We are having breakfast in the main house with morena, mofomahadi, Thabi, Ona and the kids. Ona came back this morning from Thandeka’s house.
Everyone is happy and chatting about. I’m a bit upset. I’m just eating my food and am not engaging in the conversation and laughter.
“Makoti, is everything okay?” Morena asks me.
All eyes are on me now.
“No, morena. Everything is not okay.” I say.
“Speak your mind so we can hear you, makoti.” He says.
I take a deep breath then say, “I don’t appreciate how I’m treated by Ona’s women. Thabi, I know that we are in a better place now, but even you took a while to get there. Now I’ve been disrespected by Thandeka as well. I don’t appreciate being treated like the initiation phase of being Ona’s significant other.”
Silence.
People even stop eating.
“All the children at this table are my children. That has been my understanding since day one and that is still my understanding considering that I tuck them into bed every night and am their primary caregiver.” I say
“They are all your children”, mofomahadi says.
“Then why am I being abused by Thandeka like this? What does she think I am? Tholoana’s nanny?”
Silence.
“I don’t appreciate any of the things that have been happening and I certainly don’t appreciate the tone that she took with me that even led Khotso to having to pin her against a wall.”
“Lulu, she will apologise”, Thabi.
“I don’t want her apology. I know it’s not sincere.”
Silence.
Ona looks a bit embarrassed by this.
“You asked me to speak my mind, morena. I have.” I say then I go back to eating my food. Everyone else at the table just doesn’t seem to know what to do.

I have just dropped the kids off at school. I’ve taken Tholoana and Mohale to their different classes then take Lefatselabarena to her baby class as well. As I make my way to my car, I see Thandeka walking in to take Khanya and Khosini to their classes. Khanya and Khosini greet me with excitement so I greet them back and hug them. Thandeka and I just look at each other. Ona must have told her what I said.
I walk on to my car. Today, I have book signings at THE SIP & READ.

I arrive and find that mofomahadi has already opened the shop and is having a staff meeting. I also noticed Thabi’s and Ona’s car that the Maphumulos bought for them. I assume Thabi is here because she drives the car primarily. Khotso and Ona are married to their Jeeps. I don’t disturb mofomahadi’s staff meeting, I just make my way to my office. Mofomahadi has her own office as well. I find Ona and Khotso sitting in here drinking beer. These guys and beer. Oh, Thabi is also here. She’s having wine and is working on her iPad behind my desk.
“Hey guys”, I greet them.
Khotso stands up and kisses me.
We flirt a bit and we start giggling.
“Bathung!”, Thabi says.
We all laugh.
“Thabi, we must rearrange the vacant office so you can use it as yours permanently. You are here quite a lot.” I say
“Please do. I’d actually really love the space.” She says
“Okay, I’ll arrange it and make it happen.” Me.
“Ausi waka, I really wanted to come and apologise for allowing the disrespect that you have received from my partners. I do believe that I could do better in managing that situation – especially in the future. You are Mohale’s, Tholoana’s and Lefatselabarena’s mother. And you will be respected as such.” Ona says.
I nod my head towards him and say, “Thank you, abuti. That really means a lot to me.”
“I feel really bad about how things have happened and I just want to know from you what it is that I can do to make it better.” Ona says.
I sigh.
“Le nna I truly and profusely apologize, Lulu. I know I haven’t always come correct when I came at you. I’m so sorry.” Thabi.
I nod my head.
“I don’t want to keep Thandeka away from Tholoana. Please don’t think that’s what I’m trying to do.” I say.
“We know. Trust me, we know. But still, you don’t deserve to be treated that way. The way that Thandeka spoke to you was out of line and I made sure that she knows it. She also understands that there will be consequences for it. But, we do want to know how we can make it up to you.” Ona.
The three of them look at me.
I take a deep breath then say, “I know this is selfish, but I want some sort of guarantee that I’m never going to lose them.”
Silence.
“Like, you want to legally adopt them? Then you’ll be their primary legal guardian before the law?” Thabi puts so matter-of-factly.
I nod my head without looking at them.
“I’ll give that to you. Thandeka will sign the papers. She’s never going to take Tholoana anyway”, Ona says.
Khotso puts his arms around me.
I look at him.
He kisses me.
“Are you happy, my love?” Khotso asks me.
I walk up to Ona then say, “Thank you.”
He hugs me back and says, “No, thank you. Truly. Thank you.”

