Today is Khabane’s favourite day of the week, Saturday. Naturally, he is sleeping in and loving it. I am in the kitchen preparing breakfast. On Saturdays, I prepare a huge breakfast for the three of us. Plus, Maboko and I are a bit touch and go lately. I’m making all his favourites as well as Khabane’s favourites. I am wearing one of Maboko’s oversized t-shirts and a pair of leggings. I just feel like being comfortable today and I have no plans of leaving the house. 

Maboko walks into the kitchen topless. He is wearing long tracksuit pants and no shoes. I think he just woke up. 

“Good morning”, he greets me. 

“Hello to you too, baby-daddy”, I say.

He chuckles. I smile at him. 

“That son of yours lives for Saturday mornings”, I say. 

“You wake him up too early in the mornings. I don’t blame him for wanting to sleep in on weekends and public holidays”, he says. 

“His school does start earlier than the average preparatory. But it’s a good school”, I inform him.

“They overwork these kids though. He’s only five, T.” 

I smile at him. I’m so amazed at how incredible he is as a father. I’ve always known that he’d be amazing and I’ll probably never forgive myself for keeping him away for the first five years of our son’s life. But he amazes me all the time when I see him be a dad to Khabane. 

“What’s wrong?” He asks me. 

“This dad thing looks great on you. You are a good father, Maboko Seete”, I tell him. 

“We should make another one, wabona?” He says. He’s starting! I laugh my lungs out because that’s not happening any time soon. He just smiles at me. 

“I am really sorry about what happened with Linda and Kabelo. You didn’t deserve that”, I say as soon as I’m calm again. 

Linda has always been a whore, so I’m not shocked. She had no problem cheating with Maboko and Maboko is not enjoying the taste of his own medicine! It’s not so nice to be cheated on, but it’s amazing to cheat on other people. These are the things I wish I could say, but he’s so silent and hurt by this, I have to be a friend right now. 

“Have you decided what it is that you want to do?” I ask him. 

“I want a divorce. I’ll never forgive this”, he says. 

I want to laugh neh, but…

“Are you sure?” I ask him. 

“Yeah. I am meeting up with my lawyer today”. He says. 

I just nod my head. I want to laugh, but I just nod my head. 

“I missed this.” He says. 

“What?” 

“You cooking for me. It’s the one thing that I always treasured about you. I grew up with chefs and don’t know the taste of my mom’s cooking. Linda hired a chef because she probably didn’t learn neither as she grew up with chefs in her home. My only experience of being cooked for is through you and I love it. I genuinely missed the love ingredient in food. Outside of you, all I know is the professional ingredient in food.” 

I smile at him. 

“I appreciate you making sure you cook all three meals for us every day. Thank you, T.” 

I honestly don’t know what to say. 

Then I remember, “By the way, Regodise and I were talking.” 

“About?” He asks me, focused on me really. 

“Well, Bane seems to be forming quite the relationship with the twins and we thought it would be great for Bane and the baby coming soon to grow up as brothers. So, the new baby is going to bring a gift from heaven for Bane and Bane is going shopping for a gift for his baby brother. Regodise and I will obviously be in charge of purchasing those gifts because you and the twins don’t understand what it is to buy gifts for children.” 

He laughs then says, “You are definitely a lot better at making friends now then you were when we were in high school.” 

This is very true. 

“But I’m glad that you and Regodise get along so well.” 

“I like her. I definitely would not have got along with Thato. I don’t even like Fikile.” 

“Turns out that Fikile is cheating on Khotso.”

I cough aloud because I was not expecting that kind of bomb to be dropped on me. 

“Yep. And she is pregnant. She is telling Khotso the baby is his, but it actually isn’t.” 

“WHAAAAAAAT?!” What is Maboko telling me?!

“It’s bad, T. Khotso is not doing well. But don’t say anything to anyone. Fikile doesn’t know that Khotso knows all of this. He is playing along and pretending to be excited about the baby.”  

“Khotso is not going to harm Fikile, is he?”

“I don’t know. Whatever he has planned for Fikile, she deserves it.” 

“You know, you men are interesting creatures. You can all do this nonsense to us and get away with it. When women do the same things to you, you start planning their death?” 

“T – 

“No, Maboko! Fikile cheated – yes, it’s wrong! Khotso must leave her and move on with his life like the rest of us do when we are cheated on. There is no need for someone to die just because they cheated. If that truly were the penalty for cheating, even you – Maboko – would not be alive.”

