“Love”, I say as I walk into his office.

“My Mrs R. Hey.” He receives me with his smile and warmth.

“Do you have a minute, love?” 

“For you? I create one.”

I smile at him. 

I walk in and sit on his lap. 

I know it’s unprofessional and we are at work. But this is my man and I love him more than the word itself. 

He rubs my lower back, his fingers flirting with my ass. We’ve had sex in his office and my office a few times… but I’m not here for that today. 

I just kiss him then start, “When last did you speak to the girls or Rea?” 

“I haven’t spoken to them in a while because we’ve been so busy here at work. But I’m sure they are okay. We’d know if they weren’t. I mean, the king is our relative now.” He says. 

I laugh. He must think I’m a clown today. 

“Babe, I can’t even get hold of Sonia. Something is wrong. Please phone Ona.” 

“Hai, Fikile. You know I don’t like that boy! I don’t like both those twins. I don’t need to be phoning them unless it’s really necessary.” 

“Our daughters, Thomas. Please.” 

He looks at me as if he doesn’t want to do it. But he picks up his phone and starts darling Ona. He puts it on speaker. 

“Ramaru”, Ona answers his phone. 

“Hi Mohale. We are struggling to reach the kids. Is everything okay?” Thomas. 

“They are fine. They all decided to go on holiday. Some went to New York and some to Zanzibar.” 

Something doesn’t add up here. 

“Oh”, Thomas.

“But Ona they usually phone us and send us pictures. They’ve been quiet. Unreachable.” I say. 

“They are fine, Fiks. And they are grown kids. They don’t have to always report everything to you.” Ona. 

“Are you with them?” I ask. 

Thomas is actually laughing at how panicked I am.

I know the Mohale family. And I know my kids. I know both well enough to know that something is off here. Khanyisa, I trust to get out of pretty much anything. She’s smart and she knows her way out of “Mohale” kind of situations. Rofhiwa is a bit…

Let me sensor my thoughts. 

“I’m in Tholoana Kingdom. Khotso is with them.” Ona says. 

“Tell Reahile to phone me. I mean it. Or else I’ll start making calls.” I say. 

“Fiks –

“These are my kids, Ona. I want to hear from all three of them within the next hour.” I say.

“Reahile is –

“My child!” I interrupt him. 

He takes a deep breath. 

“Fine”, he says.

“I want calls from all three of my children, Ona. I’m serious.”

“Ja, you’ll get them! Yerrr!” 

Then he hangs up. 

Thomas looks at me. 

“Thomas, I want my kids.” I say. 

“They’ll call, baby.” He says then hugs me. 

…

I’m in my office waiting for a phone call from my kids. They all decided to go on holiday? How old does Ona think I am? Has he forgot what I was exposed to when I was running around with his brother? 

I’m so tempted to phone Khotso and make him expedite my instruction. I want my children! And I have a damn bad feeling. Where are my kids?! 

I get a call from Latifah. 

My stomach! Yoh!

But why would anyone phone her about my children? 

“Hello?” I answer my phone. 

“Fikile, have you seen Sibongiseni?” 

“What do you mean have I seen Sibongiseni?” 

“Is he at work?” 

“I don’t know, Latifah. I’m not his manager, so I don’t manage his leave or his sight locations.” 

“Fikile, if you know where Sibongiseni is, please tell me. I haven’t seen him in a week.” 

Thomas walks through my office door with Mthunzi. They don’t look okay.

My kids?!

“Latifah, I’ll have to phone you back.”

I hang up before she says anything. 

“What?! Did Ona phone you about the kids?” I ask Thomas immediately. 

“It’s not the kids, baby.” 

“What?!”

“This weird thing you’ve been feeling about something not being right… it’s not the kids. It’s Sibongiseni.” 

I look at Thomas. 

What is he talking about? 

“And your mother”, he says. 

“Mama?”

“Sibongiseni has been shot.” 

Yoh!

I don’t even realise that I was falling until Mthunzi held me.

