U-Harold, osanda kudivosa futhi elangazelela isiqalo esisha, wazithola ekhangwa iphrofayela ka-Melony ohlelweni lokusebenza lokuqomisana. Wayengagwegwesi ngezimpi zakhe ezinde nokwakheka komzimba wakhe, kodwa egwema ngokucophelela noma iyiphi inkulumo ephathelene nothando. Wamthumelela umlayezo osuka enhliziyweni, emnikeza isiqinisekiso esisankondlo kuwo wonke umugqa, kodwa impendulo ngayinye ayithumelayo yayinesizotha kodwa igadiwe—amanxeba akhe angaphambili ayemvimba ukuba angavuleki.

Ephuze ikhofi endlini yokuphumula yasehhovisi, uHarold wathululela ukukhungatheka kwakhe kumuntu asebenza naye, uJose. "Angikwazi ukubhodloza izindonga zakhe," evuma. UJose wamomotheka ngendlela engafanele futhi wavuma umbono wakhe ongemuhle ngezothando, egcizelela ukuthi abesifazane abazi ukuthi bathanda kanjani amadoda ngendlela efanele. UHarold washaqeka lapho ebona ukuthi umunyu kaJose uhambisana kakhulu novalo lukaMelony.

Engadangali, uHarold waqhubeka exoxa ngemizwa yakhe yangempela ngomyalezo ngemva komyalezo. Kancane kancane, uMelony waqala ukumngenisa—kwaze kwaba yilapho umbhalo ongafihli mayelana nomshado womngane wakhe uLisa ongajabulisi ususa ukungabaza okudala. Inhliziyo kaMelony yaba buhlungu, ithemba laphinde laxega.

Njengoba besebenza ngezinkinga zabo zokwethembana, bobabili baba nesibindi sokucabanga isiphetho senganekwane. Kodwa lapho nje kwaba sengathi bangase bathole injabulo ngemva kwalokho, ilangabi elidala langena ebhokisini lokungenayo likaHarold, izinkumbulo ezishukumisayo ayecabanga ukuthi wayezishiye.

Ngaleso sikhathi, uLisa washintsha igumbi lokuhlala likaMelony laba isaluni yesikhashana. Ngaphansi kokukhanya kwezibani zamandandatho, ibhulashi lahlangana nekhonta njengoba bezitika ngohlelo lokwehlisa isisindo. Injabulo yabo yaphenduka yamangala futhi yashaqeka lapho umqhudelani ekhetha ukukhuluphala ngokuzumayo, ehlanganisa izimpande zakhe ukuze abe nomshado ongokwesiko.

Ngaphesheya kwedolobha efulethini eliminyene, umhlaba ka-Jose washintsha njengoba udadewabo odumile waseHollywood efika engashongo. Efuna isiphephelo ejubaneni elingapheli lempilo yakhe yomgqugquzeli, wakhahlela ama-stiletto akhe ekucwecweni i-linoleum futhi waphefumula iqiniso elingahluziwe lendawo yangakubo.

Luqala kanjalo uhambo lwabo oluhlangene: indoda ejaha uthando, owesifazane obambene nenhliziyo ephukile, umngane othukuthele ebhekene nobumnyama bakhe, kanye nokusesha kwenkanyezi okungokoqobo. Ekushayisaneni kwezimpilo zabo, ngamunye uzothola ukuthi ithemba lingadlula ithunzi lesikhathi esidlule.