New Year’s Eve Morning, 6am

Ruri and I are still not over the Thendo issue. I’ve had to block Thendo just to get her to stop calling me. Ruri is making HR deal with her from a work perspective. Ruri has asked me to go to Mpumalanga with her for a New Year’s Eve party that one of her friends – Zaza – is hosting. We are at my place now getting ready to leave because we’ve got hours of driving ahead of us. We opted to drive so we could talk and spend time together. Flying there then being with company at a later stage wouldn’t afford us that opportunity. 

She’s wearing some one piece thing that looks like a gym top vest and gym tights in one – but it’s a one piece…

“What do you call that thing that you are wearing?” I ask her. 

“It’s a fitness jumpsuit”, she says. 

“Is it supposed to hug your ass like that?” 

Her ass is stunning… and in that thing that she’s wearing… it’s… yoh! 

Now she gives me a weird look. 

“I’m just asking”, I say. 

“Is this what Thendo was wearing when you fucked her?” 

Do we really have to go there? 

“Ru, how many times must I apologise for that?”

“She was pregnant. Are you aware?”

Uthini manje lo muntu?! 

“I thought I’d keep it to myself forever… but ke, I’ve failed. She was pregnant. I gave her abortion pills and I watched her bleed that thing out.” 

I don’t understand what she’s saying to me. 

“Uthi ubulale ingane yami?” I ask her.

“Vele! And I’ll do it again and again and again for as long as ungifebela!” 

“Ruri! Ubulale ingane yami?”

“Yebo! And I’m not sorry!”

I don’t know what happens to me but I suddenly find myself hitting her. 

I instantly regret it.

She flies across the room then lands on the floor, next to my study desk.

She lies on the ground. 

I walk towards her hoping to console her…

But, she gets up and slams a stapler against my head.

I feel like something has burst my brain open. Now I’m on the ground. 

“U shapa nna? Nna?! Ruri Seete?! You put your hands on me?! do you know who I am?! O ntlwayela masepa!”

Now she climbs on me and hits me with real fists. And she doesn’t hit like a girl… at all! 

I regain some strength. 

I get up and shove her off me. 

Im trying to restrain her, but she’s like a wild cat! 

My bedroom door flies open and I just see my mom and Khosini pull us apart. 

We are both bleeding.

“Yini ngani?!” My mom yells. 

“If you EVER put your hands on me again wena Khanya, I will murder you! Then I will get my brother to bury you where no one will ever find you again!” She yells. I actually believe her. 

“Hai wena! This is my child!” My mom. 

“Voetsek! VOETSEK! Bloody shit!” Ruri says then goes into the bathroom. I guess she’s cleaning herself up. 

My mom follows her.

“Mah, just give her space.” I say. 

“Hai wena! If she’s phoning those thugs zakubo to come and kill you, how am I going to save you? Nawe wahamba wayothandana nengane yes’gelegeqe! Yerrr!” She charges to my restroom. 

…

I’m cleaning the blood off my nose and at the top of my eye. I have a cut just above my eye. I had also changed my clothes. They had blood. 

She comes into the bedroom. I see that she’s changed too. She’s now wearing tights and a loose t-shirt. She looks nice. But I won’t say anything because I commented on her outfit and now we are here.

She takes her bags. 

“You leaving alone now?” I ask her. 

She ignores me. She just walks out. 

Her car isn’t even here. What is she leaving with?! 

I take my one bag then head out too. 

My mom and Khosini are sitting in my kitchen. 

I manage to catch Ruri outside, waiting for something. Probably a taxi or a friend. 

“Get in the car, Ruri, Sihambe.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Ruri, stop being childish. Just get in the car!”

“I said no. Why don’t you go mourn your bastard child with its mother?”

Yaz… uRuri is just… 

Yoh! 

“Ruri… ngena emotweni. I’m begging you.”

Tholoana parks his car in front of us. She phoned my brother?! Really?!

He climbs out of the car. 

The first thing he does is punch me. 