There is now absolute silence in our house. 

I am decanting the food into food warmers and Maboko is on his cellphone doing something while sitting on the kitchen chairs when a violent knock disturbs our peace. Maboko gets up and walks to the door. 

There is silence, so I go and check if everything is okay. Maboko’s face is dressed in anger and hatred. Before him stands Linda and Zandile. Zandile is Linda’s mother. 

Linda spots my face and forces herself into the apartment. Zandile is right behind her and they stand in the centre of our apartment’s open plan. Maboko looks at them and he does not close the door. 

This ought to be interesting. 

“What do you want?” Maboko asks Linda and Zandile. 

“We need to talk”, says Linda. 

If they think I’m going to excuse myself, they are sorely mistaken. I’m here for this movie! 

“I have nothing to say to you. I am preparing to go see my attorney about drafting our divorce papers. Anything you have to say to me, we can communicate through out lawyers.” Maboko aggressively says. 

“Divorce?!” Linda and Zandile say together. 

“What did you think was going to happen? That I was going to share you with Kabelo and whoever else you have been fucking behind my back?” Maboko is so angry. You’d swear he and Linda don’t have cheating in common. 

“Maboko please – 

“Please leave”, Maboko says, cutting Linda’s sentence and plea short. 

“Maboko, we need to sit down as a family and try to resolve this”, Zandile tries.

“Please, Maboko. It was a mistake”, Linda. 

“A mistake?!” Maboko is losing his temper now. 

“Teboho, please excuse us. I need to talk to my husband”, Linda tries me. This girl is very brave. 

“Tebza is not going anywhere”, Maboko says. 

“Teboho please!” Linda.

“Ey wena! This is not your house! You don’t just barge in here and tell us what to do. Who the hell do you think you are?!” Maboko’s temper is out the open door he is standing next to and Linda is not helping the situation. 

“Maboko, you need to calm down. That is enough! How dare you disrespect your wife like this! No wonder she cheated on you.” Zandile mara – are we sure this is a mother?

“I’m glad you support her infidelity. She will need more of this support because I am seeing this divorce through”, Maboko. 

“Let me guess, because of Teboho? You finally get to be with her without looking like a weak and useless husband?” Zandile. 

“I don’t owe you anything, least of all explanations. Your daughter has made a fool of me for the last time – first it was the fake pregnancy that made me let Tebza go and propose to you and now it’s this?” 

I think Maboko is now on drugs. Fake pregnancy?! Linda was never pregnant?! Hhayi! What am I hearing? 

Linda and Zandile are equally shocked. I’m not sure if they are shocked that he knows or if they are shocked that he would even say something like that. 

“What did you just say to me?” Linda says with an emotion that I cannot exactly put into words. 

“How long did you think you’d keep that from me? You lied to me and you coerced me into this marriage by faking a pregnancy and miscarriage. Every person knew, but me.” 

“Maboko, I was pregnant. I lost the child in a car accident that we were both in.” 

“I want proof!” 

“Maboko!” Zandile.

“And until I get it, you are nothing but a manipulative and lying bitch! Now get out of my house before I get my family ready to demand my lobola back from your family”. 

Linda is crying in disbelief. 

Zandile is shocked beyond belief. 

Maboko is just angry.

As Zandile and Linda head for the door, Maboko says, “You know what’s even worse? He played you! You were so weak and desperate that you played straight into his plan. He phoned me or butt-dialled me or whatever so that I could hear the two of you having sex. That’s why I phoned your parents and mine so that they could see what kind of a slut I married that poses herself as this innocent wife who is threatened by the mother of my child.” 

“I am so sorry. If you could please just let me explain”, Linda says. 

“What could you possibly have to explain, Linda? What? I pushed you into his arms by bringing Tebza and Khabane into my life? Teboho makes you feel so insecure that you had to sleep with someone else just to feel wanted again?” Maboko is… ja…

“What happened is a bad reflection on you as a husband, Maboko”. I swear Zandile smokes weed. 

I giggle at this statement as Maboko looks at Zandile to elaborate further. 

“Mama, please. You are not helping”, Linda tells her mother. 

“Someone must tell him the truth because you are clearly scared of him”, Zandile says to Linda. Then she looks at Maboko and says, “Maboko weh, you left your wife a few days after your wedding day to shack up with your ex and your bastard child. You failed to mark your territory as every man is expected to. You left the land open for any and all men to come shoot their shot.” 

