We’ve got into a good routine. My daughter is happy. My son is growing and he’s talking a lot more. I was worried about Tshenolo a bit. I even considered taking him to therapy. He just became a quiet child that is difficult to read. He realised that speaking about his father made Mosetsana sad and me angry. So he stopped. But I could tell that he misses his dad. To me, that meant I protected him from the trauma that Bryan brought into our lives. I wish I could say that I protected Mosetsana as well. I failed and now she hates her father. But I’m glad that they are both in a better place right now. 

My sister is struggling to adjust to a predominantly white school when all she knows are village schools. But she attends extra English, extra Science and extra Maths classes. I encourage her every day that she will come right. What I love about her is that she doesn’t give up. She’s come back defeated so many times. All she did was sleep with me in my bed crying, but after her good cry, she wakes up determined to try again. I love that about her, and I make sure that I tell her. Every time I tell her that, she thanks me for choosing better for her. 

I sleep with my son in my bedroom. Mosetsana and Mmamello are old. They need their space. So, they each have their own bedrooms. Tshenolo has a cot in my bedroom, but he insists on sleeping on the bed with me. 

It’s Wednesday. I’ve just finished bathing and bathing my kids. We run into the kitchen and Mmamello has prepared breakfast. We eat our breakfast quickly. Meme and I quickly wash the dishes then we lock the house up. I go on a taxi with Tshenolo then Meme takes a different taxi with Mosetsana. We all hug each other then say goodbye. 

“Mama”, my son calls to me as we sit in the taxi. He’s sitting on my lap. Since I paid for two people, I put our bags where he should be sitting. I paid for the seat.

“Yes papa?” Me. 

“I like living with Mamane Meme.” He says. 

“I’m glad, papa. She likes living with us too”, me. 

“When is she taking me school like she takes Mosetsana?” 

“You don’t want mommy to take you to school anymore?” 

He shakes his head.

“Why?” 

“Because you don’t buy me sweets when you leave me at school. Mamane Meme buys Mosetsana sweets.” 

I actually feel like laughing. But I search for a sweet in my bag. When I find it, I give him one. 

“Yes!” He yells. 

Everyone in the taxi looks at us. 

I just shake my head. 

We arrive at the corner we typically get off at after about an hour. We climb off the taxi. He is holding his bag and I’m holding mine. I hold his hand then close the door. We walk for about five minutes then we are at his creche. He sees his friends and runs off. I go to his teacher to leave his bag. He does that. He runs off to play and drops his bag for me to take it to his class. Imagine. I don’t even get kisses anymore. 

Now, I walk to work. 

By the time I get to work, I’m feeling a bit bushed. 

“There you are”, I hear Mofomahadi Thabi say.

“Dumela Mofomahadi.” Me. 

“Hi. Bona, I need you for something. What’s your day looking like today?” She asks me. 

“I’m just managing the guest wing.” I say. 

“Can you give that task to someone else?” She asks me. 

I nod my head. 

“Good. Please do that then meet me and morena at the car”, she says. 

I wonder! 

I manage to ask my assistant to take over for me for the day. She doesn’t mind. I think she’s sleeping with one of the Mohale kids. But it’s none of my business. 

I indeed meet the royal couple at their very luxurious chauffeur-driven car. I don’t even know what this car is called. A staff member wearing white gloves opens the door for me and I head inside. I’m now sitting opposite mofomahadi and morena. I have never been more uncomfortable in my life. 

“Are you comfortable?” Morena asks me as he sees me taking this all in. 

The car starts moving. 

I nod my head and swallow some spit.

“You got a promotion”, mofomahadi tells me. 

“But I just started working here last week”, I say. 

“Yeah. But you come highly recommended by Maphuthi Ngwenya. Do you know who that is?” Mofomahadi. 

“Wandi’s mother?” Me. 

“Yeah. But to us, she’s a good friend to the throne. So, her recommendations are taken seriously”, Mofomahadi. 

“Oh. Well, kea leboha mofomahadi. Ke leboha ho mme nahane“. I say. 

“You thank me by being damn good at your job. You are now a royal assistant. My royal assistant to be exact”, she says. 

