"Oh moos..." she said.
"Save it, please open up," he said.
She opened the door and he went straight to his room and came back with his luggage.
"What are you, are you leaving?" she probed.
"Yeah, I'm leaving, what i have come here for is done,"
"But why so early?" she probed.
"Please take this" he gave her a teddy bear that had a camera on it. "J.R bought this teddy bear for you,"
"He bought it for me?" she said.
"Yeah i just said that, he wanted to give it to you on your birthday, its cool and your birthday is on the next month Happy Birthday in Advance." He said.
He took his bags and went straight to the door, and he turned around and saw Lindy crying, he couldn't help it, if anything he had to comfort her.
"I'm sorry Lindy, i came here to bring this not open healed wounds, " he consoled her.
"Congratulations because you just did…"
"Lindy," he gasped.
"Since you came here, you've been contemptuous; you've been substitute just like a little boy, fighting your brother's battles, whilst he isn't here!" she yelled.
"My brother loves you."
"Loved, past tense, he loved me, i don't know why you keep on bringing it up!" she expressed.
"Ok, I'm going, but before i go, i would like you to know…"
"…To know what?"
"I've got a question for you, if J.R would walk in that door, would you give him another chance in love?"
"What?" she exclaimed.
"Yeah i just want to know, because you promised him, on his death bed that you wouldn't love again, but on the afterlife you pray that the Lord gives you another chance with him, now would you give him that chance?" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, i would, whenever i speak about your brother, I'm always being washed out, remembering how romantic he was..."
"… Ok hold that thought, I'm leaving I've got exams to write, goodbye…"
He opened the door and left, but yet came back again.
"What's wrong, have you forgotten something?" she probed.
"Yeah, i just want to make sure that there's no bad blood between us."
"Yeah I'm cool, i don't hate you, I'll always love you, and you are a part of my history." She said.
"Please have this button; it'll remind you of me,"
"Thank you" and she took it.
"Please wear it like that necklace my brother gave you, never take it off!" he said.
"I promise i will."
"Thank you Lindiwe, may the good Lord grant you your wishes." He said.
They hugged, she accompanied him to the gate and there he was he left. All of the stunts he pulled were just an act, Musa went there to beg of Lindy to come back home and also tell her about my whereabouts. The exhibition was to happen in five days, Musa didn't fly back home but stayed on a B&B and make sure that he would thread carefully and wouldn't be seen neither by the professor nor Lindy.
Lindy poured her heart out to the professor telling him about her life experiences, she told him everything and also the professor did the same.
The professor stayed there on those flats because he was on the process of a divorce, leaving two kids and wife at home. The only thing that drove them to divorce was because of his wife's insecurities. But then he is a good looking man, why wouldn't the wife feel insecure. Am sure some of the female Lectures would throw themselves on the prof… including the students.
The teddy bear was Lindy's first born child, she treated the puppet as a being, speaking to it as if it would respond back. Nevertheless days gone by, our flights have been booked and i was waiting for the resentment of my life. I couldn't predict how Lindy was going to react when she sees me or whether she would be happy seeing me. All i had to do is have faith in God and just wait for his hand to do miracles. My knees were shaky, i was frightened, what if she collapses , what would her parents say or do to me. After all i flew them all the way from Paris to witness their daughter's heartache, i had a lot of questions and i wasn't myself. This was my first Arts Exhibition, even though it wasn't my only talent that was being show cased that night. Trevor had to calm my nerves.
"Look Mon... just be yourself when she sees you, don't panic, am not going to allow you and ruin it for last time."
"I'm scared, i really am, what if she rejects me and humiliates me in front of these entire people," I said.
"Did you hear that?" he said.
"Hear what?"
"She's getting inside the building." He said.
"Trevor, don't play games with me Mon..."
The security guys just smiled and told me to relax everything would be alright.
"Mon... She's here…"
"Where is she?" I probed.
"Just listen..." he said.