Maboko does not back down. He has a hot response for the ladies and he says, “I didn’t realise that I married a loose woman who needed to be watched to stay faithful”.

Zandile is equally quick with a response and says, “And my daughter didn’t know that she was marrying a weakling of a man who dropped her like she is hot when his old slut came back to town with a baby.” 

I don’t understand why Khabane and I are catching strays and being called names. How am I a slut when Linda slept with my man? How is my son a bastard when he wasn’t made in a cheating escapade? 

Maboko then says to Zandile, “Clearly, Linda and I are not for each other. I am not willing to solve this. Linda and I are done. Now get the fuck out of my house. I don’t want my son to set eyes on you when he wakes up.” 

Linda cannot hold her tears back. She is so hurt she can barely speak. 

Maboko’s mother, Maboko’s step-mother, Maboko’s father and Linda’s father all walk in through the open door. Okay, now this really is a meeting. Maybe I should go. 

Maboko is extremely shocked to see all of these people walk in here like this. Maboko’s mother is pissed off! My money is on the fact that Lebo, the step-mother, is here. 

“Right on time. Please take a seat. We have a family meeting to start”, Zandile says. 

“Le ntlwayela hampi lona shame”, Maboko is unruly today. How do you tell adults something like that? Even worse, he walks away and disappears into the room that Khabane sleeps in. 

“Ey wena Maboko! Maboko! Lydia, call your son to order. What kind of disrespect is this?” Zandile is losing her mind. 

Maboko slams the door and locks it from inside of the bedroom. 

Yho!

“Lydia!” Zandile. 

“Zandile, please mahn! What do you want me to do?” Lydia.

“Could we perhaps do this properly? We will not achieve anything by ambushing Maboko like this”, Linda’s father says. I think his name is Stan.

“Stan, are you kidding me? He ambushed our daughter in the middle of – 

“Her cheating on my son!” Lydia will never miss an opportunity to protect her son. Never!

“Maboko must come out here and explain himself. Because as we speak, there is another woman in his kitchen. What do we call that?” Lebo, the step-mother, says. 

“Thank you, Lebo! Thank you!” Zandile. 

“Lebo, are you Maboko’s mother perhaps?” Lydia asks her. 

“What does that have anything to do with what we are discussing?” Lebo.

“Please carry your own children for nine months and attend meetings for them. Stay out of the matters of my nine months! I don’t even know why you are here”, Lydia. 

“Ey! Thulang! Please man! Let’s all leave and after everyone’s emotions have calmed down, we will have this meeting properly”. Maboko’s dad says.

“I agree”, Linda’s dad. 

Poor men! 

“Papa, he wants a divorce”, Linda says through her sobs.

“We will talk about this properly, Linda.” Her dad.

“He is meeting with his lawyer today”, Linda says. 

Maboko’s father then says, “Please all leave. We will talk to our son and we will let you know when we are ready to proceed.” 

The Khumalo family finally leaves.

“Lebo, please follow them”, Lydia says. This woman makes me laugh. She is so petty. Lol!

“Bathung Lydia, why are you so unreasonable?” Lebo. 

“Bye!” Lydia is not even hearing it.

“Joseph, do something hle! Your ex-wife is disrespecting me”, Lebo. 

“Joe, please escort your wife out of this apartment. Tebo, my baby, please call Maboko for us”, Lydia neh. 

Lol! 

…

I decided to leave Maboko with his parents to enjoy the breakfast that I worked so hard on, take my child, fetch my sister and her two kids then head to Papachinos to spoil the kids. 

I am busy telling Tiisetso about my morning and she is laughing and in shock all at the same time. My life is a movie, I tell you. 

The kids are playing about at the play area and Tiisetso and I are at our table talking and eating. 

“When will your house be done? Drama ekana? And you know everyone will be looking at you and blaming you for all of this”, she says to me. 

“Tell me about it. Our house will be ready in the next seven months or so. There has been a lot of progress made on it, but honestly, they are not moving fast enough if you ask me. It’s taking up every last cent that I have. I cannot afford temporary accommodation where I will be paying rent. I am so grateful to Maboko for paying Khabane’s fees. I was genuinely going to struggle.”

“I feel you, babe. Maybe you should consider coming back home. Mom and dad will never turn you away”. She proposes. 

