It was three days until Valentine’s Day and Sipho was in the back room, washing the birds’ dishes. Perry was perched on his shoulder. “You’re growing up. Soon you’ll be learning to fly,” he said to the bird. “It’s a pity that I have to sell you, otherwise I would have loved to be the one to teach you how to fly. I’d have loved to keep you until you and me and Karabo are all old together. You could tell her everyday how much we love her. But I have to sell you. I have to do it for Karabo. She means the world to me…”

He felt a sharp pain as he remembered the pictures that he had seen on Facebook. “What does Dominic have that I don’t?” he asked Perry. “I’m much better than that cheap bastard. Always showing off, and breaking girls’ hearts. And he’s always hanging around the bank flirting with her. Why can’t she see what he is really like?”

He finished the last dish, and opened the back door to throw the rubbish in the outside bin. It was one of those unusual summer evenings with dark grey skies.

A thunderous grumble broke out from the clouds. Perry gave a loud squawk and flapped his wings. Sipho tried to grab him, but the bird slipped out of his hand and flew out of the open door into the loading area.

“Perry!” Sipho shouted. “Perry!” He ran out into the loading zone. Big drops of rain were thundering onto the delivery lorries. People were rushing across the tar looking for shelter. A horn blared and he jumped out of the way of a lorry just in time. “Perry, Perry, come here. Perry…”

But the bird was gone.

He couldn’t chase after him now. First he had to lock up the shop. He hurried back inside. He took out his phone and dialled Karabo. “Babe, I’ve got a problem. Perry’s escaped. Can you come over?”

“Of course. I’ll just ask my boss if I can come and help you.”

He was desperate by the time Karabo arrived. Perry could be dead by now. Or stolen. They hurried out of the mall. “I think you should go and look in the park opposite,” she said. “There are so many trees there. He’s probably sitting in one. I’ll go inside and find some more people to come help us look.”

Sipho ran across the road, and began shouting again, “Perry, Perry. Where are you?” The park was full of huge ficus trees with thick, leafy branches. Perry could be hiding in any of them. The rain was pelting down, and the wind was getting stronger.

Karabo came running up behind him. “Babe, babe did you find him yet?” She put her arms around him.

Sipho brushed her away. All he could think about was Perry getting cold and wet. He was just a baby. If he stayed out all night he’d probably die.

“Hey,” Karabo snapped. “Why did you push me away?”

“There’s no time to play lovey-dovey now. We have to find Perry.”

“It’s like you never have time for me anymore. You’ve changed in recent days. If you don’t love me you should tell me.”

“Oh for God’s sake, Karabo, you know that I love you more than anything. But we have to find my bird now.” He couldn’t tell her he’d seen the photos of her and Dom together.

“Bird, bird, bird, bird. That’s all you think about. I may as well be invisible!” she shouted, then burst into tears.

Sipho was too busy peering into the trees to see her tears. He didn’t see Dom’s black Skyline come cruising past. And he didn’t see Karabo get into the car and drive off with him. By the time he looked around again, she was gone.

***

Tell us what you think: Was Karabo being fair with her complaints?