I don’t even know what that means. 

“Your benefits will include medical cover, a housing allowance of eight thousand rands a month, and you’ll need a car. We are going to pick up a car for you now. You need to be able to just get around. You will have a car allowance of seven thousand rands a month as well.” She says. 

I don’t have medical aid, so this is brilliant for my family and me. I pay five thousand rands for my house every month. I don’t even have a car and I don’t think I need an expensive one.

Morena seems to be reading my mind because he says, “We know you pay five thousand rands for your house every month. Now, you won’t pay anything at all. We’ve taken the three thousand rands balance and added it to your petrol card. So you have an access of three thousand rands a month on your petrol card”.

Modimo waka. I’m in so much disbelief. 

“You also get school fees allowance. So we will be paying eighty percent of your kids’ school fees.” Mofomahadi says. 

I’m actually going to faint. 

“I don’t know what to say. Truly, thank you”, I say.

“Well, we look after our people. Promise us to never desert us for South Africa ever again. Oh, and you’ll obviously get a handsome bump in your salary as well.” Morena. 

Now I’m shaking. They see it.

“The bad news is that you’ll truly earn all of it. There will be times where you’ll need to work extra hours. We have drivers that can fetch the kids for you when you are busy. Work starts at 7:30am for you. I’ll give you lunch around the time you have to pick up and drop off your kids. But you have to be back and you knock off when we are done. Your work will be in the royal house and at my office in the government offices. You will, from time to time, be required to assist the king as well. But under no circumstances do you assist his second wife. And under no circumstances do you sleep with my husband. You touch him and I’ll personally fetch your abusive and shifty baby-daddy from across the dodge borders then leave him at your doorstep. Don’t be confused by what he whispers in your ear when he comes onto you. I have more power than what I’m given credit for and I have no problem exercising it as and when needed. Do you understand me?” Mofomahadi bathung! I don’t even look at her husband like that. He actually laughs at what his wife has just said to me. But this is not funny to me at all. 

The car stops. The door is opened by the staff guy in white gloves. I exit first. The royal couple climbs off after me. Mofomahadi gives me a list of things to get through today then tells me I can knock off as soon as I’m done. Tomorrow, she expects me at 7:30am. I agree. The royal couple gets back in their car and leave. I’m led to the car dealership by another staff member. It’s a Hyundai car dealership. 

As I step in, a black Hyundai Tuscon is waiting for me. It even has a sunroof. The interior is black and leather. I am informed that the royal couple put down a HANDSOME instalment for this car. So, with my car allowance, I pay nothing for it. I’m in so much shock. I actually cry as I drive away from the dealership. Is this really happening? To me? Nna? Morafe Letuka? I’ll actually fetch all three of my kids today from school, take them to Spur for dinner. They’ve never been there. They’ll be so excited. Then this weekend, we will go see my mom, Mmaletuka and Mmaletuka’s kids. 

Yoh, I’m in tears! 

God bless Wandi and her family in ample abundance!

…

I finish my work by 3pm. This includes the debrief call for the day with Mofomahadi. I’ve even taken initiative to familiarize myself with her diary for tomorrow just so that I’m prepared for her day. I did the same for Morena as well. I’m going to use that car seat that Bassie gave me and put it in here for Tshenolo. I’m so excited. I feel like a child with a new toy. 

I fetch my son first because he is down the road from my workplace. He’s first angry at me that I fetched him early and he was in the middle of a game with his friends. But he’s super excited when he sees the car. I’m instantly forgiven for taking him out of a game with his friends. 

“Can I sit in the front?” He asks me as I put his back in the boot. My big, clean and beautiful boot. 

“No papa. You are a baby. You have to sit at the back with a seat belt on. When we get home, we will put your car seat in the car so that you can be safe when we drive.” I tell him as I buckle him into the backseat. 

“But I’m a big boy now. I don’t need to have a baby seat in the car.” He protests. 

I just drive off.

The trip is him convincing me to not have a baby seat in the car. He promises me that he will always have his seat belt on and he will always listen to me. I’m just laughing. I don’t understand what his issue is with car seats. They are cute. 

