drinks arrived with their waiter, and both ordered pasta and a salad.
As soon as the waiter left, Asanda leaned closer. “So, uDaniel?”
“Eish, Sandi, what can I tell you? He’s a nice man, a gentleman like you said. I thought it would be quite awkward living in a house with a man I didn’t know, but he’s really very considerate.”
“What did I tell you, Auntie Sandi knows best.” Asanda sat back, looking pleased with herself. “But come on, let’s get real here, he’s . . . You know what’s coming, right?”
“Ayoba-licious!” they said in stereo and laughed, but Nomvula was quick to change the subject.
“Do you know any of Daniel’s friends?”
“I can’t say that I do.” Asanda shook her head thoughtfully. “Why?”
“Well, it seems that I’ve been invited to a party at a friend of his, on Friday. Something like show and tell, I imagine,” Nomvula finished wryly.
“Ahh!” exclaimed Asanda. “Good news travels fast. Daniel’s got himself a fabulous new nanny and everyone wants to see her. Ag! I envy you all that attention. Have they been coming round?”
“No. Just his friend the doctor, and I guess that’s how this other friend knew.”
“Are you going?”
“I don’t know. Daniel says if I don’t go, his friend will just come round to see me for himself. This is so strange.”
“No, it’s not, my darling. If you hired a gorgeous somebody to live in your house, I’d also want to come and have a look; it’s only natural. Go to the party and have a jol. At least you can dress up and really give them something to talk about. Better than being caught unawares at home,” Asanda reasoned.
“I guess you’re right. I have to say, though, I’m excited at the thought of going to a party that’s purely social and where I don’t know anyone.”
“That’s the spirit, girlfriend. I’ve got no appointments this afternoon, so let’s go shopping.”
“I was thinking I’d wear my black trouser suit . . .”
“No, you need to buy something totally fabulous. Something uNomvula the investment broker wouldn’t look at.”
“But, Sandi . . .”
“Honey, I know your clothes, they’re not so ayoba for this type of thing. There’s this to-die-for top at my favourite boutique. It’s time to live a lot.”
“Sandi, no.” Nomvula tried to dig in her heels, but the seed had been sown.
* * *
It was an exhausting experience, but the satisfaction of finding something she was entirely happy with balanced out the tediousness of trying on a hundred and one different ensembles.
In the end Nomvula decided on a dark-gold, beaded halter top with a sexy pencil skirt. Even Asanda had to concede that although it was not the outfit she had envisioned, it was sophisticated and the height of fashion. On Nomvula it was simply stunning, especially when teamed up with a pair of killer heels. Nomvula needed no encouragement to buy the shoes – even in her years of thriftiness she just couldn’t resist shoes, bags and cosmetics.
“Okay, now we have to find a fabulous clutch.”
Asanda actually groaned. They had walked the length and breadth of Rosebank Mall, Sandton City, gone back to Rosebank and cruised a couple of stand-alone boutiques in the neighbourhood, more for the complete shopping experience than for anything else, only to find what they were looking for in a little boutique they had overlooked near where they had started.
“If I’d known what a manic shopper you’d turn into, I might not have suggested it. It’s a good thing you haven’t been shopping all these years. You’d be broke by now,” an exhausted Asanda sighed.
“Oh, how the worm has turned,” laughed Nomvula. “Come on, let’s find something to put in my hair as well.”
Nomvula’s eyes sparkled with enjoyment, and although she was tired, she was smiling. She talked about Mpho and Daniel constantly and didn’t even seem to realise it.
Both Asanda and Lerato were convinced that Nomvula and Daniel were perfect for each other. They hoped that with Mpho away on holiday, things would progress between the two of them.
“I know I’m meddling, God,” Asanda prayed as she followed Nomvula back into the fray, “but please let this work out, and I won’t ever ask for anything else again.”
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