"Did i mention it to you that my late boyfriend was an artist?" said Lindy.
"Yeah you did, and am sure if he were alive his art would have been show cased here tonight…" said professor.
"Yeah, i would have loved that two..." she stopped speaking she looked around the paintings,
"What's wrong?" asked the prof "You look like you are seeing a ghost, are you ok?"
"I know these paintings…" she said.
"What, have you seen them before?" he inquired.
"I know these paintings, J.R painted them..."
"Are you sure, because if you are, i have just seen that little guy, what's his name again?"
"What guy?"
"Moos or something…" he said.
"You just saw Moos?"
"Yeah i just did," he said.
Trevor snapped, "Where is that lad Joe? See now he has ruined our mission!"
"Wait, let's wait and see what she'll do," I tried to convince him.
"What she'll do, for goodness sake, she recognizes your paintings, what's only left now is that she sees the dreams you recently painted," he snapped.
"Guys where's Musa?" asked Mercy.
"The prof… saw him a few seconds back."
"What is Musa crazy?" she too snapped.
"I'm not crazy, i had to use the bathroom, was i hindered to use the toilet too?" he expressed.
"The prof… saw you?" said Mercy.
"And Lindy is dizzy; please zoom in that lady for me." I requested.
"Look at you, you are sweating and it's not even hot!" said the prof…
"Please get me water," she requested just when the professor moved she faced the painting of her holding me on the pavement on the day of the accident, she didn't have the energy she fainted. Trevor, Mercy, Slindile and her mom rushed to her aid. When the Prof… got back he was shocked to see Slindile.
"What's going on here?" he probed.
"Good evening Professor, I'm Lindy's twin sister," she stretched out her hand.
"I've noticed, who are these people who have surrounded her …?" he probed.
"Family," she said.
"Lindy dear, please wake up," said Mom.
She was still dizzy, her eyes couldn't see clearly, the way she looked at them it was like a distortion.
"Mrs. Radebe, what are you doing here? Is that Mom and Dad..." she enquired.
"... And your twin sister too,"
"Please don't tell me, we have all died and this is the afterlife!"
"No we didn't die, you fainted when you saw those paintings." explained Mercy.
"Mercy," she was astounded.
"Yes dear," she smiled at her.
"Dear Lord it is you, Trevor hi... can someone please explain to me what's going on here and why are my parents here and aren't in Grasse?" she enquired.
"Ladies and Gentleman may we all come closer," said the M.C "We are all honored to be here tonight on this special occasion... i can see that everyone here is enjoying themselves..."
"Mercy, tell me what's going on, who brought J.R's paintings and who painted that?" she pointed the picture that made her collapse.
"You will know all in good time girl, just keep quiet for a while, and I'll tell you everything ok." She assured her.
"Ok, I'll stand just here with you…" she said.
"Ok," said Mercy.
"....So ladies and Gents, husbands and wives, daughters and sons, and…" clears his throat "Your artistic, i bring you the special people with these Talents, from crafters, photo graphics and painters... here they are, please lets welcome them with a warm round of applause." He said.
I was at the back line i did not want to frighten her too much although she was already frightened. I was wearing similar clothes that i wore the day of the accident, she saw me i saw her, she got terrified, i wanted to come closer to her but she was moving backwards, she didn't want me, i stretched my hand towards her but she then turned around she was leaving. Hands were clapping for me, at the background my focus was on Lindy, the M.C called my name for the third time, but i turned a blind eye on him, i looked at Lindy as she was struggling to get her coat. The other guy whispered on my ear.
"We have said our gratitude's it's your time now…" he said.
When i looked at the crowd they were all definitely waiting to hear from me, i stood next to the microphone, i didn't know what to say, i did prepare a speech but it didn't work. I looked at Lindy and the Professor arguing, i didn't want to cause a scene but i have already caused one, one more time, I'm going to stop her; i have to be strong and be man.
