Lerato and Philane chose an outside table, near an oak tree.

The sun was shining and there was no wind.

When their meal arrived Lerato tucked in, eating her steak with relish.

“Wow,’ said Philane, “I like a woman who enjoys her meat!”

Philane laughed gently.

Lerato frowned at him.

“You,” said Lerato, “seem to have a talent for saying the wrong thing!”

Philane sighed, and nodded. “Only with you, Lerato. You seem to bring it out in me.”

“Oh dear!” said Lerato. “As I said. Now you tell me I have a talent for bringing out the worst in someone.”

“Oh dear, Lerato,” said Philane, seriously now, “I didn’t mean that. It’s just that around you I always seem to say the wrong thing.”

Lerato sat back, put her knife and fork together, and pushed her plate away.

“That was great,” she said. “Thanks!”

“No, really, Lerato. Actually I usually have rather a talent for saying the right thing. In court. That’s how I make my living.”

Lerato frowned. “You mean you have a talent for lying?”

Philane leaned towards her, shaking his head and frowning.

“That’s out of line, Lerato. That’s far too harsh. It’s also not true.”

Lerato looked down at her plate. She knew she had gone too far. She had just insulted the man whom she had allowed to buy her lunch.

Lerato looked up.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Lerato looked sincerely into Philane’s face.

“I’m sorry,” she said again. “It’s just this case you’ve taken on. The rape case. I don’t know how you can do it. The man is obviously guilty. And the man is also obviously lying.”

Philane sat back.

“Apology accepted. But how do you know that Lerato? How do you know that he is guilty? And how do you know that he is lying?”

“Rapists always lie,” said Lerato fiercely, “and no one ever believes the victim.”

“Oh,” said Philane softly, nodding to himself, “now I understand.”

“What do you understand?” Lerato looked at her watch. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Wasn’t lunch over yet?

“You’re angry with me about the case? The rape case?”

Lerato shrugged. “It doesn’t matter,” she said, “just forget it.”

Philane leant towards her again.

“But it does matter, Lerato. Of course it matters. And,” here Philane paused, and she noticed that he was very serious, “it isn’t fair.”

“No,” retorted Lerato, “rape is never fair.”

Lerato looked away, and then looked again at her watch.

“I am sorry,” said Philane softly, concerned now. “I hope you … I hope it didn’t happen to …”

Lerato cut Philane short.

“No, no,” she said quickly, “not me. No, it was my sister, actually, my …”

Lerato’s voice trailed off. She hadn’t intended to tell him. Lerato felt regret rising in her.

‘Oh,’ she thought ‘What have I done? Damn Philane! I should never have come with him to lunch!’

Instead she sat back in her chair, and covered her eyes with her hand.

“I’m just really tired right now,” she said with a sigh, “Really tired.”

When Lerato took her hand away from her eyes, she saw that Philane had switched seats. Instead of sitting opposite her he was now sitting in the seat next to her.

“I’m so sorry, Lerato,” said Philane sincerely. “When did it happen? The rape, I mean …”

“Oh it was a while ago,” said Lerato, with a wave of her hand. “She was seriously depressed for a long time. She’s fine now. Well, as fine as she will ever be, I suppose.”

“Did they catch him?” asked Philane gently.

Lerato sighed heavily. She wished that lunch would be over. Why was she even talking about this to him? If only she wasn’t so tired. A real desire to sleep passed over Lerato. She sighed again.

‘The thing is’, she thought to herself, ‘it just feels so good to talk to someone about it.’

Lerato had never had anyone to talk to. Her mother was the one person who had always been there for her. She was the one person who, Lerato felt, had always understood her.

Busi had, thankfully, gone to a counsellor who had helped her a lot. Gugu had been very understanding, but Lerato had never really shared her deeper feelings with her.

When the rape had happened Lerato’s mother had already passed away. Lerato’s father had been in hospital, struggling for his life.

The responsibility for everything in their lives had fallen firmly onto Lerato. Even at church she had always pretended to be fine, keeping everything together, even though she had felt broken to pieces inside.

