Today, Khumo and I are bringing Thuli and Tlotlo home. Finally, they are being discharged from hospital and we can officially say that mom and baby are okay. 

“Dad, I’m so happy I have a brother”, Khumo says to me as we drive to the hospital. She’s sitting in her car seat at the back. I’m driving. 

“Really? I thought you wanted a sister”, I say. 

“I did. But now I get to be like Mulalo and Mbali. We all have brothers now.” She says. 

That’s quite a way to look at it. 

Then she thinks a little bit and says, “But Mbali is having another sister. Are you and mommy going to buy another baby then it can be a girl?” 

Yoh Khumo and her higher-grade questions. 

“Mommy and I just want two of the best children in the whole world.” I say. 

She looks out the window as if thinking about this. 

“No more babies, baby girl”, I say. 

“But why?” She asks with a sad tone. 

“Because you and your brother are all that God has blessed us with.” I say. I don’t know what else to say. 

She sighs.

“You know, your brother bought you a present from heaven.” I say. Her face lights up and she’s smiling from ear to ear now. 

“Really?!” She says with excitement. 

“Yep. He was an incubator, so he asked mommy and me to not give you the presents without him. Now that he’s out, he wants to give you the present.”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! I LOVE THAT BABY! WOOOOHHH!” 

This child! I just laugh. 

Thuli nagged me about this gift thing. We decided on a gift and I took it to the hospital yesterday. Her gynae said it helps to make the older child accept and welcome the new baby. Khumo is so excited. I guess he was right.

We arrive at the hospital and Khumo makes me buy balloons and flowers for her mom and brother. I really don’t understand the logic because we are going to be in here for a few minutes. We are taking Thuli and Tlotlo then leaving. But hey… anything for my princess. 

We get into the ward and we find Thuli breastfeeding Tlotlo. She’s even speaking to him as she breastfeeds him. Their bags are already packed, and they are both dressed and ready to go. My wife is so beautiful. She’s perfect! If you disagree, you can go argue with yourself. 

“There’s your gorgeous sister, my Tlotlo.” Thuli says to Tlotlo. 

“Hello mommy! Hello Tlotlo”, Khumo says as she climbs on the bed. 

“How are you, my angel?” Thuli asks her. 

“Good. Can I hold my brother?” Khumo has been dying to do this. 

“Okay. Can daddy make him burp first? Just so he doesn’t puke all over your pretty outfit?” Thuli. 

“Okay”, Khumo. 

Thuli kisses me and we greet each other. I take Tlotlo from her and I do make him burp.

Thuli holds Khumo in her arms. Then it hits me. I have small children. I have two babies. Modimo!

“Who chose your outfit, baby? You look so beautiful.” Thuli says to Khumo. 

“Dad chose the outfit for me. I also like it. But it’s so pink.” This child! 

“You don’t like pink?” Thuli asks her.

“I do. But I don’t want to look like a pink power ranger”. I can’t help it. I just burst into laughter. Thuli looks at her and just laughs. My daughter’s mouth! Hai khona.

“Look in that paper bag. Your brother brought you a present.” Thuli says. 

Khumo stands on bed and makes her way to the paper bag. 

This short thing bullies us so much with that mouth of hers. 

She opens the gift.

It’s a microphone and a speaker – well, a full mini-studio set. This girl is so happy she loses her mind. 

“God told my brother I’m going to be a singer! How did Tlotlo know?!” Khumo says. She’s been nagging us about this singer thing. I have a feeling that this gift is going to be a one hell of a mistake. 

“Can we have a rule around this thing?” Thuli says.

“My brother and I will decide”, this child.

“Nope. Daddy and I are the parents. We make the rules. We will have noise hours in the house, then after the noise hours, we put the music things away. Deal?” 

“What are the noise hours?” Khumo verifies. 

“Daddy and I will decide then tell you.” 

Khumo is back to her music! 