We get to Mosetsana’s school. We see Mosetsana holding onto Meme’s hand, and they are walking to get taxis. I slow down when I reach them and hoot the car. Tshenolo rolls his window down – I don’t know how he managed to learn that so quickly – then he waves at them and says, “We have a car now. Hop in!” 

They are first in shock. Then they snap out of it and run to the car. 

“Bags in the boot, please.” I say to them. I open the boot and it automatically opens. 

Bona! I’m so happy with this car hle.

They put their bags in the boot. Meme closes the boot. She helps Mosetsana into the backseat and buckles her in. Then she sits in the front seat and buckles herself in. 

“This car is wow, mommy. Is it ours?” Mosetsana.

“Yes baby. I got a promotion at work and it comes with this car. Now I can drive you guys to school every morning and fetch you in the afternoons. But I have to work longer hours. So you guys have to be at school much earlier now. Will that be okay?” Me. 

“School gates open at 6am, so we will be safe. But I’ll wait with Mosetsana until enough of her friends have arrived. Then I’ll walk to school”, Meme says. 

“Kea leboha hle, ausi waka.” Me. 

“I’ll fetch you guys after school. But when you have Sport, you have to tell me I’ll take lunch when you are all ready to go home. But I’ll have to go back to work and work until late sometimes. Will that be cool with everyone?” 

“How late?” Mosetsana. 

“I don’t know, baby. But please be good for mamane. I don’t want problems. Else I take the car back to work and we go back to using taxis.” 

“Okay mommy”, Mosetsana and Tshenolo say. 

“So today is one of the last few days I get to be home this early, so I’m thinking I can treat my three favourite people in the world to an evening at Spur.”

“Yaaaaaay!!!!!” They all say, even Meme. 

“So we go home, we change and we go eat? When we get back, it’s homework, bathtub and bed.” Me. 

They shout for joy again. Even Meme. I’m winning.

“Then this weekend, we will go to Maja Perre and share the car with mama and Mam’holo Mmaletuka.” I say. 

“And see Thabang again”, Mosetsana says then giggles. 

Bathung! 

Meme also laughs.

“We have to be nice, Morafe. We have to let him in our car like he let us in his”, Meme says. 

Mosetsana laughs.

I just giggle and drive on. 

…

I’ve been thinking about Morafe a lot this week. I was even thinking about her at Tumelo’s wedding. Tumelo told me to snap out of it. He was convincing me that Morafe is not worth it. There was enough war when I took on a second wife. But Morafe would be my love. Tumelo asked me if I thought she’d accept being one of many wives as opposed to the only wife. Honestly, I don’t know. And when I get the opportunity to do so, I’ll ask her. But I just have this thing that won’t leave me that keeps telling me that if I don’t give my all with Morafe, I’ll never get over the “what if”. 

“Papa, o siame?” My wife says. I’m with my second wife today. Her name is Mahali. We have two kids together. 

“Ke siame. What’s up? Did you need me for anything?” I ask her. 

“Nah. I just came to tell you that I’ve just put the kids to sleep. So if papa is feeling a bit hungry, I’m ready for him.” She says. 

I smile at her. Shame, she’s very cute. She blushes. 

“I’m going to go out for a drive to meet up with a friend. But I’ll be back within three hours. Can I wake my beautiful wife up then come and collect on that offer?” 

She smiles at me. 

I get up from the couch, kiss her then head out. 

I use my black Ford Ranger to head out. I drive towards Tau. That’s where Morafe stays. It’s a Friday night. I’m hoping that she isn’t the partying type. It is 10pm, so I’m also hoping that she isn’t in deep sleep. 

As I drive into the township that I dropped her and her kids off at, I dial her number. 

It rings unanswered. 

I dial it again. This time, she answers after a few rings. 

“Hello?” She sounds very sleepy. I don’t even know what to say. I haven’t spoken to her since that day I dropped her and the kids off here.

“Hello?” Her again.

“Morafe, hi. Kenna. KeThabang.” I finally say.

“Oh okay. Dumela. Can I help you?” 

