She giggled.

“Relax, I won’t tell her anything”

She said in between her giggles.

“No, I mean it. I had fun at work, and I am looking forward to more of these days”

She rolled her eyes on me.

“Anyway, who is this friend of yours who lost a son? I heard Mommy telling Daddy about it the day you fainted”

I cleared my throat.

“Its Thando, a friend of mine”

She looked at me.

“What?”

I shrugged my shoulders, looking at her too.

“He’s just a friend?”

I smiled.

“Yes, just a friend. He is married.”

I saw the need to explain, to get her off my back.

She smiled back.

“I’m just making sure. Sibusiso didn’t exactly paint you as the innocent type at all”

I looked away.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Nothing sis, nothing. I’m just saying. Uhm, I have to go and study, goodnight”

She rushed out of the kitchen, leaving me tongue tied. I finished up and went to my room too, to change into my pajamas. Mommy came to call us down to the living room for a prayer. After praying, we went to our bedrooms. I got to my room and called Bazukile.

“My princess?”

I smiled.

“How are you?”

“I’m okay, and you?”

“I am okay, better now that you have called.

I almost blushed.

“I know I have been scarce, I have been swamped with work. I have been missing you so much”

I laughed at how dramatic he was.

“Don’t be that dramatic, it’s not like we haven’t spoken in days”

“I miss you, that’s all”

“I miss you too”

“Can we make time tomorrow and go out for lunch?”

“Uh, I don’t think I can”

“Why not?”

I cleared my throat.

“I kind of got a job offer this morning, so I am working”

He laughed.

“What? You’re in the working class now?”

I laughed too.

“Can you believe it? I am a working woman”

We laughed about it for a while.

“What kind of a job is it?”

“It’s nothing fancy. I am working in Mommy’s clothing store. She doesn’t really want me to do much though, but hey, it’s a job”

“I’m so happy for you. Now you will have something positive to look forward to each day, besides myself”

I laughed.

“So you are something positive?”

“Are you kidding me? I am the best thing that has ever happened to you”

Again, we laughed.

“I’m kidding. On a serious note, I am truly happy for you”

We talked about general stuff for a while, then we hung up.

The following morning, Mommy came to wake me up for work. I was still so excited about the new job. I jumped off my bed and went to take a shower. When I was done, I got dressed and made my bed. I grabbed my phone and went to the kitchen. Mommy was there, making lunch boxes. I greeted and she greeted back.

“You just missed the kids, they just left for school now”

I smiled.

“Ah man, they leave so early though”

“Trevor has morning classes. My poor baby is so swamped with school work”

“He’s writing a test today, right?”

“Yes, he’s writing and he was a bit nervous about it”

“He will ace it, he looks smart”

She giggled proudly.

“Trevor is a very focused young man. He knows what he wants in life, and he is prepared to work hard for it. Thoko on the other hand is a very playful child. To her, the world is a big fat joke and nothing is to be taken seriously. I worry about her, because she is not getting any younger, but she takes nothing seriously”

I nodded.

“She will come around, maybe she needs a little time to grow up a bit”

She packed the lunch boxes and we walked out. At work, I helped the lady who was assisting customers, but Mommy was worried that I’d overwork myself, but I was glad to have something to keep me busy. Bazukile called, begging me to meet him for lunch. I tried telling him that I couldn’t, but he just wouldn’t back down. I promised to ask permission from Mommy, but didn’t promise that she would agree. I went to her work station. She was hard at work, humming a happy song.

“Uhm, Mommy?”

She looked at me with loving eyes.

“Uhm, since I’m on lunch, can I quickly go to town? I want to go and window shop for a new pair of sneakers”

She let out a polite laugh.

“You’re already budgeting for your salary?”

I laughed too. I really didn’t think of it that way.

“Its okay, you can go. I’m sorry I won’t be able to drive you. I am busy working on a wedding outfit here”

“No, its okay. I’ll catch a taxi”

“Please give me my handbag”

I took her handbag from her locker and handed it to her.

“Thank you”

She took out a two hundred note and gave it to me.

“Here, use that for transport and lunch, because you might not make it in time to eat the lunch that I have prepared for you. We will get the sneakers over the weekend”

What? Was she kidding me?

“Thank you Mommy, you are the best”

I planted a light kiss on her cheek. I admit I got a little carried away there for a second. Kissing her was not part of the plan, but hey. I rushed out. Bazukile was so excited when I called him and told him that we could do lunch. We met in town.

“Where are we going for lunch?”

I asked, as I stepped into his car.

“To my place”

I looked at him as he drove off”

“Come on Princess, don’t tell me you don’t miss me”

I blushed.

“I am on duty”

“I know, we will try and make it quick”

He rubbed his hand on my thigh.

“Stop it man. You are driving”

He laughed.

“Okay, I’m sorry”

I was not at peace with lying to Mommy like that. In fact, I didn’t want anything that would jeopardize my relationship with my new family. As much as I didn’t want to face it, but at some point, I had to choose between my life with Bazukile and my life with my new family. ClickToRead: How To Deal With A BreakUp