“You are all still here? Good. I ordered breakfast for all of us. We can eat in my office as the space is bigger.” Mofomahadi says as she walks into my office. She took the main big office, but I don’t mind.
“But we ate at home?” Ona says.
“It’s just something light… a late breakfast snack then. Come on. I want to talk to you guys.” Mofomahadi says as she leads us into her office.
I actually came here to get some work done. I abandon this place so much that it doesn’t even feel like it’s still mine.

We walk into mofomahadi’s office and it’s so…
The wall facing her desk is covered in wallpaper. The wallpaper is a professionally taken family photograph that we took for Lefatselabarena’s three months old celebration. We are all in the picture. Mofomahadi and morena are in the centre with Lefatselabarena on morena’s lap and mofomahadi sits on his other lap. It’s so beautiful. Khotso stands on morena’s side, behind Lefatselabarena. Ona is on morena’s other side, behind mofomahadi. I am in Khotso’s arms, he is cupping me into a hug. Thabi is being cupped into a hug by Ona. Tholoana and Mohale sit in front of morena’s legs. This photograph is powerful. I suddenly want it in my office.
We are all staring at it. It is honestly EVERYTHING.
“Baby –
Morena walks in and pauses at the wall too.
“I want this in my office. Who did this for you?” Morena mara
We all just laugh because instead of just taking it in like the rest of us, he says the one thing we all want to say but are waiting for someone to just say it.
“What?! This is beautiful! I even want something like this at the royal house.” Morena says.
“I agree. This is perfect.” Khotso says.
“Anyway, could everyone please take a seat?” Mofomahadi says.
“It’s quite busy out there. I saw a few ministers as well.” Morena says.
This is nice to hear
“I tell them all the time that this is not a meeting spot and when they have their meetings here, they disrupt people who actually come here to read.” Mofomahadi says.
Wow. This was never discussed with me.
“But it’s business, mah. Can’t you make an exception?” Ona.
“Not without Lulu’s approval. This is her baby. I just run the place for her.” Mofomahadi says.
I smile and say, “I feel so embarrassed. I feel like I just dumped it on you. I have no cooking clue what’s been happening here.”
“Dumped it on me? You’ve been raising my grandchildren and you’ve been doing so amazingly. This is the least I could do to thank you and help ease the load.” Mofomahadi says.
I smile.
“Thabi, I’ve been meaning to sit and chat with you. I got another movie deal. But this one was picked up in the UK. It is based on my book that addresses political instability and the need for empathetic political intervention. With all this work that you are doing with Tebza about positioning Ona and Khotso for the next face of Tholoana Kingdom leadership, they could be the face of the conversations that will be provoked by this. I’ve already received five invites to round table talks to discuss poignant matters that the story covers. Tebza said it would be great and we could spread Khotso, Ona and morena across the world for these engagements.” I say.
“Wait a minute! Nna ke ya kai?! I’m already a king. I’m not campaigning for the position.” Morena says.
Thabi and I chuckle.
“I really love that. Please join Tebza and I on a call today then we can discuss further? She’s still in KZN, so we meet virtually for now,” Thabi.
“Sure. I’ll forward you the invites and the deal details in the meantime.” I say.
She smiles at me.