Khabane, Khanyisa, Rofhiwa and Rea walk into my office panicked.

My girls just try to calm me down instantly. 

“Is he dead?” I ask. 

There’s silence. 

“Thomas, is he dead?” 

Thomas shakes his head. Then he says, “He’s in hospital though, and he’s in a critical condition. ICU.” 

Okay, maybe I can still save him.

I take a deep breath. 

“What’s wrong with mom? You said I have a bad feeling about her too.” Me.

“When Latifah told her about baba… she collapsed and just couldn’t be woken up again.” Rofhiwa.

“But Sibongiseni is alive. So, let’s go wake up mom and tell her that Sibongiseni is alive.” I say. 

As I charge out my office, Thomas pulls me towards him. He pulls me into a hug. 

“Thomas!” I say, crying… falling apart.

“Thomas, Latifah killed my mother.” I say and cry. 

“If mom is dead because she thought Sibongiseni is dead, we can tell her he’s alive and she will wake up.” Me, crying. I know it doesn’t make sense. But right now, in my heart, it makes complete sense. I swear!

“No, my love. She’s gone.” Thomas. 

“Let’s at least try, Thomas. Ngiyakucela.” 

I just feel more hands hugging me, comforting me. Why would Latifah do this? Why?! 

The cry I release even shocks me. It came from the depths of my soul.

…

It’s a Friday. I’m obviously spending the weekend at home. I’m picking up my boys and we are driving to gogo’s house after school. I actually have a good relationship with my family. If I could, I’d live at home with them under one roof. But it’s just so far. 

But first, to get this day out of the way. 

My kids seem to be adjusting without Uyanda – especially Phendulile. He keeps asking me about Auntie Thuli and I’m five minutes away from telling him that Auntie Thuli doesn’t want him. And we do not go where we are not wanted! I understand that Thuli is on her glow-up with her perfect husband, her perfect child and her perfect pregnancy. But she was a huge part of my child’s life for seven years. Despite her feelings about Uyanda and I or what we did – which I do admit is wrong – she has no business treating my child like this! It’s not fair and I’m not with it. 

Hlanganani is young. He feels that his dad is not around, but he’s not as depressed as Phendulile. We are adjusting to our new normal and I’m proud of myself. I think I’m doing okay as their mother. Everything else, I’ll figure it out as I go. My priority is to be their mother above all else. 

“Dumelang“, that would be Moholo Khotso. Clearly, he will be working from here today. Oh, his wife is with him. 

“Hi.” I say. 

He’s already gone. It’s just his wife in front of me now. 

“Are you well?” She asks me. 

She’s so beautiful. She has a such a beautiful spirit. 

“I think I’m doing okay. My kids are doing better. So, if they are fine, I’m fine.” I say. 

She just has that thing about her. When she asks you how you are, the answer is not fine. She’s really asking how you are. 

“I think you are a fantastic mother. I’ve seen you with them. They adore you and you show up like a superhero every time. You are doing more than okay with them.” She says. 

That really means a lot to me. Truly.

“Thank you”, I say. 

She can see that I mean it from the bottom of my heart. 

“Anyway, let me go to the hubby. Ube-shup, neh?” 

“Thank you, Aus’Remo.” 

She walks off. 

Such a stunning lady. 

I do some work for about an hour, not bothered at all by Moholo Khotso and Aus’Remo. They are just locked up in Moholo Khotso’s office. When I was going to use the restroom, I heard them having sex in the office. I honestly just missed Uyanda more than anything. But it’s nice to know that some people have good husbands who just want to have freaky sex as well as marital sex with them. Because I like Aus’Remo, I’m happy for her. I like this for her. 

“Hello”, it’s kgosi Ona now. 

And some boy. 

“Hi.” Me. 

The boy looks like he is about to punch someone.

“Is Khotso here? I saw his car outside.” Kgosi. 

“Yeah. He is in his office with Aus’Remo.” I say. 

