Elvis
sat slowly on the couch, keeping his gaze set on Sabina’s face, willing her to
look at him. She didn’t. Her eyes were completely focused on Sly, on what he
had to say, on the abuse, and disrespect and anger in his voice, his face, and
his gesticulations.
It
was a beautiful spring morning. The air was cool, and refreshing. Elvis had
joined his friend, Sly, and her girlfriend, Sabina, for breakfast in Sly’s
two-bedroom apartment, in middle-class Johannesburg… though much of the
mealtime had been a disaster for the trio.
“And
I keep telling you this, I keep telling you.” Sly stood away from her and
glared back at her pale face. “I keep telling you,” he repeated, “warning you.
Warning you!”
She
looked at her hands for a brief moment and returned her gaze to his face. “I’m
sorry.”
Elvis
felt like jumping up, just to catch her attention.
“That
is exactly what I hate about you!” Sly’s voice rang out abnormally, startling the
other two. Elvis got to his feet. “I hate it when you apologise!” Sly closed in
on her but Elvis had seen it coming. He threw himself between the two and
withstood his friend.
“Not
again!” Elvis whispered.
Sly
glared at his best friend for only a second and sighed heavily. “Tell her to
get out of my house,” he growled.
Elvis
turned to Sabina and held out his hand to her. She reluctantly took it,
avoiding his gaze, and stood up.
From
behind, Sly stole a punch that caught her between her neck and shoulder. Her
long hair flung across her face as her neck snapped forward and she gave a yelp
of pain.
Elvis
flung her behind him. “What was that for, Sly?”
“Just
get her out of my sight!”
Without
a word, Elvis pulled Sabina after him and strode out angrily. His car key was
in his pocket and he brought it out.
Sabina
stopped short, snatching her hand out of his. “Where are we going?”
Elvis
looked puzzled. “A ride or something. Just to allow him to cool off.”
“I’m
not going anywhere with you...”
“You
want him to beat you up?”
“Going
out will not cool him off. In fact, it will heat him up!”
Elvis
looked around. He would really want to have a talk with the girl, and there was
no place private enough.
“Let’s
sit in my car then... I want us to talk.”
She
hesitated and then shrugged. Without a word, she followed him to sit in the
car.
“Look,
I know what you’re thinking,” she said before he could speak. “I love him and
he loves me and we come a long way...”
Elvis
decided not to perambulate either. “I love him too but the cruelty I see here
beats me!”
She
chuckled. “It’s not cruelty. That’s just him. He has a temper problem and I’m
praying for him about it.”
“Can
I be sincere with you?” He stared at her. She was a very beautiful woman. One
of the prettiest he’d seen. The first time he met her, shortly after his wife,
Angie, died a year earlier, he’d been attracted to her, despite his grief.
She
shrugged nonchalantly.
“My
friend does not have a temper problem...”
She
opened her mouth to protest but he held up his hand to stop her.
“Sly
will never and I repeat never, allow a man to hit his sister...”
“I
know...”
“Let
me speak, please.” His voice sounded strange. He didn’t want to sound emotional
but he was hurting. She slouched in the seat and rolled her eyes. He wanted,
needed her to be interested in what he had to say.
“I
got to town two days ago and watched him flog you like a kid...”
She
sat up angrily. “I was wrong. I upset him!”
He
knew she didn’t upset him that day. She misunderstood him, and he flogged her
instead of offering a simple explanation.
Elvis
shook his head expressly. “And that gives him a right to whip with his belt?”
He got very upset. “What are you telling me, Sabina? Why would you let him
treat you that way? He’s taking you for granted. He’s cruel to you. He hates
you!”
“He
doesn’t!” she shouted back. “You call yourself his friend, yet you say bad
things about him. What kind of friend are you?”
Her
words took him aback. He kept quiet for a long moment and then took her face in
his hands. There were faint marks; marks his friend had inflicted.
“One
day, I’ll tell you about my wife, Angie. She died of AIDS because she refused
to get help. She wouldn’t because she was stubborn, proud and plain
unreasonable!” He heaved a heavy sigh. “I loved her very much...” He dropped
his hands and rubbed them over his face. “I’m just a friend and a visitor in
Sly’s house, and he treats you like this around me... I wonder how he treats
you when you two are alone!”
“He’s
nice and kind to me,” she found her voice. “I’m sorry about your wife, I never
met her but Sly spoke highly of her...”
“Probably
because they had a lot in common. While he abused you, she abused me!”
Sabina
got out of the car angrily. “I think Sly should be better now. Thank you for
saving me!”
She
walked briskly toward the entrance of the house and only stopped when he called
out to her.
“Sabina!”
She
turned to look at him.
“Promise
me you’ll leave him the next time he hits you!”
She
stood rooted, her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened, then she swung round
hastily and disappeared into the house.
He
knew his request had shocked her. Knew she wouldn’t. Sly had been dating her
for almost three years and had hit her from the very beginning. Her brief gaze
had told him her answer. They were clear in her eyes.
Sadly,
Elvis slumped back in his seat. He took a deep breath, and sped away. He was
leaving town. He’d gotten a new job in Pretoria and had hoped to visit with his
long-time friend before leaving. Well, it had ended on a sour note. There was
nothing more he could do. The choice was Sabina’s!
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