Age Is Nothing But A Number

Chapter Twenty Nine

I have been quiet and blankly staring at a wall. I could hear voices but couldn't make out which one belonged to who. Many people were talking at the same time...

"I just booked us tickets... Chloe please hurry the plane leaves in two hours..." I managed to make out Susan's voice there.

"Please take good care of her okay... we will shoot your scenes when you guys come back.." Stephanie said and the rest of the cast mumbled words agreeing with her.

"Can I talk to Thandy guys..." Stephanie said and they went out.

The couch I was sitting on sank down and I felt Steph's presence next to me. She cleared her throat, "honey... I know this came as a shock, worse because she was never sick and you guys spoke earlier.... I'm as stunned as you are... but just know that the team and I are supporting you and you can always talk to me about anything okay.."

I still kept quiet and didn't even blink. I felt her touch my face, "babe.."

I turned my head and looked at her. I opened my mouth trying to say something but nothing came out. I felt like my voice was failing me.

She held my cheek and caressed it....

Okay another think you didn't know is... I have realized that lately I attract old women.. And they weren't being secretive about it, even Steph was a bit touchy sometimes and she didn't give a f**k who said what..

"I'll call you.. I'm sure Susan is coming back with the car now... or do you want me to take you to the airport?"

I nodded my head.

She got up and helped me get up too, put her hand around me and helped me get out of the trailer.

She opened the car door and I got in. Then she fastened my safety belt and went to the front, "I'm driving you guys..."

"Thank you Steph..." Susan said and the car started moving.

They kept talking in the car but My mind wasn't there, it was in South Africa. My family, Bianca, Kat.. And everyone.. I was thinking about all the people I love including her. What happened? How did she die? Why didn't I sense that something wasn't okay...

Maybe I sensed it. How I felt in the morning before talking to my little sister and even trying to call Kat... My body did tell me that there was something wrong. I was tired and felt weird... I should have known and call her more.. maybe I'd have saved her, maybe she'd still be alive...

The car came to a stop removing me from my thoughts. They opened the door for me and Chloe out of nowhere embraced me in a hug.

Since all this ideal I haven't been able to cry tears, the only thing I did was create a scene by screaming, but even then, I had no tears. I wanted to cry I wanted to cry so much, but the person who could relies that was..

"It's going to be okay babe.. I know it's not easy, but it will be okay..." Chloe said. Then she pulled away and looked at me... I shook my head and for the first time since I heard about this I talked, "I want my Katherine..."

"Aww baby...." She pulled me into another hug, "It's going to be okay... everything happens for a reason... it will be okay..."

"We have to go..." Susan said. Chloe let go and wiped her tears,"I wish I was coming with you.. But shitty exams.... but I'll come for the funeral..."

"It's okay Chloe... they really need to leave..." Steph said and Chloe kissed my cheek before walking away..

Steph put a cap on me and handed one to Susan.

"We don't want fans delaying you.."

Ohh yeah one thing I forgot was that I now had bodyguards to even walk me to the mall. The episodes I shot before the graduations had played already and the kiss between Susan and I spark some viewers, not to mention how a lot of viewers were now shipping us.

So a lot of people recognised me more than before. It was nice and tiring sometimes, coz even now, if they approached me, I'd have to fake a smile as if I didn't find out that my .....

"This way please..." Steph directed me and Susan inside and we walked well with our disguise caps.

When we reached the gate we didn't even go to the queue, I was surprised when we were escorted inside by security... A few people had a questioning expression on their faces.. until one girl screamed, "It's Thandy and Susan from Glee.."

Right then people took out their phones and started taking pictures. Stephanie had her hands over my shoulder and was protecting me. Susan followed with her head high and the security guys followed us until we were far from the crowd.

After we settled in out our seats inside the plane Steph held my face and looked at me, "I will call as soon as you guys land okay..."

I pulled her into a hug. She pulled away after a few seconds and kissed my lips, "travel safe Susan okay.. And keep your eyes on her..."

Susan put her hand over my shoulder, "I got her Steph... we will call too..."

Steph went out and a few people got in. It announced that we will leave soon. Susan sat by the window and tried to explain to me about a sleeping arrangement that I didn't even understand, I didn't argue, I just let her be, coz my mind just wasn't there, I wanted myself at home.

I sat there and looked at the seat in front of me. Susan tried to talk to me but I wasn't listening. The airplane attendant came to us to take our orders and I didn't order anything.