“I’d like to see you.” 

“Heh eh wena! Ka nak’oe?” 

“I know it’s late. But I have to see you. Please.” I say.

“Okay. But I’m in Tau.” 

“Yeah. I’m outside your gate”, I say.

“What?! Really?!”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I’m coming. I’ll open the gate and the garage. You can drive in.” 

“Sho.” 

Indeed, the gate opens electronically. This is different. When I dropped them off, it was a manual open. As the gate closes, the garage opens electrically. Heh bathung! 

I drive into the garage. On the other side, a black Hyundai Tuscon is parked. What’s going on here?

I’m not sure if I should chill in my car or what. 

The door going into the house opens. She stands at the door. She has a night gown on. She uses her hand to signal that I should come into the house. 

I climb out of my car and head into the house. Her kids are watching TV with her sister. They are watching a movie. 

“Hi Abuti‘Thabang!” Mosetsana greets me first.

The son is passed out on the couch. 

“Dumela Abuti‘Thabang”, Meme greets me.

“Hey guys. How are you? Why aren’t you sleeping?” Me. 

“It’s a Friday. We get to sleep at 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays”, Mosetsana.

“I see”, me. 

“Mom got a promotion at work. And it came with a new car. Did you see our car?” Mosetsana.

“I did. It’s a very nice car”, me. 

“But she works late hours now. But she’s working for us and we are happy”, she says. 

Ja, this child talks! 

“Mosetsana, watch your movie. I’m going to talk to Thabang in the kitchen”, Morafe says. 

Now she’s gone from my sight. 

Morafe leads me to the kitchen. She’s already prepared coffee for us. 

I sit down around the kitchen island. She sits opposite me. 

“You aren’t watching the movie?” I ask her.

“I was asleep. I’m tired.” She says.

“You are working longer hours now?” Me.

“Yeah. I’m Mofomahadi’s assistant now. It’s definitely more demanding than being a manager to their guest wing”, she says. 

“Well congratulations. Rea ho lebohisa“, I say. 

“Kea leboha.” She says. 

We have a moment. 

“You said you wanted to talk?” She says.

“Yeah. I can’t stop thinking about you. I needed to see you.” 

“I thought you forgot all about me and met someone new to charm”, she says.

“So I’ve charmed you?” 

She blushes. 

“You really don’t remember me?” I say. 

Now she stares at me more attentively. 

“Buffalo High? The guy you always walked with to the bus stop, but never paid attention to? I bought you gifts every Valentine’s Day, even after I left the school. And you still didn’t want to be my girlfriend”, I say.

“No way! Thabang Mothipa? Ngwana wa-letona? Kgosana kaofela?” 

I chuckle. 

She laughs aloud. Then she says, “You’ve grown so much. You even look so different.”

“Hawu, ne ke le mubi?” I ask, also laughing.

“You were just short and had the biggest bum to ever exist on a guy”, she says.

We just both laugh hard. Her tummy starts hurting and she gets herself a glass of water. 

“You know, I still want to walk next to you all the time and buy you gifts all the time”, I say.

I can just see that I caught her off guard. 

“Well, if you truly are ngwana waletona, it means you are married to at least two women. Everyone knows that letona has no unmarried son. And everyone knows that letona is a proud promoter of polygamy, especially with his kids. Didn’t one of you marry another wife this past weekend” 

“Wow, you really keep up with letona“, I say.

“I did grow up in a village that he rules over. Everything about him is shoved in our faces by force… to a point where our mothers warned us against marrying into your family”, she says.

Fair argument on the first part of her statement, but I enquire on the second part, “What’s wrong with our family?”

“Women like us are out of your league.” She says. 

That’s actually a disgusting view. We are all people, aren’t we? 

“So how many wives do you have?” She asks me.

“Two.” 

“Both were chosen for you?”

“Just the first one. The second one I impregnated and had to marry.” 

“How many kids?” 

“Six”.

Her eyes! 

“So, my role would be what exactly?”

“To be my third wife and final wife.” Me. 