“You put your hands on her?! Are you fucken crazy?!” Tholoana. 

“Hai! Hai bo! Kanti yini?!” My mom runs out yelling. 

“You beat up women now?! What if she phoned her dad and not me?!” Tholoana is mad! 

“Uxabanisa izingane zami manje wena?!” My mom attacks Ruri, physically shaking her. 

Ruri pushes my mom off her. My mom goes flying from Ruri then collides with a car that was driving down my road.

Now Ruri is shocked. 

We are all shocked. 

“Yohweh!” Ruri is scared. 

I’m…

I’m…

I’m… 

…

We were on our way when Ruri phoned Wehweh to tell her that she pushed Khanya’s mother in front of a car and now she’s in hospital. 

We are here now, in the waiting area… 

Wehweh walks towards us with food and drinks. She’s accompanied by Rea and Mapho. I guess they just arrived. We are sitting with Ruri. Tholoana, Khanya and Khosini are with their mother. 

Ruri’s leg is shaking! 

Khabane, Khanyisa and their mother walk in. 

Ruri sees her family. 

She sprints to her mother and she cries on her mother’s shoulder… weeps! 

“It’s okay, my baby. It’s okay. I’m here now.” Her mom keeps saying as she comforts her. 

Khanyisa is within that comforting. Khabane comes to sit with me.

After about two hours, the boys come out with their mother. Khosini is pushing her wheelchair? So she’s not hurt enough to be admitted? Discharged same day? So we can go party in Mpumalanga, right?! 

Ruri doesn’t know what to do with herself. She doesn’t know if she should hug the mother… say sorry… maybe hug Khanya? 

“You good?” Khanya asks Ruri. 

Ruri’s face is covered in tears. She’s obviously not okay. Khanya sees it. 

He takes a deep breath. He squats to meet Ruri’s height as she’s sitting on a chair in the waiting area. He holds her hands. 

“She’s fine. She has no severe injuries. I know you didn’t mean to do this.” He says. 

Yoh! This guy loves Ruri. I wouldn’t be this kind if Wehweh pushed my mom in front of a moving car. 

“Thank you for saying that, Khanya”, Mam’Tebza says. 

“I don’t forgive her. Your child is an animal, Teboho!” Khanya’s mom. 

“Mah! Mah!” Khanya calls his mother to order. 

“Yini?! Yini?! You don’t want Teboho to know how your fight started?! You don’t want Teboho to know that you hit her child?!” 

He WHAT?! 

Also, something is fundamentally wrong with this woman. Why would you burn your own child like that?

Also, Mam’Tebza’s face!!!!

Khabane is already strangling Khanya. 

“Ey! Ey wena!” Khanya’s mom. 

“Khabane, please. Let him go.” Ruri says, deflated. 

“You put your hands on my sister? Are you crazy?!” Khabane is also changing now… actually, he’s changed. 

“Yeyi! She also hit him! Who’s going to hit her for hitting my child?!” Khanya’s mom belongs in a tavern yaz. 

“Thandeka, what’s wrong with you?! Why is all of this so fascinating to you? Do you hate your son that much?” Mam’Tebza. 

“I don’t hate my child. I hate yours! Who does she think she is?! She left my child for months!”

“MAH! THIS IS MY LIFE! THIS IS THE WOMAN THAT I LOVE! WHY KUMELE USIKHUMULE SIBENQUNU EBANTWINI?! THESE ARE OUR ISSUES! PLEASE!” Khanya is upset and emotional… but the emotion I’m seeing the most is pain. Something happened that genuinely hurt him. It’s not just the cheating. There has to be something else. He’s too hurt. He’s in too much pain. 

“ANGIYITHANDI LE NGANE, KHANYA!” 

“MANJE?! SHE’S NOT FOR YOU TO LOVE! SHE IS THE WOMAN THAT I LOVE!” 

“KHANYA – 

“MAH!”

There’s silence. 

“Khosini, please take mom home.” Khanya. 

“Wena? Awubuyi?!” Khanya’s mom. 

