The Unexpected Princess (Completed)

Chapter 26

The next morning Naledi woke up with a massive headache. She’d gone to bed angry and disappointed with her life. And she’d cried herself to sleep.

She’d known that Dineo was giving up so much of her life, but she hadn’t known just how much that was. She couldn’t believe she had someone and she didn’t even bother to tell her.

Naledi walked into the kitchen still mulling over what happened last night. She walked to the sink and stared out the window seeing nothing.

She didn’t want to be responsible for ruining Dineo’s life. And yet it seemed she was. What about the guy she left behind? Will he still be there after she had been away for so long? Naledi didn’t know. She had ruined any chance of happiness for her friend, because she was out chasing her own.

What was she going to do?

“You always give me the creeps when you do that, staring into space like you can see the future or something,” Dineo said walking into the kitchen. She didn’t sound angry. Naledi turned to her taking note of her appearance.

Dineo always looked like something out of a fantasy film in the mornings with her hair coiled atop her head, like a unicorn horn, and beauty cream streaking her face like war-paint, the tail of her gown bellowed behind her like a cape.

“I’m sorry about last night. It’s just…” Naledi took a deep breath not sure how to say her next words. “I feel like I took you away from your life already, and when you told me that there was someone waiting for you back home. I flipped.”

Dineo stared at her for a minute not saying anything, “You didn’t drag me away from anything. I needed this too,” she finally said.

“Why? You were doing so well back home. Your business was thriving and you were happy.” Naledi felt tears fill her eyes. She had truly ruined Dineo’s life.

“Yes, my business was doing better, but money isn’t everything.”

“What about him? You have nothing to say about him.”

“It’s complicated and I…let’s just say I needed this as much as you did,” Dineo said, they stared at each other for a minute. Naledi took the hint.

“Okay, if you say so.” Naledi slowly turned to the kettle to boil water for tea. She let the subject drop even though she didn’t believe a single word Dineo said. There was something there her friend didn’t want to talk about. She’ll tell her when she was ready, Naledi thought. She filled the kettle and set it on the stove.

“Now, will you go with me to the flea market? I need to check it out.” Dineo asked still standing where Naledi had left her.

“Yeah, sure.” Naledi agreed. She had nothing to do anyway beside wait for a call from the hotel. And waiting for it alone in the flat will be a grueling experience. Walking around the market will definitely distract her.

***

The flea market was situated in central Pretoria and was held in what looked like a roofed parking lot with dangling lights up above and a small stage set to the side. As they walked in they were met by the sounds of drums and the laughter of people as they moved around. Tables were set in rows, and people had their wares laid out in colourful displays to be sold. Artists had their paintings hanging on the walls for better effect. The vibe was exciting and contagious that Naledi found herself bobbing her head to the music.

Joy filled her, and she felt the tension she had been carrying around yesterday disappear. It felt like she was home, sitting at Dineo’s stall, enjoying the colourful displays and the energy of the people as they moved around.

“It looks like it could be something to behold at night,” Dineo mused out loud. Naledi was thinking the same thing. With the lights and cozy setting, there was no denying that.

“We should stay until then, and see for ourselves.”

Dineo turned to her, her lips turned into a surprised smile. “I never thought I’ll hear you say that. Of all the places we’ve been to you never wanted to be outside at night.”

“Those places were nothing like this.”

Naledi smiled wide, Dineo joined her. They smiled like they won the lottery.

After thirty minutes of walking around Dineo decided to go see the guy who recommended the place.

“I like it,” she said as she walked into the mini office they had on site. Naledi watched their exchange from the side. She decided to give them some privacy so they could talk business. She left walking around the tables, checking out things she might like. Her cell phone rang in her bag and she quickly reached for it.

Displayed on the screen was a landline number. Her heart hammered in her chest as she imagined the possibility. She stared at her phone thinking of the hotel. She debated to herself. It was too soon for them to call or wasn’t it?

“Are you going to answer that?” Naledi jumped at the sound of Dineo’s voice behind her. She stared at the phone again, and quickly answered it.

“Hello,” she said her voice sounded gruff and tight. She was so nervous, her left hand kept opening and closing.

“Yes, this is she.” Naledi watched Dineo’s eyes dilate and become huge. She seemed to be holding her breath as she waited for Naledi to tell her the news. Naledi couldn’t stop smiling as she heard the words that she knew will change her life forever. Working at the hotel was going to be the greatest moment of her life. Even when she returned to her life in the village, she’ll cherish this moment forevermore. The call ended and Naledi couldn’t stop herself from staring at the phone.

“What, what? Tell me. The suspense is killing me.” Dineo jumped in place in excitement. Naledi joined her. They jumped around like school girls at the playground. She was sure they looked like fools to the other people staring at them.

“I got it,” she whispered pulling Dineo close.

“I knew you were going to be great wherever you go.” Dineo hugged her back.

Naledi saw tears in her eyes as she pulled away. She was truly happy for her. Hers filled up too. “Greatness follows you.” Dineo said in a whisper. Her voice sounded mystical.

Naledi felt a shiver run through. She giggled, and twirled around.

“Are you ready?” Dineo said pulling her to the empty chairs at the back. They sat down.

“Ready for what?”

“We are going to celebrate, remember? Tonight is the night.”

“Yes.” Naledi said nothing was going to dim her happiness, even the prospect of gallivanting around town at night.

“And… I was thinking we should invite Dr Maatle for you two to get reacquainted,” Dineo said cautious. Last night her introduction of the subject hadn’t gone well. “I mean. He left the village around the time we did coming back to his home town.”

“He lives here?” Naledi asked. Her stomach squeezed nervously. She didn’t know what to say. If she refused it would be clear that she was still hung up on the prince. A condition she shouldn’t be in if she wanted to be sane. Naledi bit her lip, her mind working overtime.

“Yes. He was only volunteering at the village. He asked about you when we met. It was a miracle that we did, because I don’t normally walk aimlessly around town.”

Naledi listened to Dineo. She was laying it on thick. She could tell she wanted her to meet up with the doctor. Naledi couldn’t blame her. She hasn’t been with anyone, ever. The prince was the only man she’s ever kissed, and touched.

She shook her head. He couldn’t be the only man. She had to move on. Plastering a smile on her face, Naledi nodded. It was definitely time to move on.

And the doctor was a good place to start. She had found him to be handsome that short time she’d seen him at the dance.

“Yeah?” Dineo stared at her not sure what she was saying, and afraid to jump to conclusions.

“Why not.” Naledi looked away. “It could be fun.”

“Yes, it’s going to be fun. We can go home now, get ready and then come back to watch the lights.” Dineo was already getting to her feet, “I’ll tell him to meet us here.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Naledi said with forced enthusiasm. She hoped her voice didn’t as fake as it did to her own ears.

They walked back to their flat in silence. Dineo opting to give Naledi space to deal with whatever it was rattling in her mind. Dineo had suspected that there was something that was holding her back. But she wasn’t sure what it was, whether it was her experience with the prince, because she never talked about it. Dineo remembered the prince’s unexpected visit that night of the dance. He had spent a long time in Naledi’s room.

Dineo wondered what happened in there.

She bit her lip not daring to think about it. She hadn’t told Naledi about it as it was. There was no reason to. Her friend had to move on anyway. Or her heart was going to break when the prince did marry someone else.

Dineo vowed to help her any way she could.