Khotso and I are attending some official government event today. These are usually a Thabi-Ona-Khotso thing. I’m never included in these things. I don’t understand why today is different. I was really looking forward to either sleeping or going to see Wandi and Melo. But Khotso says that we are going together. I think he’s just tired of being Ona’s and Thabi’s third wheel. 
My make-up has just been done. I’m wearing a burnt-orange dress today. Then I have a burnt-orange scarf as a shawl over it that is tied from one shoulder to another. It really looks out of this world. I wasn’t sure about this colour, but it’s working. The entire outfit is working and it’s giving. I’m wearing beige heels. My heels match with my doek. It’s stylishly tied. Then I am draped in jewellery. I have pearls around my neck, in my ears and on my wrist. Then I seal the look with my stunning wedding ring. 
I grab a beige clutch bag then make my way downstairs where Ona and Khotso are sitting dressed in their suits, and drinking alcohol.

“Smatsatsa saka”, Khotso says as I climb down the stairs. 
“I could be sleeping… I’m just saying”, I say. Also, when am I going back to my house. We’ve BEEN at the royal house hey. The elders said my duties are a year and six months long. I was really hoping that was a joke. But seeing that Khotso is not even hinting at us going home any time soon, I’m beginning to believe them.
“You look nice, baby.” Khotso says to me as he kisses me and caresses my lower back. 
“Thank you, love. Nawe you look like a fine piece of meat”, I say.
He laughs. 
“I hope no one will try to take you from me”, I say.
“They couldn’t even if they tried”, he says.
“The two of you really look good together hey. Really… le bantle haholo”, Ona says.
“Thank you so much”, I say. He sounds so sincere. And he’s never told us that before.
“I mean it. I never thought I’d ever see my brother this happy and this in love again after Lulu passed. Phuthi, thank you for reviving his life and heart again. I know it couldn’t have been easy. I know it took a whole lot more than just sex to get him here. Thank you for being patient with him… for understanding him… for never giving up on him… I love you for him.” Ona says.
Now I’m getting emotional. 
Khotso gives his brother a handshake. I think he’s emotional too. 
“Our mother would have loved her”, Ona says as he and Khotso are in their bromance hug. 
Ey, I knew Kea Mohale. That lady was another breed of dangerous. She was married to Mohato Mohale for far too long. I’m sure she was a nice and harmless person at some point in her life. But by the time some of us got to hear about her for the first time, she was not to be messed with. Some people even said that she was more dangerous than Mohato. I wasn’t sure if that was possible. Mohato was dangerous. There was something about him that was just… inhuman. The only time we saw any hint of humanity in that man was when he looked at his wife. Any other time nje… he was not someone you wanted to piss off. I don’t even understand how some people were willingly close to him. 

“Dumelang”, Sonia.
I didn’t know she was here. 
“Hey girl. I didn’t know you were also here”, me.
Ona and Khotso are downing drinks. 
“I haven’t been here. I can never reach me husband anymore, so I have to be a stalker and just show up on him.” Sonia.
Okay… this is not a happy moment. So I just keep quiet. Khotso puts his arms around my waist. I hold him too.
“So this is what we’ve become now, Ona? I don’t see you for months at a time… you block me and treat me like I’m your stalker? For what? For a smile on Thabi’s face?” Sonia.
“She’s my wife.”
“So am I? Or are we no longer on the same page about that?”
“I don’t know what you want me to say to you, Sonia.” 
“Just tell me where I stand with you. That would be a lovely start. Because I’m very confused! And so are your kids”.
“I’m ready”, Thabi announces as she climbs down the stairs. 
I look at Khotso. He looks at me.
“And then?” Thabi says as she kisses Ona them notices Sonia. 
“And then what wena?” Sonia.
She came to fight today, this one!
“What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to speak to my husband.”
“As you can see, he’s on his way out. We all are. We are going out there to make sure that you have all these luxuries that you bask in. Some of us have job descriptions that don’t entail opening our legs and popping humans just be a Mrs Ona Mohale.” Thabi.
This woman would do well in prison… either very well, or she’d die. That mouth! 
“Don’t you wish you could pop a baby or two? Else, how else are you a woman that’s a little bit more than just his roommate?” Okay! Fight for yourself wena Sonia.
“Woooooh shame, and I don’t even crave to be half of you, watsiba. I got this man simply because of what I bring to the table in my entirety. You forget that you were only brought into this family for the babies… nothing else. You need the babies, else you would be out of here. Jwale rona babang… babies or no babies, we are here and we remain.”
Sonia is silent.
“Or keng? You are here to announce another baby or perhaps make an appointment to make another baby? What are you if not the gift that keeps on giving?”
Isithembu madoda. 
“Fuck you, Thabi!” Sonia.
“It’s mofomahadi to you! And the only fucks that I give out are to my husband… unlike you who’s now selling this entire family out because you want attention.”
Yoh! 
Even Sonia is spooked.
“Keng? You think I didn’t know that you are the one working with the police? Top agents? Trying to end us?” Thabi.
Silence.
Thabi pulls a slight giggle then we all head out to this event. 

