Page 5 of Pillow Talk
Shona ran to her room and opened her closet.
‘Oh no!’ She stared at the heap of clothing.
Sen came up behind her. ‘So, what are we looking at?’ he asked, surveying the heap.
‘What are you doing in my bedroom?’ Shona demanded.
‘I’ve been in here more times than I can count. What difference does it make?’
She shot him a disapproving glance. ‘You’re not supposed to see this side … my stuff,’ she said.
He smirked. ‘Stuff?’
‘Oh, Sen. What am I going to do? I don’t have another orangeshirt,’ she wailed.
Before he could reply, she raced to the dining room.
Sen followed casually, with a hand in his suit pants pocket.
Shona searched in a box of fabric and pulled out a black piece with a tiny orange floral print. She slid her phone out of her pocket, sent a text and pulled off her top. She sat at her machine and quickly sewed the strip of fabric over the slogan on her tee.
Sen stood mesmerised.
In no time at all, she jumped up and put on her T-shirt. ‘Always comes together in the end,’ she said triumphantly.
Sen was dumbfounded.
‘Sen, let’s get out of here. I texted Aruna. She said she’d buy me some time so I can be a few minutes late.’
Sen followed but just before they left, he grabbed her hand, pulled her to him and planted his lips on hers. It was different from the other kisses they’d shared. This one was not leading to anything. This one was saying something else. Neither of them knew exactly what.
They got into the car without saying a word. Sen looked at Shona as she buckled her seatbelt. Something had happened in her apartment. He couldn’t explain how he suddenly felt.
‘Are you going to drive?’
He snapped out of it and started the car.
When he parked in front of the store, Shona jumped out before he could get to her side to open the door.
‘I think I may come in,’ he said.
‘Why?’
‘To buy a suit.’
‘Firstly, the store opens at 9am and, secondly, you don’t shop here. Come to think of it, why don’t you shop here? You wear suits to work,’ Shona said, eyeing his ridiculously expensive designer suit.
Sen didn’t answer immediately. He looked around. Shah &Sons suits were highly regarded in Durban, as they were in Rally but they weren’t his style. He just had to find the right words to convey this to Shona.
‘I do love the suits. The workmanship is top class but it’s just that—’
Shona interrupted ‘Outdated?’
Sen ran his left palm over his chin.
‘I know Sen. Don’t spare my feelings. Shah & Sons is where your grandfather shops,’ she said.
And then suddenly Shona’s face changed. For a brief moment she looked sad and then immediately a bright smile formed as if she was about to serve a customer.