My thoughts were all over the place, thinking about Kat, about Maud, about Sindy, about my dad, Maa Sophia, my mom.....And death. I was trying to figure out what happened and why it happens..

"Thandy babe you have to eat please..." Susan pleaded and I just ignored her.

"Thandy...."

My phone beeped. I quickly looked at it and saw a message from my sister saying,

Lil CC: "I AM SO SORRY... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH..."

I looked at my phone without blinking, until Susan took it from me and put it away.

I went back into looking blankly at the chair in front of me... I hated life.. it was just so f****d up...

...

After the longest flight and short sleeps we finally landed at home. Susan got our bags as we walked down the plane. I felt weird, like a piece of me was missing. I mean of course it was, but I just felt like s**t.

It was still hard to believe that she was gone for good. I mean the thought of not being able to see her and tell her face to face that I loved her was killing me inside.

We walked out of the plane and the afternoon breeze immediately hit me making my body shiver with coldness. God, I hated the October weather. I could see clouds coming together already and I knew serious rain was going to pour soon.

I felt a jacket on my shoulders and I put it on properly. I looked at her and smiled a bit. She smiled and started walking towards the gate. I followed.

When we finally reached the other side, I felt empty..And sad, and lost.... Then my eyes landed on her green eyes. She looked as torn as I was...

She got up from the chair she was seating on and limpered towards us. She reached us and stood in front of me. She looked at me...And I at her...

Finally, after what felt like forever she pulled me into a hug and held on tight and right at that moment, I couldn't help it, I couldn't stop myself anymore. I just let it happen because I felt like I needed it most.

My tears finally went down my cheeks as I cried on her shoulders. And talked once again, "Why? Why her?"

She brushed my back up and down, "I don't know.. only God can answer that.. but just know that I'm here okay and I am not going anywhere. It's not happening."

I held on tight as my body trembled while I let it all out. I couldn't believe it took me more than two days to finally cry about her... I couldn't believe it needed to be her in front of me to help me cry.

She pulled away and looked that me, I I let the tears run down my cheek, "it hurts.. it hurts so much please make it stop, please?"

She pulled my face to hers and rested my forehead to hers before pulling me into another hug.

"Now that you are here I can take care of you... I was really worried...." She whispered as I held on tight to her body.

She said something on the lines of, "thank you Susan... it means a lot..."

"It's what friends are for. I'm sure she'd have done the same for me too..." Susan said behind me.

She pulled away from me and and put her hand over my shoulder, "let's go guys... The car is waiting..."

When we reached the outside on our way to the car, paparazzi suddenly appeared from nowhere and snapped pictures.

Bianca opened the door and lead me in, then she helped Susan with the bags before the two sat on the front sit as Bianca started driving.

I was behind in her arms.

The drive home seemed to be taking time and it was just Pissing me off, I sighed and looked at her, "what happened?"

She shook her head, "we will talk about this when we get home please..."

I shook my head too, I needed to know now or else I was going to go crazy, "what happened? Was she in a car accident? Did she get killed? Tell me I'm losing my mind here..."

She just stared at me and said nothing.

I groaned, "please.... I really need to know what happened to her. We talked on the Phone and eleven hours later she's dead? No! What happened?"

"I don't think I should tell you now please.. just wait until we get home..."

"Fine then... don't tell me.. but who told you?" I said feeling defeated since she couldn't answer my initial question.

"Your dad called me..."

I furrowed my brows at her... did she say my dad called her?

She shook her head, "I was surprised too when I saw the call, but I took it and then he told me what happened..."

"And....why did he call you?"

She sighed and looked outside the window.

"Kat!" I said, "we both know how my dad feels about you... why did he call you?"

"Because there was a letter for me... And Maudy..."

I shook my head in disbelief as I registered what the f**k happened to her, "noooo..."

"Baby I'm sorry...."

"She was okay, we talked on the Phone and she was okay.. why? Why did she kill herself?" I asked the last question more to myself.

God why? We talked a lot and had so much plans and she does this? Who pushed her? My parents? Or was me not being there when she needed me that much getting to her?

I laid on Kat's chest with my eyes closed playing the last phone call over and over in my head. How she said she loves me. I should have known that something was wrong. I mean she tells me every time we talk but today's was different. And the bloody empty sms I got from her? Now things started to add up. God I wish....

"Hey...." My girlfriend said as the car came to a stop, I looked at her and she kissed my forehead, "Don't think about it a lot...."