…

“Thabi, was it wise of you to tell Sonia that we know about her betrayal? Wasn’t the plan that we keep quiet but just stay a step ahead of her?” Ona. 

We are at our table that we have been assigned at this event. 
Is this even the right place for us to be having this conversation?
“Letlali confirmed that she got rid of Sonia’s evidence. So now that she knows that we know, she probably rushed home to try to speed up this process. When she also realises that her evidence is gone, she will run away herself.” Thabi.
“I don’t feel good about this, Thabi. You need to tell everyone else so that we can prepare for the worst. Sonia is smart. You don’t know if she has backup. I mean, we got wind of this months ago and we are all still standing. What do you think has been brewing all this time? It’s not just the evidence that has miraculously disappeared. And Sonia knows us… she knows who she’s dealing with. I wouldn’t be surprised if she came over to the house to see if we would confirm that we know”,
I say. 
“She’s not that smart, Phuthi. You are giving this woman way too much credit.” Thabi.
“Thabi, the worst thing you can do in this business is to underestimate your enemy. I don’t feel good about this. I’m going to phone Wandi. I need her to get Rena and Moloko. I want them prepared should anything hit the fan. I’m not going back to jail because Thabi and Sonia are fighting for Ona’s attention.” I say.
“Excuse me?!” Thabi.
She can honestly argue with herself. 
Khotso follows me outside. I’m dialing Wandi’s number. 

We are outside now.
“Hi mah”, I put her on speaker between Khotso and me.
“Wandi, ukuphi?” I ask her.
“I’m having lunch with Khanya and Melo. What’s up?” 
“Lalela nana… we might need to be on the run tonight.” 
She’s quiet. I guess she doesn’t know how to be.
“I’ll explain everything to you later. I need you to please go to the royal house, get Rena and Moloko. Pack essentials only. I don’t know how long we will be away. From there, go to your house. I’ll let you know of further instructions if need be. Get Khanya on a plane back to South Africa. He can’t be here right now.” 
Silence.
“Wandisa!”
“Ngiyezwa mah.”
“Askies nana. I know that you really wanted to spend time with your brother. But we have to be ready. I have a really bad feeling about this.” 
“It’s okay. I’ll also phone Senzi to come home.” She says.
“Okay. Lalela Wandi…”
I look at Khotso. He doesn’t know this. I guess I’m about to be in shit with him right now too.
“Mah?” Wandi.
“Go to our house… go to the main bedroom. Go into the walk-in closet… head straight to the back. You’ll see a cupboard with a mirror door. Press that on the right hand side. It will open. There’s one coat there. Put your hand in the pocket and pull out a key. It opens the door there. When it opens, there are three travel bags there and one LV handbag. Take those bags with you. If what’s happening is what I think is happening, we will need all those bags.”
“Okay mah.” She says.
“Good. Keep me updated, okay? I love you.” 
“I love you, mama.” 
We hang up. 

“What’s in the bags?” Khotso asks me.
“What we will need if Sonia is on her way to blowing us up tonight.” 
He dials a number. He calls pope, Maboko and Legoa. 
I really believe that we are on our way out tonight. I have such a bad feeling about this. 
Khotso and I head back inside. 
Ona and Thabi are still arguing.
This event starts. 
I’m not even focusing. I’m busy chatting to Letlali, Fifi and Teboho. Those are the two people that I trust. 
Ona and Khotso go up to say their speech.
I clap my hands briefly, then head back to my texting. 
We even opened a group between the three of us where all three of us are chatting. 