“Wena na, Mseleku. Am I supposed to be the wife who believes that’s true? And when you come requesting another wife, I’m the wife who will hate you and threaten to leave you?” 

I actually laugh. I can’t believe she took it there. 

“Look Thabang, I do think you are a nice guy. And to answer your question, you did charm me. But I’m not naive. I have two kids that are not biologically yours. Meme is now my third baby as well. So, I’m not exactly royal wife material. Your family will make sure that I’m not your last wife. Either that, or they’d insist on separating me with my kids so I can birth yours. And only yours would be the ones that I’d be allowed to live with. I can’t do that to my three babies. Re tswa very far le bana baka and I just couldn’t do that to them. Ever. I can’t.” 

I look at her. 

I really wish she could change her mind. I could protect her. But I do understand what she’s saying. 

“So, what am I supposed to do with all these feelings for you?” I ask her. 

“Le nna I have feelings for you. We just have to be adults and not act on them. That’s the difference between us and animals. Plus, I told you that I’m not ready for a relationship.” She says.

“What if we just dated?” I propose.

“Dated? Like mjolo?” 

I nod my head. 

“You want me to be your mistress?” 

“I want you to be my girlfriend”, I say.

“A girlfriend to a married man is a mistress. And there’s nothing cute about that.” 

I stand up and walk to her side of the kitchen island. I stand in front of her. 

“Morafe, I’ve loved you since re le bana. You’ve never given me a chance. If it were up to me, I’d phone letona  first thing in the morning to send out cows to your family so you could be mine – something I’ve wanted for years. You still don’t want that. Now that you’ve told me that at least, you want me – even if it’s not as a husband, I’m not letting that go. I’ll be your boyfriend. I’ll be your mistress. I’ll wait for you to be ready. And when you are ready to be my wife, I’ll take you and all three of your kids. They’ll be my kids. And no one will separate you from them. No one. I’ll protect you. That much I promise you.” 

She looks away from me. 

“Please Morafe.” I say. 

“Can I think about this? Please?” She says.

I nod my head and say, “Sure. But please, think towards the yes answer.” 

She laughs. 

I smile at her. 

“Can I see you tomorrow?” I ask her.

“I’m going to Maja Perre with the kids tomorrow. We will be back on Sunday.” She says. 

“Okay. When can I see you?” I ask her. 

“Can we just chat telephonically? Then we can decide when we are both available? It’s just that my schedule is so hectic lately, I don’t even have control over my own time.” She says.

“Okay. I’m a patient man. I waited years for you. I’ll wait another ten years if I have to. You will be my wife, Morafe. O tlo bona“, I say.

She laughs.

“Ke kopa ho lo robala hle?” She says to me. 

“Sure. Ke lo robala le wena?”

“Bye Thabang!” 

I laugh. 

She walks me out after I’ve said goodnight to Mosetsana and Meme. Her son is still passed out on the couch. I don’t understand why they are just not taking him to bed. 

“Will you be in Tau for the weekend?” She asks me as I’m in the car and she stands outside the door.

“Why?” I ask her. 

“It’s just… there was a break-in attempt yesterday. Thank God we installed our security system. It went off and the guys ran away. I’m just worried that if someone is watching the house, they could try while we are away, you know? So if you are around, could you please come by and check the house when you get a minute?” She’s so scared. 

I step out of the car and hug her. 

“Le shup?” I ask her. She seems a bit shaken.

I feel her nodding her head. 

“I can sleep over here if you need me to. I’ll sleep on the couch”, I say. She’s still in my arms. 

“I have to live without you, Thabang. We were just slightly shook by the experience. I’m worried because I work longer hours now, which means the kids are here alone for a long period of time. It’s getting scary.” She says.

“I’ll be here all weekend looking out for you, I promise. But if the alarm goes off again, call me. I mean it, Morafe.”

“I will”, she says.

“Okay.”

“Drive safely, okay?” She says.

She gives me remote controls to her gate and garage. She tells me she will leave the door in the garage leading into the house open so I can inspect inside the house. I nod my head. I finally drive off.

Honestly, I’m not in the mood for sex with anyone tonight. I just go to my apartment in Tau suburbs.