Page 34 of Pillow Talk
‘Hi Shona. It’s Sven.’
‘Sven?’
‘Your neighbour. Your smoke alarm has gone off.’
Shona didn’t even thank him. She cut the call and told the taxi driver to race back to her apartment. He found a way to turn around and they headed back.
She paid him and jumped out as soon as the vehicle stopped in front of her apartment block.
She ran up the stairs, fumbled to find her keys, dropped her sketch book, picked it up again and finally opened the door. The stench of burnt toast hit her.
Shona threw her bag and sketch book on the couch and raced to the kitchen.
Thank heavens! There was no fire, just a cloud of smoke above the toaster.I must get a pop-up one!The hundredth time she’d told herself this.
How did she forget the toast? Come to think of it, she hadn’t eaten breakfast. She was in such a rush to get to Durban.
Oh no…Felicity!Shona would have to reschedule. She called Felicity and told her she’d had an emergency. Felicity was understanding, and thankfully didn’t ask any details before rescheduling for another day. Shona hadn’t explained and wondered what the sophisticated wedding planner thought her emergency was.
She couldn’t exactly tell Felicity that her life was falling apart: that her parents had probably disowned her, Sen had walked out of her life two weeks ago, and there wasn’t a single person shecould talk to.
Shona used plastic tongs to remove the charred toast. She dumped it in the bin and sighed. This day couldn’t get any worse.
Her doorbell rang. Apparently, it could.
Shona kicked off her heels and went to the door. It could only be a delivery guy with the fabric she’d ordered online, so she opened up and held out her hand.
‘Aruna?’
Her sister brushed past her.
‘Shona, you have to come back. I know nothing about Dad’s invoicing system. It’s all fallen on me,’ her sister demanded.
Shona closed the door and faced Aruna. ‘No hello Shona? Are you okay Shona?’
‘How about Shona, stop being a drama queen? This has gone on long enough. You made your point.’
Shona shook her head. ‘I don’t think so. Because if I’d made my point, you’d know I’m not coming back to work in the shop.’
‘What do you want, Shona? Dad to beg you to come back?’
Shona shook her head again.
‘Tell me, why doyouwant me back? Because you miss me?’
No reply.
‘I’ll tell you why you want me back. Because you now have to work. And I mean really work, not hide in the back office playing on your cellphone or whatever you do.’
‘How dare you?’ Aruna shot back angrily. ‘Unlike you, I care about Mom and Dad. I didn’t desert them like you did. Guess what, Shona, the world does not revolve around you.’
Before Shona could answer, Aruna turned on her heel and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.
Shona stared at the door for a few seconds and then retreated to her bedroom. She slipped out of her stylish grey dress and put on jeans and a tee.
Her stomach growled. She was definitely not going to havetoast. She went back to the kitchen and made a wholesome breakfast – an omelette. After cracking her last egg, she noted that she’d have to go grocery shopping soon.
The nerve of Aruna. She replayed the conversation in her head as she made breakfast.