“Warrants for arrests are being applied for. We need to leave”, Letlali texts us in the group. 
I look at Thabi. 
She’s on her phone. She’s busy with whatever she’s busy with. I look at the stage. My eyes and Khotso’s eyes lock. He sees on my face that something is wrong and we need to go. 
I stand up and head outside.
I phone Wandi. 
“Mama”, she answers her phone.
“Wandi, where are you?”
“We’ve just packed an H1. Khanyisa organised for each family. All H1s have been deactivated with trackers. We are coming to fetch you and Bab’Khotso.” 
“Okay. Who are you with?” I ask.
“It’s just me, Senzi, Melo, Rena and Moloko. Rea, Nandi, their twins, Ona and Zari are in H1 and they are headed to fetch Bab’Ona and Mam’Thabi.” 
“Okay.”
“Hurry guys. Please.”
We hang up. 

“What’s going on?” Khotso asks me.
Ona and Thabi are also here.
“We have to go. People are in court applying for our warrants for arrest. The kids are on their way to fetch us. We need to go.” I say.
“That bitch!” Thabi, once again, focused on the wrong things. 
She’s on her phone again. 
Ay! 

…

My mom and Bab’Khotso came into the car and drove. Senzi is asleep. I’m in and out of sleep because Melo runs my life. But with Rena here with us, I have some help. My mom is driving. She seems to be in control. We were all in panic when we had to cross the border. We were beyond relieved when we crossed into South Africa. I just have no idea where we are going right now. 

I loved having my brother around. I love Khanya. And it seems that things are picking up between him and Ruri. They went on a few dates and were chatting A LOT! I like that Ruri keeps him grounded in a way. Like now, he talks about his career with short-term and long-term goals in the context. He’s even talking about business and possibly going into it. He’s inspired by her and I find that to be good. Your partner must challenge and inspire you! It’s important. 
Khanya also told me that my father has cancer. My father has also decided that he doesn’t want treatment. So according to his treating doctors, he has less than a month to live. 
You know, I should hate my dad. When I think about what I’ve been through when he could have done something about it, I just should be extremely mad at him. But I feel so sorry for him. Mam’Thandeka has moved back to be with him to help him and serve him in his last days. I truly believe that of all the women who have been in his life, she is the one who has loved him the most. He has honestly hurt her the most. She almost went crazy because of him. She had Tholoana with Bab’Ona – one of the most toxic decisions that she’s ever made in her life to the point where she had to give up Tholoana to find peace again – as a revenge of some sort to my dad’s shit. Yet, here she is again. She’s the one loving him til death do them part… just as they promised each other when they met at their arranged marriage.
I’d love to go and see him before he dies. I really would. But I also feel like he doesn’t deserve to see me. He needs peace in his final days. I’ve always felt like when my dad sees me, he is reminded of why he should be eternally punished in life. So I don’t want to get there, have him look at me, then feel as if I’m the symbol of why he is being punished with death in such a painful way. But I love him. I hope that at the very least, he knows that. 
But I’ve accepted that owami ubaba uBab’Khotso. Ngezwa uthando lukababa for the first time in my life from him. That’s my father. And I hope I never fail to show him how much I appreciate him. 