He nods his head. Then he says, “Ndalo, this is Lwandile, Uyanda Mbatha’s first born child.” 

WHAT THE HELL DID THIS MAN JUST SAY?!

“Lwandile, this is Ndalo Mbatha… your dad’s wife.” Kgosi continues with the introductions. 

“What happened to Sis’Thuli?” Lwandile asks.

Hai bo! 

“Your father left her. Ndalo came in and the rest is history.” Kgosi Ona says. 

And that’s actually not how it happened.

“That explains it.” This child says. 

I’m just standing here trying to process all of this. 

“Explains what?” Kgosi Ona.

“Why I stopped being taken care of. Sis’Thuli used to take care of me. She put me in school, and she made sure that she sent money for groceries and essential to my mom every month. That just stopped. My dad left his Jackpot for the typical basic.” 

“I will not be disrespected like this! I didn’t even know about you! Uyanda said nothing about you! He didn’t even leave a hint about you in his will!” I finally say. 

“He never said anything to Sis’Thuli neither. But she found me. I didn’t even have a relationship with Uyanda. But Sis’Thuli made sure I was okay.” 

“Unlike Thuli, I don’t make it my job to run after Uyanda’s untold skeletons.” I say. 

“Well, you should. When you are married to a man like that, it’s the least that you could do. Clearly, Sis’Thuli understood the assignment that you are now dismally failing. For all I know, you could even be the reason he’s dead.”

“The least that I could do? And I’m the reason he’s dead?” 

What the hell is this child saying?! 

“You’ll be getting a call soon. You no longer have access to my dad’s house and cars. Everything is frozen until his assets are reviewed, and I get fifty percent of everything.” He says. 

I’m actually angry! 

I’m furious! 

What the hell?!

“It’s the law in Tholoana Kingdom.” He says. 

I know! 

At this point, I just want to go and assemble Uyanda’s skeleton, bring him back to life, wake him up and tell him to deal with this! 

I was given the rest of the afternoon off. I went to the house while I still could and packed everything that I own into the one car that’s actually in my name. It’s mine, not Uyanda’s. I packed my children’s things as well. I left everything that indeed belonged to Uyanda. Then I went to my mom’s house. I’m clearly going to be here for a while. I’m not even going to fight this child. He can have it all! He would have blown it all in a month anyway – all of Uyanda’s hard work and he will blow it up into dust. Good! Uyanda and his family deserve this! Let him blow up his hard-earned assets that reminded him to never go back to poverty. I hate him! 

…

My kids and I are here at my mom’s house now. I want to go and fetch my first born from his dad too now that I’m back here and I don’t need to worry about Uyanda. Uyanda did know about her. Her father lives a few streets away from my mom’s house. I was with him before Uyanda. My boys know her too. She visits when we are at my mom’s house. But now, I want to live with her. Her dad is working, but it’s a municipal admin job from what I understand. He has four other kids with two different girls. I only have one child with him. I feel like he’s not coping with his five kids. I can afford to look after my daughter. So, she can live with me. 

But first I must tell my children about the fact that we cannot go home for a while. 

We are at a kiddies’ restaurant. I just want them to be happy, man. That’s all that I ask from the world. 

Phendu ordered milkshake, a burger and chips. I ordered nuggets and juice for Hlangi. I’m having wings, chips and a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri. I don’t consume alcohol around my kids. 

“So, guys, today, I met someone who told me that he is dad’s son. His first born.” 

Phendu is not even moved. Uyanda has disappointed us so much, even the kids don’t expect anything from him anymore. 

“He wants to have some of dad’s things. So, the court has told us to move out of the house, leave everything that has dad’s name on it, until they have reached an agreement on how dad’s things should be shared between the two of you and your brother.” I say. 

“He can have all of it.” Phendu says.

This makes me so sad. 

“Why, Phendu?” Me. 

“Because mom, for as long as you wear those black clothes and we live in dad’s house, he’s never going to stop being a ghost that complicates our life.” 

