Xander
"Dude, come one, what's wrong?" Damien asks for the 100th time.
"As I said, I do not want to talk about it," I reply, looking out the window.
"Did she crack a male joke that threatened your masculinity?" Charles asks.
"No,"
"Did she touch your stuff?" Damien asks, "She nosy?"
"No."
"Hungry?"
"No."
"Then what the fuck is it Xander?" they all yell.
Ring, ring.
Thank you, Lord, for your timing.
"Hello?"
"Hello, this is Chantel speaking,"
"Chantel, hi, how are you?"
"I'm good, look, I'm just going to cut straight to the point, I know what you saw with Miss Abrahams, and I'd like to apologize on their behalf,"
"What are you their PR now?" I spit.
"I understand you're upset, and I would like to make it right, over dinner, let's talk about this, please Mr Forsythe," she begs.
"I – I don't –
"Sir, please, I'll pay for everything, and they don't need to know that we had the meeting, okay?"
Everything inside me tells me to say no but I also want to hear what she has to say about this whole thing, maybe she's just as upset and disgusted as I am.
"Alright, meet me at Something's Cooking at seven, sharp,"
"Thank you so much, sir,"
"Yeah sure," I reply and hang up.
I can't believe I'm doing this.
"So, who was that?" Charles asks with a smirk.
"I'm having a private meeting with Chantel tonight," I say.
Charles gasps, "Like a date?"
"What happened to your date with Nikki?"
Shit.
"She cancelled it," I lie.
"Bet, so she could go down on Aiden," Charles snickers.
"Dante," Damien scolds.
The car comes to a stop and immediately get out and walk to the lobby, I completely shut everyone out as I get into the elevator to our apartment, I don't know whether I'm heartbroken, angry, sad, jealous, or disappointed. I was about to risk a lot for this woman, and she proves herself to be just like the rest of them, I was starting to like her, but she just had to ruin it and I blame Aiden.
We get to the apartment, and I put my briefcase on the kitchen counter and walk over to the table, pouring myself a glass of whiskey.
"Xander, I just heard something really interesting," Charles says as he sits on the couch.
"And what is that?"
"You caught dear Nikki and Aiden making out in her office,"
I freeze, how the hell did he that information, right I forget who Charles is sometimes, my nosey, spying, no good best friend.
"Yeah, so?"
"That's why you were upset in the car, you're jealous," he says.
"Me? Jealous, don't be ridiculous,"
"Somebody is green with envy," Damien sings, earning a laugh from X.
"Come on man, it's written all over your face," Charles screams.
"Okay, who gave him drugs?" I ask, trying to change the subject.
"You're on a drug called denial," Charles screams again.
"Okay, look, maybe you're not jealous or in denial but you do feel some type of way about what you saw, Xander," X says.
"Ha!" Charles says.
"And you say private business meeting, we say date," he adds.
"Double ha!" Charles yells, making me roll my eyes.
"Charles, we do need to butt out though," Damien says, taking the whiskey bottle out of my hands and pouring himself a glass.
Charles sighs, "Fine, can I at least help you pick out a suit?"
"Sure, fine but I am not wearing Gucci or Louis Vuitton, though," I say as we walk to my room.
"Fine, fine, how about your Daniel Hechter suits?" Charles asks as he looks through my suit closet.
"I think that will do just fine,"
Charles picks my suit, and we decide to go with a classic black suit, white shirt, and a maroon tie and then after that Charles started with the first date advice and I kick him out, so I take a nap before my date, I need it.
For what felt like only a ten-minute nap, which was actually four, Charles comes knocking at my door telling me that I need to start getting ready, what would I do without my lovely assistant. I get out of bed and run straight to the shower. Once I'm out, I style my hair and get dressed in a suit that Charles and I picked out earlier. Once I'm done, I go to the lounge area, where everybody is waiting for me.
"Well, well, well, don't you look delicious,' Charles smirks, "Are you ready?"