“Cha! I’m going to Mpumalanga!”

“Still?! Khanya – 

“MAMA! YOH! HAI MAHN!”

“Khanya, kodwa ngilimele. You can’t just leave me.” 

“You have Khosini staying with you. If he’s not enough, I’ll arrange for you to go to KZN to your parents.” 

Savage! 

Khanya puts his arms around Ruri then leads her out of this hospital. 

…

Wehweh and I missed our flight, so we are also driving to Mpumalanga now. We are convoying with Ruri and Khanya, as well as Rea and Mapho. 

My phone rings via the Bluetooth option. It’s Rea. 

“Sho”, I answer.

“Eh monna! Are Khanya and Ruri safe to travel together in one car? One of us needs to ride with them”, Rea says. 

“They need to talk, guys.” Wehweh says.

“Ja, but right now, everything is too fresh. It’s too soon. They’ll make rash decisions because their emotions are too heightened right now.” Rea.

He has a point. 

“Let’s take a detour to my parents’ place. I’ve asked him for his V300. We will all travel in one car”, Rea says.

“Sho.” Me.

“I’ll phone Ruri and tell her.” Wehweh.

We hang up.

–

By parents’ house, he meant uncle Khotso’s and Aunt Phuthi’s house. We don’t take too long. We really do just park our cars, transfer luggage then get ready for the road. The ladies are inside the house, so Rea and I are with Khanya outside.

“You good?” I ask him.

“Yeah.” Khanya.

“You sure?” Rea.

“I don’t know what you are asking. But, physically I’m fine. Emotionally, I’m a bit fucked up.” 

Rea and I look at him.

“I cheated. With Thendo.” 

We knew that. Wehweh and Mapho shared those details. 

“Then… apparently Thendo was pregnant. Ruri gave her pills that aborted the child.” 

That’s very Ruri. 

Is he surprised?!

“You knew?” He asks us, realising that we are not shocked.

“It’s not that we knew. We are just not shocked that Ruri would do something like that. If you want a normal relationship, you don’t date someone like Ru. She’s not an ordinary woman. I don’t know to explain it, but I’ve known her for years… apart from the fact that she’s practically my baby sister, I wouldn’t date her. Personally. Reckless mistakes will get people killed.” I say.

Rea is just staring at us. Maybe he’s the one that’s in disbelief. 

“It’s not that I wanted to have a child with Thendo… but this is so -“

I get him. 

I really do. 

But it’s Ruri. 

I don’t know what else to say. 

“Look man… maybe for now… don’t talk about this. Try to ease up on it a bit then talk about it when both of you are less emotional about this. Otherwise, you’ll make rash decisions that you may regret forever.” Rea says. 

Khanya nods his head. 

We get the ladies then hit the road. 

…

My dad got us a driver to go with us. He’s booked into a hotel so that we can stay there and sleep. Khotso flew his girlfriend in. It’s just cruel to make a man spend the New Year’s Eve alone. So he’s a happy man. 

We are all sitting here at the back, talking. 

“Did anyone reach out to Zaza? I saw her messages on the group, but I didn’t get a chance to call her or comment”, Ruri says. 

“I called her. Apparently, Molise’s kid’s mother called. She reached out to Zaza requesting a meet when she saw Zaza and her kids living their best life with Molise.” Mapho. 

“Molise has another child?” Me. 

“Yeah. We’ve always known. Molise never hid it. It was a high school love child. But the mother found Molise to be too poor for her so she took the kid and disappeared… until now.” Ruri. 

You know, these girls are in school. But they have real life issues for people who are in school. 

“So Zaza, Molise and baby-mama arranged to meet up and talk at some McDonalds somewhere in the east rand of Gauteng. Zaza and Molise arrived just to find the kid with a backpack sitting there alone. When they asked him where his mother was, he said the mother just left him there.” Mapho. 

“Hai!” Ruri and Wehweh say together. 

I feel like Zaza is hosting us. She’s not allowed to have issues. She’s hosting us!!!! 