‘Damn it!’ thought Lerato, as tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes.

“Lerato,” said Philane gently.

Lerato blinked, and shook her head.

“I’m fine,” she said, wiping away a tear, “I am just tired today. I hardly got any sleep last night.”

“Did they catch the guy?” Philane asked again, more insistently this time.

“They knew who he was,” said Lerato, her voice tired. “Everyone knew him.”

Lerato paused for a moment.

”He was her old school teacher.”

Lerato and Philane sat in silence.

“And yes,” said Lerato, “he did get away with it.”

Lerato shrugged.

“There was insufficient evidence. Busi had not gone straight to the police station. She’d had a bath. She was not one hundred percent sober at the time it happened. She had been foolish …”

Lerato looked away, and added bitterly, “You know the drill. He had a very good lawyer.”

After a minute had passed in silence, Lerato looked at her watch, and then at Philane.

“Lunch time is almost over. I must get back to work.”

Lerato made as if to stand up, but Philane placed his hand over hers.

“Wait for a moment, Lerato,” he said. “What happened to your sister is awful. And yes, I know that it happens all the time. But there are also some men who are falsely accused.”

Lerato scraped her chair back and pulled her hand out from beneath Philane’s.

“I must go,” she said, standing up. “Thanks for lunch.”

“Lerato,” said Philane, also standing up, “it was a pleasure. Maybe we can do it again some time?”

Lerato began to walk away,

“I don’t think so.”

Philane walked with Lerato to the till. He paid the bill in silence.

As they walked back to the office together Philane said, “I’m sorry things went this way this time. You didn’t even tell me about your writing.”

Lerato shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter. I really am interested.”

Philane and Lerato had arrived at the entrance to their building.

Lerato walked in through the large glass doors, and waited for the lift in awkward silence.

“I hope you feel better,” said Philane. “Get a good night’s sleep.”

“I will,” said Lerato.

The lift arrived and they both stepped in. Other people joined them and they rode up to Lerato’s floor in silence.

“Goodbye. And thank you for lunch,” said Lerato before the lift doors closed behind her, and the lift moved, carrying Philane up to his office on the top floor.

Gugu was waiting for Lerato in her office.

“Hey, darling!” said Gugu when she saw her. “What’s this I hear about you going to lunch with Philane?”

“Office gossip,” said Lerato curtly, brushing past Gugu to get to her desk.

“What?” said Gugu, shutting Lerato’s office door. “It’s the truth. I know it is.”

“So what?” said Lerato. “He just can’t bear someone not to like him. He must win every case.”

“What problem do you have with him, Lerato?” asked Gugu, suddenly serious.

“I really don’t want to talk about him,” said Lerato, flopping down in her chair, “but seeing as how you asked, I’ll tell you. I think he is an arrogant, vain and, while I’m at it, dishonest, money-grabbing liar.”

“Sssh!” said Gugu, her eyes widening, as she put her finger to her lips.

“What you are saying is libellous. Keep your voice down.” Gugu sat down opposite Lerato on a chair.

“On what do you base such an awful opinion?” asked Gugu.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Lerato, “I have my reasons.”

Lerato began slamming some files angrily around her desk. Gugu got up and put her hand on the door handle.

“You are making a big mistake,” said Gugu. “I have known Philane for years, and he is none of those things.”

Gugu opened the door, and then turned back to Lerato.

“You know, Lerato,” said Gugu, “you really are not a very good judge of character. You can’t see Andile for what he is – a really successful businessman; and you can’t see Philane for what he is – a really good and ethical lawyer.”

Gugu flicked her long extensions over her shoulder.

“Either wake up, girl, or get yourself a really good night’s sleep!” said Gugu as she flounced off.

Lerato breathed a sigh of relief when five o’clock arrived. She could not wait to get home. She packed up her laptop, straightened the papers on her desk, and left the office as quickly as she could.

***

Tell us what you think: Do you think it is fair of Lerato to be angry at Philane because of the rape case he is involved in?