling even more exhausted, and very, very hungry. She had been in such a rush that morning that she had left home without eating any breakfast.

At one o’clock there was a knock on her door.

“Come in,” said Lerato weakly, as she thought to herself, ‘What now? It’s lunch time. I need a break. And food!’

Lerato looked up.

It was Philane, and he was smiling. Lerato scowled back.

“A girl should never frown like that, Lerato,” he said lightly. “It spoils your pretty face.”

“A girl can do whatever she wants!” said Lerato quickly.

Philane stepped into Lerato’s office.

Lerato was just thinking that she hadn’t invited him in, when he flashed one of his broadest smiles in her direction.

“I noticed that you didn’t like sushi very much last night,” said Philane. He laughed, “And I don’t think you liked that cocktail Andile gave you very much, either.”

For a moment Lerato felt embarrassed, as she remembered how she had refused Philane’s offer of a cocktail, and yet accepted Andile’s.

“Andile is a hard man to refuse,” said Lerato, by way of apology.

“Well, I hope you’re not going to refuse me again,” said Philane, still smiling.

Lerato said nothing, but raised her eyebrows at Philane.He frowned slightly.

When he spoke again it was very softly, and very gently.

“It’s just that you seem really angry with me about something, Lerato. I’m not sure if I have done something to offend you?”

Lerato still said nothing, but she looked at him steadily.

“Can I take you to lunch?” Philane asked after a moment, raising his hands, palms up.

“Maybe,” he added, “we can talk. I’d like to find out about your writing …”

Philane’s voice trailed off, waiting for Lerato’s response.

Lerato was silent, and so Philane added, “Steak?” and paused, smiled and added, Chips?”

Lerato couldn’t help smiling.

“Philane,” she said sarcastically, but laughing, despite herself, “you are impossible to resist.”

Lerato heard her stomach growling softly, and her mouth began to salivate.

“Maybe you’d like a salad,” said Philane, as an afterthought, “instead?”

Lerato shook her head. As it turned out steak and chips were exactly what she felt like.

Lerato picked up her bag, swung her jacket off her chair, and walked out with Philane. He paused to help her, as she struggled into her jacket.

“Let’s walk,” she said, “I really need some fresh air.”

***

Tell us what you think: Do you think Lerato should go to lunch with Philane? What do you think of Philane?