Love, Nozwi.

You in Particular

"two cards left." Winile declares listening as Yoliswa continues talking.

"She's so reserved and formal. She has high walls... And awkward too... Not very good with conversations. It wasn't great but I don't think it was horrible..."

"She's shy then?" Her mother asks.

"I'm out!" Yoliswa says indicating that she has won this round before continuing. "No, I don't think she's shy... But rather reserved. And I think with my status I kind of overwhelm her..."

"So she can't handle you?"

Yoliswa laughs. "I don't know. How sad would that be... To think  that I'm too much..."

"Do you want to see her again?"

"Yes. I want to. She may be reserved and a bit awkward around me, but it all speaks to her genuineness and sincerity. I like her, she's unlike anything I've ever met before... Like this hidden gem I stumbled upon...  She's like a book full of unread pages and I want to read them... That is if she lets me..." She trails off.

"You don't say Rupi Kaur..." Her mother muses.

Yoliswa giggles. "You sure know how to make a girl come down..."

Her phone rings and she nearly breaks an ankle running to pick it up. It's her... It's her... She called first. She called first. She called first.

"Hi Asiphile." She says upon answering the phone.

"Hello Miss. I wanted to know if you got home safely, and to thank you for having lunch with me."

"Thank you, I did. And thank you for inviting me..."

Her mother says a barely audible "hmmm" seeing her daughter blushing.

"Did you enjoy your food?" Asiphile asks.

"Yes, thank you. Did you enjoy yours?"

"But you barely ate your food. Yes I enjoyed mine."

Something about her observation makes Yoliswa feel a certain kind of warm inside.

"I couldn't eat much because I was nervous..." She confesses

"Why were you nervous" Asiphile sips her beer on the other line.

"Because of you. You make me nervous."

She nearly chokes on her beer. Genuinely surprised to hear that she makes YV nervous?? Like is there anyone in this world who could make YV nervous??

"Oh... Oh... Why if I may ask?" Asiphile asks

"Because I think you are very beautiful, and gorgeous... I think you are the most beautiful person I've ever met. And I like your style. I like how you carry yourself. And I think I just like you... You in particular..." Yoliswa says it all forgetting that her mother in the same room with her.

If she were light skinned, Asiphile's entire face would be red at this point. A smile blooms from her face and she puts down the beer bottle and covers her face with her hand as if Yoliswa can see her.

You in particular... She smiles at the reference. Her beautiful black skin glows under the living room lights from the heat in her cheeks.

"Hello?" Yoliswa asks after some silence.

Asiphile's clears her throat. "Yes... Sorry, I'm still here..."

Yoliswa wonders if she was too forward and overwhelmed her again.

"Did you get home safe?" She changes the topic.

"Yes, I did, thank you... I did... I did..." Asiphile says

"Okayyy... Thank you for calling."

"Okay."

"Goodnight..."

"Goodnight..." Asiphile responds actually disappointed that they are ending their call...

"Ja ne..."   *wow hey...*  Her mother suddenly speaks up.

"Mother!" Yoliswa is startled. "I thought you went to bath. You listened to everything??"

"I think you are very beautiful and gorgeous..." Her mother rolls her eyes, making funny faces  mimicking her.

Yoliswa actually cringes.

Her mother stands up laughing.

"What do they say... Oh yes- Gone Girls Club!! They must put you on the list!!"

Yoliswa laughs and her mother continues.

"7/7 for game my child. I don't know where you got it from coz I never taught you these things... You must take after your father..."

"Well big ups to pops then..." Yoliswa smiles...

Big ups to pops... She says again while smiling before taking her phone again and calling him.

"Babe Mkhize, ninjani?" *Mr Mkhize, how are you* she says once he picks up.

"We are fine Miss Mkhize, how are you?" Her dad's heart melts speaking to his daughter.

"We are also fine this side. I was just calling to check up on you."

"Thank you.." he responds, feeling his heart swell up with joy.

They talk for about five more minutes before ending their call.

Sivusile Mkhize, lies back in his chair, smiling as his wife takes the tray of food with his empty plate. He thanks her and his mind goes back to that day he met with Yoliswa at the restaurant for breakfast, a few months ago.

"Mother says, you seem to think I hate you..."

"Ah... Why would your  MaGamedze tell you that?" He asks surprised by her statement

"She didn't say that exactly, but I could tell from her words that that was the basis of her argument..." Yoliswa looks at him.

"I don't hate you babe *father*. I never could. You may have another family but you have been there for me whenever I needed you. I know that half the doors that have opened for me wouldn't have if it weren't for you. You are the only father I have in this world. And I still have memories of you visiting me as a toddler, bringing me gifts or teaching me how to ride a bicycle. And each time you had to go away, I could see how torn you were. You tried your best to make the best out of the situation and no, I don't hate you at all. I love you. You are my father." Yoliswa takes his hands in hers. The man can't help but tear up hearing these words from his daughter for the first time.

"Thank you..." He says.

"And the reason I said no to you introducing me to your family is because I don't want to tear your family apart. They wouldn't understand. That you have a daughter outside that they never knew of. It would break your wife's spirit. And change how she viewed you. And I don't want to be the cause of that. My mother doesn't want to be the cause of that. This is why she didn't even want you to know about me for such a long time. We love you, a lot. But that doesn't mean we have to be known by your family. They are your family, not ours. But this doesn't change the fact that I am your daughter and you are my father. And you can call me whenever you want to spend time with me. And I will do the same... No I don't hate you old man... I never could..."

Sivusile chuckles hearing his daughter call him "old man...". The conversation finally bringing him healing and peace.

Asiphile puts her hands behind her head, leaning back on the couch and replaying her conversation with Yoliswa on the phone over and over again.

A part of her wonders if she should update her sister about it... But nah. She decides against it. The conversation was too private and particular to share with a third party...

She takes the beer bottle and lifts it to her neck trying to cool the heat rising up from her chest.

She folds her lips, twists them before finally letting go and letting out what sounds like a chuckle and a giggle mixed...