Suurlemoen | Chapter 45 | English Summary

Suurlemoen deur Jaco Jacobs

Chapter 45: Verf

Tiaan shows up to Liezl’s door and her father answers. He sees the plastic bags containing paint and the brushes in his hand. Tiaan asks if Liezl is available and her dad says he’ll see if she’s not already in bed yet. When she appears, Tiaan is happy that she isn’t already in pyjamas and that her parents aren’t eavesdropping on their conversation. He tells her he came to paint her garden gnome. She initially thinks he’s joking but he’s dead serious. She opens the back for him and he follows her into the yard. He immediately gets to work, hoping that she’ll stick around while he works and she does. Liezl’s mother calls from inside the house asking why they’re outside. Liezl explains and the surprise is evident on her mother’s face. Her mother asks if they’d like something warm to drink like coffee or Milo. Her mother leaves again. Tiaan hums tunes while he removes the old paint. They have a mild verbal sparring match regarding the paint on the garden gnome. She asks him if there’s anything he’d like to say to her and he tells her that he misses the good old days when people could paint other people’s garden gnomes without being suspected of having ulterior motives.

Liezl apologises for ruining everything with the band. Tiaan is focused on how nice she looks and his throat feels like it’s closing up. “I’m crazy about you”. He isn’t too sure she heard him, but he continues, explaining that he’s not very good with words. He says that sometimes, people ought to say things without thinking. He repeats the sentiment – “I’m crazy about you”. He explains that as weird as it feels, he thinks that things that are seemingly out of place are perfect where they are – like the old garden gnome. She doesn’t reply, instead asking if he’s got another brush for her. She asks him if he knows what colour the gnome wants his jacket to be, but Tiaan tells her that it just takes a bit of listening to hear what the gnome is saying. She paints it bright green with white stripes. Tiaan and Liezl’s shoulders touch and they remain silent. He sits back and says “Wait”. She looks at him, concerned, and he carefully takes the gnome, turning it around so that its smile is faced away from them. He says “Not in front of the garden gnome” as he leans in to kiss her.



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