"Um.... sorry ladies and gentleman, I'm not usually like this, i am enchanted by the women back there who's wearing a white dress, she then turned around and the crowd opened up a lane from me to her. I took a step down but still she moved backwards and screamed. "Don't come closer to me, you are dead, how did you come back from the dead?" he snapped.
I was humiliated, i know it's not within her to humiliate somebody, maybe it was something she learnt from France. I had to convince her not to go, not to leave.
"Baby please, don't go…" I said.
"You are dead!" she snapped.
"Baby you are causing a scene, let us all sit down and talk like mature people, please my love…"
"I'm causing a scene? Ok, I'll cause one right now…" she was about to leave but her father and mother stood right in front of her.
"Dear please listen to this young man, he loves you and please allow him to explain everything to you…" said Mrs. Maseko.
"Oh so everybody knew that J.R was never dead and you all kept it a secret from me, wow i can feel the love." She expressed.
"Can you please stop acting up," said Musa "I asked you, 'If J.R were to be given a second chance and walk in through that door, would you give him that chance again' you said yes, so what's your problem, he's here now," he expressed.
Musa wasn't sympathizing with Lindy, all he wanted was to see, she and i back together, same goes for Trevor and Mercy.
"It would have been best if you told me he was alive, not to find out like this!" she said.
"Of course i did tell you, but you didn't understand every word i was saying to you, you were busy day dreaming about this man!" he pointed at the Professor.
"No, you didn't tell me a single thing." She expressed.
"When i said 'my brother loves you' whom do you think i was referring to?" he probed.
"Musa stop please," i had to stop him, he was getting fueled up; he doesn't appreciate it when someone plays with other people's emotions.
"I'm sorry that you were never told about my availability, it's my entire fault and i regret it now, and i would also understand if you did not want to do anything with me, its ok i can handle it, I'm a big boy i can take care of myself." I tried to be tolerant.
"Come on you guys, you both know it from your hearts that you love each other so dearly," said Mercy "You both have been miserable since you have been away from each other for so long, four years isn't just four days or four weeks its (1460) days, being away from each other..."
"Guys come on…" said Trevor "The Lord knows why he did not take Joe's life, it's all because of you Lindy, God did not take him away from you because He knows how perfect the two of you are, why don't you just kiss and make up and we all forget about what had just happened."
I looked at her, she looked at me, both our eyes were filled with sympathy I came closer to her and she to me; the crowd was cheering on us and clapping.
I had the thought that i would hug her so tightly and squeeze her or maybe hold her up high and later kiss her so gentle, but i was just dreaming. when she got closer to me she hit me with a hot slap and i saw the stars, when i turned around she was leaving, i ran after her and now it was only the two of us, like old time, she's sad and I'm her shoulder to lean on. It was freezing cold outside, i begged of her to come inside but she did not want to come with me, i took off my coat and placed it on her. she looked at me with sad eyes as her eyes were always full of water, maybe the pacific ocean was leaving inside of her, tears every now and then would flow earnestly like the orange river. I couldn't help it, she was with me now but i had to wipe them away.
"Why did you allow sorrow to magnify my heart?" she probed.
"I didn't mean too, i was also drowning in sorrow, pain and heartache was my daily bread…" I said.
"Same to me, J.R, but you knew where i was why didn't you come and find me?" she said.
"I knew you were in Paris, but didn't know where in Paris Lindy, I didn't have the money or the memory…"
"What, you had amnesia?" she inquired.
"Just the moment i got up, i didn't know who i was but, i had a tiny little memory of a beautiful girl, holding me so agonizingly in her arms hoping that i get well..."
"…that's all you had when you woke up?" she was sympathizing.
"Only you, was on my mind, i couldn't recognize any of my relatives nor my family, but only you was on my mind…"
"Oh, and you didn't do any means on going through social media to contact me?" she said.
"My love, even if i wanted to, i didn't have enough courage in me, to do that..."
"But why, you thought i was going to resent you?" she assumed.
"Baby please, let me explain..."