We bought her a mini studio set – well, Tlotlo bought that for her. Thuli is all about tapping into her talent and embracing it. I’m not with it. I’m changing it the minute she can comprehend that music is not enough. 

We finally arrive at home. 

The grannies have even prepared a whole lunch for us. It smells divine in here. I’m already hungry. I catch Thuli hugging my mom and my mom hugging her back. They didn’t have the talk. I didn’t take my mom to Thuli because I personally felt like Thuli is not the one who was supposed to apologise. And I made sure that my mother knows. 

“Daddy, please help me set up my studio so I can start recording”, Khumo says to me. 

“Where are we setting up?” I ask her. 

“Uhm… in my playroom.” She decides. 

“Okay. Can we set up after lunch?” I say. 

She nods her head in excitement. 

I see my mom holding Tlotlo, reciting the Serame clan names over him. I’m still mad at her. I see Thuli’s mom observing all of us very carefully. It just makes me nervous that we are all in one place at the same time. 

We are now having lunch in the dining area. Thuli has Tlotlo in her arms. The boy is wide awake and is chilling. Thuli has to pay him attention every two minutes because he just wants attention. Khumo is rushing through her food because she wants to play with her brother. She’s on my lap and I’m feeding her while eating. I honestly cannot imagine doing this with anyone else. Thuli is it for me. 

“I’m leaving tonight. I’ll be on an 8pm bus to Umthatha.” My mom says. 

“Umthatha?!” Thuli and I enquire. Who does she know in Umthatha of all places?

“Yeah. Your sister is there. I asked my brother to track her and help me find her.” My mom says. 

“I told you she’s fine.” I say. 

My mom starts crying. 

And then?!

“She’s married”, my mom says.

I’m not surprised. She was always the one who was going to run away and do something like that without telling anyone.

“Remoletile, I don’t know what else to do with Kamo. She is just so…”

“Mme, let Kamo be. Watsiba you are stressing about someone who has no regard for your feelings. She doesn’t stress and cry like this when she makes the decisions that she makes.” 

“Would you say the same thing if it were Khumo?”

Why is she bringing my child into this?! 

“Exactly!” She says. 

I just eat my food and feed my daughter. 

“I hope I’m not overstepping, but when I bring Kamo back, can I ask that she lives here with you guys?” My mom says. Thuli clears her throat.

She mustn’t worry. I’m two steps ahead of her. 

“You are overstepping, mme. Kamo is not going to live here.” I say. 

“Why not?”

“I have two small kids in this house who need my attention, one of them being a newborn baby. I cannot be parenting Kamo too.”

“This is your sister, Remoletile!” 

“And this is my family!” 

“This is Thuli talking. It’s not you.”

She’s starting!

“What did you say?!” My tone is changing and she hears it.

“Khumo, woza. Let’s go upstairs”, Thuli says. She holds Tlotlo, supporting him by placing his head on her shoulder. Then she holds Khumo’s hand and leads the kids upstairs. Thuli’s mother stays right here. She wants to hear it. 

“Remoletile, Thuli and her children are not your only family! Le rona we need you. You know very well that when your father died, you became the man in the family. Thuli should have known that when she married you. Now you don’t do anything for us anymore because it’s my family this and my family that. What about your sister and me? You think just sending us money every month will suffice?” My mom. 

“What do you want from me, mme? You’ve never worked a day in your life because I work as hard as I do. I’ve always made sure that you are okay. Always. Thuli is my wife and I love her. Whatever problems you have with me, you keep projecting onto her. And for what?” 

“Because everything changed when you married her and she had Khumo. It became worse when you started expecting Tlotlo.” 

“What changed exactly, mme?” 

“When last was Thuli in Sebokeng?” 

“So, things changed because Thuli doesn’t go to Sebokeng?” 

She’s quiet.

“Mme, tell mama-Thuli what you did to Thuli after Khumo was born that forced Thuli to go home to Mpumalanga with a newborn baby and before she was considered fit to drive. She could have died, mme. With my newborn child. She chose that possibility over staying in a house that I bought for her because of you. Tell mama-Thuli why she chose that.” 