“So they took him back with them. Zaza is fine with taking the kid on. She says Molise has been nagging her about a third child anyway, so this is perfect because she doesn’t have to get pregnant.” Mapho.

“Ja, but Molise wanted a third child because he wanted to journey the pregnancy and growth of the child because he was never there for the kids he does have. He wants to go from daddy to papa.” Wehweh says.

“Must be nice. He gets to decide to not be part of his children’s lives then when he wants to go through all that, poor Zaza must put her body on the line again?” Ruri. 

That was…

Hmmmm…

“Well, Molise and his mother seem to not want the kid.” Mapho.

“Why not?” Ruri.

“I think there’s more to the story. That girl did something. Why would they not want their own child?” Wehweh. 

Ja neh! 

I just want a good time tonight. 

My phone rings. 

It’s Banathi. 

I answer and put him on speaker.

“Sho”, I say.

“Sho. I’m with Khabane, Tholoana, Ntuthuko and the wives. We are joining you in Mpumalanga. Please send us addresses. We will book our own accommodation.” 

The looks on the women’s faces in here! 

“When did you decide this?!” I ask.

“Ey! We want to party! Don’t be stingy. Just send us details. We are on the way.” He says then hangs up.

We all look at each other. 

We burst into laughter. 

…

“What are you doing here?” She asks me with her big smile painted across her face. 

“I missed you.” I tell her. 

“I didn’t expect you to come here, you know. I only sent you my location because you wanted to know that I was home and I was safe,” she says. 

I smile at her. 

She figures it out. 

“You did that so you could come here?” 

“Bingo!”

She laughs. 

She’s dressed in a dress that’s hugging her curves so beautifully and shows off her thick calves. She has this glow that just tells me how happy she is to be home. She has cornrows on her hair – the ones you do with hair extensions then they look like Alicia Keys’ braids. 

She’s beautiful. 

“As sweet as this is, you are supposed to be at home with your baby boy. Unjani yena bandla uboy?” Her.

“He’s healing… thanks to you.” 

“Mina? The queen did everything”, she says.

“Yes, but you came with the hook up. Now he’s at home, and is going to enjoy the new year like everyone of us.” 

She smiles at me. 

“Come inside. Let me make you some food then you can get some rest. Welcome to kwaNongoma.” She says.

I smile then step out of the car. 

I stretch as she leads the way to a house that cannot be bigger than a two bedroom. The yard is big though. There is a room that’s built outside of the main house and you can just see that it’s so small, you would have to be strategic to fit a toilet in there. This place is very humble. 

“Mah, this is Terrence. Terrence, this is my mother”, she introduces me to a grown lady who has a million items of clothing on in this heat… and it’s 11am. 

“Kunjani baba?” The mother. 

How do you say fine in Zulu again?! 

“Ukhuluma isiSotho, mah.” Meh says then laughs. 

“Manje sibulisana njani ngesiSotho, Nkosiyami?” The mom. 

Now we all laugh.

“Mah, it’s nice to meet you”, I say. 

I’m served food and drinks and am told to relax. The hospitality is top tier and the love is out of this world. 

I am informed that the chief and his queen are throwing a New Year’s Eve party for the community at their palace. Must be nice. And now I also have to attend because…

“Mama will be ready to leave by 8pm and usher the new year in her own house praying. I know a hotel about an hour and a half away from here. We can finish it there”, Meh says as she serves me lunch. It’s good that we are having food before we leave for the palace. 

“Come here”, I say, putting my plate aside and pulling her to sit on top of me. She’s a bit jumpy, aware that her mother can just walk in on us. She’s not as relaxed as she generally is. 

“I’d never say no to tapping… you know that. But I didn’t come here for that. I meant it when I said that I missed you. And I knew that coming to your home, I’d come to learn more about you. So, I am here to listen, cooperate and cater to yours and mama’s every whim.” 

She smiles at me. 

How is she this beautiful?!

“You sure?” She asks me.