I chuckle nervously, "Not at all,"
"You will be fine, just be nice okay," Damien says, patting me on the shoulder, "Now, you need to get going before Mama Charles here starts crying."
"Oh Damien," Charles says hitting his lover in the chest, "Good luck Xander, I love you,"
"Love you too bro, and I will play nice, but if she starts flirting or touching me, I'm leaving," I caution.
Charles rolls his eyes and walks into the kitchen, "You're an asshole,"
"Bye Xander," Damien says with a laugh.
I leave the house and go down to the lobby where I know X is waiting for me with my car for the night, I greet my Westhuizen and I step outside the building, X is standing outside the car with a gift bag in his hand.
"X," I greet.
"Good evening, sir, you are looking sharp and ready," he smiles, "I got the finest wine I could find and picked out the Rover SUV, matte black, of course."
"Thank you, X, I really appreciate your efforts," I smile, taking the car keys and the bag.
"Anytime sir, enjoy your evening," he says and walks into the building.
I get into the car, putting the gift bag in the passenger seat, I put my seatbelt on and start the engine and drive into the main road. I am nervous, to say the least, I haven't been on a date with a woman, ever since Charles tried to set me up on a blind date four years ago, it didn't work out because she was just looking for somebody to support her lavish lifestyle and I am not that kind of man.
I arrive at Something's Cooking and park my car, close to the entrance, walk to the hostess, and usher's me into the restaurant, everybody was staring at me, taking a few snaps, but I just kept moving forward feeling a little self-conscious. We finally make it to the back of the restaurant, the VIP section, where Miss Pieters is waiting for me, when she sees me, she stands up and when I lay my eyes on her something almost stands up too.
She is dressed in a red pencil dress, red bottom heels, minimal make-up from what I can tell, her skin glowing under lights, I see what she's playing at, and I'd be a fool to say that I'm not falling for it.
She gives me a warm smile, "Good evening, sir,"
"Miss Pieters," I croak out, I clear my throat, I hand her the gift bag.
"How are you?" she asks as we take our seats.
"Good, good," I reply, "How about yourself?"
"I'm great thank you for asking," she smiles, we both take our seats and I remember the gift bag; I pick it up to give it to her over the dinner table and I knock down the candle, on instinct, I pick up a jar of water and pour it on the table, spilling the bulk of it on to her perfect red dress, I beg for the heavens to take me.
"I am so sorry Miss Pieters," I groan, as I hand her a towel, she takes it and wipes her dress. A waiter comes rushing to assist us, a waitress helps her and escorts her to the bathroom and the other waiter fixes the table but takes me to another table.
I could shoot myself in the face right about now, I cannot believe I did, she probably thinks I'm some clumsy loser.
After twenty minutes Miss Pieters returns, and I am relieved that she didn't leave, she sits down across from me.
"I am so sorry Miss Pieter," I apologize as my face heats up from embarrassment.
She laughs, "It's okay Mr Forsythe, I take it it's your first date with a woman."
"Second, I messed up on that one too, on purpose," I laugh lightly.
"Ah, I see but don't worry I'm not mad at you, these things happen," she says reassuringly.
"Thank you," I smile, "I'm usually not this nervous."
"I know, why don't we open your bottle of wine, just to loosen up those nerves," she suggests as she picks up the gift bag, she pulls out the bottle and smirks, "This is really good wine, and the year is perfect."
"I'm glad you like it,"
Jeez, Xander, you're doing a really good job, keeping your cool.
She pours the wine in each of our glasses, we share a toast, I take a sip and I nod, this is some good wine, X deserves a bonus just for this choice, I take another sip and I feel myself relax.
"So, Mr Forsythe, I'd like to start by apologizing for today, Miss Abrahams was wrong for doing what she did and quite frankly, I blame the man here, however, they are both wrong and would like to humbly apologize on their behalf," she says.
"I accept your apology, I also have my reservations about Mr van Rensburg, but I do understand, and I will not be withdrawing from the project, I believe it will of benefit for both of us," I reply.