She’s quiet. Thuli’s mother stares at her.

“Kamo is not staying here. She’s your child. You deal with her. I have two children – Khumo and Tlotlo. When they stress me out, I’m liable for putting them in line. I don’t make it other people’s problem. Khumo is not expected to be Tlotlo’s deputy parent just because she’s the first born. Thuli and I remain parents to both kids and we just have to figure it out with whatever they come with. Travel safely to find Kamo.” 

With this, I stand up and go join my family upstairs.

…

Nene went into labour at our house at 1:30am. We rushed her to the hospital immediately. It is now 5am and we are still waiting to hear if everything is okay.

Thomas and Fikile arrived with their boys around 2am. Thingo, Zothile, Ranwedzi, Gundo, Saneliso and Rendani are all passed out on the chairs here.

“Why is it taking so long?” I ask. I’m getting a bit frustrated. 

“They’ll come and tell us what’s going on, baby. Don’t worry. I’m sure everything is fine.” Koena says to me. 

I look at her. 

“Ja mkhulu, you are a real one now hey.” She says to me. 

We all laugh.

I have also started greying. But Koena says I look like a bae. Whatever a bae is.

Thomas is also greying. 

Mfundo finally comes to where we are at 5:30am.

He’s in theatre clothes. 

“Ey, we struggled in there. She ended up having to go into theatre and delivered with a c-section”, he says. 

“Is she okay, though? And the baby? Ba-right?” Koena enquires.

Mfundo smiles at her and says, “Mom and baby are fine, gogo. We have a girl.” 

Koena hugs him first. Fikile hugs him too. Thomas and I give him a handshake. 

“Mkhulu, sicela igama lengane“, he says, looking at me. 

I never got to name Mbali. He named her himself. I feel so honoured. Koena smiles at me, hugging me. 

We follow Mfundo in. Fikile and Thomas tell us they’ll stay with the boys.

She’s wrapped in a little yellow blanket. She’s so perfect. 

“She’s so small”, I say. 

“She is.” Mfundo says. 

Nene looks exhausted.

“You did well, Nene. She’s perfect. Siyabonga“, Koena says. 

Nene smiles, but shame, she looks like she’s going to faint any minute now. 

Mfundo puts her in my arms. 

I look at her. She’s awake, she’s looking around. She’s curious. She’s beautiful.

“Bayaphiwa. That’s her name. Bayaphiwa bakwaMsomi”, I say. 

“That’s beautiful”, Koena says. 

“I love it”, Nene says.

Mfundo just keeps smiling at me. 

Some machine goes off. 

We look at Nene. 

She looks like she’s crashing. 

“NURSE! DOCTOR! SOMEONE!” Mfundo is losing his mind. 

Before we know it, we are being kicked out of the room. We even hear people say, “It’s Dr Msomi”. 

Then someone says, “Do everything that’s medically possible to save her.”

Mfundo is fighting with people as he is being thrown out of the ward. 

Koena takes Bayaphiwa from me and I go calm Mfundo down. 

“Baba”, he keeps saying. 

“Yehlisa umoya, ndodana. They will do everything that they can.” 

I hold him in a hug. These nurses and doctors didn’t even realise that we still have the baby. 

…

9am.

We are still waiting for someone to come out and tell us something. Tee-le and Thuli have also arrived. Fikile phoned Thuli and asked if she could come by with pumped milk. She did just have a child and Bayaphiwa needs to eat. She was even being cranky. Koena is the one who fed her. Thuli brought two full bottles. We don’t even know where their newborn is. Mfundo is STRESSED. I’m sitting with him, trying very hard to just make this better for him. But even I’m beginning to stress now. 

“I’m going in there”, Mfundo finally says. 

“Let’s give it thirty more minutes. If there’s still nothing in thirty minutes, I’ll go in with you.” I say. 