“I’m sure. And I’ve also been meaning to speak to you.” I say.

“About?” She enquires.

“Us.”

There’s a hint of tension on her face, as if she thinks I’m here to end things or something.

I hold her hand, playing with her fingers, and say, “I want us to be exclusive… to be serious. I’m in love with you, Phumelele. And I want to see where this leads us.”

Now her eyes are wide open. 

Please… can she not tell me that she’s not interested.

“You sure?” she asks me, genuinely verifying.

“Yeah. I’m old now. I’m done playing the field or sleeping with three women in one night.” 

Her eyes!!!! Lol! 

I kiss her lips then say, “I’m ready to settle down and build… with a life partner and for my kids… those that I have as well as those that could possibly still come if we choose to go down that road. But I want you to be my life partner. I want to do the rest of my life with you… building, raising our kids and just being happy together. Will you have me, Phumelele?” 

She just kisses the hell out of me. I’m taking this as a yes. After the deep and well-lived kiss, she hugs me, holding me as tightly as she possibly can. She’s not even uncomfortable anymore sitting on my lap a room away from where her mother is sitting. 

–

It is so full here! But it’s actually really nice. There is food available. There are drinks galore. I drove here with Meh and her mother after the mother threw some girl out of Meh’s uncle’s room. It was too dramatic for me. The uncle was then upset and was threatening to burn the house down. You know… I actually believed him. He looks like the type that would actually do it. I didn’t even feel comfortable coming here and leaving him alone in the yard. When I simply asked Meh, “Are you sure about leaving this guy in the yard alone? He definitely convinced me that he would burn this house down”, Meh put up a whole fight about him not staying behind in the yard while we all leave for the chief’s and queen’s party… especially because he is the house thief. When he’s alone for too long in the house, things just go missing. She had to call people from the yards surrounding them to get this guy out of their yard and actually keep him out. Yoh, that guy put up one hell of a fight. But something was very off about him, man. Where I grew up, the way that he was behaving is classified as someone acting out in his final hours of life. I could be imagining things, but he smelled of death. I just hope that nothing happens to him. Someone like that needs to be restrained all day, because he could bump into the wrong person, start shit then that person just shoots him. 

Anyway, I was introduced to the queen and the chief. I wanted to ask them why they used ingredients that makes perfectly healthy food unhealthy. I wanted to ask why the buffet set up looked the way that it did, exposing it to food poisoning really. I wanted to ask why the buffet was not set up by colours and food types so that it’s easy to dish up on the plate then grab a drink at the end. But everyone else around here didn’t mind or notice all the things that I’m concerned about. So, I just extended my hand, shook their hands and told them that it was great to meet them. 

When Meh told them that I’m the head chef at the Tholoana Kingdom royal palace, they suddenly felt insecure about their food. And you know what, they had every reason to. Whoever was responsible for the cooking and the buffet setup should be fired. We, trained chefs, do not do that. 

The day is going by and I cannot help but be more and more concerned about Meh’s uncle. But I try to push it to the back of my mind. I enjoy this party with my girlfriend without touching any of the food. Meh is just eating away. I need to teach her a thing or two about the foods that we are exposed to in different settings. 

…

We finally arrive in Hazyview… at some lodge that Zaza told us to arrive at. Apparently, we will be staying here AND the party will be here. How rich is this girl? I know this is completely wrong, but I’m just thinking… apart from his career, what does Molise bring to this marriage of theirs?

“Babe, Ushup?” Mapho asks me as she unpacks our bags. We are leaving here on the third of January. 

“I’m good, baby. I’m just tired.” 

“Ja, it was a long drive.” 

“Also… how rich is Zaza exactly?” I ask. I’m really curious. 

“Look, she doesn’t come from poverty. Her dad is some hectic consultant who has gone into the tourism and hospitality business. Hence we are staying here. This is one of the things he owns. He’s the one who bought Zaza that Velar.” Mapho tells me. I really thought that car belonged to Molise, but he just let Zaza drive it. 