"Out of all people, you are the one who is to know me better than anyone else..." she said.
"Lindy you don't know, of what I've been through…"
"And you don't know of what I've been going through either." she turned her back again from me, i so wanted to follow her and make her understand of the difficulties I've been facing on how i so wish to be married to her, but my informality had brought me this resentment that I've been waiting for all this years is finally happening.
"You can turn your back on me," i shouted "But you cannot turn your love away from me and you know it, you have said it with your lips that 'you can never love another man the way you have loved me' and i know it in my heart that i can never love another woman as much as i have loved you." I outspoken.
I then went back inside, cause outside was freezing cold; Trevor lent me his coat just to keep me warm for a minute. Sly came to me and she was thrilled that her sister didn't give me another chance. She pretended to be sympathizing.
"I told you before that i have developed some feelings for you," she said.
"Slindile, please do you mind,"
"I'll be waiting for you, if it happens that you change your mind…" she said.
"…He'll never change his mind because I'm here now," said Lindy.
"What, you no longer want him, let me have him…" she said.
"In your dreams sister, that boy is mine…" Lindy pointed.
"Argh... why did i tell you about her whereabouts at the first place?" she snapped out at me and she turned her back on us and left.
"Joseph, please forgive me for leaving you at the hospital, i regret it each and every single second… minute of the day." She expressed.
"Would you forgive me too, if i say I'm sorry for not contacting you earlier?" I said.
"I understand why..." she said.
"Do you forgive me?" I probed.
"One more thing, i need to know, why you went back to that jewelry store that day?" she probed.
"If i tell you will you forgive me?" I inquired.
"It'll depend on the excuse..." She said and the crowd laughed.
"Come closer, i need to whisper to your ears" she got closer "Close your eyes" I said. She closed them and i whispered to her ears "You are so beautiful and that dress suits you perfectly fine, gosh you are so beautiful." I admired.
"J.R," she called out my name.
"You can open your eyes" she opened them and found me kneeling down with one knee and holding the box ring.
"J.R, please don't play games, firstly you made me blush after I've asked you about the day of the accident." She said.
"I'm not playing games, i went back to the store to get this ring, because i did not want you to see it until on your birthday and now there's no suitable occasion better than this one."
"OOH" said the crowd.
"But J.R,"
"I called your parents here today because, i also wanted them to witness my love for you, and ok here it goes,
Well tears fell like rain when you left me,
They were like endless streams, the moment i regained my memory,
My heart couldn't stand being without you,
How i wish to be by your side till the ends of time,
I don't want to be away from you ever again.
Let's hold hands and show the world how love is like,
No matter how hard tantrums can be thrown at us,
Allow me to be there to protect you,
Protect you with my love for we were destined to be together.
Please let me make you the happiest women on earth,
Let me be your husband and you my wife,
Come let us surf together on the waves of love.
"Is that a question sir?" she probed.
"Yes, i mean no, but sort of... will you marry me?"
"Ok let me see…" she took some time to speak, while gazing right into my eyes. The crowed was encouraging her to say yes. And she outspoken.
When we first met, my heart shook and there you gave me an indirect gaze,
Baby there's no me without you,
Your love has somehow brought nothing but joy in my life,
You being around me make me happy,
It reminds me of the night we first kissed,
In my eyes heavens met thee earth,
My heart raced fast to meet yours,
You are my soul mate, my sweetheart,
You know it and heavens knows,
From now i will love you until the ends of time,
My heart and soul belongs to you, we can't fight it, and it's in our hearts….
I was so thrilled to hear her say these words, in fact they were just not any words, she was expressing how she feels about me, she was reciting a poem that touched everyone there not only that but she agreed to marry me. That was the most valuable and important day of my life my pursuit was over. She has agreed on marrying me and on top of that we shared that passionate kiss, our lips complemented each other and gentle we kissed each other; our heartbeats were on the same track racing together not leaving the other behind. Our union was heaven bound, was formed from the day we were born.....