“That is completely out of the question. I am tired of talking about my drama. What’s going on with you? I haven’t seen Richard since I have been back to Tholoana Kingdom.” 

“Ja neh, Richard. If there is one thing that you got lucky with is having a baby daddy that actually gives a damn. Some of us are honestly single parents”, she says. 

“I thought the two of you were together”, I say. 

“He is MIA”.

“What do you mean?” 

“Exactly that. He got retrenched from the mines. Then he told me that he was going back to Lesotho to be with his family. I haven’t heard from him since.” 

“Family?”

“He has a wife and kids”. Tiisetso says this then gulps her wine. 

“TIISETSO!” I mean really!

“Keng?! I didn’t know until Seipati was born. I was staying with him, Bakang and Seipati at his mine house. His wife showed up unexpectedly and announced herself to me”, she tells me this as if it’s nothing serious. 

I cannot help but burst into laughter! She laughs too.

Then, I hear my child screaming. I sprint to the play area and find my child bleeding. His wrist is swollen as well. 

“Bakang! Seipati! Why is your baby brother crying?” Tiisetso. 

“This boy pushed him!” Bakang says pointing at some kid you’d find in a children’s home. 

“For what?!” Tiisetso is now yelling at this kid. 

I just cradle my baby boy into my arms and rush him to hospital. By the time the car moves, Tiisetso and her kids are in the car. 

Tiisetso is sitting with her kids on the chairs and I’m pacing about in panic. The nurses took Khabane and I’m still waiting to hear from them. Maboko and Gwen come running towards us. Maboko stands in front of me and puts his hands on my shoulders to stop me from pacing about. 

“Has the doctor said anything?” Maboko asks me. 

I shake my head. Then I start crying. Maboko pulls me in and hugs me. I cry on his chest and he lets me. 

“What happened?” I hear Gwen ask. 

“We had taken the kids out for lunch. They were playing and some boy pushed Khabane.” Tiisetso explains. 

“Is he seriously hurt?” Gwen asks. 

“His wrist and head were swollen.” Tiisetso. 

Finally, a doctor approaches Maboko and me. 

“Mr and Mrs Tlou?” 

I can feel Maboko become instantly uncomfortable.

“Just Miss Tlou”, I say. 

“Apologies. Are you Khabane Tlou’s parents?” The doctor. 

“Yes. Is he okay?” Me. 

“He will be fine. The wrist is just sprained and he is slightly concussed at the moment”.

“And the swelling?” I ask. 

“It will go down. We just need to keep him overnight for observations. He will be fine.” 

“Thank you”, Maboko. 

“Can you organise for me to stay with him overnight?” I ask. 

“Both of us”, Maboko. 

“Sure. He is asking for his mom”. 

I waste no time. I just run to his ward and Maboko follows me. 

…

Khabane is asleep. He opens his eyes and closes them when he sees that I am here. I kiss his cheek then sit on a couch, lie down on it actually, and put a fleece blanket over my legs. I want to take a nap, but Maboko walks in with food and coffee. It is evening now. He sits next to me, lifts my legs and puts them on his thighs. 

“I got us something to eat. Gwen took Tiisetso and the kids back home”, he tells me. 

I sit up and accept the food from him. 

“Thanks”, I say. 

“I’ve been thinking about the argument we had the other day about me never choosing you- 

“Maboko, we don’t have to –

“I want to – 

“This is not the place.” 

He nods his head. 

The Mohale twins and their partners walk in. It is suddenly rowdy. Regodise has presents and balloons. Fikile has snacks and fruit. I honestly cannot look at Fikile the same way. And I cannot look at her and Khotso together knowing that this guy has deadly plans for this girl. That time, she looks so happy. We stand up and greet them. I hug the ladies and Maboko greets the guys. 

“How is he doing?” Regodise asks me. 

“They say that he will be okay”, I say. 

“And how are you holding up?” She asks me. 

Fikile is already sitting on some couch and doing something on her phone. 

“I’m hanging in there. This is the part of parenting that freaks you the hell out.” I say. 

She hugs me. 

Then, my parents and Maboko’s parents – including Lebo the stepmother – walk in. 

“Dumelang” Lydia says. 

We all greet each other. 

“How is he doing?” My father asks. 

“They sedated him, so he will probably wake up tomorrow. He will be okay though”. 

“Okay. Tau yaka bathung”. Lydia says. 

