Andisiwe watched Jacob drive off down the street in his fabulous car. She was still reeling from the encounter. He had said he would contact her but she hadn’t thought he would do it so soon. He was obviously a man who didn’t waste time going after what he wanted. And what he wanted right now was her. She was flattered. Here she was, just arrived from PE, with no real clue about the high life in Cape Town, and he had chosen her. Cape Town was full of some of the most gorgeous women in the world. A man like him could have his pick. But he chose her. It was crazy: first Thabo, now Jacob. Her love life was busier than her aunt’s – and that was saying something.

At the thought of Thabo she shuddered. She wouldn’t let herself dwell on him. It still shocked her to the core thinking about the morning she had opened the door, half naked, to see strangers in the penthouse suite that Thabo had led her to believe was his. Strangers, and no Thabo! Just an empty bottle of champagne and slightly faded rose petals. No, she wouldn’t dwell on that. Jacob would be a breath of fresh, gorgeous-smelling air into her life. He would help her wipe out all those dark memories. He had already started with the beautiful flowers and the Belgian chocolates.

She sighed deeply, turned back into the house, and paused for a minute in front of the huge mirror. She was glowing, there was no doubt about it. Andisiwe ran a finger over the gold clock that Jacob had admired. He really did have exceptional taste! And now that taste was directed her way.

“A man who spoils you rotten can only have the best taste, girl!” It was Siya’s voice again, playing in her head.

Andisiwe flipped off the lid of the box of chocolates and chose her favourite one. “Well, here’s to me girl,” she said, just before she popped it into her mouth and closed her eyes in bliss at the taste. Andisiwe opened another foil-wrapped chocolate, and then another, as she sent a quick text to Siya.

Jacob muuucchhh cuter thn Thabo eva was.

Flwrs & chocs …bt is it too soon afta Thabo? Wat now?

Hey girl

came Siya’s reply, just as Andisiwe heard her aunt’s key in the lock.

ur in da big city now. Time 2 b a big

girl n play wit da big boyz

“Wow. Wow. Wow,” said Andisiwe’s Aunt Mimi as she walked in through the front door and saw the flowers. She stopped to smell the roses, and fluttered her eyelashes at Andisiwe as she asked, “So, which of my admirers delivered these?”

Andisiwe laughed gaily, following her aunt as she moved through her house. Aunt Mimi kicked off her shoes and began unzipping her dress as she walked.

“No Auntie,” said Andisiwe, “they were actually bought for me!”

Aunt Mimi paused for a moment in the doorway of her bedroom, the toes of her slender feet digging deeply into her white carpet. “Ooh!” she said, over her shoulder to Andisiwe, raising her one eyebrow. “How nice.”

Then Mimi dropped her handbag onto the middle of the carpet, twirled, and then said, “Oh Siwe darling, be a dear and help me with this zip. I simply have to have a bath right now.”

Andisiwe obliged, and her aunt moved away into her bathroom and shut the door. A moment later Andisiwe heard the bath water running.

She wandered across the deep-pile, white carpet towards Mimi’s walk-in wardrobe, where the doors were standing open. She stood still and gazed inside, remembering for a moment the day when she had borrowed that Valentino print dress for her first special date with Thabo. Andisiwe frowned to herself. She had been so excited that day, and so wanting to impress Thabo. She reached out and flicked the door to the wardrobe closed with a bang.

She was just turning to leave the room when the bathroom door opened, and Aunt Mimi popped her head out. Startled, Andisiwe stopped in her tracks, feeling suddenly guilty and more than a little afraid.

“Who brought them?” Aunt Mimi asked loudly, over the sound of the running water.

Confused and flustered, Andisiwe turned to face her aunt. She could feel herself blushing. “Wh … what?” she asked softly, stuttering slightly.

“The flowers,” said Mimi, a little irritated. “Who brought them?”

“Jacob,” said Andisiwe. “I…”

“Oh I know who he is,” said Andisiwe’s aunt, with a shrug of her shoulders. “Nice looking … well done girl.” Then she raised one eyebrow again. “But I heard some story about him … or maybe it was about that other guy, his friend – Thabo I think his name was. They were always as thick as thieves those two. Anyway, it was probably said by some bitchy ex-girlfriend…”

Andisiwe’s aunt laughed lightly and turned back to her bath.

“There’s always a bitchy ex-girlfriend you know darling. It was quite a story now that I think about it … something involving guns. But who doesn’t have a story involving a gun these days? You be careful now darling … oops … my bubbles are overflowing.”

And with that Aunt Mimi shut the door of her bathroom, and a moment later Andisiwe heard her loudly singing some song to herself.

* * *

Tell us what you think: Do you think Andisiwe’s aunt might have some really important information regarding Jacob? Or is her information just bitchy gossip?