I really hope that Nene being Dr Msomi will count for a lot. We need her to wake up.

A doctor walks out. 

“Mr Msomi?” The doctor. 

Mfundo looks up. We both stand up. Tee-le and Thomas stand next to us. The women are scared, but are looking at us. 

“We’ve stabilized her.” The doctor says. 

Thank God! 

“What happened in there?” Mfundo asks. 

The doctor looks like they’d rather not say. 

Honestly, maybe they shouldn’t say anything. I shake my head at her. She gets it. 

“Sir, the important thing is that she’s fine. She’s asking for you.” She says to Mfundo. 

Mfundo looks at us.

“Go son.” I say. 

“Mfundo”, Koena says. 

She hands Bayaphiwa to him and hands him a bottle. 

“She will make her stronger”, Koena says. 

“And Liso. Woza bafana“, Mfundo. 

He has Bayaphiwa now and a bottle that the Serames brought for us. Bless their souls.

“We must also phone Mbali”, Liso says. 

“We will phone her inside. Come on. Let’s go see your mom”, Mfundo. 

They head inside together. 

What a morning! 

It’s about 1pm when a nurse comes to call us from the hospital waiting area to go see Nene. Apparently, she’s a lot stronger now. 

Thingo rocks up with flowers, chocolates and a Burger King meal. 

We all look at her. 

“She loves Burger King. I got her nuggets and the Milk Tart Milkshake”, he says. 

He’s very thoughtful, I’ll give him that. I just wonder if he thought about us being hungry, you know. I mean, we’ve all been here since before 2am. But asikho lapho. 

Nene is holding Bayaphiwa, even sitting up.

Then it hits me. We all forgot to call Nene’s family. 

“Baby”, I call Koena. 

She walks up to me. 

“We forgot to call the Kunene family”, I whisper to her. 

She pulls a face, realizing that it slipped all our minds. 

“Let me quickly do it now”, Koena says.

I wait for her as she phones Koena’s mother. When she’s done, she comes back to me. We kiss each other. Now we step in. 

People are laughing and teasing each other. It’s a nice atmosphere. And I’m so happy that Mfundo raises the fact that Thingo only got food for Nene and we are all hungry. 

“No but Mfundo, I was starving. And I have to breastfeed.” Nene. 

“But ngeke vele usinike ngisho ne-nugget eli-one?” Mfundo. 

Nene gives Mfundo one nugget. Wow!

We all just laugh. 

Fikile and Thomas walk in with mountains of food! MVPs! MVPs!

Gundo walks in with two bottles of juice. Thomas has a six pack of beer. My man! Fikile has wine! Koena’s woman! Ranwedzi brings in more juice, paper plates and paper cups. Rendani has paper cups and juice. 

In no time, we are all digging in. Fikile and Koena are the ones who dish up for everyone. Thuli pours juice for everyone. 

Bontle walks in, bringing in Mbali. 

“Hello my baby!” Nene is so happy to see Mbali. 

Mbali sprints to Nene, jumping all of us, climbs on the bed and hugs Nene. 

This is beautiful. Koena is so happy. She cannot stop smiling at her. 

“Thanks for bringing her”, Mfundo says to Bontle.

“Sure. And congratulations! Mbali is excited to be a sister again”, Bontle says. 

By the way, her wife also had a baby recently. 

“Please bring her back by tomorrow. We leave for Bali in the evening”, Bontle tells Mfundo. 

“Ja, I will.” Mfundo. 

“Kea leboha. And Nene, congratulations sesi.” Bontle. 

Nene is not happy. She just says thanks and Bontle gets it. It’s not a happy day. 

Ja, these two were boxing each other a couple of months ago.

We leave the hospital just after 5pm. 