“How was he playing for him to be injured this way?” Lebo asks me. 

“He was playing at the play area at Papachinos. He was with his cousins. I’m sure it was an accident”, I explain. 

“You should sue that place. Matters could have been worse”, Lebo says. 

“Love, it was a mistake. The important thing is that our boy is going to be okay”. Maboko’s father says. 

“Your boy?” My dad is starting. 

The entire room looks at my father. Regodise holds my hand as if she knows what’s about to happen. 

“Why are you claiming a child that you have not paid damages for?” My dad. 

“Before we know it, Khabane will be a Seete.” My mom.

I roll my eyes and everyone notices. 

“We do intend to make that happen. Maboko and Teboho are already talking about it”. Maboko’s mother says much to my parents’ irritation. 

But I am shocked. Maboko has not said a word about this to me. My parents are so disappointed and they don’t hide it. 

“What’s wrong with you?” My mom asks me. 

“This is not the place to have this conversation”, I say. 

“I know that you are upset with us for not being there for you when you gave birth to this child. But you still need to remember that for his sake, you have to do things right and not allow this family to make you disrespect us.” My mom. 

“You mean like how you did the right thing and respected us when you failed to bring Teboho’s pregnancy with Khabane to our attention? We’re you doing the right thing then?” Maboko’s mother says. 

“I am talking to my child”, my mom. 

“And I’m talking to you and your double standards”, Maboko’s mother. 

“Gosiame! Please!” My dad. 

“You chose to keep this child away from us. We didn’t stay away. Where do you get off treating us as if we chose to stay away? I am sick of you treating my family as if we did something to you. We adore Teboho. And we all know that had we known about Khabane from when Teboho was pregnant, Teboho wouldn’t have raised this child on her own”, Lydia is on fire today in protecting her bundle of joy. 

Maboko is now next to me, putting his hand on my lower back.

“If I may” – Lebo tries

“No you may not.” Lydia. 

“Bathung Lydia!” Joseph the referee intervenes. 

“What Joseph? What? How many times must I tell you to keep this witch away from my family?” Lydia.

“This what?!” Lebo.

The Mohale twins regret coming here. They are even facing downwards. Even Ona is uncomfortable and nothing makes Onaleruna Mohale uncomfortable. Nothing! Except this moment. 

Lydia and Lebo look like they are about to hit each other. I look at Maboko and I can just see that he is not okay. I squeeze his hand and he pulls me closer. I rub my hand on his back. He breathes better.

“Teboho, this is the family that you want to raise your son in?” How could my mother even say that? Does she think she’s better than them? 

“It beats leaving her all alone in a foreign country with a new baby to raise on her own”, Lydia claps back. 

BATHUNG!

My parents are so hurt. Everyone is shocked. Where is security and nurses to throw them out? 

Maboko finally does the work of the Lord and says, “Our elders, Tebza and I have had a really long day. We really just want to focus on our son getting better. Please give us some space. We will phone you when we are home and Khabane is able to have visitors.” 

Lebo is the first to leave. Joseph follows her. Then my parents leave. Lydia hugs Maboko and me first before leaving. 

“I am praying for him”, Regodise says as she hugs me. How did Ona get this lucky? Khotso deserves this kind of wife. Not Ona. 

We all say goodbye to each other and the Mohales – plus Fikile – leave. 

Now, it’s just Maboko and I. Our son is out of it. 

“You want to change his surname?” I ask. 

“I have been meaning to talk to you about it”.

“So why didn’t you?” 

“A lot has been happening and I didn’t get a chance.”

“He is my son, Maboko”. 

“He is my son too. You kept me away, I didn’t stay away. I just want to be his father and ensure that I do right by him. Fuck man! I am losing my marriage because of this!” 

“Nobody asked you to put your marriage on the line for us. Don’t you dare put that shit on us.”

“Teboho-

“Ha ah! No!”

We stare at each other. 

“I am sorry that I hurt you, Tebza. I really am sorry.” 

I sigh as my tears betray me and just stream down my cheeks. 

“I can see that your heart is aching. I know I am the one who is responsible for shattering your heart like this. I am sorry.” He says. 