“They didn’t always have a good marriage and it didn’t sit well with Zaza’s parents. They got married because they had Phupho, but Molise just dumped her with his mother and lived his best life. Zaza’s dad looked after Zaza financially and she hid it from Molise and his family. When their son was a bit grown, she decided to go back to school. Her dad bought her a house and got her a nanny. That’s when Molise decided to wake up, bought a bigger house and stepped up for his family.” 

I’m blown away by this. 

That man probably made it clear that Zaza doesn’t need Molise and Molise realised that his marriage was in danger. Zaza must really love him because shame, she doesn’t need him. 

“Babe, remember Molise is the first one to make it in his family. So between his actual family, the babies he wants and black tax, his salary goes far. I think he’s very lucky to have Zaza because if she wanted to be selfish, that family would be suffering!”

I actually agree with her. 

“Come here”, I say.

She’s also so tired. I want her to relax.

And she looks so nice with those braids. She says they are called Knotless braids. They are beautiful. She’s beautiful.

“Let me finish, baby… please… we are having a late lunch/ early dinner at Zaza’s parents’ home. They have a second mansion here. The main one is in Diepkloof. Apparently, her father doesn’t want to leave the township. Her mom invited us for dinner tonight. So I want us to finish here, then shower before we go.” 

“Will I get some?” 

She bursts laughter. 

…

We get to Zaza’s parents’ home. The second home that is.

Yoh! 

This house looks like a mall. It’s massive! It looks like it used to be three or four houses and now it’s one massive house. It almost occupies the entire road. 

I remember going to Molise’s house for some wedding – I think his older brother was getting married – and it was not even a fraction of this. With what I provide for Mulalo, I’d never allow her to marry a man who would give her less. I wonder what Zaza’s dad’s plan is. 

“We need to bring Molise into the church. With his medicine qualification and experience, he will do our surgeries and transplants. Hai ngeke. How does he provide for a woman who comes from all of this?” Mnqobi says to me. 

He also sees it. So I’m not crazy. But then again, he must provide for Wehweh and she’s also the daughter of a multimillionaire, probably billionaire.

“Dude, I’m looking at all of this and thinking the same thing. To think that I used to feel the worst for Khanya with Ruri. Ay, Molise has it worse.” I say.

“Khanya actually has money. His father left him a shit load of money. He just needs to be smart in how he uses it. But with Ruri by his side, she will teach him how to grow that money. He just works because he probably didn’t get entrepreneurship education. You know how these South African schools are. They make you grow up obsessed with getting a job instead of creating a job.” 

“I fear for my kids because they are in these schools.” 

“Take them out. The education system and the mentality of the people in this country need a shit load of work.” He says.

I actually think about it. 

“How do you feel about this WWE Smackdown session between Khanya and Ruri?” He asks me. 

“Khabane is pissed off. While we are consoled that Ruri threw back punches and threw his mother in front of a moving car, Khanya didn’t have to put his hands on her in the first place.” I say. 

“Yeah. Well with Khabane on his way, I’m sure they’ll have their conversation. Plus, Khabane told Uncle Maboko and he’s not happy about it at all. That shit cannot happen again.” 

I’m almost scared for Khanya. 

“HEY!” Zaza greets us and hugs us. She’s so happy. lol! 

Mnqobi and I laugh then greet her back. 

“Why nihleba in a corner like old women?! Ni-right?”

We find ourselves laughing now. She’s so happy. Clearly home is a happy place for her. 

“We are good. Wena?!” Me. 

“Waze wajabula bo! It’s so good to see you in such high spirits.” Mnqobi. 

“You have heard?! I have another child now. I’m a whole young mom of three”, she says. 

I don’t know why we are laughing. She’s so funny. I didn’t realise that she had such a cute humour. 

“Please do me a favour”, she says, serious now. 

“Okay???” Me.