…

Today, Khanyisa and I are launching our lifestyle line at the NR Village! I hear there is an NBR coming up too. I’m so happy to be part of such a corporate movement. My dad and Mfundo are literally forcing me to go back to school. But, I’m earning a good salary and now I’m an official businessman with my own business. I’m studying part-time just to get them off my back. I’m irritated about it, but I’ll do the damn degree for them! 

Khanyisa and Khabane walk into the hotel rooms of the NR village. This is where we are all getting ready. 

Khabane and I greet each other. He’s already wearing the tracksuit and sneakers of our line. This man really loves Khanyisa. He supports her with everything. I even saw his mom do a whole digital marketing campaign leading up to today. Our tickets for the launch have all been sold out  – and they were EXPENSIVE! 

“The media is already here. I haven’t even glammed up yet”, Khanyisa says. 

She’s a bit irritated. 

“They got here in the morning already”, I say. 

“One of them stabbed me with something”, she says. Her arm is even bleeding. 

“What?!” Me. 

“He’s already been thrown out. Don’t worry”, Khabane. 

“Babe, glam is here for your mom too. Please tell her that kazi and Mam’Koena are going to fetch her on their way here”, Khanyisa tells Khabane. 

“Cool.” Khabane says and starts texting on his cellphone. 

“In the meantime, let’s get a game in”, I say. 

Khabane is very happy to come and play some PlayStation with me. 

A lot of women are here and glam is done. Now it’s time to go and be vultures for the media. I have a new girlfriend and she’s also here with her friends today. She’s outside though. My mom refused for her to be here. Bhut’Mfundo is here to show face, but he is leaving early. Sis’Nene couldn’t come because she’s at home with their new baby. But her sister and mother are there with her. Mfundo is here with Liso. Mbali went to Bali with her mother and the mother’s wife. Yes, Mbali’s mom is now married and she’s married to a woman. 

They even have a child. 

They had initially asked Bhut’Mfundo to donate his sperm to them. All I know is that Sis’Nene moved out of the house. The fight was that bad and for her to come back, Bhut’Mfundo had to jump through fire. Then Sis’Nene and Mbali’s mother had a proper fight. The fight was so bad that both women ended up in hospital. Sis’Nene even roped in her sisters and it was them against Mbali’s mom. It was at this incident that Sis’Nene found out that she was pregnant. Something was even wrong with the child and she was on bedrest for quite some time. 

Mbali is excited about having two more sisters. The mom and the wife have a daughter – I have no idea where they got the sperm donor from this time – and Sis’Nene had a girl too. 

My FaceTime goes off. It’s Sis’Nene. She’s probably looking for Bhut’Mfundo. 

I answer it. 

“CONGRATULATIONS!” She, Sis’Mande and their mother have a banner that says congratulations and are yelling at me. 

Man, I love my sister. My night is instantly made.

Now people have stopped talking and are looking at me.

“Thank you, Sis’Nene”, I say. 

“Thingo, we want to order stuff. Siyente njani?” Sis’Mande says in that siSwati of theirs.

“Go onto the website. It will give you instructions”, I say.

“It’s already full. There’s an online waiting list to get in.” Sis’Mande. 

“Seriously?” Me. 

“Yeah!” The three of them say.

“Yoh!” Me.

“I’ve sent your business manager twenty-five thousand rands and sizes of Mande’s kids and Mande. I also sent my sizes, Mbali’s sizes and Liso’s sizes. Please make sure he picks something nice for us.” Sis’Nene says. 

“Sneak something in for me too”, Mam’Sombu says. Mam’Sombu is their mother. 

The support is incredible man. Wow!

We chat a bit then we hang up. 

“Guys, your event coordinator says they are ready for us and we are officially broadcasting. We need to get going. Come on”, kazi says. 

Just like that, we get up and we start moving. 

Everyone here is dressed in our couture. This feels so good! Even our parents. 

It took us two hours to get in. It’s so packed! Khanyisa and I finally reveal the name of our brand.

NOMNDAYI!

This is the clan name for Msomi. My dad and Mfundo become super emotional. I kept this from them. We all did. Khanyi is the one who gives the speech.

