empty these suitcases,” Julia says.
Ignoring her, I grab some clothes and head into my bathroom to change. Why bother to unpack when I might be out of here within days?
As I’m changing, Charlene barges into the bathroom without knocking. “ Kom, kom, kom! Meneer doesn’t like to be kept waiting. He is a very impatient man.”
A closed door does not mean a thing to her, obviously.
“Okay,” I say holding up my top in front of me.
After her eyes drag over my semi-nakedness, she leaves.
As I dress, I try to wrap my head around the situation I’m in – it’s Friday, the day I got married to a stranger. The day I became a wife to a pig I do not know. I’m now living in a beautiful mansion in Clifton and am currently being bullied by two nasty colored maids.
I walk back into the bedroom, rummage through my suitcases and find my make-up. Under the watchful and critical eyes of the two bitches in my room, I run a brush through my hair, put on some light make-up and slip on a pair of heels.
When I finally look in the mirror, I’m not sure if I am over-dressed in pair of white shorts and a mustard, strappy top.
“Where’s your bikini?” Charlene asks.
“Don’t wear bikinis,” I say.
She jerks back. “Why not?”
I shrug. “Just don’t.” No need to mention that I have body issues and that I’m a lights off girl.
“Mff.”
I ignore their synchronized eye-rolling.
I leave them and run down to the kitchen where I try to find stuff to make coffee.
As I do, the evil twins appear.
“Hope you are not messing up my kitchen,” Charlene says as she takes a seat on a chair and puts her feet up.
Without answering, I help myself to coffee from the machine, spoon in two sugars and add milk to it.
I hurriedly down the lukewarm coffee then leave the kitchen.
By the time I get to the party, Tarago is dancing with his hands in his air to Dance Sum More by Mango Groove. His face is red, his shirt is opened to reveal a hairy chest and his eyes are bloodshot.
He looks a mess to me.
I’m taken aback when I see some of the girls swimming topless. To see so many boobs out in the open is a little confrontational to me. Nobody seems to mind or even take notice of them.
A couple in the pool are kissing and openly fondling each other. Nobody gives them a second look either.
The pool meanders around the property, offering privacy and uninterrupted views of the ocean. In the distance I see more people swimming. Topless.
A mini version of the Playboy mansion. What have I let myself in for?
“ Nou daar’s vyf (now there’s five!)” Tarago says when he spots me.
Everyone stops to stare at me. I turn crimson under their stares.
“ Vyf! Vyf! Vyf!” Tarago sings with his hands in the air, like the moron he is.
Jooste, the guy with the crew cut and tattoos, the one who wagered with Tarago, claps his hands. “ Boet (brother) I owe you a rand.”
He runs off to his jeans, rifles through his pocket, fetches a rand and gives it to Tarago. Like a trophy, Tarago kisses the rand and holds it up for all to see.
All the sheep clap.
“How did you do it?” Jooste asks.
Tarago shrugs. “I have my ways.” He looks at me. “ Kom dance met my, vyf.”
Irritated, I ignore his request to dance and take my surly face to the bar. “An orange juice, please.” I feel so out of place that I look longingly up at my room.
When I turn around again, Tarago is being dragged into the pool by the three blondes.
In the water, I watch him pick up the girls and toss them back into the water like beach balls. They shriek and get on his back and try to drown him. Unsuccessfully – he appears to be a really strong swimmer.
He looks at me and flexes his fingers. “ Kom hier vyf!”
“ Vyf ? Why vyf , Tarago?” Jooste, who now takes off his shirt to reveal a tattoo of a snake that extends from navel to neck, asks.
“Cos, Jooste, Tarago rated her five out of ten,” one of the blonde answers.
I recognize her – she