Andisiwe found her underwear amongst the folds of the bedclothes. She had scrounged for them when the man in the suit had left her alone to go and attend to the couple that were still in the penthouse somewhere. Hastily she had slipped them back on.

“I found this in one of the rooms,” said the man, when he returned. Andisiwe breathed a sigh of relief when she saw he had her handbag in one hand, and her suitcase in the other. She had heard the front door closing behind the couple he had brought with him to the penthouse.

“Thank you,” said Andisiwe, taking her bags from him.

“Look,” said the man, “this has all been a massive waste of my time. I take it you come from Cape Town?”

“Yes I do,” said Andisiwe, as she scratched her scalp and bit her lower lip, embarrassed.

“Would you like a ride?”

“Yes please!” said Andisiwe. She did not know the man, and was anxious about accepting. But what choice do I have, she thought.

“We’ll leave in twenty minutes,” said the man, turning to leave the penthouse. “Be ready.”

“Is there time to take a shower?” she asked quickly. “I really need to change my clothes. Please.”

“OK then, but make it quick.”

Andisiwe sprang into action, clutching her suitcase and her bag, and retreating into the bathroom. She shut the door and locked it.

As soon as she had locked herself in Andisiwe scrabbled inside her handbag and found her phone. She breathed a sigh of relief. Taking it in hand she scrolled down in her phonebook, and stopped at ‘Thabo’, then pressed the green button.

“The number you have called does not exist.”

Andisiwe’s heart jumped in shock and her eyes filled with tears. She took a deep breath and rang Siya’s number. No answer. Disappointed, she sent a text.

if u neva hear from me again

cum lookin 4 me in a penthouse flat in Plett.

Luv u.

Taking off her clothes Andisiwe turned on the taps in the shower. She stood under the pounding water for a long time, allowing her tears to mingle with the warm water, and run down her cheeks. After a while she began to feel better, and closing her eyes she even smiled to herself a little, as she remembered the time she had had with Thabo. It had been amazing.

“What’s love without tragedy?”

Andisiwe remembered listening to Rihanna’s song. She began humming it to herself as she stood under the water. She began soaping herself with the shower gel, and as she did so she began to sing, quite loudly.

Was it love though?

It was a sobering thought and Andisiwe stopped singing, just long enough to hear the man’s voice above the sound of running water. He was pounding on the bathroom door, and calling out, “Could you hurry up now please!”

Andisiwe put on her orange peplum skirt, and a white crop top. She took about ten more minutes to apply some make-up, and then she finally emerged from the bathroom. The stranger was standing in the bedroom, obviously ready to go.

“By the way I’m Jacob,” said the man, as he held the front door open for Andisiwe. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Andy,” said Andisiwe, choosing to use the variation to her name that Thabo did not know. She reached out her hand to shake Jacob’s hand. Jacob reached out to take Andisiwe’s travel suitcase.

“How do you know Thabo?” asked Andisiwe as they travelled down in the lift.

Jacob sighed. “Thabo works for me.”

“Wait! What?” Andisiwe gasped. “He works for you? He told me he had his own business and everything!” Shaking her head in disbelief Andisiwe added, “Oh my word.”

Jacob put his arm gently around her shoulder. “Andy, Thabo is my security guard. Calm down, I know you didn’t know anything.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry for being so upset,” said Andisiwe as Jacob opened the car door for her, and she climbed into the front seat. “It’s just such a shock to be abandoned like this.”

“Its OK, I understand.”

Jacob pulled out onto the N2 and began to head back towards Cape Town.

“How did he get hold of the keys of the penthouse?” said Andisiwe, as she distractedly stared at the sea view on the horizon. “We came through security to get in here. The guy knew the car we were driving. I assume he doesn’t have a car like yours?”

“Nope, he doesn’t have a car like mine. He has my car,” said Jacob, shaking his head. “He has access to my house and to the office. He must have used my car, and asked one of the security guys to cover for him.”

“I see,” said Andisiwe, shaking her head. “So in a way, Thabo stole your identity?”

“Bingo!” said Jacob, hitting his hand, quite hard, against the steering wheel.

Men are just nasty dogs, said Andisiwe, angrily, to herself. She felt very upset, and wished she had listened to the little voice that had been making her feel unsure about Thabo all the time.

“I’ve been trying to sell my penthouse,” continued Jakob. “That couple were prospective clients that I brought around to view it,” he explained as he drove. “Naturally, as his boss, I called and told Thabo of my intentions. So Thabo, knowing that he was about to be found out, ran off.”

Andisiwe felt her blood beginning to boil. “And then he just left me to face the music!” she said angrily, unable to stop tears from running down her cheeks.

Jacob was very kind. He was very understanding and attentive, and Andisiwe found herself comforted.

“You are very beautiful Andy,” said Jacob, looking over to her as he drove. “I don’t get why Thabo would do such a thing. I suppose he just panicked.”

Andisiwe smiled. “Thank you.”

A text from Siya arrived in Andisiwe’s inbox.

R u ok? Wots goin on?

Andisiwe hastily replied.

I’m ok . u not gonna believe this.

chat later.

By the time they arrived in Cape Town, Andisiwe was throwing her head back, and laughing at Jacob’s flattery. As they drove down Sir Lowry’s Pass, and Cape Town lay spread before them, Jacob switched on the radio. Taylor Swift’s song was playing on KFM.

I’ve been spending the last eight months
Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end
But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again

Andisiwe began to sing along.

“Wow, you really can sing,” said Jacob admiringly. “I heard you in the shower. You sing like an angel.”

“Thank you,” said Andisiwe, but she blushed deeply and stopped singing.

“I didn’t say stop singing,” said Jacob, laughing. “We’re in Cape Town now. Where should I drop you off?”

“Camp’s Bay” said Andisiwe, smiling in gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Pleasure madam. Um…can I get your email address, so that we can keep in touch? I really feel I’ve started to get to know you on this journey. ”

Andisiwe thought of the six hours they had spent in the car together. It had felt like no time at all.

“Of course,” said Andisiwe, with a smile.” I don’t normally check my emails but I’ll watch out for yours.”

They arrived in Camp’s Bay and Andisiwe directed Jacob to Mimi’s house. When they got there Andisiwe gave Jacob a hug.

“Thank you” she said, for rescuing me. And for making things OK again.”

Jacob got out of the car to open the door for her, and then took the suitcase out of the boot.

Thabo used to open the car door for me, thought Andisiwe. So this is where he learned his good manners. From Jacob.

Jacob gave Andisiwe a brief kiss on the cheek as he said good-bye to her at the front door. She stood, with her suitcase at her side, as she watched him drive away. She just couldn’t help but feel a little excited. On the long journey home she had begun to think, more and more, that Jacob was, in fact, a lot better looking that Thabo.

He was just a lot better than Thabo at every little thing. That much was obvious.

Andisiwe put her key in the lock of the front door and went inside. She was glad to be home, safe and sound. I wonder how long it will take, thought Andy to herself as she ran up the stairs to her bedroom, before I hear from Jacob. I hope it will be soon.

In her bedroom she flopped onto her bed, and pulled out her cellphone. She couldn’t wait to phone Siya. She had so much to tell her.

She had taken Siya’s dare – but she had also found out the truth.

* * *

What do you think: If it wasn’t for Thabo, Andisiwe would never have met Jacob. Has everything turned out for the best for her after all?