Our breakfast arrives and we dig into our meals. Mofomahadi finally says, “So, I wanted to chat about our family.”
We all look at her. She’s sitting on top of morena who is sitting on her chair behind the desk. There is plenty of seating available, but they just want to be cute. Oh, and we are not allowed to be this cosy in their presence.
“This – our family – is everything to me. If anyone wants to attack me, they start with my family. I would do anything for you guys and our babies. Each and every one of you are my kids and you have a powerful role you play in this family. I need you guys to know that you are appreciated. We might not tell you everyday, but you are. It didn’t sit well with me that one of us was feeling unappreciated and Lulu, I’m sorry we dropped the ball.”
I nod my head.
“We are not the most conventional family there is. But we are who we are and that’s what makes us so perfect. Please guys, come to us with the things that trouble you. Let’s talk about it, fight about it and get through it. We don’t have to keep things in then explode when it’s too late to do anything about it. We are all we have. And it’s important to me that we have each other before we are had by anyone else.” She says.
We are all nodding our heads, receiving this.
“Now, Thandeka… does she have to be in our lives?” Morena blurts out.
That escalated very quickly.
No one has an answer.
“Nkosinathi is honestly a pest. He is irritating me. I don’t even know this person, but the fact that he’s alive and I know his name pisses me off. The life we give Thandeka is too financed for us to be dealing with her baggage.” Morena says.
“What has that idiot done?” Khotso asks.
“He got a lawyer on us. I received a letter from a lawyer telling me that my family is holding Thandeka hostage here in Tholoana Kingdom and that we kidnapped Tholoana. He even wanted to go to the media with this. I had to get a court interdict to stop him from speaking to the media.”
Ona and Thabi are shaking their heads in pure irritation.
“So, why is this idiot still a problem?” Morena.
“Thandeka doesn’t want her boys to grow up without their father.” Ona says.
“Ona, get rid of this woman, hle. I’m begging you as your mother. She is more trouble than what she is worth”, mofomahadi says.
“Babe, I think I have to agree le mama. We get her to sign papers that give up her rights as Tholoana’s mother and Lulu legally adopts Tholoana, then she must leave.” Thabi.
“Woah! What?!” Mofomahadi reacts.
“Unless you want her to take Tholoana with her or keep threatening to come and take him?” Thabi says.
Mofomahadi and morena look at each other.
“I support it.” Morena says.
“Onaleruna, do you love this woman?” Mofomahadi asks Ona.
“I have strong feelings for her, but I don’t think it’s love.” Ona says.
“What does that mean?” Morena.
Ona takes a deep breath then says, “I could stop seeing her. And I could ask her to leave Tholoana Kingdom. But, we don’t have to make life difficult for her. We are already making her give up Tholoana and we know that’s not going to sit well with her –
“Ona, the idea is not to hurt you here. Nkosinathi can always die in a car accident then our problem is solved.” Morena says.
“But Thandeka said –
“She doesn’t have to know. It’s a car accident. No one knows what really happened.” Morena.
We all ponder on this.
“Car accident it is”, Ona says.
“Shaka is in KZN. He will take care of it.” Morena says.
Just like that.
“Is Fifi still in hospital?” Mofomahadi asks as if her husband didn’t just plan someone’s death.
“Yeah. But she’s out of danger now. She should be getting discharged soon.” Morena says. I can’t believe they’ve moved on from planning a death. People who plan baby showers don’t even move on this quickly.
“And the baby?” Mofomahadi asks.
“The baby is fine.” Morena says.
“I can’t believe Uncle Shaka is going to be a new dad again.” Ona says, laughing.
“It’s Shak now. Fifi gave us Shak reformed.” Khotso says and we all laugh.
“It’s good for him though. He needs the new life. He has lost too much.” Mofomahadi says and I actually agree with her.
“And Ntuthuko?” Mofomahadi asks.
“He’s being moved to a Tholoana Kingdom prison”, morena says.
“But why aren’t you just getting him off?” Khotso.
“Shaka said we must let him do two years at least.” Morena says.
“Two years behind bars? Will he be in solitary at least?” Ona.
“Nope. Shaka wants him to fully experience prison so he actually learns his lesson”, morena says.
“But Nompumelelo just passed away because of that experience”, Khotso says.
“He’s their father. We have to respect what he says.” Morena.
“Yoh”, Ona and Khotso say together.
“I think Fifi will convince him to consider a nicer life in prison”, mofomahadi says.
“Honestly, the boy does need to toughen up a bit. Of all crimes, he goes for house break-ins at a fucken village? You know if the crime was smart, we’d probably protect him and even bring him into the church. But he clearly doesn’t have heart and he does need to man up a bit. Then he also has a pregnant girlfriend that nobody trusts.” Morena.
We all laugh.

We finish off breakfast with more chats and giggles then my book signings has to start.
It is already set up for me. Mine is to sit, sign and take photographs. The production company that’s sponsoring the book signing is the company that’s producing the series that came from this. There will also be a sale of the first five hundred books that have been printed as Oluremi Mohale. Someone just came in to tell us that they are sold out. So, now we make our way to get our photos taken as a family. Thabi was responsible for how we look today. Tebza and Maboko are in KZN with Fifi and Shaka. But Tebza is running the PR on social media today.
The payment from the company comes into my account as I find a seat and sit on it. Thabi, Ona and Khotso sit with me. We all know the real celebrities are Khotso and Ona. People want their pictures and my signature. Standard procedure.