Bianca and Susan got out and took our bags from the back of the car.

I looked at Kat as tears started to build again. I couldn't stop myself I just let them flow down my cheeks.

She wiped them both and kissed my lips, "I'm here... okay..."

I nodded, "please don't leave me no matter what... please..."

She pulled me into a hug and then whispered, "I won't... I'll never do that even in your wildest dreams....."

"Promise?"

"I promise..."

"Thank you...."

She pulled away, "wanna go in?"

"Do I have a choice?"

We both got out and I realized she was limpering again, I then decided to ask, "Baby what's wrong with your leg..."

"I'm getting old..." She said and laughed but I gave her a straight face, "no jokes..."

She sighed, "Don't freak out... I fell after getting the Phone call...I can't remember anything after that."

She fell? Oh God, Kat loved my sister that much? But I suppose they were close since she said she talked to her the same day.

"Are you okay Kat?"

She took my hand and started walking towards the gate, "I'm fine now that you are here... you are all I need..."

"I love you... so much and on set that day I felt like s**t and I thought you weren't okay.. When Bianca refused to tell me what happened I felt like I was going to go crazy..."

"I didn't want her to worry you more, so I specifically asked her not to say anything about me... I'm sorry..."

I nodded and she opened the front door. We both walked in. There were a few people sitting on the couch and my dad walked in from the kitchen.

I looked around the room and didn't see Maa Sophia, a little part of me thought I'd find Sindy here and this will all turn to a prank. I looked at her favorite couch and found Aunt Mavis sitting there. Tears started to build in. So this was real.. She was gone?

My dad cleared his throat, I looked at him and found him looking at me and then at the hand that was joined with Kats.

My girlfriend wanted to let go but I held her and looked at her, "if you let go of this hand... you are leaving..."

Her eyes shot wide open at me, "Thandy...."

I shook my head, "try me baby....try Me....I'm tired of my dad. He should respect you and us..."

She sighed in defeat and I nodded to the women who were there. Then I proceeded to my bedroom.

Bianca was already there with Susan. Kat looked at me, "did you book something for Susan?"

I shook my head, "no... And I'm not going to, she doesn't have bodyguards so she'll sleep here with me..."

She kept quiet. I went to my bed and laid down. Bianca got up, "I'll go get you guys something to eat.."

"Did you eat?" Kat asked and I shook my head.

"When last did you?" She asked again and I shrugged.

"Baby come on you ne..."

My bedroom door suddenly opened cutting Kat mid sentence revealing my father, he looked at the three of us.

"Thandy honey...."

I just stared at him and said nothing. I honestly didn't feel like saying anything at the moment coz I was afraid I'd say something shitty to him...And I suppose this wasn't the right time.

"Thandy..."

I looked at Kat, "I'm tired... I'll sleep."

"Food?"

I sighed, my girlfriend really wasn't going to give this up, "Baby..."

She shook her head, "no... it's been two days. You need to eat.."

I sighed, "okay fine... When I wake up then, can I please sleep now?"

She nodded and I laid on my stomach next to Susan.

"Thandy we need to talk..." my father said and without even thinking I said, "Can someone tell my dad to leave..."

It went quiet for a bit and I thought he got the message. I was surprised when I heard him say, "I'm not going anywhere until we talk..."

Oh God that got to me, I was about to get up and tell him to go to hell but my girlfriend responded politely, "Mr Phakathi... Thandy...."

"..is my daughter and I'll deal with her thank you..." dad cut her off Pissing me off more.

Kat spoke again, "I know she's your daughter Mr Phakathi but she just flew in and is still in shock, please give her time to rest and then..."

"I know how to be a parent Dr Omarley... leave my daughter to me..."

That was enough, I quickly got up, "I haven't been here an hour and already you are causing a scene... please leave..."

"Thandy...."

I shook my head, "Daddy no... leave me alone and most importantly, leave Kat alone.. can I get some rest... or are you going to push me to a limit where I feel there's not reason for me to live and I end up killing myself like Sindy did too? Is that what you want? Me dead because I don't listen to you. Your word and your word only...?"

Kat held my shoulder trying to calm me down but it was too late, I started this, I might as well explain it to him, "my sister is dead probably because you were down her throat that she saw no way out... so don't you dare stand there and say you wanna talk to me about something you are responsible for.. leave me alone...."

Then I laid back in bed and started to cry again...