‘We’re in this together,’ she’d tell Kaavi. And Kaavi lapped it up.
What she didn’t know was that Misha Ramnarain was a venomous snake disguised as a beautiful 19-year-old. Misha showed her true colours when the agency’s owner announced an audition to model for a new up-and-coming designer. She lied to the agency’s owner, saying that Kaavi was starting a rebellion, inciting other models to speak up about working conditions. The owner didn’t even give her a chance to defend herself. He kicked her out. By then, Sen had returned to South Africa and she had to get back on her feet – alone.
She then signed up with YZLModels, a decision that changed her life. She became a supermodel because Bertie and his wife, Romy, believed in her. They insisted that all their models should have a PlanB. Hers? She studied online for her communications degree. She had it all, except friends. Then, Bertie and Romyclosed shop and moved to Spain. Kaavi got an agent, but he was hardly her friend.
Her friends in Rally were really her cousin’s friends. They never made her feel left out or like she was just tagging along, but she knew that without Sen’s introduction Anni, Sam and even Sven would not have been her friends. Still, she needed someone to spill her secret to. She was so desperate that for a millisecond she even considered her grandfather’s housekeeper, Aunty Morgie.
She reluctantly typed a message to Anni, asking if she could meet for drinks later. Within minutes, Anni replied. There was no backing out. She would meet Anni at Riya’s Lounge and tell her everything. If Anni judged her, so be it. But this secret was crushing her and Sen’s oven would not survive another round of stress baking if she didn’t tell someone.
At around 7pm, when Kaavi walked into Riya’s Lounge, she was calmer than she had been earlier. It wasn’t because she’d had some epiphany or wised up; she’d drunk two glasses of red wine. If she were being honest with herself, she’d admit it was more like three.
She spotted Anni in a booth facing away from the bar. Kaavi waved to Gavin Meyer as she went to join her. She also smiled at Riya, but the owner looked the other way. Kaavi shook her head. When she tapped Anni’s shoulder, her friend turned sharply and jumped up.
‘Yay. You’re here,’ she hugged her and squeezed extra tight.
‘You’re squishing me,’ Kaavi mumbled.
‘Sorry. I hate it here,’ Anni said, letting go of her.
She sat down and Kaavi followed suit opposite her.
‘Sam said we must support Gavin but he’s supposed to be a silent partner, so what is he even doing here? The service sucks and Riya is the worst,’ Anni continued.
‘I’m married,’ Kaavi blurted out.
Anni blinked, then shook her head, smiling.
‘Kaavi, that’s not how wedding fever works. I know we’re all still high on the wedding, but you couldn’t have got married overnight. I think you mean you want to get married,’ Anni replied.
Kaavi grabbed Anni’s hand before reaching for the wine list.
‘No, Anni. I am married. I’ve been married for almost three years.’
Anni pulled her hand out of her grasp, reached out and brushed a few strands of hair off Kaavi’s face and looked closely at her.
‘You’re serious. You are!’
Kaavi nodded slowly.
‘But how? What? I don’t understand,’ Anni said, looking around. ‘I wish I had a drink in my hand, but God forbid we find a waiter here.’
Kaavi opened her bag and pulled out a mini bottle of vodka mixed with cranberry juice.
‘This is so unlike me, but I figured you’d need this because this is the only bar in town, or possibly the world, where a drink is hard to come by.’ At that moment, a waiter breezed past, completely ignoring them.
Anni grabbed the bottle, opened it hastily and swigged back the contents. She shoved the empty bottle in her handbag.
‘Talk now.’
‘You can’t tell anyone.’
‘You’re my friend too. Of course I won’t babble your secrets to anyone.’
Kaavi squinted her eyes to try to make out the two figures sitting at the bar. Right now, she really wished she hadn’t drunk those glasses of wine.
She turned her attention back to Anni.
‘I got married to this guy in Jo’burg. We were married for a couple of months and it ended.’
