Tim’s at the airport with Bandile. He hasn’t heard from Thiwe for about a day now.
“Man, what are you fussing over? You're going to do fantastic as the Cape Blazers' new bowler. Listen, I need to bounce. I have some work left to do at the office. Tomorrow will be hectic “
Bandile looked at his expensive black smart watch as if he had done a day’s work of dropping off his friend.
Tim nodded in agreement, but he didn’t expect to be called up a week earlier. This did sabotage all the plans he had with Thiwe. But it also means he must leave the situation with his dad as is.
He’s also been trying to reach Thiwe, and he even told her flight details and stuff in case she wanted to say goodbye. He had dated before, but this, whatever it is, is pulling Tim to Thiwe, and her reactions are not helping.
He still can’t believe she opened the gift right then and there, and that’s why he’s in this predicament.
“Tim, why can't you explain to me what makes this gift so special? Besides, there’s more than one. You and Okuhle keep on referring to one gift”.
Tim didn't say anything. He promised Mrs. Thembekwayo that he would allow Thiwe to open it on her own, but he realised that she hadn’t because she didn’t know about the anniversary.
Tim was on speaker as Thiwe went on to move the box closer to the phone. Tim wondered what it would feel like to be in her space. Always next to her, only to be separated by inches. But he must do things right and not rush things because they both have issues to deal with.
“Let’s see, a fleece, a camping bed, a set of crockery and cutlery... Does she expect me to move out and live in the bush?”
Knowing it was the enormous box containing everything they were frantically shopping for, Tim said nothing. Essentials, Mrs. Thembekwayo had said, and she was about to add a pack of noodles before Tim and the advocate stopped her.
Tim realised this was the gift since the wrapping cover and wrapping tape came off faster than the first box.
Tim could hear Thiwe's heavy breathing over the phone, even if she stayed silent. He also heard pages flipping from one to another.
“Ad-option papers, “Thiwe stuttered.
In the daunting silence that followed, Tim knew she was also reading the letter in that box.
There was complete silence.
“Tim, you knew about this?” A teary Thiwe finally managed to utter something.
“I can come over to talk about it.”
“Tim, why did you let me blame her like this?”.
“She made me promise not to say anything. I could only tell you my side of the story”.
“I need some time alone”.
“Okay”
The call was dropped. Since then, Tim hasn’t heard from her, and now he’s heading to Cape Town.
They haven’t even started dating yet, but he wishes she was here, and being a cricketer is not helping. He sends another text message
Hi Thiwe. Again, please call me. I’ll be training most of the time, but if you ever need anything, just shout, okay?
While he’s waiting for his boarding pass, a beep from his phone comes through. He walks to a bench to sit over there. He’s wearing a black tracksuit with a black cap and a black mask to prevent people from noticing him.
He opens the text message from Thiwe.
Hey, where are you? I am coming with you.
Tim, shocked by the reply, immediately picked up the phone.
“Hi, what do you mean?”
“I meant, which part of the airport are you in?” Thiwe replied.
“Terminal A, but wait..." He then heard a slight nudge on his back, and it was as if he heard his voice echo. He slides his head backwards, only to meet a beautiful smile. The most charming one he had seen from Thiwe. His heart was beating fast, he realised how much he loved looking into those brown eyes and how much he would like to kiss her, but he stopped himself as Thiwe ran around to sit next to him.
Thiwe is in all blue today: a light blue tracksuit, a light blue bandana covering her woolly hair, feet covered with thick pink socks offering some variance, and light blue Crocs. Around her neck is a light blue U-shaped travelling pillow, and next to her is a light blue suitcase.
He looks at her again from top to bottom, admiring her features.
But today, she looks touristy as if she is going on some vacation; he can’t help but let out a laugh.
“Are we supporting blue today?”
"Tim, that’s the first thing you want to say to someone you haven’t spoken to in over 12 hours" Tim thinks to himself.
He looked at her one more time, and he could see that she’d been crying. He leaned in close. Again, the physical attraction between them becomes too much, and he finds himself wanting to kiss her. He decides to stand up, pulling the suitcase for her. A voluntary move as his way to escape the intensity of his feelings.
"Is that what happens when you don’t speak to someone for a day?" Tim thinks to himself.
“More like feeling blue." Thiwe stood up in sync, interrupting his thoughts and replying to his earlier question.
“Wait, where are you going?”
“Cape Town, to say hi to my biological parents”.
“Thiwe, exams?”
“I’ll be back tomorrow evening”.
“The anniversary?”
“I want to settle matters with my biological parents before introducing myself as Mrs Thembekwayo's daughter, even though I've already spoken to her and accepted her proposal.”
“I see. Which flight are you on?”
“The same one you’re in. I managed to get in at the last minute”.
Tim is surprised. Thiwe is turning out to be wilder than Tim had imagined.
After getting Thiwe’s boarding pass, they go to a coffee shop located inside the airport, as their flight is still half an hour from departure.
“Please get us a Cappuccino and Chai,” Tim says to their waiter as if knowing what Thiwe was going to order.
“How did you know I was going to order a Chai?”
“I’ve drunk coffee with you twice now, and each time, you ordered a Chai. Mrs Thembekwayo also put some chai sachets in her essential box’”.
“Sorry to ask, but can you afford it?”
“What? The Chai?” Thiwe replies in a surprising tone.
“I mean the flight?” Tim is asking since it's first class.
“Not really; I am using my parents’ money before I disown them, or before they disown me. What will happen first is a mystery to me. The only challenge is with my little brother. I want him to move in with us”.
“Us?”
“The Thembekwayos”
Tim calmed down as his brain was taking him somewhere else.
“Yes, I have accepted their adoption proposal, even though it won’t be official or anything since I am older than 18. Too bad, the old adoption papers were torn up by my mother. I still don’t understand why she would treat Mrs. Thembekwayo that way”.
Tim is flustered. Angry Thiwe is hot.
“But don’t you think you should hear your biological mom’s side of the story?”
“Tim”
“I already know her side of the story. For years, she made me resent Mrs. Thembekwayo. Mind you, this was her friend who raised me. She would claim that Mrs. Thembekwayo left me because of the money. But she and my father left me and my brother at my grandparents' place to practically fend for ourselves. My grandparents drank almost every day of the week. Imagine moving from a stable parent to that. As an adult, I would think a better option was to give adoption rights to someone who has been doing the job well for almost a decade. What makes me angry is the fact that Mrs. Thembekwayo has been asking for permission since I was eight, up until I was 16.”
“My mother would only allow the adoption if Mrs Thembekwayo took in my brother as well, but be paid for the rest of her life with no possibility of following her dreams? At least she fought her way to at least get her tuition covered." Thiwe continues in full venting mode.
“Do you want me to come with you? To talk to your parents?”
“Tim, I don’t think that will be good for your image. Jacques won’t approve.”
“What do you mean?
“My mom is Thenjiwe Mda. The Minister of Sports and Recreation”
“That means your dad is..."
“Enock Mda, the founder of Authentic Investments," Thiwe says, finishing off the sentence.
“I got an email from the minister a few days ago saying I must not date you. The story Fikile was selling got to her somehow. And you know the negative publicity surrounding both my mother and father now”.
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