“ONomndayi have represented one thing in my life: unmatched and unreserved support. I cannot begin to explain how instrumental oNomndayi have been in building the NR legacy and just overall being my father, my mother and my brothers. Thingo and I really struggled to put a label to what we have created. I mean… we have clothes, gyms, equipment and accessories. We will be encouraging and supporting people on a journey to a healthier lifestyle – possibly a longer life… just as oNomndayi do for anyone they consider close to them. We’ve been getting into contracts with medical and health insurers because they believe in what we are trying to do for society: promoting the value of health and exercise living. We are supporting how it should be… how people survived before globalization took over. Uncle Mthunzi took Thingo and I to KZN for a wedding and he let me milk a cow. It was such a weird experience. Then he told me that the milk is usually fermented so it doesn’t expire and that’s the real amasi that we should be drinking. He let me take a two litre bottle back to Tholoana Kingdom with me and I’m telling you, my system wants more. And that’s just a mere example of who and what oNomndayi are to us, to this brand and to what we are building. Uncle Mthunzi kept Thingo and I working until this perfection was reached. Bhut’Mfundo taught us how to budget for everything, including just talking to you guys about the brand”. 

People laugh.

He really did. She’s not joking. 

“And Sis’Nene, in her absence, kept the health check real throughout for us. So, Nomndayi is here. It has arrived and it is here to keep your wellness pulse alive. Uncle Mthunzi, Bhut’Mfundo, Sis’Nene in her absence today, my parents – kazi and papa… thank you. This brand is dedicated to you! 

NOMNDAYI!” 

As Khanyi and I step off stage, my dad and Bhut’Mfundo are already here attacking us with hugs. People are cheering for us and we are informed that our merchandise is sold out online. 

The shop opens and my business manager goes to shop for Sis’Nene and Sis’Mande. 

It’s a great night. It really is. And obviously we are going to be rich! 

…

I’m woken up by the baby crying and Mfundo trying to sing for her – making a noise.

“Mfundo, she’s crying because of that singing. Even I want to cry. Stop it!” Sis’Nene. 

I actually agree with her. 

Bhut’Mfundo sings louder.

“Hai! Hai! Mfundo!” My dad. 

Thank you, God. 

As soon as Bhut’Mfundo stops singing, the baby stops crying. 

Hai!

We all also just laugh. I mean wow. 

I wake up and think about making my way downstairs. I’m going to my mom’s salon today. My girl works there, and I also need a fresh fade and my patch of hair braided. Maybe I should just shower, then I can just bounce. Bhut’Mfundo lets me drive his car while he’s here with his family. 

I quickly shower up. 

When I’m done and as I’m dressing up, my girl calls me. 

“Ey baby”, I answer my phone. 

“Hey. I’m not working today. I got someone to stand in for me. I’m not feeling well.” She says. 

“I wanted to go in and do my hair today.” I say. 

“I can do you at home.” 

“You know my mom will fire you. You don’t poach customers.”

“Well, I was just letting you know that I’m not feeling well”, she says. 

“Okay. I’ll see you after I get my hair done.” 

“Babe, I think I’m pregnant.”

WHAT?!

“You can’t be pregnant. You are on the pill and we always use condoms.” Me. 

“That shit is not 100%!” 

“Ey wena! Condom is 99%. Your pill is probably 98% too. Two 99% protective measures should have a 100% somewhere. Even if you were trying to trap me by missing the pill, I was using condoms. I always wrap up my shit and you know it! If you are pregnant, that baby is not mine!” 

She hangs up! 

This woman! 

I finish dressing up then I go to my dad’s study. Bhut’Mfundo and my dad are there.

“Yini manje wena?” My dad.

“Simone athi she’s pregnant”, I blurt out. 

“Yeh wena!” My dad says and he’s sprinting towards me to beat me up. Bhut’Mfundo stands up and tries to stop him. 

