EX CEO BOYFRIEND WANTS ME BACK

MA'S DREAM

NANDI MOOR

“I am laying on the bed, facing up at the ceiling,”

I am on a call with Enzo. It’s been a week since he moved to the new place. I miss him every day and phone calls are just not enough. I want to feel him, kiss him, and make love to him once again.

“What are you wearing?” He asks, seductively.

“Do you want me to tell you, or do you want to see?” I said, sultry.

“Nandi, don’t do this to me… I am at the office,” I laughed.

“But you asked, baby,” I said.

“Yeah, I know, but you could have just… anyway, how is ma? Is she getting any better?” He asks in a concerned tone. I took a deep breath in and exhaled.

“When I always try to convince myself, she just gets worse. Just yesterday, she was coughing out blood,”

“Oh, that sounds bad. Were you able to take her to the clinic at least?”

“Ma refused and assured me that she would be fine, but I couldn’t just sit and do nothing. I went to the pharmacy and explained her condition and they gave me something for her to drink to ease off. Enough about Ma, how is your stay there?” I ask, getting off the bed.

“Very different from our small town. Everything here is different; how they wear their clothes, how they eat, and they party a lot it’s like they are celebrating something every day, every night. The girls here exchange their bodies for men so that they can buy them drinks or the other way around. It is a different life… I am glad you are my girlfriend and I know that you would never stoop so low. I love you for you,” My stupid lips curve into a retarded smile, and now my face surely looks like a tomato.

“I love you too, babe. I have to get ready for the day and go and sell my beads. We will talk later,”

“Alright. I also have to get back to work, I have a case to analyze,”

We said goodbyes and I took off the black satin rope that Enzo bought for me on Valentine’s Day. It came along with a set of bras and thongs and other things. He is a very romantic man. Enzo is so loyal, and I know that we are going to last forever. He won’t let or allow the big city to change him.

I opened the closet to look for something to wear. I already had my bath earlier. I chose my orange pleated knee-length skirt and my white short-sleeved crop top. I looked for my white platformed sneakers and settled on the outfit after wearing my undergarments. After brushing my hair, I then went to find my mom in the living room and asked her if she needed anything before, I went out to sell my beads, she only asked for water.

“Here,” I hand my mother a glass of water. “I will return before lunch. But if I run a little late, I made you a meal and left it in the microwave, okay,”

“Thank you, my baby girl. Be careful out there,”

“I will. I love you,”

“I love you too.”

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After walking for fifteen minutes, I got to my spot under the tree, two streets away from home. I opened my portable table and laid out all my beautiful work on it with price tags. I opened my chair and sat down and while I waited for people to come and buy, I started reading a story on my phone on Dreame App by Miss X called THE ITALIAN BOSS. I noticed that she even has book two of it called THE ITALIAN BOSS: OLD HABITS DIE HARD. For a person like me who loves Steamy Romance with bad, dominant and controlling men, and naïve girls, the book is for us. I am on chapter 7: THE COLLAR, and boy, listen to this part:

When I did not expect it, he holds my waist, lifting me to sit on the empty counter, right where I prepare the food.

"Sir, you can't do this. It is not appropriate." He spreads my legs apart – exposing my underwear beneath my skirt and gets in between them.

With his hands massaging my waist, he leans to my face, to the crook of my neck, and whispers:

"I can do anything I want, anywhere I want. Now, next time when I call you, you leave everything and obey me, am I clear?" My heart is already beating out of my chest, through my chef uniform. He licks my lips before he pulls my lower lip between his teeth.

Isn’t that hot? I am even drooling at the chemistry between Anastasia and Maurizio. I cannot wait to see where this will end.

“Hello, sis. How are you?” A woman Who is probably in her late 20s greets me. I put my cell phone away and stand up to assist the lady.

“Hello,” I greet with a smile. “How may I assist you?”

“I am looking for something traditional like earrings, necklace and bracelets and something for my ankles,”

“Usually, if a customer wants a custom-made design, I specially make them for them. If you want and if you are not in a hurry for them, I can start making them for you now,”

“The thing is, I am going to need them for my late coming of age ceremony on Saturday, will you be done by then?” Coming of age ceremony. Wow, this means that she is still a virgin. This is what I also wanted, but I broke my virginity already to someone I love and who is going to marry me.

“I will be done in two days. Leave me your details and I will call you the day after tomorrow,” I said.

“Wow. Others were telling me to wait for a week before they could finish my work. Do you do all this work by yourself?” She asks, touching the earrings.

“Yes, but my mother helps me sometimes,”

“It is beautiful. I will have the set of earrings and necklace for now. How much will that be?”

“R80,” I answered truthfully. She might have missed the price tag on the table.

“Affordable too. I love your work,” She complimented. I really enjoy watching my customers’ satisfied faces. They tell me that I am on the right track.

“Thank you,” I said.

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When the time hit noon, I started packing my things and carried my table and chair. Before I could even move from my spot, a guy came to me with a stick of matches sticking out of his lips. He does not look like he came with good intentions and that makes me so nervous.

“Leaving already?” He asks.