Phendulile!

“Is that how you feel, papa?” I ask him. 

He nods his head.

Hlangi is not even invested in this conversation. 

“Do you want mommy to take off these black clothes?” I ask him. 

He nods his head. 

“You know that your gogo in KZN will hate mommy for doing that.” I say. 

“Dad didn’t even like her. I don’t see why you should care.” He says. 

I nod my head then say, “I’ll make a plan, okay?”

He nods his head. 

“We will stay with gogo for a while. But mommy is looking for a new house that we can live in. Just us three…and your sister.” 

He looks at me. He smiles. 

“Is Nosipho coming to live with us?” Phendu asks me.

“I’d like her to. Would it be okay with you guys?” 

“Yes.” Phendu says excitedly.

“Hlangi, would it be okay if Nosipho came to live with us?” 

“Yes!” Hlangi says.

“Okay. I’ll arrange for that to happen as fast as I can. The important thing is that I love you guys. It’s important to me that you know that. Okay?” 

“We love you too, mommy”, Phendu. 

“Love you, mommy.” Hlangi. 

I smile at my kids. They are the best thing I ever got out of my marriage with Uyanda. 

“And maybe, when mommy takes these black clothes off, the three of us and Nosipho can go on holiday together.” 

Now they are excited. They even jump for joy! 

I smile at them. 

My babies.

…

Tomorrow, Motshabi, my mother and I are going on a holiday together. We are excited. It’s her first trip overseas and it’s her first school holidays as my child.

Right now, we are shopping for some clothes and anything else that she will need. Well, and me. 

I’m learning that she’s in love with shorts. There are a lot of shorts here. I’m the one who takes tracksuit pants and long denim pants for her. She’s not excited about it, but she will live. A woman cannot live on shorts alone. 

As we are in some shop, getting cosmetics, she bumps into someone she goes to school with.

“Mo”, the girl says. She’s white. 

“Hi Miriam.” Motshabi says.

“Is this your mother?” Miriam asks. 

“Yes. Mom, this is Miriam. The biggest cow in our class.” Motshabi says to me. 

Hai bo! 

Even Miriam’s mother is paying attention now.

“A cow?” Miriam.

“Yeah. One that goes around bullying people.” Motshabi. 

“I don’t bully people. We are just very lucky to be in the school that we are in. Therefore, we need to make sure that we keep the school in the condition that it’s in. Once we start making scholarship people feel at home, they’ll invite their township counterparts and turn our school into another Tholoana Kingdom tragedy.” Bathong Miriam! 

“Who says that? Are you that out of touch with reality? Suddenly having people who live below your tax bracket will make the school less attractive? Really?” Motshabi. I’m actually proud of her. 

“Well, why don’t they want to go to school with people who are in their own tax bracket? They’ve messed up every other school that used to be in perfect condition when people who had money appreciated looking after the things that their money paid for. Now, people who don’t know what that feels like – to spend money on things – they don’t know how to look after things. The government hands them everything… including schools. You don’t see us trying to impose on their schools. But here they are… bending over backwards to step into our territory, just so they can change it and make it another revolution? I’m not ashamed for protecting our legacy. For once, it’s amandla to the rich! And there’s nothing wrong with it because we work damn hard for this money.” 

With this, Miriam walks off. 

“Privileged bitch!” Motshabi says. 

Miriam pauses in her tracks, looks at Motshabi. 

“What did you just say?” Miriam’s mother.

“You will not address my child.” I step in. 

“She just called my child a privileged bitch“, the mother. 

“I think she’s earned it. She should be proud, and she should wear it as a badge of honour.” I say. 

The mother looks at me.

I look at her. 

“Sorry, I’m late guys. I got held up at work.” Chace walks in and says. He hugs Motshabi. As he’s about to hug me, he notices Miriam and her mother. 

“What did I walk in on?” Chase. 

“Nothing important. Just some classist morons who think poor people have no right to the education that they get.” Motshabi. 