“THIS IS WHY YOU DON’T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL?! YEH?! THIS IS THE SHITYOU’D RATHER BE DOING?!” 

I’m actually crying because my dad doesn’t get mad like this often. And he’s scaring me. 

My mom and Sis’Nene run into the study. 

“HEH BATHUNG! KENG?!” My mom. 

“LO MNTWANA WAKHO LO UTHI UMITHISILE!” My dad is so angry he’s even misquoting me. 

“NAH pops! I said Simone says she’s pregnant. I was coming here to tell you that it’s not mine.” I say. 

“Simone? My employee? Thingolwethu?!” My mom is not focused on the right thing here. 

“Moms, pops… I always use a condom. She told me she was on the pill. So even if she stopped her pill and didn’t tell me, I still used a condom and I made sure it was always secure. The baby is not mine.” I explain. 

“Thingolwethu, you’re having sex?!” My mom’s questions are beginning to disturb me. I’m almost twenty-one. Of course, I’m having sex. I started having sex at sixteen.

“And where were you sleeping with her? You still live in this house!” Mama! 

“Thingo, are you sure the child is not yours?” Bhut’Mfundo asks me. 

“I’m very sure, bhuti. I’m very sure.” 

“So, she’s lying?” Bhut’Mfundo.

“She’s lying, bhuti.” 

“Baba and I can go to her family and tell them this is not our child?” Bhut’Mfundo. 

“Bhuti, I’ll even go with you! That’s not my child.” 

Bhut’Mfundo and my dad look at each other. 

“Thingolwethu, Mfundo and I will go to loyo Simone loyo. If you are lying to us right now, I’ll disown you! In this house, men would rather get beaten up for making stupid decisions then deny a child. Siyezwana?” My dad.

I nod my head.

“I’ll give you her home address. Go to her family rather”, my mom. 

“UHAMBA NATHI LO!” My dad is so angry! Yerrr! The baby IS NOT mine!

Bhut’Mfundo is driving. My dad is sitting in the passenger seat. I’m sitting at the back. Bhut’Mfundo is trying to calm my dad down. We are now even arriving in Geluksdal at Simone’s home. She travels from here to my mom’s shop every day. 

Bhut’Mfundo parks my dad’s Lamborghini Urus at the gate in front of us. All these shady looking people stare at us.

I see Simone run to the gate. I quickly come out of the car. 

“What the hell?!” She says to me. 

My mom drives this car from time to time. I guess she recognized the car. 

“Open this gate”, my dad is not laughing today. 

“Mr Msomi –

“Open this gate!” My dad is so… 

Yoh!

She opens the gate. Her family comes outside and sees my family. 

“Wat gaan an, Simone?” Some woman says. 

There’s a conversation in Afrikaans taking place, then they finally let us in. 

“We are not here to stay. We believe that your daughter is pregnant”, my dad. 

“WAT?!” Some woman, staring at Simone. 

“You’ll discuss it afterwards. We’ve just come to tell you that we are aware that your daughter has been dating our son, but the baby is not his.” Bhut’Mfundo. 

“What are these people saying?! Simone, you better open your mouth and say something right now!” A man says. I’m assuming these are her parents. 

“Mummy, daddy… ja, ek is pregnant.” Simone says. 

“Is this the father?” The dad asks.

Simone shakes her head. 

This actually hurts me. She was also cheating? Maybe I have bad luck with girls, honestly. My dad and Bhut’Mfundo see that I’m hurt.

“It’s Uncle Elvis.” She says. 

Yoh! Yoh! Yoh!

“He raped me, mummy. Repeatedly.” Simone says. 

Now I’m shocked. 

But I’m not raising this child. It’s not happening! 

“Why are you lying, Simone? Jy lieg, mahn! Jy lieg!” The mother. 

“Please excuse us. We thank you for coming by.” The father says to us. 

I want to stay and –

Bhut’Mfundo has pulled me up and pulls me out with him and my dad.