Chapter Five
JULY
I shuffle into the kitchen yawning and rolling my shoulders in search of a coffee. Its six am and the granite fancy kitchen is awash in sunlight. Early morning smell of dew and lively vegetation floats into the air while the outside world is abuzz with the sound of a waking world. Cars, trains, birds and the damn rooster that I suspect lives next door that have been shrieking since 5am.
If it were up to me I would roast it for lunch and save the world of noise pollution. I open a cabinet and take out a mug the same time the water boils in the kettle. I put the coffee together in five minutes before sliding on a stool and start taking grateful sips while willing the sleep to go away. We have another six hour drive to Kasane our destination and I cant wait. I bought a camera for this.
Nancy shuffles into the kitchen twenty minutes later rubbing her eyes. She is just so cute. I don’t get how she ended up connecting with a complicated person like Vincent. Love is blind.
‘morning you.’ I watch her as she starts making her own coffee, ‘you didn’t sleep well you have bags under your eyes.’
‘I cant sleep in strange houses.’
‘this is nice house.’
‘I guess.’ she mumbles just as she finishes making her cup and sits on the stool at the other side of the island facing me. ‘I wasn’t driving but I am pretty zonked—do we really have to go to Kasane—this is far enough.’
‘why don’t you want to go?’
She shrugs, ‘don’t want to make it seem like I am running from Vincent.’
I hold myself before my eyes bulge at her. I cant believe she hasn’t figured out that since the wedding chaos last week we have been running from Vincent. I subtly take sips of my coffee while she carries on about the topic.
‘there is a part of me that feels like I overreacted you know—I mean we were together for a whole year, maybe there is a good reason for what he did.’
My eyebrows shoot to my hairline, ‘Nancy, there is no good reason for a man to leave his two children and wife to marry someone else. He is bad news. and if there is a good reason I really want to hear it as well and it must be damn good.’
Nancy only shakes her head and looks down at her coffee mug. My heart sinks at the expression that ghosts her face for a moment. I know she is having a hard time with this. She was about to commit her entire life to the man for pete’s sake.
‘I think I’m going to call my parents.’
And I hope for her sake she calls her mom not her dad. Mr. Babutsi wouldn’t be able to hide his pleasure regarding the situation I am sure. I flash her a smile of encouragement as she leaves her untouched coffee and walks out of the kitchen.
With a sigh I take my cup to the sink. What can I make for breakfast? Ludo hates stopping when driving. So eating on the way is a luxury I cant afford.
Taking my phone I open the music app and start playing some music. Between the three of us, I am the one who knows the kitchen way better. Translation—I am the one who loves cooking. For Ludo and Nancy its just a skill they had to learn being a female child and all. For me, I manage to put up a fabulous meal together and still maintain my fifty-four kg weight.
I place the pan on the stove and smear it with oil while turn to chop my tomatoes. Maybe I could add a little onion. I decide against the idea. Once onion gets it scent on my fingers we will arrive to Kasane with me advertising to everyone I come into that I had onions for breakfast. Yeek.
‘Hmmn that smells fantastic—what are you making?’ Ludo comes to slide on a bar stool and yawns a good measure.
‘Eggs and tomatoes.’ I announce as I pour the lightly beaten eggs on top of the softly cooked tomatoes. I watch for a moment as they blend in as in the eggs seeping into the tomatoes before I start turning the mixture.
‘I love your good old Zimbabwean recipes. Are you going to add onions.’
‘no.’ I say a little forcefully, Ludo isn’t aware that I have fired onions this morning.
Ludo chuckles, ‘seriously?’ she mutters as I turn to put three plates on the counter before I begin to dish the eggs in them.
‘Where is Nancy?’
‘Making a phone call.’
Ludo gaps, ‘I thought we were supposed to get her away from everyone for a while?’
‘Yes, but Mrs. Babutsi needs some assurance that her baby is fine and Mr. Babutsi needs to remain committed to paying this trip.’
Ludo rolls her eyes, ‘I wish my father is that cool.’
I offer a wan smile. Ludo’s parents never fail to remind her that her biological clock is clanging and they enjoy playing match maker. They are bent of seeing the last born of their seven children settle before it’s too late. As for me I keep reminding dad that I am twenty seven not eighteen. It doesn’t have to be a punishment that I look younger than my age.
I take out a loaf of bread and place it on the table. Ludo immediately starts digging in the time I have made steams mugs of coffee after disposing Nancy’s cold undrunk one. What’s taking her so long? I glance at the sliding doors she disappeared through and decided to stop being paranoid. Mrs. Babutsi does have a flood of words come out of her mouth every conversation.
‘So why don’t your family ever use this house?’
Ludo shrugs ‘they are renting it out after Christmas.’ She says, ‘are you travelling this Christmas?’
I shake my head, ‘no—I am staying in my apartment with a small Christmas tree by the TV stand and good old Christmas movies.’
‘Oh I envy you.’ Ludo pouts her lips. Of course she knows I am joking. Our families get together most of the holidays. I am sure this year is going to be another giant Christmas with large braais and loud chatter. I wonder if they are going to plant a giant tree in the middle of the yard like last year while Ludo’s grandfather pretends to be Santa clause. I smile fondly at the memory. With the smile on Ludo’s face I know she is thinking about the same thing as well.
A knock at the door startles us both. We share a scowled glance before glancing at the direction of the front door.
‘Maybe the neighbors think we moved in.’
Ludo shakes her head, ‘people here mind their own business it’s not small town like at all.’
I rise, ‘finish eating, I will see who it is.’
Ludo is trying to think who might be knocking at our door. Let alone have the audacity to enter the gate. I shuffle to the door wondering the same thing. I have a lot of theories who it could be, mail, curious neighbor, lost person or Nancy playing a prank on us. Nancy don’t do pranks, she is too nice to do any cruel thing to another human being.
My hand pauses at the door handle when at the crack under the door I make out three distinct pairs of legs. Or shoes. Same thing. My heart leaps. Could it be that they have sent the police after us? The thought sends a chill down my spine. I carefully step away from the door and tiptoe back into the kitchen. Ludo’s mouth if full with bread when she sees me and she gives me a questioning look.
‘there are three of them.’
She chews quickly and swallows, ‘three of them who?’
‘I don’t know—but why are three people at our front door?’
‘are you sure they are three?’
‘I saw the shadows of their shoes under the crack on the door.’
Ludo’s panic ebbs off her face and she lets out a sigh, ‘it’s the door mat July—geez.’ She slides off the stool and starts for the front door. My gut tells me that is not the case. So I grab a wooden spoon and follow her.
She walks to the front door confidently in her red satin pajamas and yanks the door open ready to see who had the audacity to knock on other people’s door this time of the morning. I grab the spoon harder.
A gusty breeze swirls into the living room bringing a few dry leaves rolling on the floor followed by Ludo’s loud swearing. ‘shit!’
She slams the door before I see what she saw and turns to me with wild eyes, ‘shit,’ she repeats. Okay that means she is shocked. So I decide to take charge of the situation. Before I even take a step to the door, it busts open, making me jump and halt with my wooden spoon in a death grip. She closed the door and didn’t lock it. Just great.
But it would have been better if it were the police staring at me right now. Not Vincent. My heart slams against my ribs. Shit indeed.