This Man

THIS MAN

#12

HENDRY LUCAS

After being sprinkled with water, which i assume is holly water. She  decided to clean my whole wardrobe  and do the laundry. I'm looking at her separating the dark and white clothes.

"You know you don't have to do the laundry. I do have someone who does this on the weekends." She has done alot in this house, from cooking to spring cleaning. The whole house is sprakling clean also smells of fresh air.

"MaHerry Herry, if you know what's best for you, you would leave my sight right this minute." i leave the room and let her be. But i can't be far away from her for a very long time. I want her to be always right infront of my eyes.

I'm sitting in my study drowing my sorrows, I'm thinking of hiring her as a nanny and a stay in helper. That will make me more closer to her than ever, what am i even feeling for this girl? Why does she make me this weak? A sound of screams brings me back to earth. Those tiny screams seems like they coming from the kitchen. I see smoke and i panicked, is she oky? Is she hurt? What will i say to her mother? All these questions were ringing in my head.

"Precious are you oky?" I asked her, the house is full of smoke. I pulled her outside for her to inhale fresh air. What the hell happend? I asked myself.

"I don't know what happened" she's coughing amd having a hard time breathing.

"What did exactly happen?" I finally had the courage to ask. Luckily Gerald Jnr is playing his soccer ball outisde not minding that his father's house is on fire.

"I'm  so…..sorry your clothes got burnt" she starts crying making my heart pump in fear.

"How did you burn my clothes?" I'm afraid of her response. I look at her as she played with her soft pink hands.

"The washing machine caught the fire and it burnt five of your shirts." She tells me and my eyes shut down trying to regain my sight. The last time i checked the washing machine was in the laundry room not in the kitchen.

"Precious i don't have a washing machine in the kitchen." I tell her and she looked at me confused.

"Ahh….but..i mean" she sighs taking a deep breathe "the silver one sir." I felt my toes going numb.

"A silver washing machine?" I asked her to double check, surprisingly the madam nodds her head countless times looking at the ground. I rushed back to the house and the smoke has died down. My mind is stuck, my kitchen floor is a mess.

"Good God Gracious, what did Jackie do?" I can't even explain the mess I'm looking at right now. The kitchen floor is full of bubbles with water spilled on the floor. "Hawe Jesus," i need to be rescued right now. I hear her footsteps approaching.

"That's why i use my hands to wash my clothes. I can't stand those confusing machines." She says, what's complicated about this.

I calm myself down, the damage has been done already. "Precious this is not a washing machine, it's a dishwasher. Didn't you read the signs? Didn't you see that this machine is for washing dishes not clothes?" She shakes her head no, honestly I'm defeated in this whole situation.

"This machine has amashalofu. Which means lawomashalofu are meant for G's clothes not yours. That's why it caught fire." Is she fucken serious, this is unbelievable.

"Follow me" i tell her maybe if she sees a washing machine she will be able to spot the difference. "This is a washing machine." I showed her. I took all my time to show her how it works.  She continued doing the laundry and i was shit scared for my clothing. "That's how it's done." I tell her after showing her how to use it.

"Ohoooo pho ubungasho ngani" i just look at her lost for words. Didn't i tell her minutes ago.

"The kitchen……" she cuts me short.

"Worry not MaHerry Herry i shall clean that up." I hate this name but somehow i enjoy being called by it.

I watched her as she cleaned the dishwasher disposing my five favourite shirts. Like really who can't differentiate between the dishwasher and a washing machine. This is so amusing, i should be mad and angry but I'm calm as hell. Here i am laughing like a shitty donkey, there's never a dull moment with this one.

Later that day i took her home, i don't want to be on the bad books with her mother.

"When are you coming back?" Gerald Jnr asked Precious with his tiny voice.

"Anytime G, you know I'm always here for you right?" He noods his head. "And please don't forget to pray before you sleep." She tells him. I look at him through the rear mirror and i saw happiness written all over his face. His eyes were bright and that smile said it all. Miss dishwasher knows how to make my son happy.

"So tell me when are you buying me a new dishwasher since you broke that one?" I tease her maintaining my straight face.

"Once i sign the record deal with Rebecca Malope." She answered me, i smiled looking at her innocent face and that got me thinking.

"Do you still want to pursue your dreams in singing?"

"Yes, if given an opportunity i will kindly grab it with both hands. You know i want to be that woman who is self driven, and independent." She says.

"Where's your family?" That came out wrong. I didn't mean to ask her in that manner, i looked at her as she sighed for a very long time.

"I don't have a family. My only family is my mother and sister and ofcause G my boy." I listerned attentively when she told me about how her father neglected them when her mother needed him the most. She opend up to me about her fears, and how she found herself heartbroken by the man she once loved.

"I admire you. You have been through alot but yet you are still kicking and surviving. Focus on building yourself a better future.  Make your mother proud and don't dissapoint her. If you stress her you will be stressing me young lady." I tell her. My hand landed on her thigh squeezing it. I will always be here for her no matter what.

"I enjoyed my stay with you guys.  I'm sorry about your washing i mean dishwasher." She smiles innocently, i love her black soft lips. Hearing those words coming out of her mouth made me more than i thought i could ever be to her.

"Take care and send my regards to your mum." I wave at her as she walked away to her house. She walked away looking at the sky the next thing i know she landed on the ground. "She tripped" i say to myself. She picked herself up and ran for her life leaving me in stiches. I shook my head and wondered how can one beauty be this clumsy and weird at the same time.

I decided to drive around the neighbourhood Chesterville. There's nothing much intresting about this place. It's like the people of this area enjoy locking themselves up in their houses.
I passed by a place called Mashamplanes Loudge. The vibe is tops and looks pretty packed. No wonder all the houses look like there's no one.

I continue to scan around until i came across a board written HOUSE FOR SALE. I qiuckly press my brakes harshly by mistake making my car to make that squeaky sound. I look at this pitch house and it looked decent for a family. People were going in and out of it and i decided to go check it out.

"Gerald Jnr lets go check this house buddy." All gazes were on us, is it the first time they saw coloured people in loxtion places. Don't they live with them?

The house looks immaculate on the inside with shinny white tiles with built in cardboards. A six room house, every bedroom has its own insuite. That's it I'm taking this house, i hope I'm not overstepping on anyones toes. Every person deserves a roof over their heads. This might be a perfect start and the rest shall follow.

"Exuse me miss," she turns to look at me more like drooling over me. "No need for that I'm a married man." She hid her face in embarrassment. "I would like to buy the house, if it's still on the market."

"Yes it is."

Am i doing the right decision here?
"Hope it won't backfire."