“I thought I could do this. But I really can’t”. I say. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I thought that I had moved on from what you did to me – to us. I thought I could co-parent and it would end there. Khabane is our only link to each other anyway. But I love you. I want to stop because all you ever do is hurt me. I just cannot stop loving you. I can’t. I want us to be a family. I want to make love to you every night. I want to give you more kids. I don’t want to do ceremonies to change our children’s surnames. I want to be your Mrs Seete and birth children who already have your surname.” I don’t know where that came from, but now that I’ve said it, my chest feels light! 

I am sobbing and he is beside himself with emotion. 

“I want you, Maboko. And I want you to want me. I want you to only want to fuck me, impregnate me and have a family with me. I want so much more than what you are giving me or are able to give me. Every moment that I am with you frustrates me because I can never have you the way that I want to have you. What am I supposed to do with your co-parenting when I want love from you?” 

Maboko walks up to me. He lands his lips on me, kissing me from his soul! I kiss him back through my tears. Our breaths are now a moment away from each other, our foreheads touching. 

“Make love to me”, I say. 

“We can’t do it here, my love. What if our son wakes up? Or a nurse walks in? I don’t want our asses imprinted on some random’s mind”, he says. 

I chuckle. Maboko smiles at me. 

“I love you. I will do right by you. I will make love to you any time you want me to for the rest of our lives. I will make you my wife. And I will make sure you birth all seven of our children.” He says. 

“Seven?!”

He chuckles and says, “Seven”. 

I laugh. 

“We were young, but even then I knew that you are my forever. I know I messed up and I almost lost you forever. But I need you to forgive me. Please forgive me, my love. I need you. I want you. I love you.” 

We kiss. 

…

Yesterday was extremely traumatic for my feelings. I have never been more humiliated, embarrassed and hurt in my life. I’ve locked myself up in my room all night and did nothing but cry. 

I hear talking in the kitchen and I check the time. It is 7am. Maybe I should sleep and not have to deal with seeing people today. Agh, but what the hell, let me make my way downstairs. 

My mom and Lebo are making breakfast and chatting away. Lebo and I have a decent relationship – better than the relationship that I have with Lydia by far. Lebo is the better wife. Joseph upgraded well from that Tholoana Secondary principal. 

They are both quiet as I enter the kitchen. 

“I have brought some chocolates and came to see how you are doing”, Lebo says to me. 

I just walk towards the box of chocolates and start eating them. I pour myself a glass of wine while I’m at it and enjoy my wine and chocolate. Both these ladies don’t know how to be. 

“I don’t agree with how Maboko is handling this entire situation. But Linda, what did you expect after you cheated on him?” Lebo says.

I’m going to smack this housewife. She’s just like Teboho. She made it out of a village and landed a retirement settlement from a poor life. She mustn’t annoy me.

“What about the times that Maboko cheated on my baby?” My mom. 

“Your baby decided to stay with him. He is choosing to leave. You cannot hold him responsible for decisions that Linda made”, Lebo. 

I just eat my chocolate and drink wine from the bottle now. Glass for what? For who?

“Zandile and Linda, Maboko doesn’t want to meet to discuss this. He is adamant that he wants to involve lawyers. He is not moving away from this divorce thing.” Lebo says. 

“Control your bastard!” My mom says. 

“Linda, do you really want to still be married to Maboko?” Lebo asks me.

“Would she be falling apart like this if she didn’t?” My mom answers on my behalf. 

“HE DOESNT WANT HER! She needs to get over this”, Lebo says. 

I now look at her. 

“Did he say that?” I ask her. 

She looks at me. 

“Did Maboko say that he does not want me?” I ask her again. 

She nods her head. 

“Thank you”, I say then grab my bottle of wine and chocolate and head back upstairs. 

I am crying and drinking wine and eating chocolate as I watch some useless reality show on my television screen. I try to phone Maboko, but he has now blocked me. I pass out eventually. 

I am woken up by someone carrying me somewhere. Hai bo! I am being carried to my bathroom. He sticks his finger down my throat and I throw up. As I am throwing up, he runs me a bubble bath. I step into the bathtub when I am done throwing up and he baths me. I just sit there and let him. 

When I’m done, I lotion myself and I hear movement in my bedroom. I get into my walk-in closet and get dressed. I actually feel human now. I get into my bedroom and he has cleaned my bedroom. 

“Let’s go. You need to get out of the house”, he says to me. 

I grab a bag and follow him. He puts me in his car and we drive to some park. 

Now we are sitting on a bench together in the park. I then start sobbing. 

“I’m worried about you”, he says to me. 

“He wants a divorce”. I say. 