"I am so glad to hear that and I'm sure she will too," she sighs in relief.
"I'm sure," I chuckle.
"So as business partners obviously, I need to know you more on some kind of level, you will be here with us for a year or so," she says, she sips her wine.
I like how she plays.
"I don't usually socialize with my business associates," I reply.
"I know but it's always good to get out of your comfort zone," she says, "It wouldn't hurt to try something new."
I chuckle, "You sound just like Charles,"
"Charles is a smart guy," she laughs lightly.
"He is, as much as he annoys me, I know I wouldn't be where I am without him,' I confess.
"I know exactly how you feel," she says, looking at her wine glass.
"Miss Abrahams?"
She nods, "We've been friends for years, we rely on each other for support, and we can't function without each other."
There is a moment of silence between us and that's when I realize just how much I take him for granted, he's always there even when he's not supposed, he's sacrificed a lot for me and one day he'll stop, and I'll have to start supporting myself.
I chuckle, "What is in that wine?"
She laughs, "I was wondering the same thing, why don't we order our food?"
"Of course,"
She raises her hand to signal for a waiter and within seconds, a waiter is standing beside the table, we order our three-course meal, and the waiter takes our menus, and he leaves.
"I was thinking maybe after dinner we could to the theatre and watch ShotGun,"
Say no, say no.
Of course, I'd love to," I smile.
Dinner progresses well, and I don't know if it was the wine, Miss Pieters or both but I actually enjoy myself, something about her just made me feel comfortable, she is a funny, modest woman, intelligent, she knows her work and her worth, she wasn't intimidated by me, she saw me as her equal.
Maybe my father was wrong, women aren't what he painted them to be, some women are that way but not Chantel, she's independent, she knows herself, owns her own house, car, she has a side business lives an honest. Women work just as hard as us men and even more. Father only hated women because of what my mother did, one woman, who long left his life and in the eyes of the world that just isn't fair, even logic has to tell you that it isn't.
But that doesn't mean I have to let my guard down; I have to be cautious.
After dinner, we head to the theatre in an Uber, which was her idea and I agreed. We get to the theatre, and we seated on the balcony, the entire play was honestly amazing, the history of gang rivalry in the eastern cape and how it shaped the new laws of South Africa, the songs, the dancing, the stage, atmosphere, you would think you were actually there.
The play ends and Miss Pieters and I go back to the restaurant, we are standing in the parking lot and I'm taking in the beauty of the moon and probably, the glow it gives Miss Pieters.
"I really enjoyed tonight, the best fun I've had in a while," I confess.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, I did too," she smiles, "I knew there was more to you than that tough face you put on."
"What?"
"Your tough act, it doesn't faze me, and I can see right through it," she replies stepping closer to me, "I may be a little drunk, but anyone can see that you're hurting and lonely."
"Woman, you don't know a thing," I hiss, looking into her eyes.
"Or do i?" she challenges, "You know I'm right."
I want to respond to her, but I decide against it, "You're drunk, where is your car?"
She points to the other car in the parking lot, a black Porsche, a new limited edition SVK.
I don't even have that yet.
"You're always avoiding your emotions, you need to stop Xander," she says sadly.
I remain silent, she really does sound like Charles.
"I shouldn't have said that I'm sorry. Forgive me?"
I sigh, "It's okay, you should get home, are you okay to drive?"
She nods, "Thank you for tonight but please consider what I've said, hurt people hurt people and I'm sure that's the last thing you want to do, hurt someone."
Too late for that.
"Good night, Miss Pieters," I say and walk away, I get into my car and watch as she gets into hers and drives off.
I grip on my steering wheel and take out all my frustrations on beating the steering wheel, I'm angry, angry that I can't seem to figure out what's going on with me. She's right, I am hurt, hurt that my mother left, she left me and never came to see me once, I loved her, heck maybe I still do and with everything, I'm starting to think my dad wasn't the victim he claimed to be.