“Ona says that they are coming with us. Hence they are following us. Do we have enough room wherever we are going?” Bab’Khotso asks my mom. 
“I knew we’d all somehow end up in one place. We are all somehow inter-related nje. You and Ona cannot breathe without each other. Pope is Senzi’s father, so he’s family. Then Fifi is Maboko’s sister, so they are related by extension. We will all end up in one place somehow. So to answer your question, yes, there is space. I budgeted for all of us.” My mom.
I actually feel like laughing at that statement. It’s funny, but it’s true. 
“Love, where are we going?” Bab’Khotso asks her. 
“When I was still running mines, I bought a safety net and put it under my mother’s and Wandi’s name.”
Yeh?! I have a whole safety net? 
“Safety net?” Bab’Khotso.
“I bought a resort. It’s running and all. But there’s a section of the resort that I turned into family space. When I came out of prison and saw what my life was becoming, I adjusted that family space accordingly. It’s as if I knew that I had to prepare myself for a day like this. So each of us will have our space there. You and I have a chalet where we will stay with Rena, Moloko, Wandi, Senzi and Melo. Ona will have a chalet with Thabi. I had initially also made it for both his wives, but seeing that he’s only here with one wife… that chalet will fit Mohato, Zari, Rea, Nandi and the twins. Maboko, Teboho, Ruri, Khabane and the three kids will have one chalet. Shaka, Refiloe, Ntuthuko, Tamia, their four kids and Akwande will have a room. Letlali, Zithulele and their boys also have a chalet. Then from there, there’s a chalet where you men can meet or we can all have our church meetings.” 
My mom neh…
I want to be as strategic as she is.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this place?” Bab’Khotso.
“Because I’m still in the process of changing it to belonging to Wandi, Senzi, Rena and Moloko. As soon as it went through, I was going to tell you. I want my kids to land okay even when we are not here. It’s a good place. It makes a healthy profit. It’s in Mpumalanga. We can be there until we come up with a plan to fix this mess.” 
“I appreciate you, mosadi waka. And I love you.” Bab’Khotso. 

The sun is rising by the time that we arrive at some resort. We drive to some parking area. I wake Rena up. She looks up. She and I are now looking around us. We see the other H1s park in the same parking lot. She takes Rena. I wake Senzi and Moloko up. They also wake up. 
Our parents are already outside of the vehicle. My mom is doing the talking. The others are listening to her, as if taking instructions from her. Then, the H1s are being offloaded and we are all headed into our chalets. 
These chalets are nice. Bedrooms are upstairs. Downstairs, there is a kitchen, guest bathroom, dining room, TV room, braai area and a study. 
Our bedroom has an insuite bathroom. Actually, apparently all the bedrooms are like this. 
We even have a balcony – so do the other bedrooms. 
“This is nice”, Senzi says. 
I’m unpacking our stuff. He is lying on the bed. Melo is having tummy time on top of his chest and stomach.
“It is. Kodwa le mpilo le”, I say.
“Our luck when it comes to a normal family sthandwa Sami… ai. It’s different.” He says.
“You can definitely say that again. Do you know what happened this time?” I ask him. 
He’s father actually tells him stuff.
“Sis’ Sonia.” 
“Sis’ Sonia? Wenzeni?”
“Ey, she got bored because Uncle Ona diverted all his attention to the queen. She got really hurt when it seemed as if Uncle Ona was prepared to divorce her for the queen.”
“Kanti uBab’Ona siyamhlula yini na isithembu? Lama khosikazi wakhe njalo nje avuth’ amalangabi.” 
We both laugh.
“Ey sthandwa sami.. I don’t blame him. Mina ngeke vele ngikhone. You are more than enough for me, baby.” 
“You must remember that. Otherwise!!!” Me.
He laughs.
“So, it turns out that Sis’Sonia has been working with international police people to end the church and put everyone in prison.” 
“Hai bo… the boredom of being neglected got that bad?” 
We just laugh. 
“Wandi, Senzi… can I come in?” Rena says, knocking on our door. 
“Come in, babe.” I say.
She walks in. Moloko is with her.
They sit on the couch that’s in here. 
“Did you see our pool?” She says. 
Senzi and I look at each other… already giggling. 
“You like it?” Senzi.
“Like it? Some people are already swimming! Sis’Tamz is out there with her kids. Sis’Khanyisa is out there with her kids. Nathi let’s please be within.” Rena.
“Are you guys not tired? We travelled for the past afternoon, evening and this morning. Don’t you guys sleep?” Me.
“Lalela Wandi… angisho the idea is to get into the pool, get exhausted some more, bese sithi shower… bese sithi eight hours of sleep. Plus, dad said dinner is on us! So Bhut’Ntuthuko, Bhut’Khabane, Bhut’Rea are starting the fire. I think they’ll be braai-ing nje.” Rena.
“Look… even Aus’Nandi is at the pool with Mohau and Mulalo. Aus’Zari also. I’m going outside.” Moloko. 
“Okay! Fine. We are coming.” Senzi says.
These two jump up and down then leave our room.