“I am sorry, but do you need anything?” I bravely ask, not showing him that I feel scared around him.

“I have been watching you since early in the morning and now that you are leaving, I want to help you carry your things to wherever you are going,”

“I am fine, thanks,” I say, dismissively.

“I insist,”

“I said I’m fine,” I raise my voice a little higher.

“How much did you make?” He asks, out of the blue.

“I need to go home, excuse me,” I say as I start walking but this man follows me and pulls me on my arm, forcing me to turn back.

“I hate it when I talk to someone and they do what you just did. How much did you make? Give me the money,” He grabs the table, making my chair fall and I turned, trying to run away but he grabbed my arm again, trying to take my bag but I fight him, screaming for help.

“Your fancy boyfriend is not here to help you. Just give me the f*****g bag, b***h,”

“No! Leave me alone. Help me, somebody help!” I scream, crying, but the man hits me on my shoulder and I stumble backward, letting go of my bag with my money, phone and my work. He was about to run when a car screech in front of him and the person driving it got off, holding a baseball bat, ready to panel beat the men.

“What do you think you are doing, huh? You attack women now?” I recognized the voice. I wiped my tears which were blinding me and I saw his very angry face. It is Vince, Enzo’s brother.

He hit the man on his knee very hard that the man fell to the ground and screamed like a girl.

“I am sorry, my brother. Please, I am begging you… aaaahhh!” Vince went for his back, mercilessly and just when he was about to hit the man for the third time, I screamed:

“Enough!” I could not watch nor hear the bat colliding with the man’s body anymore. It was too scary.

Vince looked at me and I could see the pettiness in his look. He withdraws the look from me and then back to the man on the ground who is crying.

“Get in the car,” He said.

“I am f…”

“GET IN THE CAR, NANDI.” He said, sternly.

I frowned and went to his car in the front seat. I watch him pick the man up and he collides his back with the tree and punches his face and kneed him between his legs. The man fell down and Vince got my things and came to put them in the car before he got in. I did not dare look at him. He is very intimidating.

“Put on your seatbelt,”

I quickly did and he started driving. I did not say anything until we got to my house; that is how scared I am of him. I am even scared to say an innocent word like thank you.

He parked outside my house, and I slowly removed the seatbelt on me.

Breathe in, and breath out. Repeating the process.

I heard a chuck and now I am forced to turn my head and face him.

“Do you want to say something, princess?” He asks. Wait, did he just call me princess?

“Uh, uhm…” Yes, I want to thank you but you make me scared.

“What was that?” He asks.

“I… Thank you for saving me and saving my things. I really appreciate it,”

“Just be careful next time. Maybe find a spot at a busy spot where you won’t be alone or why don’t you just sell from home?” I want to tell him that I don’t make enough sales as I do from my usual spot. I made R380 today and that is a lot than I can make from home. But he makes me scared I cannot even make eye contact with him, so I decided to thank him and bid him farewell and take my things and get out of his car, going to the house.

“Was that Vince?” My mother asks.

“Yes. I was walking home when he gave me a lift. Did you eat your food?” I cannot tell her about what just happened. She cannot know or she will think it is her fault and start blaming herself, saying if she was not sick, I wouldn’t have had to suffer, just like how I have a degree, but I sell beads in the corners of the streets, earning little money and sometimes I come back with nothing sold. I hate that she blames herself for her sickness because she thinks she is holding back my dreams. It is not like she called it upon her and I also do not mind doing what I do now because I want to see her better someday.

“Sweetheart, did you hear what I just said?” My mother calls out, standing behind me. I jump in fright and turn to her.

“Huh, Ma?”

“Are you Okay, Nandipa?”

“Yes, I am. Why?” I lie under my breath.

“Are you sure?”

“I am just tired,” I still lie.

“Oh, then you may go and rest,”

“What were you saying?”

“Oh, it was nothing. I just had a dream,” My mother says, but I wanted to know more.

“What was it about?”

“It was actually about your bedroom. Water was spilled all over, even on your bed. Pure clean water and then there was a dove on your windowsill, so peaceful,” I laughed.

“That is weird,” I said, going to my room. I threw myself on the bed and checked my phone for any messages. It was from my brother, asking if everything was alright. I texted him saying everything is good. I miss him so much.

‘Sorry I delayed sending money this month. I will ask my boss for an advance and I will send it to you, right away,’ He says.

‘Do not worry yourself, brother. Do not make any debts for yourself. Ma and I are good and I. Send the money when you have it,’ I answered.

‘Okay, take care of yourself. I love you, young blood, okay?’

‘I love you too, big brother.’

I then switched off my phone and closed my eyes. I am still shaking from what happened earlier. I feel so scared. I don’t know what would have happened if Vince did not get there on time. He saved me and my work.

I slowly drifted to sleep.

I was woken up later by my mother, calling my name and I woke up panting, breathing heavily.

"Mama," I called her.

"You were dreaming. It was only just a dream," She said, brushing my back but I shook my head, refusing.

"I had the same dream as yours," I said.

"That can only mean one thing," She said, leaving me on the bed, and walked out of my room.

What does she mean?

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