The signing and pictures goes into the afternoon and I have to fetch my kids from school.
“Baby, the kids”, I say to Khotso.
“Ona and I will go and get them. You can stay here and keep signing, Oluremi Mohale”, he says then he kisses me.
I smile at him. He’s making me blush now.
He whispers in Ona’s ear then they both get up and leave together.
I finish signing at 8pm then mofomahadi closes the doors. Thabi and I are super bushed. Ona and Khotso are probably at home with the kids now.

Thabi and I get home together, laughing about. Ona and Khotso are sitting in the main house. With morena. Looking very stressed. And only two kids are with them.
“Where’s Tholoana?” I immediately ask because my mind knows exactly what has happened, but my heart refuses to accept it.
No one answers me.
“Thandeka again?!” Thabi.
“She took him from his classroom, saying she’s his mother and is picking him up. Khanya and Khosini also confirmed that she is his mother, so the school let her take him when she picked up Khanya and Khosini.” Ona says.
I just walk away.
Khotso follows me.
I don’t understand what for.
I’m pacing up and down the house trying to understand why this is happening. I see Khotso speaking. I don’t hear what he is saying. I feel like something has been ripped out of my body and my breath is struggling to stabilize.
Arms around me stop me from pacing up and down.
I look up.
Both Ona and Khotso have caught me. It looks like I was falling because we are all very close to the floor.
“Shak found them.” Ona says.
I just cry.
Khotso collapses to the floor and tries to console me.
Why am I so heartbroken? Tholoana is Thandeka’s child. He is. Why am I so opposed to her having the right to take him?

“Bishop”, morena says.
Oh, they are all here now.
“Pope. Nathi was in a car accident. As expected, Thandeka came sprinting for him. She has all three boys here with her.” Shak says.
I forgot about the car accident plan. I didn’t think it would happen this fast.
“He’s not dead?” Pope.
“Nah. When you told me she took Tholoana, I thought I’d create a negotiation point.” Shak.
“Negotiation?” Morena.
“Yep. And it worked. I went to Thandeka and told her that if she takes Tholoana, Nathi dies. But if she gives us Tholoana, we will think about making him live. I have Tholoana with me as we speak.”
Ona is so hurt.
“But we didn’t promise to keep him alive, right? We said we’d think about it. So, let’s get rid of him anyway.” Morena says.
“Mohato, no. Don’t do that. Let him live. Banish Thandeka from here. She must not come back to the kingdom. If he lives, he solves the problem for us because Thandeka will never stop showing up for him. But if he dies, she will have nothing left to lose. That’s when she will become dangerous.” Mofomahadi.
“She will still have her kids.” Morena says.
“Something tells me she’d survive their death more than she’d survive Nathi’s death and she knows it – she would just never admit it.” Mofomahadi says.
“Tholoana. Do you need us to meet you somewhere to get him?” I ask. That’s the only important thing in this conversation.
“We are driving back to Tholoana Kingdom tomorrow. We will bring him. He’s playing and running around with Khabane and Ruri. They are already driving us crazy.” Shak says.
I giggle.
Everyone smiles.
“How is Fifi?” Mofomahadi asks.
“She’s good. Both she and the baby are good.” Shak.
“Can I speak to her?” Mofomahadi.
“Okay. Sure.”
I walk out to get some air, leaving everyone inside to speak to Fifi. I saw Khotso trying to follow me outside, but Thabi stopped him and she followed me instead.