“You don’t?” He asks me like I should want one. 

“I actually love him, Kabelo.” 

“I see.” 

He looks away from me. Then he looks at me and says, “I don’t regret what we did. And I wish we could do it again. I can take care of you, Linda.” 

“Please stop it, Kabelo. What’s wrong with you? This is your friend! Where is your loyalty?”

“He doesn’t deserve you! Why do you sell yourself so short? Your marriage means nothing to him! He doesn’t give a shit about you. There is one woman that Maboko will always love no matter who he marries. Maboko loves Tebza. He is married to you, but he lives with her and you are still thinking of ways to become good enough for him? You are fucken pathetic!” 

I slap this piece of shit right across the face! 

Who does he think he is?!

He continues, “He doesn’t love you. He doesn’t want you. He doesn’t deserve you. I don’t know what else you want to see happen before you realise this. He’s serving you fuckendivorce papers. What are you still saying to him?” 

Now I’m breathing heavily. I am so angry. I just don’t know at what.

“Fuck Linda! I wish you understood how beautiful you are. I wish you comprehended how incredible you are. Linda, you deserve to be at home right now, gossiping with your girls about how great life is and what your husband does every moment he is awake just to ensure that you are happy”. 

He comes closer to me. Then he says, “Linda, it’s okay to want it all. You deserve it all. The only issue is that you want it all from a man who cannot give you everything. He is giving it all to Teboho Tlou – his true love. Don’t do this to yourself. Let me in, Linda. I want to give you everything. You may be an option to Maboko, but you are a Queen to me.”

This man is really serenading my soul. I am so moved. But I love Maboko. I really do. He puts his forehead against mine and rubs my arm.

“I love him”, I confess.

“He doesn’t love you. I am the one who loves you. That moment we had… when we made love to each other… I know you felt the connection between us. We don’t need to fight it.”

“Sho“, a voice suddenly says, startling us out of this moment. We look up. We stand up. Before us stands Zakes, Thelma, Samke and my brother, Zo.

“This is very cosy”, Samke says. 

“Linda, what are you doing? He is already divorcing you”, Zo says to me.

“This is not what it looks like, Zo”, I say.

“So what is it then? First, you fuck him in your house and in your bed that you shared with your husband. Now you do park dates with him?” Zo.

“What’s your problem? Are you happier when she is being played by Maboko?” Kabelo asks Zo. 

“You think I don’t know that you set her up? You wanted Maboko to find out that your scholarship ass was fucking his way out of his scholarship with Maboko’s wife. Now you are committed to badmouthing Maboko to her so she could choose you? And wena Linda, like a dumb bitch, you fall for all of this? You think he’s better than Maboko?” What’s wrong with Zolile? 

“Zo, you need to calm down now.” I say.

“Linda, you knew that Maboko loves Teboho. You’ve always known. You chose him anyway. Now you want to justify being a whore with him showing us what we already knew? You chose to be second best to him”, Zolile is really coming for me today.

I just look at him. No one says anything for a few seconds. Then Thelma says, “friend, I don’t support what Maboko is doing to you. But I don’t believe that Kabelo is your next best thing”. 

…

Kabelo has just dropped me off at my place. I told him that I wanted to be alone for tonight and he respected that. 

I pull out a bottle of wine as I dial Maboko’s number. My number is still blocked. I open the bottle of wine, fill my glass to the brim, take one hell of a gulp then dial Teboho’s number. After a few rings, she answers it by saying, “How can I help you, Linda?” 

“I am looking for Maboko. Is he with you by any chance?” I say. 

“Maboko, Linda is on the line for you.” I hear her say. 

“What do you want?” That’s how Maboko answers the phone.

“I want us to talk”, I say. 

“I have nothing to say to you. Call Kabelo”. 

“Don’t be like that, Maboko.”

“Linda, my son is not well. I don’t have time for this. What the hell do you want from me?” 

“Can we still fix our marriage?” 

“No. My attorney will be in contact with yours. The divorce papers have already been drafted. From now on, let’s talk through our lawyers. Don’t ever call me directly ever again.” 

Then the line goes dead.

I finish this glass of wine and pour myself another one. 

I dial Kabelo. 

“Hey beautiful”, he answers his phone.

“You were right” I say.

He takes a deep breath then says, “So what now?” 

“Can I come over?” 

“Sure. Wear something black and lacy for me”. He says. 

“On my way”.