“THAT IS ENOUGH!” Miriam’s mother barks. 

“Oh, and the chihuahua never stops barking. You know how they get when they are right next to their owner!” Motshabi’s mouth is… 

Well…

Chase just pulls us away, and continues to shop with us.

So, Chase and I seem to be getting serious. He has met Motshabi and he really steps up as a father figure for her. They get along very well. We’ve been to Bethlehem with him a few times. My mom and sister, Reannetse, love him. We haven’t heard from Motshabi’s biological mother since Motshabi started living with me. 

I feel bad about not being to his kids what he is to Motshabi. He shares with me how horrible the baby-mamas are. I’ve also seen them in action. The phone calls. The text messages. They are crazy. Also, Chase posts Motshabi and me a lot. So, I believe that it drives them crazy that he loves us so loudly and calls us his family this loudly. 

“Why can’t you come to Italy with us?” Motshabi asks him. 

“I have to work. But I promise you, the minute I can take leave, I’m taking you guys on holiday. Just the three of us”, Chase says. 

Motshabi is not convinced. 

After we finish our shopping, Chase decides to take us to lunch. We are fetching my mom from the airport tonight, so I guess we have time. 

We eat at Reahile. 

Now that our food has arrived, we eat and chat. 

“For your summer holidays, which is winter in LA, can we go down together? I want to try and spend Christmas with my kids this year.” Chase says.

“I think that’s a great idea.” Motshabi says. 

I smile at Chase. I want to say no, but I feel like I have no right. Not after he has been so amazing with Motshabi.

“You really wouldn’t mind?” He asks Motshabi. 

“Nope. It would be nice to meet your kids. And maybe they will give you your chance to explain your side of the story and not just have their mothers in their ears.” Motshabi says. 

“That’s what I’m hoping for. I want to get a lawyer who will help me with that”, Chase says. 

“We support you, baby. You know you have us”, I say. 

He smiles at me. 

He kisses me.

“Are the two of you going to have a child of your own?” Motshabi asks us. 

“Absolutely not!” I say.

Chase looks at me like I’m breaking his heart. 

“No, Chase. We have five kids between us. FIVE. We need to make sure that they are taken care of. They are good. We don’t have room for another child.” I say. 

He starts smiling. 

“What?” I ask him. 

“You just called my kids your kids.” He says. 

I blush and look away. 

Motshabi smiles at us. 

“The kids are mine. I don’t want the baby mamas though. They are all yours!” I say. 

He laughs aloud. Even Motshabi laughs.

“Come here”, he says. 

We get into a hug. 

We eat and chat some more. Before we know it, it’s time to go pick up my mom from the airport. Chase walks us to our car. 

“Please keep an eye on our house while we are away”, I say.

“I’ll just move in. That way, I won’t miss you guys too much.” 

I laugh. 

“And if you can, get on a plane and join us. We would love to have you gate-crash our trip”, Motshabi. 

“Ill remember that”, he says. 

We laugh. 

“Bye baby”, I say.

“Bye my love”, he says. 

We kiss. 

I leave with Motshabi in my car, and he leaves in his car. 

…

“Motshabi, we are going to miss our flight. What are you still doing?” I yell up the stairs.

This girl! 

I’ve decided that I’m taking her to Milan, Italy. She has been extremely excited all month leading up to this day. 

We are traveling with my mother because: 

A. She’s a teacher, so she’s on holiday too. 

B. She just loves traveling and she loves the soft life. 

C. She also wants to bond with Motshabi. 

“Motshabi! We are leaving you!” My mom says. 

Lol! As if! 

Motshabi knows that this is her trip. Nobody is leaving her behind. 

She finally runs down the stairs. 

“What were you doing?” I ask her. 

“I was video-calling with Mohale.” She says. 

“Ke mang Mohale? Your boyfriend?” My mom. 

“He’s gay, koko. He’s my tutor.” Motshabi says. 

My mom actually laughs. 

…