Karabo searched for the Miller’s divorce case file. They had a meeting scheduled for the afternoon and she needed to remind herself of the details in the case.

Mr Miller was their client and he was suing for divorce on the grounds of adultery. Mrs Miller had slept with his best friend. Karabo wondered why people did things like that; it was as if they sabotaged their own lives. She didn’t get it. There were enough dangers out there wanting to ruin everything for you – why go out and ruin things for yourself? It never made sense.

Karabo had worked too hard to get the life she had, and she wasn’t going to go out and do something stupid and mess it all up.

“So? Did you see the new guy? Yum yum!”

Karabo looked up and there was Marea, her best buddy from the neighbourhood. Karabo had helped her to get the job at Kerbie, Westin, and Associates. Sometimes Karabo regretted that fact, like today, when she was too busy to gossip.

“Listen, Marea, I’ve got lots of work to do before lunch,” she said, finally finding the Miller case and plonking the heavy file on her desk.

“OK, sorry. I just thought, you know – you’re single, he’s hot. If you’re not interested, I am.”

Marea walked away in a huff and Karabo got to work on the file, making notes for Mr Kerbie. She was his assistant, at least for now. Two more years and she’d be an attorney in her own right. Working all day and taking classes at night was tough, but Karabo was focused and knew what she wanted.

She was so busy with the file that she didn’t notice someone come up and stand near her desk, until he spoke. “Just as beautiful as I remembered.”

Like a million times before, in her dreams, Karabo looked up – and there was DT. His face a bit more serious, but just as handsome as ever. Two years in prison hadn’t changed him that much, at least on the surface. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

“DT. How’d you know where to find me?” Karabo asked.

“Glen.” Her brother-in-law, her sister Poppy’s husband. She should have guessed. An upstanding guy, a fire fighter – but always a loyal friend to DT. Even when he got arrested for helping someone steal a car, Glen was at his side, even though Poppy didn’t like it.

“So. You’re here. Out.”

DT pulled a chair up closer to the desk so they could speak with some privacy.

“I know you’re still angry. I know that’s why you never took my calls or responded to my letters. I get that, really Karabo, I do. But I’ve changed. I’m done with all of the bullshit. The whole time I was in prison I kept telling myself, ‘When I get out I’m going to do everything to make Karabo proud of me again’. To get you to love me again.”

Karabo made sure her voice was low; she didn’t like her personal life getting involved in her work life. But also, she wanted DT to know she was serious. “DT, it’s over. It was over two years ago when you decided to pick up a gun and steal someone’s car. I hope you have changed. I really do. But don’t do anything for me. Do it for you. I’m never going to be a part of your life again. You’ve got to accept that.”

DT looked at her, and he must have seen that she was serious because he got up and left the office without saying anything more.

***

Tell us: Are you intrigued that Karabo’s ex is a convicted criminal?