“You know, Nokwanda … I hardly see Simphiwe anymore.” Zinhle wanted to change the subject from Busiso. He was well and truly out of her life now and he was out of Jabu’s too.

Nokwanda saw the look of disappointment on Zinhle’s face.

“Eish! What’s up?”

“I don’t know, Nokwanda. I can’t work it out,” said Zinhle, shrugging her shoulders.

Nokwanda took off her jersey. “But Zinhle, he was so attentive to you when his mother died.”

“Yebo. It was because he needed my help.”

“That’s true.”

“Now all he does is work!” complained Zinhle.

Nokwanda shook her head. “I thought things had come right between you.”

“I thought so too,” replied Zinhle.

Nokwanda was thoughtful. “It’s strange. He told you he couldn’t see you often because his mother was ill and she needed him.”

“Yes, he did, Nokwanda.”

But he should have time for you now, Zinhle.” Nokwanda stretched out her legs.

“That’s what’s so irritating.”

It was a complicated situation and Nokwanda didn’t know how to advise her friend.

“You told me to let him run after me and it hasn’t worked,” said Zinhle, dismayed.

Nokwanda smiled at her friend. “You’ll just have to do what you think is right. I’m having problems with Thabo myself.”

As her friend was speaking, a dreadful, unwanted thought entered Zinhle’s mind. Simphiwe was in Durban. Jabu was back in Durban – without a boyfriend. She remembered the warm smile Simphiwe had given beautiful Jabu as he returned her stolen phone. Were they…? Was this a way of getting back at her for what had happened with Busiso? But Simphiwe wasn’t like that. She dismissed the thought. She forced herself to focus on her friend.

“Really? What’s up?”

“Not sure, Zinhle. He seems depressed.”

“You two seemed so happy.”

“I thought so too,” said Nokwanda.

“Does he not live up to his name, which means ‘happiness’?”

Nokwanda smirked. “He was happy with me – until an old girlfriend from schooldays tried to win him back.”

Zinhle shook her head. “Serious? How?” she asked, very interested in her friend’s romance.

Nokwanda shook her head. “She suddenly invited him to a function.”

“Didn’t he tell her that he had a girlfriend?” said Zinhle.

“Aibo! He told me that he needed to see her one more time. Just to be sure that he’d made the right choice, going for me.”

Zinhle shook her head. “And what did you respond?” she asked, looking intently at Nokwanda. “That’s risky.”

“I should have told him that it was not acceptable – that he couldn’t go. But I like him so much. I don’t want to lose him, Zinhle.”

Zinhle felt upset as she said these words, thinking about Simphiwe … and Jabu … in Durban. Maybe together.

“Is he worth it Nokwanda?”

“He is. He’s the first guy in a long time who I want to get to know better.”

Philip appeared and summoned Nokwanda back to work, although she still had a few minutes left of her lunch break. They were short-staffed because one of the waitresses was ill and a table of businessmen needed serving.

“I’ll help out,” Zinhle offered. She would do anything to pass the time, to take her mind off her suspicions.

“Are you sure? You deserve a rest on your day-off,” said Philip.

“I’d like to help out,” said Zinhle, as she went to change into her uniform, which was hanging in their change-room.

Because the restaurant was so busy, the time passed quickly. After work, while changing, Nokwanda received a message that there was someone waiting to see her.

“It must be Thabo,” she said excitedly.

Nokwanda rushed into the hotel foyer to discover that it was her brother, Daniel, waiting to see her.

When Zinhle passed by on her way out, Daniel offered to take her and Nokwanda out for a meal, but Zinhle declined. Even though Daniel was just a friend whom she knew well, she was not risking her relationship with Simphiwe again! Not until she knew where she stood with him.

***

Tell us: Do you think Nokwanda’s boyfriend spells trouble?