“I am sorry to disturb your romantic dinner guys,” she said sarcastically, looking Zinhle up and down disapprovingly. “Busiso, you didn’t tell me you have a girlfriend in Vryheid. I should have stayed at home.”

Zinhle stared. Busiso knew this woman. She was someone from his life in Durban. What was she doing here?

“Girlfriend? I am not his girl. Actually we are friends, just having dinner,” explained Zinhle, using the words Busiso had used on her. They didn’t sound convincing though.

“Are you, Busiso?” snapped the woman, and when Zinhle just stared she went on. “I didn’t think so. I am not speaking to you. Who are you, slut? You don’t even know him yet you are having a dinner with him,” Jabu snapped.

They were attracting attention now. The waitress was staring at them. Zinhle was angry and humiliated. She tried to tell Jabu it wasn’t how it looked, but the woman didn’t listen. Zinhle wanted to run out of the restaurant

“Baby, why didn’t you tell me you were coming? How did you find out that I was here?” said Busiso.

“What are you asking me, exactly? You wanted me to tell you that I was coming. To warn you, so that you could hide this woman? Why are you doing this to me Busiso? Is my love not enough for you? Now, ask me how I found out you were here.”

Busiso looked surprised.

“You told me this lounge is the best in town. I came to Vryheid. And I came straight here to make a reservation for us. I wanted to surprise you,” said Jabu.

Busiso was embarrassed. Jabu kept on shouting and she said that she wasn’t leaving until Busiso left with her. He soon had had enough and hurried to stop the manager from calling security, and gave Zinhle money for transport. He said he was sorry and he would explain everything tomorrow, if he saw her.

Zinhle was left alone, feeling like a fool.

How could he do that to me and not even try to hide it from me? I almost left my boyfriend for him, a stranger. He wanted me but he already had a girlfriend, maybe a fiancé or wife, thought Zinhle. She wondered how she could have been so stupid. Left alone in the middle of nowhere.

What if Simphiwe knew about this already? People in this little town talked.

As Zinhle was panicking about Simphiwe, he was packing his clothes to come back home. What she didn’t know was how right she was. People did talk in this little town.

Zama had called Simphiwe as he was about to leave Durban and she had told him what she had seen. Zinhle going into the Maya Lounge with Busiso.

***

Tell us: Do you think Simphiwe can forgive Zinhle? Will he believe her if she tells him that nothing had happened between her and Busiso.