Mmabatho woke up to the faint buzz of her phone on the nightstand. Squinting, she reached for it and read the text.
Andile: Good morning, gorgeous. Be ready in an hour. I've got a surprise planned.
Her stomach did a little flip. A surprise? She shot up from the bed, wide awake now. She practically ran to her closet, scanning for the perfect outfit. After a few minutes of deliberation, she settled on a flowy yellow sundress paired with chunky white sandals. It gave off the effortless, carefree vibe she was going for.
By the time she was done with her light makeup and had let her blonde braids hang naturally, her phone rang again.
"Hello?" she answered, already knowing who it was.
"Hey," Andile's smooth voice greeted her. "I'm at your gate, can you tell your security guard to let me in?"
Her cheeks warmed. "I'll call them now."
Five minutes later, there was a knock on her door. She opened it to see Andile standing there in a crisp white linen shirt and black chinos, holding a bouquet of red roses.
"Wow," she said, taking in the sight of him.
Andile grinned. "I could say the same thing about you." He handed her the flowers. "These are for you."
"Thank you," she said softly, stepping aside to let him in.
"Ready for our day?" he asked, his smile still lighting up his face.
She nodded. "Let me just put these in water."
Their first stop was Sandton City, where Andile insisted on treating her to a shopping spree.
"You really don't have to," Mmabatho said for the tenth time as they walked into another boutique.
"Stop fighting it," Andile replied with a smirk. "It's happening."
"I don't want you to think I'm taking advantageâ"
Andile stopped walking and turned to her, a playful yet serious look in his eyes. "Khululeka mama. I want to do this." (Relax mama)
She eventually gave in, picking out a few itemsâa soft cardigan, a maternity dress, and some cute sneakers.
As they approached the cashier, she reached for her bag, but Andile was faster.
"You're not paying," he said firmly, handing over his card.
"Andile, this is too muchâ"
"Not even close," he interrupted.
After the shopping spree, they headed to Tang for lunch.
"This place is stunning," Mmabatho said as they walked in.
"Only the best for you," Andile replied, pulling out her chair for her.
She smiled, feeling a little spoiled but not hating it.
Over plates of sushi and dim sum, they laughed and talked like they'd known each other forever.
"So," Andile said between bites, "how are you feeling? With the pregnancy, I mean."
"Honestly? It's been a rollercoaster," Mmabatho admitted. "Some days are good, and other days I just want to cry over the smallest things. Like yesterday, I cried because I dropped my phone."
Andile chuckled. "That's valid. Phones are expensive."
She laughed, feeling lighter. "But seriously, I'm doing okay. I just want to make sure the baby is healthy."
"You're doing an incredible thing," he said, his tone sincere.
Her laughter faded into a small, grateful smile. "Thank you. That means a lot."
When Andile pulled up to her apartment later, the mood had shifted. There was an easy silence between them as she turned to him.
"Today was really nice," she said, her voice soft.
"It was," he agreed, his eyes meeting hers.
Before she could say anything else, Andile leaned in, and his lips brushed against hers. It wasn't rushed or dramaticâit was simple, gentle, and just enough to make her heart race.
When he pulled back, he smiled. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," she whispered, stepping out of the car with her shopping bags and roses in hand.