Ntsumi ka Moreetsi

Little Black Dress

Where did the time go? Today marks month 6 since I started working, and I love aviation medicine. I fly in and out of the province like nobody’s business. We are supposed to fly back to Cape Town this afternoon. I have a session with the grade 6 class tomorrow morning. I am late, the Moreetsi’s and I were supposed to meet at Mr Moreetsi’s house an hour ago, I usually leave my car at their house and his driver takes us to the base to fly out. But last night Nombi was here and we went to a gin event. I don’t know whether it was the gin or the inbox from my aunt that triggered my nightmares.
I dreamt of the night Babe saved me but this time, the car drove away  each time I tried to pull Babe’s hand. My stupid alarm woke me up again, before I could take his hand. I have been in bed since I woke up, I have a few message notifications. And I know Mr Moreetsi must be irritated. I jump out off my bed after being startled by a door being slammed shut.
My eyes feel heavy and sandy, I rush into the shower and get dressed in tracksuits and sneakers. Babe has my cup of tea and a tub of muffins. I kiss him goodbye and drive out of the yard with the hope of beating the traffic, rush hour traffic on Mondays horrible
My mind drifts to the dream, that I don’t see the light turn green, the car behind me hoots and I drive off. I need to tell Babe when I get back next week. I always  wondered who the other guy was, I know his voice but his face is hidden whenever I try to see his face, the dream ends. I’m brought back from my thoughts by my phone ringing and its Moreetsi Pheko who thinks his the best thing since wifi routers were invented.
I ignore the call and speed to the gate, I drive in and see Pheko’s car, my only favourite thing about him. I call Babe to inform him that I am safe and lock my car, I know Pheko will be on my case.
He thinks that we are a thing. Mr Moreetsi calls as I’m about to knock, I answer and push  door open. His daughter is crying, and that can only mean he didn’t tell her that he was leaving the province today.
I greet him and pickup his daughter, I walk out of the room with her and we enter the kitchen where I place her on the counter, she is calmer now. I ask her what is wrong and she just stares at me. “Kefentse what is making you upset my love?” I ask her again after giving her a glass of  water.
“Daddy says he is going away again and granny is coming here.” She  answers in-between her hiccups from crying. I’m hiding my laughter as I know exactly how troublesome Mrs Moreetsi senior is. The one time I found the children rubbing her feet, while she lay on the couch and the girls were doing her hair. She kept shouting at them whenever they stopped. I look at Kefentse and give her a hug before wiping her tears and I give her a kiss, which she wipes and frowns.
I laugh at the face she makes, she says kisses are for babies. Of all the Moreetsi children, she has a spot in my heart. I think it's because we both lost our mothers young. “You know papa has to go to work so that you can get that Bokang doll and matching travelling bag you want.” I ask.
Her eyes light up, she has been asking for the figure, ever since she came back from a sleepover at her friend’s . I am glad that it makes her smile. She gets off the counter and runs upstairs. I am guessing to brag. I make a note to order a set online for her, I know she will not forget about this.
I get to the study and find Mr Moreetsi on the phone. He says his greeting and focuses on me. He starts briefing me about today’s trip which he conveniently forgot to tell me to dress up or pack fancy as we will be going to a psych meet and greet in Kloofzicht lodge before we fly out.
This is near the Zwartkops Mountains. It is in the cradle of humankind. It’s about a forty to an hour away from Sandton. I want to scream at how beautiful it looks, I started searching the place on my phone. And he wants us to leave an hour ago. Now that explains the tantrum from earlier.
There’s no way I am driving back home. I leave the house in a hurry and get to the mall and buy myself a dress for the networking outing, I might get myself working space or even a new job, until I figure out if private practice or Government job is for me.
I drive back to the house and find Bab’Gumede who is the family’s senior driver, reversing the car. I greet him and he takes my luggage and puts it in the boot. I sit in the front seat and take out my laptop and order the doll and bag for Kefentse.
Mr Moreetsi lets her get away with a lot, I think he feels guilty, she never met her mother unlike the rest of his kids. Pheko opens the door roughly, startling me, and I scream, the idiot laughs out loud.
“Go to the back, this is my seat.” Pheko says in between his laughs, I’m irritated, I give him a death stare. I choose peace, with Pheko.
I get out and Bab’Gumede opens the backdoor for me and helps me with my gadgets. I thank him, he hands them back to me once I have settled in, 20 minutes later, we are all in the car listening to the news on the radio. While Bab’Gumede drives us to the lodge.
“Ntsumi, Fefe says you know about Bokang and a bag, do you perhaps have any idea?” Mr Moreetsi.
“I’m already on it sir, it will be delivered on Wednesday morning if not then the afternoon.” I answer back, while facing him.
“I’ll do a transfer, send me the amount.” He smiles. I focus back on my phone after that. We arrive at the lodge and Pheko checks in for us then he comes to the car to fetch us.
“Need help with that dombolo?”Pheko.
I count from 10 down, because he wants me to react. I will not allow him to make me mad. Ever since I was in primary school, I was teased for being skinny, I am a size 26, all my life, when Mr Moreetsi’s daughter was teased about being skinny, a month ago, I told her about my journey and she felt better.
She told Pheko, and since we don’t like being called skinny, he calls us dombolo. His reason is that he is speaking our weight gain into existence. I show him my middle finger and he laughs, pulling my luggage bag to the entrance. This place looks better in person, it gives cottage vibes on the outside.
Bricks on the bottom and the rest of the building to the roof is painted in grey. We pass the glass doors and window going to our rooms which are built with red bricks, the doors are black. “This is you, I am next door and Mr up tight is front opposite. Meet out here in 20 minutes for the meet and greet.” Pheko
“Bye.” I shut the door in his face and I walk to my bedroom, which has a bathroom on the left. The roof is thatch, I change my shoes into red heels and a black dress, I reapply my lipstick and I text Babe informing him that I am safe, then I take my clutch bag and walk to the door.