The Unexpected Princess (Completed)

Chapter 22

“Are you there yet?” Anthony drew his cell phone from his ear to stare at it as he experienced a moment of déjà vu.

He looked around him expecting to see a hunched over figure in a white shirt and black pants sitting next to a stall amid a crowd. But all he saw was art work on walls, a plush sitting area of the lobby and the ever present patrons of the hotel.

He wasn’t in the village, but in his hotel.

The hotel that was his pride and joy. For the past year he had worked himself to the ground to see his vision realized. And it was a vision. In the two weeks of its grand opening it had garnered much acclaim and success.

Anthony knew there was much to come, because he wasn’t done yet. He returned his phone to his ear to hear his brother call out his name.

“Yeah, I’m here. It was a minor mishap in the kitchen. The head chef had it sorted before I even arrived.” He said making his way to the elevator that will lead him to the underground parking of the hotel. “He’ll be conducting the interviews soon.”

“He chased you out didn’t he?” Mogale laughed heartily. Anthony shook his head. Samuel Dube could be stringent with his kitchen rules. He believed the kitchen was his domain and Anthony had no right to interfere.

“Yes,” Anthony said grudgingly, he wanted to be part of the interviews. He didn’t want just anybody working in his hotel. He had set a certain standard and he wanted to uphold it.

Mogale laughed harder.

“So you didn’t have to rush off before we could sit down to the lunch my wife spend days putting together?” Mogale asked his humour fading. Anthony could hear the irritation in his every word.

“I guess not.” Anthony said his voice thick from the lump of guilt that had formed in his throat. He had rushed out of Mogale’s home as fast as he could when a call from the hotel came.

He didn’t know what it was but he felt like he was suffocating, especially around them. They were a reminder of what he couldn’t have. Even though he didn’t believe in love, after Naledi there was an ache in his heart he didn’t know how to heal or ignore. And being around Mogale and his wife was becoming difficult as he could see the evidence of what his brother had told him a year ago right before his eyes.

They were so in love there was no denying it. His brother might have married his wife because their father had meddled in their affairs, but they had a connection that was strong and real, even a non-believer like him could see it.

And Anthony felt…he shook his head. He didn’t want to think about how he felt. He had ignored his feeling for so long, sometimes he imagined he didn’t have them

“Are you alright man?” Anthony heard his brother ask. He realized he’d been standing there staring at the lifts, not moving.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Anthony said pressing the down button. “Stop worrying Mogale.”

“You know I can’t do that.” Mogale went silent for a while. He was hesitating to say what was on his mind. Anthony immediately knew he was not going to like what he had to say. He ground his teeth waiting for his brother to say his peace.

“You’ve been working none stop ever since you came back last year. The hotel is doing better than we thought it would. Don’t you think it’s time you slowed down?”

“I’ll do that as soon as everything is settled.” Anthony got into the lift, and pressed the button for the underground parking.

“For some reason I don’t believe you.” Mogale said with a sigh. “You’re going to have to make it up to my son. He can’t grow up without his uncle. He hasn’t seen you in months.”

“I will,” Anthony said with a laugh, remembering the spunky little boy who had more of him in him than his father. “I promise to come and spend time with him.”

“You better.”

Anthony nodded even though Mogale couldn’t see him. It was time to return to the world of the living. Ever since he came back from the dance he’s kept busy with work not leaving room for his mind to wonder because he always ended up seeing her – her glowing and enticing skin and her shimmering eyes. She was always there in his mind waiting for him to let his guard down.

Anthony closed his eyes shutting his mind. He couldn’t have that not now.

Not now.

Gauta was taking her sweet time thinking about whether to agree to their marriage of convenience or not.

Anthony wasn’t sure what to make of her hesitation. A year later they were nowhere near coming to a decision. He needed to call her, Anthony decided as the doors came open and he walked out to his car.

***

Naledi stared as the large glass doors of the Moon Dance Hotel opened and closed as people passed through. Through the glass doors she could see a massive staircase winding around a chandelier that dropped down from the ceiling in a cascade of silvery light to the floor. On the walls were gilded mirror and nice art pieces. Plush sitting areas dotted the opens spaces of the lobby giving off an air of relaxation and comfort. Everything gleamed and looked expensive.

Naledi stared at it one last time and made her way to the staff entrance where the security guard had informed her the interviews were being conducted. As she passed the glass doors something caught her eye inside. She stared at the bank of elevators.

Her stomach flipped over and for a minute she couldn’t breathe. Naledi placed her right hand to her stomach. She thought she saw…her heart sped up in her chest as his name sounded in her head…Anthony.

Naledi took a tentative step forward her, eyes trained on the lifts. But there was no one there.

She closed her eyes willing her heart to normal. Opening her eyes again she forced herself to move. She made her way towards the staff entrance. Her hand shook where she had placed it on her stomach.