54
It was months until he saw her again. He was alone in the room thinking about the other boys, wondering how they were all faring. He thought about Tshepo. It was how many months now? Three? Four? The year was almost over, he would be 16 before the turn of the new year.
He wondered when he would ever get to work. He suspected the other boys were getting paid by now for their services. Maybe Fredrick had forgotten about him? The blind girl had said he never brought in foreigners so what if Fredrick had forgotten he was there? He wanted to work in order to save as much as he could to leave Gabore. Yet all he did all day was check the rooms, he had found the library during one of his explorations. It had floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with leather-bound books. He excitedly flipped through pages as days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Then the year ended. He ended the new year with as much knowledge about the countries of the world outside Gabore as anyone who had visited them.
But his thirst for knowledge began to dry when the loneliness of his room kept him awake one night. He thought about his mother. Did she miss him? He knew she did. His father, however… could go to hell for all Nate cared.
Laying on his bed in the dark thinking about all these things Nate suddenly sat upright when he thought he heard a sound. It wasn’t unusual that he should hear muffled noises at night; Fredrick’s guards were always changing shifts watching over the house under the covers of dark after all. Yet this one was a soft hum. The girl!
He excitedly listened for it again but all he heard was the closing of a door. He swung his leg over the side of the bed and stood up to pad toward the door. There he pressed his ear against the door to listen for it again.
A door swung open again and the hum began. Almost immediately Nate swung open his own door to see the blind girl walking away from the room he knew was Mr. Fredrick’s. His excitement died when he saw her outfit. She wore a light slip so transparent that in the dim light of the hallway, he could see the outlines of her youthful body.
He frowned, his young heart dropping. Of course, she was Mr. Fredrick’s mistress. He should have known. He was about to take a step back into the room to nurse his broken heart when she stopped humming and cocked her head to the side. She then made a full turn and stared straight down the hallway at him. For a long time, she looked without seeing and Nate didn’t want to move to alert her of his presence, he didn’t want her to know he had seen her. Yet somewhere in his young heart, he was heartbroken.
After what seemed like an eternity she turned and walked away, down the stairs. Nate, sweating, finally entered the room, closing the door softly.
The next morning however he was surprised by a visit from her. He had just stood up to answer the knock at the door and there she was in a brown skirt and a white cotton shirt.
“You saw me yesterday,” she said without preamble.
“U-uh n-no I didn’t.”
“You saw me coming out of Mr. Fredrick’s room, why didn’t you say anything?”
He couldn’t deny it now yet he didn’t want to confirm what she was saying.
“You know I see better than you,” she said. “I see the wind and the sounds it carries. Why didn’t you say anything?”
When she reached out to feel his face he moved back. “I didn’t want to judge you. Everyone has their reasons for things they do so I can’t blame you for being his mistress.”
Her sudden choked-out laughter surprised him. She laughed so hard that she stumbled and he reached out to aid her before he could think better of it.
“Where did you get that idea? I am not Mr. Fredrick’s mistress,” she chuckled. Her fingers molded his growing biceps as she clung to him. “Mr. Fredrick has no use for me.”
His heart was hopeful. She was stable now but he couldn’t bring himself to take his hands off her neither did he want her to let go of him just yet. He loved the softness of her curves pressing against him and this close he could see just how fiery her red hair was, even her lashes were reddish brown. And she smelled nice. He liked it.
“Are you sure?” he asked tentatively.
She stared at him without seeing him for a long time, then her hand touched his face and she felt around until she touched his mouth then she leaned forward and kissed him. It was an innocent kiss that changed Nate forever. When she leaned back she was smiling and the corners of her eyes crinkled in a teasing manner.
“I like you.”
He didn’t care what she might have been doing in Mr. Fredrick’s room anymore. She liked him, he was fine with that.
She dropped her arms and took another step back. “What is your name?”
“Nathaniel.”
“The other boys who have lived here boys never spoke to me, they pass me by in the halls when they see me. You are the only one who has spoken to me.”
“What is your name?”
“Anele.”
It was a beautiful name and Nate thought it suited her.
She held out her hand to him. “If you haven’t been given out to serve yet do you want to come with me to town?”
He was caught off guard by her request but he didn’t say no. He excused himself to put on his sandals and when they stepped out she slipped her hand into his as they walked out into the sun-bathed town.
“You are a nice boy, Nathaniel.”
He didn’t feel very nice, especially with the hatred in his heart against his father but he didn’t say anything. He loved how she walked though, she didn’t stumble. She seemed to know every corner without having to click her mouth. He loved how she subtly leaned against him. It felt like a dream that she wanted to be with him, be seen with him especially since all he knew was being alone. He hoped she wouldn’t notice his slight tremor. She was his second friend after Tshepo and if he were given a choice at that moment he would have chosen her over Tshepo.
People called out to her as they walked and she waved in off directions with a smile. She had a softness to her that contrasted sharply with her strength.
She must have sensed his awe because she turned her head up and smiled at him. It awed him how just one encounter made him head over heels in love with her. He hoped she would kiss him again after the day was over.
“Is there somewhere you want to go?”
At that moment he wanted to be wherever she was but through his love-struck thoughts, he remembered the one person he loved more than life itself. “My mother.”
She nodded. “Let’s go. You can introduce me to her,” she said in her usual cheerful way.