We sit on a bench outside of the main house. I can see Ona and Khotso standing at a distance and observing us.
Thabi makes a call.
After a few rings, Thandeka answers the phone.
Thandeka: “Thabi.”
Thabi: “What did I tell you?”
Thandeka: “Excuse me?”
Thabi: “What did I tell you?”
Silence.
Thabi: “Fine, I’ll refresh your memory. I told you to stop trying me and I told you to stop trying Lulu. I told you that getting Tholoana is something you will never see happen. So you kidnap him instead?”
Silence.
Thabi: “You are done, Thandeka. Do you understand me? YOU. ARE. DONE!”
Thandeka: “Thabi –
She has hung up.
Thabi and I just sit here in silence.
I wish I could speak to Tholoana, just so –
My phone rings.
It’s Tebza.
She’s with Tholoana.
“Hey babe”. Me.
“Mommy!” Tholoana.
I just want to cry. But I’m also laughing. Thabi giggles, as if laughing at me.
“Tholoana! What did I say to you about leaving with just anyone from school?” I say to him.
“Bhuti’s mom said you said she must fetch me and take me home.”
I cringe immediately! My body heats up with anger.
Thabi holds my hand, as if getting me to calm down.
“Was I naughty, mommy?”
“No, papa. But Tholoana, you don’t leave with anyone. Only I fetch you from school. Only me. Mom’Thabi –
“Aus’Thabi is fine” Thabi says.
Khotso and Ona laugh.
Oh they are also here.
“Aus’Thabi, your two dads, grandma and grandpa. I would never send anyone else to fetch you from school without telling you.” I say.
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
“Are you good, boy?” Ona.
“I’m good.”
“Are you behaving? I don’t want Aunt’Tebza and Uncle Maboko complaining about you being naughty tomorrow when they bring you back home.” Ona.
“We were naughty only five times. But Shak said we will sleep outside in a tree with dangerous animals. He said we would be nice and fresh meat for the animals. So, we are good now.”
We are all actually laughing. Who thinks of that?
“Be good, papa. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I love you.” I say.
“I love you, mommy. I won’t cry. I promise.”
“That’s my big boy. I’ll see you tomorrow, my love.” Me.
The line goes dead.
I take a deep breath.
“This child is a mommy’s boy.” Ona says.
I just laugh.
“Thandeka will pay for this.” Ona says.
“I just want my child back. Thandeka can go to hell for all I care.”

…

It’s 6am and I’m busy texting away with Tebza.
“What the fuck?! Why aren’t you sleeping?” Khotso wakes up and says.
“I’m waiting for Tholoana.” I say.
“What the fuck?!”
“You can go to sleep. It’s fine. Tebza has told me that they are on the road already.”
“So you waking up at 6am is going to make them get here faster?”
I’m silent. He’s being a jerk and it’s so unnecessary.
He sits up. I wish he could go back to sleep. Honestly.
“Come here”, he says to me as he opens his arms towards me.
I look at him.
“Come”, he says.
My head finds a place on his bare chest and he cuddles me in.
“What’s wrong? Talk to me.” He says.
“How could you let this happen?” I find myself saying. I didn’t mean to, I swear.
He sighs.
“He’s a child. He doesn’t need to be going through these kinds of things, caught up in drama because the adults around him want to behave a certain way. And Khotso… I trust you to look after us. I trust you and Ona to look after us. I don’t expect to go through such things because taking care of us is entrusted in you. How did you let this happen?”
“My love, eish, I’m so sorry. Ke kopa tshwarelo, moratuwa waka. I wish I could say that it will never happen again. But sometimes, even we will be caught off guard. We will try our best to make sure that we don’t go through this again. The important thing is that Tholoana is safe and we can trust that Tebza, Maboko, Fifi and Shak will bring him back in one piece.” He says.
“What if Thandeka does this again?”
“She’s been banished from the kingdom. The minute she even tries to get back in, we will know.”
“But it doesn’t mean we won’t travel to places where the banishment doesn’t apply. Thabi and Teboho want us to be traveling and getting involved in international politics now. We will be easy to trace at all times – and outside of Tholoana Kingdom.”
“We travel with security”.
“Yet, she still took him.”
He takes a deep breath.
“It won’t happen again.” He says.
“I don’t care what you have to do. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.” I say.
He kisses my forehead.
“Can we please go back to sleep? If we sleep now, when we wake up eight hours later, they’ll be here.” He says.
He has a point, but, and I tell him, “Nope. I can’t sleep. I need my child back here with me. I’ll go watch TV downstairs so I don’t disturb you.”
He’s so defeated.
He’s annoyed.
He’s pissed off.
But, he follows me to the TV room. He passes out on the couch within minutes. Real Housewives it is.