“Please talk to Molise. He’s not very accepting or welcoming of his son. His son feels extremely uncomfortable regardless of my efforts to make him feel at home. His mother is gone. She left him at a restaurant with no bag, nothing. We don’t know if she’s ever coming back. He spends all his energy trying to track her down, but honestly… he could be loving his child instead. My kids have embraced the situation. My parents have embraced him. My mom and I went shopping for him to have stuff because he literally came with nothing. And… he’s not sleeping well at all. He has nightmares. I don’t know if I need to get him a child psychologist or what. I can’t be begging him everyday to just be a father to his son. I can’t even call him my son yet because he doesn’t want us getting close. Just… please talk to him.”

I find myself hugging her because now she has tears streaming down her face. 

“Inkulu le nto yokuthi uvule inhliziyo yakho kule ngane. He will come around eventually. Wena, continue to be a mother to him. What you are doing is beautiful”, Mnqobi says, holding her hand. 

She smiles. 

“Ngiyabonga”, she says, pulling herself together. 

“Zanolwazi”, her dad says. He seems old but not too old. And they look alike. 

“Baba?”

“Sesiyahamba ke”, he says. 

She introduces her dad to Mnqobi and I. We shake his hand and say hi. 

Apparently he’s getting the kids out of the way for us. So he’s taking all three of Zaza’s kids and all four of Zaza’s sister’s kids and leaving with them. I don’t know where they are going. Zaza’s mother is leaving with them. Isn’t she the one who invited us for whatever meal we are about to have? 

Oh, and Molise’s mother is leaving with them too. 

Okay then. 

–

8pm

I still cannot believe that Molemo just left our son – whose name is also Molemo (yes, she named him after her) – at McDonalds. What if we got held up by something else and couldn’t make it? What kind of a mother is she? And Molemo, my son, is fourteen years old. He’s practically a grown man and is already taller than my wife. 

Zah has more than embraced him. She’s also told Phupho and Lelapa that this is their big brother. They seem to enjoy the concept. Molemo, thankfully, doesn’t display any signs of resentment towards them. But my mom still insists that he’s not mine. I don’t know what makes her think this. But she’s sticking to it. When we get back to the kingdom, I’m doing a DNA test. 

Molemo and I are struggling to connect as father and son. I don’t know why. I’m struggling to love him. And my wife has already started setting a life up for him in our lives… in our home… every time my mom says Molemo is not mine, Zah just starts going on and on about how Molemo looks like Lelapa and me. But ja… 

I feel hands wrap around me. 

I hold them. It’s Zah. 

I was getting dressed as we are about to leave for our party at the lodge. 

I turn around and face her. 

She unbuckles my belt. 

I know what she wants. 

I give to her.

–

We are both now getting dressed – AGAIN. 

“Baby”, she says. 

“Hmmmm?”

“You’ve been in the denial stage for a while now. Molemo needs you to enter the acceptance stage now. I’m grateful that I don’t have to deal with any baby-mama drama… but we both have to deal with this. I need you. Phupho and Lelapa need you. Molemo needs you. Ngiyakucela myeni wami.” 

We look at each other. 

I finally confess – tears escaping my eyes unintentionally, “I’m so hurt.”

She comes to sit on top of me, pulls my head towards her and lets me cry on her shoulder. 

Her dress is also so short. It’s as if she’s more than ready for sex any time. 

“How can Molemo do something like this? She left with him because I was too poor for her. Now she just dumps him on me without so much as a conversation? That bitch is not a human being.” I find myself saying. 

“I hear you. But none of this is small Molemo’s fault. Udinga uthando lo mntwana. Akalali. It’s bad dreams after bad dreams. He needs an outlet. He needs love. He needs you.”

I look at her then say, “I’m so glad we made Phupho. Else, you wouldn’t be my wife. And you are the best there ever was!” 

We kiss again. 

Now I’m getting horny again. 

…

5!

4!

3!

2!

1! 

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Fireworks are being blown out everywhere. 

We are kissing our women. 

Some people are popping champagne bottles. 

It’s a nice party. 

It’s a beautiful welcome into the new year. 

Now we continue to party hard and yes, it is till the morning comes!